How do I book you for mastering?

That’s easy—just fill out this form and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

What is mastering, and what does the process involve?

Mastering is the final stage in the music production process before your music is released. It’s where I take your final mixes and carefully enhance them so they translate consistently across all playback systems—from streaming platforms and vinyl to headphones, club systems, and everything in between.

At Matthew Bentley Audio Mastering, I approach each project with musical sensitivity. The process often includes subtle EQ and dynamics adjustments, stereo imaging refinement, loudness optimization, and ensuring tracks sit cohesively within an EP or album. I also check and prepare your files for the required delivery format—whether that’s high-res digital, streaming, CD, or vinyl—while maintaining the integrity of your artistic vision.

Mastering isn’t about making things louder just for the sake of it. It’s about making your music feel right—emotionally and sonically—wherever it’s played.

If you’re not sure whether your mix is ready for mastering, I’m always happy to offer honest feedback before we begin.

If you’re releasing an EP or album, I also handle track sequencing and spacing to ensure everything flows just right.

What do you need from me to start mastering and how should I export my mix?

Export Guidelines:

• File format: WAV or AIFF preferred

• Bit depth: 24-bit or 32-bit float

• Sample rate: Whatever you mixed at (no need to upsample)

• Headroom: Please leave me some headroom

• Processing: Ideally no limiting, clipping, or final loudness processing on the master bus.

  • If it’s part of your sound, feel free to send both a processed and unprocessed version.

Preparing & Sending files:

• Use WeTransfer, Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar

• Label files clearly (e.g. Artist_TrackName_24bit_48kHz.wav)

• For EPs/albums, include track order and any crossfade or spacing preferences

• Let me know your intended release format:

  • Streaming (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.)

  • Vinyl

  • CD / DDP

  • Cassette

Optional but helpful:

• Reference tracks

• Notes on tonal direction or vibe

• Any concerns about the mix you’d like me to be aware of

What are your rates?

Digital mastering: £40 per song

• Additional formats / extras:

  • DDP for CD manufacturing – £20 per song

  • Vinyl pre-master – £20 per song

  • Alternate versions (radio edit, instrumental, etc.) – £15 per additional version

Each track includes two rounds of revisions. Additional revisions are just £5 each.

What do you use to master?

Part of my job is matching up the right tools to your music. Sometimes that means going fully digital. Sometimes fully analog. But more often, it’s a hybrid approach that blends both.

A hybrid setup lets me combine the precision and recall of digital tools with the warmth and character of analog gear, helping your music sound detailed, full, and emotionally resonant.

Some of my go-to tools come from:
Elysia, Bettermaker, Audeze, Dan Clark Audio, Chord Electronics, Bereich03, Sontec, Tone Projects, Izotope, Weiss, DMG Audio, and SPL.

What Formats Will I Receive?

• High‑resolution digital masters (24‑bit WAV)

• Streaming‑ready versions (16-bit WAV)

• Optional add-ons if requested:

  • DDP (for CD manufacturing)

  • Vinyl‑specific pre‑masters

  • Additional formats upon request—just ask!

How long will it take?

Turnaround is usually 3–5 business days per track.

Need it sooner? Just let me know— I can often accommodate rush jobs for a small fee.

How should I credit you?

"Mastered by Matthew Bentley @ MatthewBentleyAudio" is perfect.

Let me know if you'd like a shorter version for liner notes or platforms.