Engineering Services

Mixing and Mastering

MIXING & MASTERING

What is mixing?

Mixing is the process of taking the raw audio stems or tracks from recording sessions and maximising their sonic clarity and conveying the feel and emotion behind the song. This process makes use of dynamic processing, equalisation, balancing parts and various other FX to create a cohesive and polished song ready to be mastered.

What is mastering?

Mastering is the process of taking the final mix and making sonic adjustments to prepare it for distribution (Streaming, CD, Vinyl) so it translates as best it can to the listener. This involves dynamic processing, EQ, volume maximising and in the context of an album or EP, gaps and transitions between songs.

AUDIO EXAMPLES

The audio examples below provide a comparison between unmixed (0:00-0:30) and mixed with mastering (0:30-1:00)

THE PROCESS

I specialise in Hip Hop mixing and Hip Hop mastering.

I always seek to provide the mix and master that you want and like, so there is collaborative dialogue throughout the process. If you are unsure about the direction of the song we can discuss this and use reference songs to get a good understanding of what you require.

Most clients opt to have a song or album mixed and mastered at the same time.

You will receive:

  • Songs mixed to your creative specifications
  • As many mix revisions (within reason) as needed to ensure you get the product you paid for
  • .WAV of the final mastered mix (16bit / 44.1kHz)
  • .WAV of the instrumental master
  • .WAV of the acapella master

Common questions can be answered on this FAQ page.

WHAT THE CLIENTS SAY

Imperial has a very keen ear as a mix engineer. He has pulled greatness out of songs that I have sent his way for mixing & mastering over the years. Quick turnarounds & a desire to make the music sound its best, makes Imperial my go to for any project. My last three LP’s “Mind Over Matter”, “88 to Now” & “The Art Of Living” were all mixed & mastered by Imperial. Sonically, they’re superior to any of my past projects.

Sareem Poems

Solo artist / LA Symphony

I met Imperial back in 2013 and he is without a doubt one of the best producers and engineers that I have ever worked with. Even though he specialises in Hip Hop mixing, his love and knowledge of music of all genres, along with his technical insight, ensures that whatever he produces is always top notch.

His ear for mixing is outstanding and once the mastering process is complete, what was once a good song is turned into a great song. Imperial is always personable, prompt and professional and I can recommend his services wholeheartedly.

K.I.N.E.T.I.K.

Solo artist / Podcaster

Imperial did a great job with my release of ‘I’m Good‘. He didn’t have much to work with because the beat session was lost, so all we had was an mp3. And I gotta say, him being a producer and a DJ proved beneficial in my case because he took that beat, added drops, stutters, effects, etc. to breathe life back into that record.

He was able to really bring out clarity in the drums too, with his strong understanding of frequency and the math and science around sonics. And don’t get me started on what he did with the vocals. He was able to bring out a richness in the tone that wasn’t audible in the raw stems. Masterful work and I recommend his skills for anyone in need of professional quality engineering.

Sivion

Solo artist / Deepspace5 / Phat K.A.T.S.

Working with a mixing and mastering engineer who also produces is a joy because quite simply, he gets it. Creativity is never sacrificed for sonic clarity. Invest in yourself and your project with Imperial.

You won’t regret it.

Sojourn

Solo artist / Tunnel Rats / Future Shock

Highly recommended.  This was my first year working with Imperial after a 14 year stint working with another recording studio, it was a risk I can say that I’m glad I made. 

I was thoroughly impressed with Imperials’s quick turn around time, professionalism and impeccable ear for mixing and mastering.  Hearing some of his previous work from industry partners I was confident in his ability to take my sound to another level.   

I’ve been in the music industry for 16 years, and have worked alongside studios that have engineered for artist such as Wyclef Jean, Drake, Eminem, Justin Bieber, DMX, NKOTB to name a few, I have signed 2 international record/distribution deals, and I can confidently say, my new album recently engineered by Imperial is the best work I’m yet to release to date.  From enhanced production, mixing, and mastering, Imperial did it all with this album.  I’m glad I took the chance in giving Imperial my material, it has definitely enhanced my sound and brought it to a new level and I strongly believe this new material I’m about to release is about to open some more major doors for my career.

Die-Rek

Solo artist

Imperial is everything you could ask for in an engineer: professional, skilled, creative, timely. Plus, he brings an added dimension to the table given his proficiency as a producer and a deejay, enabling him to add beat elements and cuts that truly bring songs to the next level. He has an impeccable ear and the way he spreads sounds across the sonic field, so that each has a distinct home in the final mix/master, sets any track he works on apart from the pack. Perhaps most importantly, he is genuinely a pleasure to work with, in that he makes the engineering process a collaborative effort, where all parties are committed to the absolute best end product. I feel blessed to have built with him so extensively for the full-length project, “Grayscale,” and would trust him with literally anything related to my music.

Paradox

Solo artist

When we decided to produce our first ever Hip Hop podcast series, we wanted to prove that time travel was real. Our aim was to position the listener right in the middle of the story by making them feel every element – from music to sound effects. We also knew that we needed a seasoned professional to help with the mixing and mastering and make this sense of fantasy, a reality.

We reached out to Dave Walker because of his music background and knew that he would understand what we were trying to do. He’s also an avid podcast listener, so he was able to tell us what we needed. He mixed and and mastered all five episodes of our podcast series and it was a massive success both critically and commercially – peaking at #3 in the podcast Music History charts. A large part of the feedback was on the high level of audio production and how good everything sounded. We have to thank Dave for all of his help.

Dave is extremely professional – everything was delivered ahead of schedule and he was so helpful with making edits.

If you’re looking for an engineer to mix and master your podcasts, Dave comes highly recommended by us.

Breaking Atoms

End-to-end Podcast Production Company

I had connected with Imperial some time ago and decided to ask him to mix and master my debut album. Being an R&B/Neosoul artist myself, and knowing he specializes in hip hop mixing, I wanted to see how it would turn out. My goodness, it turned out great! He was very personable and talked with me through the entire process, allowing me to make whatever changes needed. He has an incredible ear for mixing and mastering. 
The wonderful reviews from listeners have been the fruit from his labor. I recommend him and look forward to working with him again in the future. Definitely a win!
Macklyn

Solo artist

LET’s connect

Get in contact to discuss your project and pricing.