Mastering

Mastering @ 25th Street Recording

Mastering is the final part of the recording process. Mastering is a combination of closely matching the sound of each song, and assembling the finished songs into a final product, ready for manufacturing and distribution. 

We use highly specialized tools to make sure that every song sounds as good as it possibly can. We can bring warmth and size back to many recordings, as well as clean up songs that sound muddy or dull. We can also raise the level of your songs to compete with any other recording of that style and sound.

Once the client is happy with the sound of the mastered songs, we create master discs and we can send files directly to the manufacturer or digital distributor. We also add CD Text, ISRC codes and all of the other information needed by any major label or retailer.

25th Street Recording specializes in all genres of music including Rap, R&B, Rock, Jazz, Classical, Acoustic and Folk. We can also transfer recordings from vinyl, 1/4", 1/2" and 2" tape.

Why we are different

  • We don't believe that high-end mastering should cost a lot of money.

  • We work in off hours to keep our prices low.

  • We have the best sounding studio, and the best selection of equipment in the Bay Area.

  • We have mastered hundreds of records in all genres.

  • We master CDs, Vinyl, Cassette and Digital releases.

  • We have an extremely fast turnaround time for most projects.

Pricing for mastering

$150 Per Song
$1,200 8-12 Song Album For Digital Delivery
$1,700 8-12 Song Album For CD+Digital
$450 Vinyl version add-on
$40 Per Revision (after first)

No-Risk Test masters are included for the per song rate.

Mastering includes: CD Text and Metadata Embedding, Level Matching, Custom Track Spacing, Loudness Maximizing, EQ, Compression (as needed), Professional, Ready-To-Upload File Exports for Digital and Physical Distribution.

25th Street Recording is “Mastered for iTunes” Certified.

What you’ll receive when mastering is complete:

Digital Master (44.1 kHz/16 bit wav files)
HD Masters (High Resolution 24 bit wav files) 
Apple Digital Masters (24 bit Mastered for iTunes wav files) 
DDP (CD Replication File)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What type of files should I send to you for mastering?

Please send files that have the same sample rate as the session they came from. We can accept files up to 32 bit/96KHz in WAV or AIFF formats.

Do you provide ISRC codes?

We do not. If your distributor doesn’t provide them, you can get more information about buying some here: www.usisrc.org

What is a DDP and why do I need one?

We can provide a DDP for an extra fee. A DDP is a format used for CD replication. This allows us to embed CD text, ISRC codes and UPC codes so they can be passed on to the replicated CDs. If you plan on ordering manufactured CD’s, check with your distributor, or manufacturing plant, to verify a DDP is acceptable format for submission.

Can I attend my session?

The majority of our mastering is unattended. This allows us to keep the cost low by using odd times in the schedule to do the work. Attending a mastering session is possible for an additional fee.