At Sonic Wax Pressing, we specialise in the art of stem mastering, offering unparalleled control and superior results for your music. Unlike traditional stereo mastering, stem mastering harnesses the power of individual stems from your mix, unlocking endless possibilities to fine-tune and enhance both the sonic and technical characteristics of your tracks. With our expert team and cutting-edge techniques, we ensure that your music stands out with exceptional clarity and depth.

How Does Sonic Wax Pressing Stem Mastering Work?

To experience the full benefits of stem mastering, it's essential to provide us with separate subgroups of stems that accurately represent your intended mix. These stems should be meticulously organised and played back together to recreate your mix precisely as you envision it. It is crucial that all effects used during your mix are printed into these stems to preserve the integrity of your original vision.

To assist you in preparing your stems, consider the following example grouping:

Kick Drum
Bass
Drums (Midrange)
Drums (High Frequency)
Musical Parts 1 (Musical Sounds and FX Group)
Musical Parts 2 (Musical Sounds and FX Group)
Vocals

Before submitting your stems, it is vital to open a new session and compare them against your previously created stereo mix. They should sound identical when played together. If discrepancies are detected, ensure that your bounce settings, track routing, and FX settings are correctly configured. Once your stems accurately reflect your mix, consolidate them into one folder for each song, forming the premaster source for our stem mastering session.

The Power of Stem Mastering: Enhancing Your Sound

Stem mastering is not a substitute for mixing but a powerful tool to elevate your tracks to new heights. To benefit from our stem mastering services, you should have already mixed your track and be satisfied with the overall mix. The balance you achieved in your mix will ideally remain intact, while our expertise will enrich, enhance, and correct any technical issues in greater detail. Subtle changes to stem levels may be made during the mastering process to achieve optimum balance while preserving your original artistic vision.

Mastering Levels: Achieving the Perfect Mix

To ensure optimal results, we recommend keeping peaks on the main mix bus between -10 to -4dBfs (Digital Full Scale), avoiding levels exceeding -3 dBfs. If your levels are higher, we suggest reducing the individual mix element faders and group faders to lower the level on the master output bus. It is essential to maintain the master fader at 0 and adjust the faders and groups within your session (if mixing in the box) for precise control and balance.

For more specific information on stem mastering and preparing stems for mastering, please refer to our standard premastering advice. If you require a full mixdown, we offer comprehensive services either in-the-box or on a console with outboard gear, utilizing our 24-track analog tape setup if desired. Please contact us for more information and pricing options.

Elevate your music to new sonic heights with Sonic Wax Pressing Stem Mastering & Mix Services. Experience unrivalled control, exceptional sound quality, and a truly unique musical journey.