SUPPLYING A PRODUCTION READY CASSETTE MASTEr
We require digital files via WeTransfer or Dropbox (in a .ZIP or .RAR folder) or your own FTP site. Or, you can send physical formats (except vinyl lacquers) to the following address.
DMS Vinyl
1 Russell Court
St. Andrew Street
Plymouth
PL1 2AX
UK
All original files can be returned upon request once the mastering process is complete.
We do not recommend supplying a physical tape cassette as your audio master, unless this is the only format available. If this is the case, we do not advise you ripping your audio master from tape cassette, but to send DMS the physical cassette for us to do this because home tape recording equipment is not necessarily going to give you the best results.
Please ensure all files are transferred in a .ZIP/.RAR folder. We recommend that you supply your audio as two separate files for sides A and B of the tape. Alternatively, if you want us to compile your audio master for you then it is best to supply us with “top and tailed” numbered WAV/AIFF files, with any unwanted silences already trimmed away from the starts and ends of the tracks.
We recommend trying to get the side lengths as close to each other as possible to avoid a large blank space on one side of the tape and if they can’t be balanced closely, to make sure the Side A is the longer side of the two, so the flow of the album is not broken up with a big gap between sides.
You can give us details of the required elements of your cassette master, including any additional gaps between tracks on the DMS tracklist. Any actual audio editing that is required such as trims and fades etc would be chargeable at £60 per hour ex. VAT (£72 incl. VAT).
THE CASSETTE MASTERING PROCESs
Mastering for cassettes is charged at £60 per hour ex. VAT (£72 incl. VAT)
Our world class mastering service offers you access to highly experienced, industry-proven engineers at extremely competitive rates. The engineers will listen very carefully to your original mixes, take on board any notes and requests you provide and make the fine adjustments needed to transform your audio into a finished master optimised for transfer to the cassette format.
DMS will supply you with commercial quality audio, every time. We guarantee our mastering 100%, if you're genuinely and justifiably unhappy, we won't charge you.
If you would like a free, no obligation quote, we will need you to send us a copy of the audio that you would like mastered so we can then take a look and listen and then let you know a specific time-based quote for how long we think it would take to create your cassette masters from what you supply.
We won’t be able to let you know how much the mastering will be without inspecting the audio you would like mastered.
Once quoted the price will be valid for 30 days and won’t change (unless you supply different/new audio etc.)
OUR cassette MASTERING SERVICE INCLUDEs:
Creating a suitable wave form for cassette transfer by optimising your supplied audio
Adjustment of levels to reach commercial volume without losing overall dynamics
Arranging tracks in the final order required
Creating A & B side single WAVS with gaps set in place as required
Taming high frequencies and sibilance which increase distortion risks and restrict volume potential
Trimming start and finish points of all tracks as required ("topping and tailing")
Adding fade in/out points
Removing tape hiss, clicks, pops, and other unwanted noises/artefacts where possible
Processing (using mild compression/limiting & EQ) to achieve desired results if needed
Achieving a consistent level for all tracks ("balancing")
Stereo imaging/widening if required.
get in touch with our audio engineers now
Our engineers will harness specifically tailored hardware and software to really get the most out of your recordings. They will always ensure that the characteristics and dynamics of your audio are heralded and preserved, using their "Golden Ears", years of knowledge and experience, and a fully equipped post-production studio of highly-specialised equipment. Our mastering engineer's creative expertise will add the final polish. At this point you will receive a test copy to approve, and further changes can be requested if necessary.
Sound good? Please get in touch below, or keep reading for more useful tips and information.
Book Your Mastering As Early As Possible
Like a recording session, it's always useful to know that a job is being sent in advance so that the engineers can allocate their time. Once your mastering requests have been completed, our mastering engineer's creative expertise will add the final polish. You will receive a test copy to approve once the mastering process has been completed, further changes can be requested at this stage if necessary. We guarantee our mastering 100%, if you're genuinely and justifiably not happy, we won't charge you.
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We have a full directory of Info & FAQs at your disposal, please take a look. If you still have questions then please Get in Touch with our friendly UK and EU based team at any time.