DEATH
BY
STEREO
Online Writing, Production, Mixing & Mastering
ONLY £100pd
Welcome to Death by Stereo, an online only studio offering services in writing, production, mixing and mastering.
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Are your tracks lacking the depth, energy and character needed to grab the attention of your listeners?
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Could your pre-existing material benefit from additional writing or production?
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Would re-amping, triggers, programming and outboard analogue processing help your recordings sound world class?
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Are you a content creator looking for seriously pro sound quality for your podcast or YouTube channel?
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No matter the size, complexity or scope of your project I can help. This is Death by Stereo.
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Get in touch today and I can make your music sound second to none!
WRITING
Writing from only £300 per track.
8 hours of writing, 8 hours of recording and production, 8 hours of mixing and mastering, 24 hours total.
2 song-writing, 2 recording/production and 2 mixing/mastering revisions included in the price.
14 business days turnaround.
Copyright free and you keep 100% ownership of your track.
Full payment in advance.
You have the lyrics and the idea, but you’re missing a big chunk of the picture. You need a producer and co-writer to guide the process. I specialise in offering complete packages that include everything you will need from writing to release. Starting from your basic idea, which can be anything from a voice memo on your phone to a recording you’ve put together in your DAW of choice I’ll do everything from writing, arranging, production, performance, recording, mixing and mastering!
First I’ll build a solid foundation and make your track the best it possibly can be! During my first session I’ll listen to your demo, taking out parts that aren’t working, replacing them with more cohesive and effective arrangements. I’ll also write new, additional parts for your tracks, utilising instruments and techniques that you may never have heard of! Throughout this whole process I’ll also be recording a brand new demo that not only reflects the progress and tonal choices made but will also serve as a rope map for when it’s time to start production.
Next I’ll produce your tracks, meticulously shaping their overarching sound, theme and aesthetic whilst also adding that indefinable quality. This will range from simple decisions such as choosing drum sounds and microphone placement, to broader strokes such as emotional impact and performance delivery. As I dive into the recording process I’ll not only use the highest quality, industry standard microphones, hardware and software, but also a choice selection of rare and sought after effects pedals and analogue outboard to load your track with a unique combination of vibe, personality and character. Utilising my extensive collection of musical instruments, from guitars to synths to drums, I’ll also play any instruments that you can’t - making sure your track is recorded exactly as envisioned.
It’s at this point you’ll send me your final vocal recordings, ready for me to mix seamlessly into your new track. I’ll be on hand to give guidance, advising that you provide doubles, harmonies, pedal leads and backing vocals to compliment your lead vocal.
Please note that I do NOT offer recording sessions, you will need to arrange a way to record your final vocal takes. This could be done in your own home studio or at an external studio that you’ve booked yourself and will need to be of the highest quality you can realistically achieve.
Next I’ll add the finishing touches to your track, mixing them with both broad strokes and subtle nuance to add depth, width, fullness and clarity. Finally your track will be mastered, making sure that it not only translates beautifully across multiple playback devices (from AirPods to the largest speakers,) but that it’s also at a volume that’s sure to grab your listeners attention.
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PREPARING YOUR TRACK FOR WRITING:
1. Create a new folder on your desktop, labelling it appropriately, such as the name of the track being mixed. This is where you’ll save everything in the below steps!
2. Take any voice memos or relevant audio and label them appropriately.
3. If you’ve create a demo in a DAW, export your mix, leaving all plugins and processing as they are.
4. If you have any MIDI to accompany your demo please export this too.
5. Compress your folder into a .zip file.
6. Upload your folder onto a cloud storage platform of your choice, Google Drive, WeTransfer or DropBox for example.
7. Email a downloadable link to your folder along with the following information to ‘hellodeathbystereo@gmail.com’:
1. Song and artist name.
2. Any additional information you feel is important, such as ideas and guidance for the track. This should also include a few reference tracks.
Please see the FAQ page for tutorials if you are struggling with any of the above.
PRODUCTION
Production from only £50 per track.
4 hours total.
1 revision included in the price.
7 business days turnaround.
Copyright free and you keep 100% ownership of your track.
Full payment in advance.
Could a track you’re working on benefit from additional production, programming and processing?
Send me the stems to your track and I’ll add percussion, drum triggers, double tracking, guitar re-amping, ambient effects and analogue processing through both boutique effects pedals and sought after outboard gear.
Your new stems will be oozing with vibe, personality and character. Complementing your pre-existing material perfectly, your track will now sit side-by-side with your favourite commercial releases!
PREPARING YOUR TRACK PRODUCTION:
1. Create a new folder on your desktop, labelling it appropriately, such as the name of the track being mixed. This is where you’ll save everything in the below steps!
2. Leaving all plugins on, export your mix. I will use this as a reference and starting point.
3. Remove ALL plugins from every track, this should also include effects (such as reverbs and delays,) auxiliaries, busses and your master channel.
4. Make sure none of your individual tracks clip (go into the red,) pulling the faders down where necessary.
5. Export each individual track from the start of the session, labelling them appropriately. For example, ‘Kick Drum,’ ‘Acoustic Guitar Left,’ ‘Acoustic Guitar Right.’
6. MIDI files and dry/DI signals from guitars and keyboards are essential for getting the most out of this process, please export these as well!
7. Compress your folder into a .zip file.
8. Upload your folder onto a cloud storage platform of your choice, Google Drive, WeTransfer or DropBox for example.
9. Email a downloadable link to your folder along with the following information to ‘hellodeathbystereo@gmail.com':
1. Song and artist name.
2. The tempo of track, including any changes that may happen throughout.
3. Any additional information you feel is important, such as ideas and guidance for the production.
Please see the FAQ page for tutorials if you are struggling with any of the above.
MIXING
Mixing from only £100 per track.
8 hours total.
2 revisions included in the price.
Heavy pitch and/or timing correction available at an additional cost of £25ea.
7-14 business days turnaround.
Your mix will be delivered back to you in multiple formats including WAV, MP3 and instrumental.
Full payment in advance.
The music industry has never been more competitive and having an amazing song simply isn’t good enough anymore - the quality of your mix has to be second to none.
I’ll achieve this using both broad strokes and subtle nuance to add depth, width, fullness and clarity.
Not only will I use the latest digital software - but also a plethora of sought after analogue hardware and sonically unique effects pedals that will bring your track to life and make it stand out above the rest.
Oozing with vibe, personality and character your finished track is sure to grab the attention of your listeners.
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PREPARING YOUR TRACK FOR MIXING:
1. Create a new folder on your desktop, labelling it appropriately, such as the name of the track being mixed. This is where you’ll save everything in the below steps!
2. Leaving all plugins on, export your mix. I will use this as a reference and starting point.
3. Remove ALL plugins from every track, this should also include effects (such as reverbs and delays,) auxiliaries, busses and your master channel.
4. Make sure none of your individual tracks clip (go into the red,) pulling the faders down where necessary.
5. Export each individual track from the start of the session as a WAV file, labelling them appropriately. For example, ‘Kick Drum,’ ‘Acoustic Guitar Left,’ ‘Acoustic Guitar Right.’
6. If you have any dry/DI signals from guitars (acoustic, electric, bass, etc.) please export these as well.
7. If you have MIDI to accompany any of your tracks please export these as well.
8. Compress your folder into a .zip file.
9. Upload your folder onto a cloud storage platform of your choice, Google Drive, WeTransfer or DropBox for example.
10. Email a downloadable link to your folder along with the following information to ‘hellodeathbystereo@gmail.com’:
1. Song and artist name.
2. The tempo of track, including any changes that may happen throughout.
3. Any additional information you feel is important, such as ideas and guidance for the mix.
Please see the FAQ page for tutorials if you are struggling with any of the above.
MASTERING
Mastering from only £25 per track.
2 hours total.
1 revision included in the price.
7 business days turnaround.
Your master will be delivered back to you in multiple formats including WAV, MP3 and those suitable for video.
Your audio will be fully compliant with industry standards and guidelines at a bit depth and sample rate suitable for your platform(s.)
Full payment in advance.
Mastering is the process of getting your track ‘radio ready.’ But what does that really mean?
I’ll make sure that your track is not only at an industry standard playback level, but that is also translates clearly and beautifully across multiple devices - from your iPhone and AirPods to the largest speaker systems.
This is achieved through the subtle, yet precise use of EQ, compression, spacial enhancement, limiting and studio wizardry.
PREPARING YOUR TRACK FOR MASTERING:
1. Create a new folder on your desktop, labelling it appropriately, such as the name of the track being mastered. This is where you’ll save everything in the below steps!
2. Remove ALL plugins from your master channel, this should include everything from EQ and compression to harmonic enhancement and ESPECIALLY limiters.
3. Make sure your track doesn’t clip (go into the red) at any point, pulling faders down where necessary.
4. Export your mix as a stereo WAV file.
5. Compress your folder into a .zip file.
6. Upload your folder onto a cloud storage platform of your choice, Google Drive, WeTransfer or DropBox for example.
7. Email a downloadable link to your folder along with the following information to ‘hellodeathbystereo@gmail.com’:
1. Song and artist name.
2. Let me know where you will be uploading/distributing your track so I can provide you with correctly formatted tracks that meet industry standards.
3. Any additional information you feel is important, such as ideas and guidance for the master.
Please see the FAQ page for tutorials if you are struggling with any of the above.
PODCASTS, YOUTUBE & CORPORATE
Sound for podcasts, YouTube and corporate from only £100 per show.
8 hours total.
2 revisions included in the price.
7 business days turnaround.
Your audio will be delivered back to you in multiple formats including WAV, MP3 and those suitable for video.
Your audio will be fully compliant with industry standards and guidelines at a bit depth and sample rate suitable for your platform(s.)
Full payment in advance.
You’re recording your very own podcast, YouTube video or corporate presentation. You have the killer content, but now you need it to sound second to none. My standard package includes:
Adding intro/outro/transition music and sponsored content segments to your production.
Ordering your content and editing clips/pieces together to make one coherent podcast free from artefacts.
Cleaning up audio including background noise and electrical hum.
Mixing your audio to the highest possible quality.
Mastering your audio to be fully compliant with industry standards and guidelines.
Exporting your audio at a bit depth and sample rate suitable for your platform(s.)
PREPARING YOUR AUDIO FOR EDITING:
1. Create a new folder on your desktop, labelling it appropriately, such as the name of the show being edited. This is where you’ll save everything in the below steps!
2. If you’re exporting audio from a DAW (Logic Pro X, Pro Tools, etc.) remove ALL plugins from every track, this should also include effects (such as reverbs and delays,) auxiliaries, busses and your master channel.
3. Make sure none of your individual tracks clip (go into the red,) pulling the faders down where necessary.
4. Export each individual track from the start of the session as a WAV file, labelling them appropriately. For example, ‘Intro,’ ‘Host,’ ‘Guest 1.’
5. Put any additional audio into your folder, such as music, sponsored segments or audio direct from a recorder.
6. Compress your folder into a .zip file.
7. Upload your folder onto a cloud storage platform of your choice, Google Drive, WeTransfer or DropBox for example.
8. Email a downloadable link to your folder along with the following information to ‘hellodeathbystereo@gmail.com’:
1. Any predetermined edits/cuts you have already decided on along with their timings.
2. The running time of your show and the content order along with their timings.
3. Let me know where you will be uploading/distributing your track so I can provide you with correctly formatted tracks that meet industry standards.
4. Any additional information you feel is important, such as ideas and guidance for the show.
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Please see the FAQ page for tutorials if you are struggling with any of the above.
How do I prepare my tracks and audio?
Instructions can be found under each applicable service type, but if you’re struggling please refer to the links below:
Pro Tools:
Ableton Live:
Logic Pro X & 9:
GarageBand:
Cubase:
Studio One:
Propellerhead Reason:
Cockos REAPER:
FL Studio:
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Alternatively head to Google or YouTube to find the most up-to-date tutorials and user guides for your chosen software.
You can purchase four additional revisions for only £25.
Get in touch via email, ‘hellodeathbystereo@gmail.com’ and then follow the instructions found under the applicable service(s.)
Once you’ve made an order and your prepared folder has been approved I’ll get to work and send you an audition MP3.
You can then approve the work or request revisions.
Once approved I’ll send you the final high quality audio files over Google Drive.
Once you receive your audition MP3 take a listen to it! Listen to it quiet, listen to it loud and everything in-between.
If you’re listening to a mix use the highest quality headphones or speakers you have available. If you’re listening to a master use a variety of playback devices from your iPhone and AirPods to the highest quality headphones and speaker you have available.
Whilst listening think of the following:
Is the track balanced across the frequency spectrum? I.e. not too bright, not too bass heavy, balanced mids.
Can you hear all of the instruments? I.e Kick is audible and not fighting with the bass.
Are all of the important parts of the track audible? I.e. nothing gets in the way of the vocal, lead instruments cut without being overpowered by rhythmic elements.
Also pay attention to effects (such as reverb and delay,) stereo imaging and overall volume levels throughout the track.
Once you’ve listened through your audition MP3 several times create a new text document on you software of choice (Notes, Pages, Word, Google, etc.) and list all of your revision notes. For example:
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The kick drum needs a little more ‘click’ to cut through the mix.
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The vocals are being drowned out a little by the reverb.
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The lead synth is a little too loud after the first chorus.
Once you’re done upload your document into your reply email!
When creating mixing and mastering notes remember that your track can be improved, sweetened and altered within reason: a lower quality quality recording can never be made to sound like a world-class recording and your chunky Les Paul will never sound like a chicken-pickin’ Telecaster. Be realistic from the onset and it’s true what they, you really can’t fix it in the mix!
I no longer offer refunds. Carefully read each services description, take a look at some of my testimonials and listen to my past work: make an informed decision.
I reserve the right to terminate work at any point, without refund, for any abusive or rude behaviour.
Please read your applicable service(s,) along with the entire FAQs/T&Cs section. It details most, if not all of the information you need to know before purchasing a service: it is your responsibility to do this, not mine.
Finally, if you have any questions that have not been answered please do not hesitate to ask! I’m here to help and am always happy to do so!
Yes! For an additional cost of £5 for CD and £10 for DVD I can burn your project and post it to you Royal Mail Singed For 1st Class.
Yes, for an additional cost of £25 for tuning and £25 for timing.
That’s up to you! I love to be credited for my work and it’s always appreciated.
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Please credit ‘JJR at Death By Stereo Studios.’
I am an online only service and do not offer attended sessions.
Full payment is required in advance, without exception.
Once your order has been approved an invoice will be provided to you containing bank details for payment.
Your track will sound better than when you gave it to me, but I can’t polish a turd!
Outboard Gear
Digidesign Digi 003
Cambridge Audio amplifiers
DBX 160x
Warm Audio WA76
Joe Meek SC2
Tascam MX-80
Tascam PE-40 (x2)
Monitoring
Yamaha NS10
Focal Solo6 Be
Software
Avid Pro Tools 11
Sonarworks Reference 4
iZotope Ozone 9
Spectrasonics Keyscape
TAL-U-NO-LX
TAL Chorus LX
East West Fab Four
East West Hollywood Brass Gold
East West Hollywood Strings Gold
East West Hollywood Orchestral Woodwinds
East West Pianos Gold
East West Solo Violin
East West Ministry of Rock 2
Slate Digital All Access Pass
Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines
Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack
Slate Digital Virtual Console Collection
Slate Digital Custom Series Bundle
Slate Digital FG-116 Blue Bundle
Slate Digital Virtual Buss Compressors
Slate Digital FG-X
Steven Slate Drum 4 Platinum w, Blackbird Studio Expansion Pack.
Fab Filter Tremolater 5
Fab Filter Crystallizer 5
Fab Filter Little Alter Boy 5
Fab Filter Micro Shift 5
Waves Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter
Waves CLA Classic Compressors
Waves CLA Drums
Waves Dave Aude EMP Toolbox Native
Waves dbx 160 Compressor/Limiter
Waves Greg Wells Signature Series
Waves Linear Phase EQ
Waves Linear Phase Multiband Compressor
Waves MaxxBass Native
Waves OneKnob Pumper
Waves PuigTec EQs
Waves Renaissance Maxx Native
Waves SSL 4000 Native
Waves TrueVerb
Waves Smack Attack
Waves Torque
Microphones
Coles 4038 (x2)
AEA R88 MkII
Neumann TLM 102 (x2)
Neumann KM 184 (x2)
Warm Audio WA-47
Warm Audio WA-251
Warm Audio WA-87
Original Sennheiser MD421 (x2)
Electro-Voice RE20
AKG D112
AKG D190e
Avantone AV10MLF sub kick
Shure SM7B
Shure SM57
Shure Unidyne III 545s (pistol grip)
Shure BG3.1
Guitars, Pedal and Amps
Early 1980’s Fender Precision Bass
Fender Telecaster
Squier Vintage Modified Thinline ‘72 Telecaster
1970’s ‘Pre Lawsuit’ Ibanez Concord
Epiphone Masterbilt DR-500MCE Acoustic Guitar
Nashville Strung Acoustic Guitar
Harley Benton Lap Steel
1983 ‘Holy Grail’ Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
1981 Ibanez CP-835 Compressor
1985 Boss DC-2 Dimension C
Strymon Big Sky
Line 6 DL4 Delay
Electro Harmonix Soul Food
Rocktek CHR-01 Chorus
Nobels TR-X Tremolo
Markbass Distorsore
SansAmp Bass Driver DI
TC Electronics Polytune Mini
Avid Eleven Rack
Keyboards, Controllers and Synths
Dave Smith Instruments Mopho
Yamaha DX7
Behringer Model D
Jen Piano 73
Roland SPD One WAV
Korg 25 Key MIDI Controller