Prepare
the files.
Good engineering starts before the upload. Clean, aligned source files protect the record and reduce avoidable revision loops.
1. Keep every stem aligned
Export stems from the same start point and include the complete musical tail. Do not trim each file to its first audible event. The session should rebuild correctly when every stem is placed at bar one.
2. Keep the source lossless
Use WAV rather than MP3 or other lossy formats. Export at the project’s native sample rate. 24-bit or 32-bit float files are appropriate when the session supports them; avoid unnecessary sample-rate conversion before delivery.
3. Preserve headroom without chasing a magic number
Do not clip the premix or force it to an arbitrary target such as exactly -6 dB. What matters is clean headroom and intact dynamics. Remove brick-wall limiting from the master when it exists only for loudness, but keep processing that is part of the sound and tell the engineer what it is doing.
4. Send a rough mix
The rough mix is a map of your intent. It shows balances, transitions and creative decisions that raw stems cannot explain by themselves.
5. Add references with a reason
A reference is useful when you can say what you want from it: low-end shape, vocal placement, transient weight, depth or overall density. “Make it sound exactly like this” is less useful than identifying the attribute you are targeting.
6. Name the files clearly
Use readable names such as Kick, Bass, Hats, Percussion, Synth, FX and Vocal rather than anonymous track numbers. Include tempo and project notes when they matter.