Tips for outsourcing mixing & mastering (remotely)?

Hi all -

 

I write and produce songs using logic pro. I would like to hand off my tracks to a more experienced mixing and mastering engineer. My goal is to hand them off, let the mixer do their thing, then get them back and still be able to tweak things in the mix if I need to later.

 

I have a few questions about how to go about this:

 

1. Where are the best place(s) to find experienced, freelance mixing engineers?

 

2. What are typical rates (ballpark) to mix and master, say a 4-minute song with a rock arrangment (guitars, bass, drums, synths, etc.).

 

3. I currently use the stock logic plugins and some from Native Instruments Komplete. How do I ensure the engineer has all the same plugins? How do I ensure I'll have all the same things that the engineer used when mixing (so that I'm able to tweak things later, if necessary)? Is it just a matter of discussing which plugins we should both be using/not using?

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1. Where are the best place(s) to find experienced, freelance mixing engineers?

Nowadays, pretty much all around the world.

Pehaps you should start by looking for the sound you want. And from there, approach the engineer rhat did the job.

Mixing and mastering are two different processes. Sound engineers often specialize in one of them.

 

2. What are typical rates (ballpark) to mix and master, say a 4-minute song with a rock arrangment (guitars, bass, drums, synths, etc.).

That could vary a lot. Of course, the big names usually are more expensive. However, notoriety is not a warranty that you will obtain the sound you are looking for.

 

3. I currently use the stock logic plugins and some from Native Instruments Komplete. How do I ensure the engineer has all the same plugins?

One way: ask the engineer. Usually those guys are plugin junkies.

Native Intrument Komplete sets are widely used around the world, even more than Logic users in fact, which itself is the second most popular DAW among producers. Professional ones use many DAW brands as well. Anyhow, in last resort you could submit bounced tracks or stems to the mixing engineer. The mastering one will get same from the mixing engineer.

 

How do I ensure I'll have all the same things that the engineer used when mixing (so that I'm able to tweak things later, if necessary)?

Upon request, the mixing/mastering engineer(s) could inform you about the additionnal plugin (s)he used in your project. You would have then to acquire same. However, if the resulting product (s)he hands back to you is in the form of rendered tracks, that might not be actually relevant, especially in the mastering case.

 

Is it just a matter of discussing which plugins we should both be using/not using?

Might be. But chances are that the engineer has a prefered toolset, which likely you don't already have.

Anyhow, since you are the client, the negotiation margin is there, maybe less with reputated engineer though...