Welcome! I am a mastering engineer based in the heart of England.
If you are looking to release your music on streaming platforms, vinyl or CD, I have the tools and the expertise to make it happen.
I create every master from scratch with my own hands using both digital and analogue gear. No AI, no algorithms, no pre-canned templates here, just a real person with a life long passion for music.
I am on a mission to make sure you leave with a great big smile on your face, and the confidence that you have produced something epic!
Ready to connect? Fill in this form and tell me about your project, or click here to send me an email. I promise not to share your information with anyone.
| Service | Self-funded | Indie | Major |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stereo mastering, per track | £60 | £80 | £100 |
| Alternate version (same session) | £5 | £10 | £15 |
| Redo master from revised mix | £30 | £40 | £50 |
| Apple Digital Master, per track | £10 | £15 | £20 |
| Vinyl preparation, per side | £50 | £50 | £50 |
| CD preparation, per disc image | £50 | £50 | £50 |
Why should I have my music mastered?
Mastering is the final stage of preparation before your music is sent out into the world. It’s a last chance to find and fix any problems, make sure everything is balanced just right, and ensure your precious production will sound amazing wherever it is played, whether on its own or back-to-back with other music.
Mastering starts with critical listening — getting a fresh pair of ears in a pristine listening environment to assess the music and check for any problems or opportunities for improvement. Your mix sounds great on your system, but if your speakers or room acoustics are not ideal, or if you have ear fatigue from hearing the same track a hundred times, there could be issues with the sound that you are not aware of. Having an experienced mastering engineer carry out a careful quality check gives you the assurance that there is nothing nasty lurking in the production.
Mastering also involves making subtle adjustments to the tone, dynamics, and presence of the music, and setting a loudness level that is optimal to make your music sound great across different playback systems. You might be surprised how much difference a few small but carefully targeted changes can make.
Ultimately, the mastering engineer needs to deliver master files that meet the technical specifications required for distribution, whether that is for streaming, CD, or vinyl. All of these formats have their own tricks and nuances which need to be understood to get the best out of the medium. Attention to detail is crucial here!
How long does it take?
Once I have had a listen and agreed on a plan with you, the actual mastering normally takes about an hour per track. Sequencing albums takes a bit longer to make sure the whole set works together. However, I am not watching the clock — it takes as long as it takes, and the time spent does not change the price.
What if I don't like the master?
Simple - I will re-work the master as many times as needed until you are absolutely happy with it, and only then do you pay me. At any time, you are free to change your mind and walk away, and owe me nothing. *(Note: This has never happened.)*
I treat my work as a collaboration. We are working together to make your music the best it can be. It’s not done until you say so, and only then will I ask for payment.
What do you need from me?
Once you are happy with your music and ready for mastering, you will need to send me a stereo mix. This should be an uncompressed WAV file at the original bit depth and sample rate of your session. There’s no need to convert sample rates or apply dithering — I will take care of that as needed.
- Levels Don’t worry too much about levels — I can turn it up or down as needed. The important thing is to make sure it’s not clipping. I recommend switching off any heavy limiting on your master bus.
- Format: Please use an uncompressed file format. MP3s and the like are not suitable for mastering due to the digital artefacts of the compression process.
- Space: Please be sure to leave plenty of space after end of each track to avoid chopping off reverb tails or anything that fades away.
You can send me your file using this upload page, or paste a link into the contact form above, or send an email to hello@markhammondmastering.com — whatever works for you.
What's all that hardware in your photo?
From top to bottom:
- TC Electronic Clarity M (meter)
- Lynx Hilo (AD/DA converter)
- TK Audio TK-Lizer 2 (equaliser)
- SSL Fusion (analogue colour box)
- SSL THE Bus+ (compressor)
- Bettermaker Darth Limiter (limiter)
Great idea! I can recommend these excellent mastering engineers: