Quality Affordable Sound
Get your music mastered by a human, not an algorithm!
We are a post-production mastering & mixing studio that helps artists and musicians around the world breathe life and energy into their music everyday.
Master Your Sound
Give your music a BIG sound for a small price.
Put the final touches to sweeten your sound before releasing it on CD or for digital distribution by having it mastered by us. We analyze your audio for EQ tonal balance, polish, and loudness giving you a BIGGER and BRIGHTER sound! We provide you with 3 mastered options to choose from …all before you pay! Ready to get started? Simply send us the stereo mix for each song you want mastered for our sound engineer to work their magic!
Mastering FAQs...
WHAT is MASTERING?
The average music listener may not know what digital audio mastering is exactly, but they'll sure be able to tell the difference between a track that has been mastered, and one that hasn't. Without having your music mastered, you run the risk of fans and/or industry professionals not taking you seriously. Mastering is the last step in the pro audio process, running analysis and correction for tonal balance, excitement and loudness. It often involves using various EQs, compressors, saturation, imaging and limiting... tools the average artist or producer doesn't have access to. For most of us artists and musicians, our music is our baby... make sure it sounds it's best before you deliver it to the world to hear!
Who is mastering for?
Digital mastering is ideal for those who want to make their music sound it's absolute best - to add that extra magic to it, elevate the volume to industry standards without sonic distortion or peaks, and give it a more robust and exciting quality of sound! After you have your songs mixed properly, getting your album, EP, demo or single mastered is the right choice prior to making it available for digital download, CD duplication or online streaming. So whether you're the artist, producer, manager or mixing engineer, getting music mastered is right for you.
It takes pro tools, pro experience, and other mastering software to accomplish this ...and we've got what it takes at ATL Sound Studio to get the job done right!
OUR MASTERING PROCESS
- You send us your audio in stereo format (see "What to Send Us").
- We will send you a questionaire to gain a better understanding of what your mastering goals are. At this time, we will also request extra details for your song's digital file metadata.
- A sound engineer (not an algorithm) evaluates your audio utilizing industry-leading tools and experience to master your mix, focusing in the following areas:
- Equalization to cut or boost areas in you audio where needed to bring tonal balance to your mix
- Compression to add color and help glue your mix together as needed
- Loudness Analysis to maximize volume transparently to around -8 LUFS (+/- depending on perceived loudness compared to other songs on the same project) to meet CD quality loudness standards
- Magic by utilizing mastering tools to add tone, excitement and brilliance to your mix to help it stand out from the crowd
- Once ready (typically within 72 hours), you will receive three 90-second mp3 master review clips to choose from, as well as an invoice via Square. Note: for larger projects, a 50% non-refundable down payment may be required before we start work.
- Once payment is confirmed and selection is made, the mastered songs will be delivered .wav & .mp3 formats within 24 hours online via WeTransfer.
Note on End Product: Each song will be set at a 44.1 khz sample rate and a 16 bit sample size while lossy files (like .mp3) will be encoded with an average bit rate of 320kbps (unless other format or bit rate requested in advance). We provide a .wav & .mp3 file for each song mastered, but can also provide AIFF, FLAC, Apple Lossless or AAC formats, as well as other export parameters, upon advanced request.
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that we can only work with what audio you've provided us and that some errors may be unrepairable, such as distortion or skips.
What to send us
- In order for us to work our magic on your song, the song(s) to be mastered should each be sent to us in a single stereo audio file (preferably .wav, but .mp3 or .m4a is acceptable). If you have the capability to control the output of the mix, we recommend to NOT apply a limiter or compression to the overall mix and keep the peak below -5dB so that there is plenty of headroom for the mastering.
- Please do not send us multitracks or stems for mastering.
- Songs should be fully mixed prior to mastering.
- Please no "brick wall" mixes.
- [Optional] If you have a popular song that you love the way it sounds and you'd like us to reference that during the mastering process to aim for similar EQ, dynamics and loudness, include that as well (in .wav, .mp3 or .m4a format only).
From there, we'll work our magic. The good news is, you don't pay until you hear the results for yourself!
Compare...
Listen to some songs Mastered by us…
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR RATES & POLICIES
SEND AUDIO TO US FROM YOUR COMPUTER
Get the Right Mix
Tweak the mix… refine your tracks before mastering.
Have a mix you want mastered but feel that subtle changes that could make a big difference are needed first? We can help! Simply send us your pre-arranged multitrack files for us to help make your song sound it's best!
Lite Mixing FAQs...
WHAT is lite mixing?
Mixing involves taking the elements within a song and making adjustments to blend them together in a more refined harmony for sonic cohesiveness.
Lite Mixing with ATL Sound Studio is not full mixing, but it does involve adjustments and enhancements to gain, panning, EQ, compression, reverb and/or delay to the individual vocal and instrument tracks in the mix as needed to bring a better balance to the song prior to mastering. Because we are not performing full on mixing (arrangement, alignment, detailed vocal tuning, special effects, etc.), we charge flat fees instead of per-hour costs.
Note: If you have some effects on the previous version you would like to keep, please send the files with those effects applied.
WHO IS LITE MIXING FOR?
Have you ever had a song mixed but feel it doesn't sound good enough for mastering? As long as you have the arranged multitracks (the individual vocal and/or instrument tracks that make up the song), we can take your song, analyze it and improve it to bring a more balanced level of zen to your music.
We've got the software and expertise to bring the best out of your sound to make it more sonically balanced! We use Pro Tools and experience to help accomplish this. If you plan on getting your song mastered, make sure it's mixed well first!
OUR PROCESS
- Once you send us your audio multitracks (see "What to Send Us") and you provide us with detail on how you want us to help, we listen to the song then analyze each individual vocal and/or instrument track and seek to improve them in the following areas:
- Balance to keep instruments or vocals from fighting with one another
- Panning to place sounds in the right space and add movement throughout the stereo mix
- Equalizing the frequency range to keep the lows low, add brilliance to the highs, and give your song clarity
- Dimension by adding width or depth to a track with reverb, delay, and other enhancements to spruce up your song
- Dynamics improvement by adding compression where needed to focus the energy
- Once ready (typically within 72 hours), you will receive a clipped version of the mixed song (audio cuts out for a moment every 30 seconds or so) as well as an invoice via PayPal.
- Once payment is confirmed, the full stereo version of the mix (.wav & .mp3) will be delivered to you within 24 hours online via WeTransfer, along with any other add-ons you had requested. *Keep in mind that all mixes include at least one free revision session.
Important! ALL MIXES ARE BOUNCED AT PRE-MASTERING METER LEVELS. This is to allow about 5dB of headroom for song mastering - the final stage of song development where polish is added to you mix to make sure it is comparable to commercial releases in both loudness and quality Mastering is priced separately - learn more at our Mastering page.
WHAT TO SEND US
In order for us to work our magic on your song, we need the .wav file multitracks - the individual audio tracks within your session. Here's some things to keep in mind:
- All tracks should be bounced starting at 0:00 and run through the end of the song (to keep your arrangement)
- Tracks should be bounced relatively dry, but if you are using a unique sweetening plug-in or effect that you absolutely want to keep on the track (e.g. Auto-Tune, filter sweeps, transition effects, etc), then definitely keep it on the bounce! (optionally you could provide a "wet" and "dry" version of that track)
- Provide a rough mix if possible so we can see where you were going and how to elevate your song!
Disclaimer: Not all studios or programs have the same plugins, or even the same compatibility, so for this reason we request that you do not send program files such as Pro Tools sessions.
Compare...
Listen to some songs Mixed by us…
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR RATES & POLICIES
SEND AUDIO TO US FROM YOUR COMPUTER
About ATL Sound Studio
Our Mission: Established in 2008, this studio's services have been around for more than 10 years are backed by more than 20 years of combined studio engineering and music production experience. Starting as a vocal recording and mixing studio and later adding mastering to the services line-up, this studio was created to help the up-and-comer, the underground hitmaker and the everyday musician enhance and improve their sound before delivering it to the masses. We do this at an affordable price so that you can get the quality of big label sounds within your budget.
Our Philosophy: Some sound engineers say that a great song is 90% mixing and 10% mastering… others say the mix is the foundation and the mastering is what makes it sound like a hit… we believe that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Mixing is about half of the equation and mastering is the other. While mastering cannot fix a bad mix, it can make a good mix sound great!
Our Engineer: Owned and operated by our sound engineer, Paul William, his experience shines through giving each client a high level quality of sound, plus creative input when needed. He started his career in the late 1990's as a hip-hop recording artist. After recording his demo and starting on his first LP, he began to concentrate on his surroundings (i.e. recording, mixing and crafting beats) - deciding to dedicate most of his time to learning the ins and outs of being a sound engineer and producer. After taking much time to hone and perfect his talents, he started to engineer for other aspiring artists... and the rest, as they say, is history.
He has had his hand in several projects as a recording artist, producer, and sound engineer over the years, and he continues his career as a recording artist, in addition to taking the experience he's gained to provide high quality results for artists and musicians all around the world!
*Notice: We are no longer offering recording or in-studio mixing sessions due to Covid-19
Reviews & Comments
See what people are saying about us
★★★★★ "We used ATL Sound Studio for our bands self produced single. They took it to the next level that we were not able to do ourselves before submitting to distribution. They have a great turn around time and clear communication. We were really pleased with our entire experience." - Micayla W. via Yelp!
★★★★★ "I've been sending music to [ATL] Sound Studio for almost two years. I am highly satisfied by the personal service and the quality of the mixing and mastering. With every song that I have sent, it is obvious that Paul commits to the project and he listens and analyzes each track of the song. I have used the services of several other DWA mastering companies and I have been most satisfied with ATL Sound Studio. He cares!" - Neanus Hughes via Google
★★★★★ “Yo yo this is Dash Caine 040. I am a rapper from Hamburg Germany. I only can recommend ATL Sound Studio. Happy I found them. Good results in short time. Friendly communication. GREAT SOUND. If you want to check out what ATL did to my music on youtube : Dash Caine 040 - Gemacht" via Google
★★★★★ “My go-to for ALL of my masters! They are quick and have great customer service.” - Chelsea Carboni via Google
★★★★★ “Great quality mastering and service. Would recommend =)” - Cobra Lily via Google
★★★★★ "If you want that professional sound and quality.This is the right place with a very skillful engineer, who understands the art of music cohesiveness....I'm very thankful for what they've done to my album." - Bradshaw Deen via Facebook
★★★★★ "I was very impressed with the overall quality and speed in which Paul handled my project. He is very knowledgeable, and his prices for studio time are pretty good to. If you need to complete a project look no further." - Keith F. via Yelp
★★★★★ "Great Service! Best recording studio I have been too in Atlanta!" - Parodic Bros via Google
★★★★★ "Excellent studio with a professional and friendly atmosphere.. Careful if you go in after me though cause the mic might still be hot" - Brandon McCoy aka Firekracker via Facebook
"I will be sending more work your way salute for bless me with that Master!!" - Dangero aka Rodney Strong (@HBEGANG) via Twitter
"ATLSoundStudio forever thankful for the work you do for my projects!!" - Ty Legacy (@iamtylegacy) via Twitter
"My guy @ATLSoundStudio does my tracks right fam. Holla at him." - Vision (@visionrap28) via Twitter
"S/O @ATLSoundStudio FOR KEEPING ME ON TOP OF THE GAME..." - Hook Jr (@HOOKJRTHEHITMAN) via Twitter
“I have used this studio several times and every time they went over and beyond… Great quality, real down-to-earth. Thank you Paul” - Scooda Red (@scoodared) via Instagram