Mix consultation
A second pair of ears on your mix
A mix consultation is a detailed professional review of a mix you made yourself. I listen on a calibrated system, tell you exactly what is holding the mix back, and give you specific fixes in the order they should be tackled — with timestamped notes and a screen-share session to go through them. You keep the session, you keep control of the record, and you keep the method for every mix after this one.
The problem
Why can't I hear what's wrong with my own mix?
Because you have heard it four hundred times. Every engineer loses perspective on a mix they have lived inside, and no amount of skill prevents it — it is how hearing works. A consultation is the cheapest way to borrow ears that have not been worn down by your own track, from someone who hears finished records for a living.
What you get
Not a vague impression and not a rewrite of your record — a diagnosis you can act on the same day, and a straight answer about whether the mix is ready to master.
- A full listen on a calibrated system, not laptop speakers
- Timestamped notes tied to exact moments in the track
- Specific fixes, ordered by what will make the biggest difference
- A clear answer on whether the mix is ready to master
- Follow-up questions answered by email after the session
Pricing
How much does a mix consultation cost?
Owner: set your real rates here. A single-track consultation and a multi-track or album rate are the two tiers most people look for.
Single track
- ✓Full review of one mix
- ✓Timestamped written notes
- ✓Screen-share session
- ✓Email follow-up
EP or album
- ✓Multiple tracks reviewed
- ✓Consistency across the record
- ✓Screen-share session
- ✓Email follow-up
Follow-up
- ✓Review of your revised mix
- ✓Confirms the fixes landed
- ✓Reduced rate
The process
How a consultation works
- 01
You send the mix and your questions.
Stereo WAV or AIFF, finished or work-in-progress, plus what is bothering you.
- 02
I listen properly and take notes.
On a calibrated system, against your references, with timestamps.
- 03
We go through it together.
A screen-share session where you hear what I hear and ask anything.
- 04
You fix it — and keep the method.
You apply the notes yourself, and email follow-up questions as they come up.
Which one do I need?
Consultation, lesson, or mastering?
You have a mix that is nearly there
Book a mix consultation. You are close and stuck on something you can no longer hear.
You want to get better at mixing
Book teaching. Lessons build the craft rather than solving one record.
Your mix is finished and approved
Book mastering. If it is not ready, I will tell you before taking the job.
Turnaround for a consultation is [X business days] — owner to confirm.
Mix consultation FAQ
- What is a mix consultation?
- A mix consultation is a detailed review of a mix you made yourself. I listen on a calibrated system, tell you exactly what is holding the mix back, and give you specific, actionable fixes in the order they should be tackled. You do the work — I tell you what the work is.
- How is this different from hiring you to mix?
- In a consultation you keep the session and you keep control of the record. Nothing is re-mixed for you. You get the diagnosis and the method, apply it yourself, and keep the skill for every mix after this one.
- How is it different from a lesson?
- A lesson teaches a subject. A consultation solves the specific record in front of you. Most people who take a consultation are close to finished and stuck on something they can no longer hear.
- What do I need to send?
- A stereo bounce of your mix as a WAV or AIFF — 32-bit float is ideal, 24-bit is fine. A work-in-progress is perfectly acceptable; it does not need to be finished. Send reference tracks if you have them, and tell me what is bothering you.
- Do I need to have finished the mix?
- No. A consultation is often more useful mid-mix, before problems get baked in. If you are stuck at any stage, that is the right time.
- Can you tell me whether my mix is ready for mastering?
- Yes — that is one of the most common reasons people book one. Mastering cannot fix a mix problem, and it is far cheaper to hear that before you pay for a master than after.