An overview of services and the rates for having your material mastered by me as of January 2024. Please take the numbers as a guideline and contact me for your individual quote.
All prices are in Euro and subject to 19% VAT for clients in Germany, and for EU clients without registered VAT ID. Returning clients receive a 10% discount on album rates.
Please also read my payment terms.
Stereo Mastering
Album and EP
€ 14 per minute of audio
Single and 7" Single
€ 80 per track with up to 5 minutes duration
Radio edits and instrumentals are 50% if they are delivered with the album mixes.
All revisions are included. If you submit a new mix for an already mastered track, this is billed as a new track.
A master comes as a sequenced playlist with adjusted gain relations, dedicated fades, and spacing between tracks to guarantee the correct flow of your work from any format.
Your master includes the formats you are planning to release, i.e.
- Apple Digital Master (ADM) for digital distribution
- DDP Image for CD manufacture
- Cassette Master
- Vinyl Premaster for your cutting engineer, please see below for exceptions.
I have worked in pro audio for 30 years and maintain a close relationship with some of the best vinyl cutting engineers, pressing plants, CD manufacturers, and printers in the business. I'm happy to help you find partners that suit your project and requirements best.
Vinyl Premaster
I usually master with vinyl in mind because what works for this format also sounds best for the ear. If your mixes are phase coherent, your master for digital distribution will also work for vinyl. In this case, I include a dedicated folder with a vinyl premaster for your cutting engineer free of charge.
The cost of a dedicated vinyl premaster will vary based on the specific work required.
Restoration
I will remove the occasional clicks and bursts from your audio as part of the mastering process. If your material requires elaborate spectral repair of glitches, distortion, and other unwanted events baked into your recordings, the following rates apply:
€ 100 per hour / billed per 15 minutes
Last-minute / Rush Service
For all the Spotify streaming stars I offer a rush service for € 120 per single with a minimum lead time of 12 hours before your deadline to receive your final mix.
Attended Mastering
You are welcome to attend your session for an album at no additional cost in my studio in Bonn, Germany. To keep this practical, you will have to deliver your mix in advance for pre-mastering so that we can focus on fine-tuning during your visit. I only have two attended dates available every month, please contact me well in advance.
Additional Services
Mixing
I will take on specific mixing projects, especially electroacoustic and chamber music projects in the broadest sense. Whatever those terms suggest to you, contact me if you are interested in having your project mixed by me. I'm asking for advance payment for mixing projects.
Media Transfer
I can transfer your historical 33 /45 /78 rpm records and cassette tapes using a high-end playback chain and converters. For the transfer of records, I'm using an EMT 938 turntable, fully refurbished by Hans Fabritius, with a range of correct styli for your stereo, mono, or normal groove 78 rpm media. For cassettes, I use a fully serviced Studer A721 tape deck.
Flat transfer uploaded as 24/96k .WAV
€ 150 per hour / 1 hour minimum, then billed per 15 minutes
For the transfer of your 1/4, 1/2, and 1-inch reels I'm collaborating with specialists in Europe, North America, and Asia.