Mixing Engineers

[I play in a ban]

Wondering how much you guys charge per hour and on average how long it takes to mix a song.

[mtstudios@charter]

I would usually spend 5 to 10 hrs. Depending on the sessions mass, quality, organization and client.

www.bluethumbproductions.com

[addi800]

What kind of music are you making?? I usually spend 4 to 6 mixing the track and then 1 to 3 making it just the way the client wants it.

http://www.syrland.com

[absrec]

For what I like to call "Big Rock", I'll spend 4-6 hours getting the mix up and then another hour or so tweaking to the client's taste. I usually do a flat rate of $200-$300 per mix if it's already in ProTools. If transfers need to be done, that just slows things down at the start. Plus, clean up usually needs to be done if it came off of 2" or one of these digital multitrack machines such as the Alesis HD24, for instance.

[Jay Kahrs]

It depends.

I do have a day rate & a rarely used hourly rate and I can usually work with most budgets from absolutely ludicrous to totally abysmal. Usually it’s a flat rate for the entire project that covers a remix or two, parts, uploads, downloads, travel time if applicable and all that jazz.

But kind of like an auto mechanic or contractor I won’t give any kind of estimate until I have a chance to investigate the problem…errrr…music! If I said that I could mix all 14 songs for your record in two days at $1000, and it took fives times as long and cost 15 times as much you’d pretty unhappy and think I was a total idjit. And really, it’s not in my best interest to have someone be unhappy because it would make for a highly tense & uncreative situation, don’t ‘ya think?

By checking out the music, some rough mixes and asking questions beforehand I can provide a better estimate for time & cost purposes, even going as far as providing a written estimate for the whole shooting match. More importantly it gives me a chance to see if there’s anything I feel I can add to the music. You might hire a mixer for a bunch of reasons, but it’s mostly for the way we interpret the music and for the value that adds to the record. Besides, if I don’t ‘get’ the music and I feel like I’m not bringing anything to the table then I’m probably going to make a bad record, and it’s really not in my nor my clients best interest to make a bad record.

Beyond that, check your PM's!

Peace,

[thethrillfactor]

For a major label its a flat rate.

Usually thse days you do a "test" mix and see if they go for it.

If they do you negotiate within their budget.

For independent projects it varies.

Sometimes its flat but alot of the ones i've done lately its per hour.

How long does it take?

It depends on what needs to be done.

[robmix]

Yeah, what thrill said. I generally can get a mix done in anywhere from 2-6 hours depending on how many tracks and how tidy it is. Some take a whole day. It really depends on how well they were tracked and what kind of shape the tracks are in - all the edits are done, crossfades done, tuning, etc. On a well done project 2 mixes a day is not uncommon.

Rates are variable, majors get a fixed rate. Indies I try to work within the budget.

[djui5]

I can mix anywhere from a song every day and a half, to a entire 12 song record in 2 days with overdubs (life's rough sometimes). I like to do 2 a day, with touchups at the end of the project.


Rate varies of course, but my "card" rate for my new mix room will be $500 a song for anyone. If the client wants an SSL mix there will be an additional rate for renting the SSL room. I'll do most of the prep work in my room so I can do 2-4 songs a day in the SSL room (hopefully). It'll save them a bit of $$. If I like the music a lot and get along with the band, I'm sure working out a better rate for indie bands who can't afford the card rate would happen.

Another thing I'm going to offer is a mixing/mastering package rate using my mastering engineer

I'll be setting up overdub booths in the future so I can do almost all the album work in my room if I need to. This will be in a year or so probably, depeding on needs and workflow, etc.

I'll be open to working with anyone worldwide.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by djui5

$500 a song for anyone. .

Randy,


Have you considered that $500 a song for PT mix may price you out with some clients?

Here in the NYC guys like myself who have SSL rooms of their own are pulling teeth to get $500 per song from independent clients.

That's part of the reason for some clients i charge per hour.

It averages out better for us sometimes.

That way when projects take longer its up to the client to flip the bill for the extra time or backout when they run out of money.

And we don't get left holding the bag with only half the deposit.

I don't do PT mix gigs personally but some of the popular guys here are pulling about $250-$300 a mix.

[djui5]

Thrill,
I'm working out the guidelines for the room. I'll have provisions for recalls and such, to prevent endless tweaking of mixes like I know people like to do because they can.

We'll see how it works. After all, it's just a "card" rate


thanks for the heads up

[Jack the Bear]

When it comes to rates you can always work down in negotiation.....but you never go upwards.

Cheers,

[jho]

For indies, about $250 average, could be more depending on the complexity. Clients that like to micro manage me pay by the hour.

Much of the time we do the tracking too so we bundle it...

Takes about 4-6 hours plus tweeking with client.

[I play in a ban]

Thanks a lot guys, I really thought you would be charging more actually so I am pleasantly surprised.


How do you find mixing lots of synths and soft synths? My project is heavy on BFD, Trilogy, and Triton synths.


After that it's pretty much just guitar and vocals.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by I play in a ban

How do you find mixing lots of synths and soft synths? My project is heavy on BFD, Trilogy, and Triton synths.

It doesn't really matter as long as:

A) You track the things.

I had a guy recently send me his album on a hard drive to mix and i couldn't even open the songs because he used Reason and expected me to have it.

Because he had an LE system he had used up all his audio tracks and thought by sendin me the 32 track song i could track the Reason instruments on my HD sytem and mix from there on.

Uh...big mistake.

I don't have Reason(well not anymore).

Basically i had to send the project back and asked if he could just split the songs over 2 sessions(main and reason) and i could import it as one on my HD rig.

He thought this was an unreasonable request(couldn't understand why i don't have Reason) and he gave the gig to another guy with a blown out PT HD rig to mix it(who has Reason).

Guess what?

In the end i still ended up mixing the main songs with the split session.


He didn't like the all PT mixes from the other guy.

And now he paid double.

B) When you track said instruments please do not record everything to the top or the red as they say if possible.

C) And lastly not all the sounds need to be in stereo.

Instruments like kicks,snares, some percussion, bass sometimes can be tracked to mono and beefed up after.

[chrisaiken]

Is this 250-500 dollars being thrown around here include the studio?In other words are you guys who own your own studios doing it for $250 flat fee?Or is studio time extra?

Thanks,
Chris

[djui5]

Chris,
My fee will be for my own private mix room. If the client wants me to mix somewhere else, we can sort out things depending on where they want it done and what room it's being done in, like if I have to fly to Nashville, etc etc.

[Gie-Sound]

Flat rate.
OTB mix
2 songs a day.
(but I've done projects where I mixed 6 a day. Depends on project / budget / style of music / quality of recording etc. etc.)

[SnakeCained]

if you are poor and unsigned but I like your stuff you would not pay the same as a major label artist whose work I can't stand but is likely to make my mum get excited.

I base it on a project by project basis. Average mix time is usaully day and half a track (second day for tweaks and fresh ears) could work faster if need be and if someone wants to pay multi bucks for me to sit there for a week not doing much they are welcome.

Funnily enough in this day of home recording to an extremely high standard I think the independant mix engineer is more important than ever.

Having said that my last thing was major label SACD..........

[kendog]

For 99% of my clients, I track and mix everything at my place . I have them give me a deposit at the start of the project. I keep a daily record of hours that I work. For mixing it's usually 1 song per day. Usually about 6 to 8 hours. $65 an hour. I never do per song, per mix, per project rates. Been burned too many times in the past. Usually, I include free tweaks within reason.

[I play in a ban]

Thanks for the advice/knowledge everyone.

I am actually considering setting up an LE system to make the transfer easier.

[DontLetMeDrown]

Wow. Are you guys really charging less than $300 a song? Does that include everything or is that just to mix a pre-tracked song? Out in L.A., prices are MUCH higher. Even as a newb engineer, I charge 1k for a 3-song demo. This goes over well since I am the cheapest in town. Some months I can get 3-4 bands done. If so I'm able to make more than my full-time 40hr a week job. Average pro studio out here charges $60 an hour. Maybe you guys should move to L.A. thumbsup

[Hobbyist]

Originally Posted by DontLetMeDrown

Wow. Are you guys really charging less than $300 a song? Does that include everything or is that just to mix a pre-tracked song? Out in L.A., prices are MUCH higher. Even as a newb engineer, I charge 1k for a 3-song demo. This goes over well since I am the cheapest in town. Some months I can get 3-4 bands done. If so I'm able to make more than my full-time 40hr a week job. Average pro studio out here charges $60 an hour. Maybe you guys should move to L.A. thumbsup

Give it time! You'll get better and be charging less in no time!

[delcosmos]

Originally Posted by DontLetMeDrown

Wow. Are you guys really charging less than $300 a song? Maybe you guys should move to L.A. thumbsup

Best.

Armando Avila

[Musiclab]

I charge straight by the hour depending on what I have to work with and how many tracks I can do a mix between 6-10 hours

[jayfrigo]

Originally Posted by DontLetMeDrown

Wow. Are you guys really charging less than $300 a song? Does that include everything or is that just to mix a pre-tracked song?
SNIP
Average pro studio out here charges $60 an hour. Maybe you guys should move to L.A. thumbsup

The way I understand it, people are just talking about the mix. It wouldn't include tracking, overdubbing, writing, producing, playing, programming etc.

As for L.A. rates, a "pro" studio can mean a number of things. The 9000J rooms aren't going for $60/hr. However, good mid level rooms can be had for $60/hr.

Several experienced engineers will mix for indies, in the box, perhaps with some outboard as well, in a project studio (home or otherwise) when not gigging at commercial studios. The rate can be much more affordable when a commercial studio isn't involved, and when the scheduling can be flexible and deadlines non-threatening.

When you hire these engineers for a specific session time in a commercial studio, you may find that their rate isn't much different with or without their project studio included. However, I still think a good commercial studio (not a mediocre one - a good one) still offers advantages and you're likely to get a little something extra when you bring these guys to a real room. Some have deals with rooms they work at regularly and can get really good discounts on unbooked time, so that's another option.

There are deals to be had these days, but buyer beware. The best studio with a bad engineer won't help you, but neither may you get the best results from a good engineer dashing off a quickie in a substandard environment. Find out who it is and where they'll be mixing before you decide. If you want it done in a serious SSL room, expect to pay a little more. And as with other things in life; if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

[robmix]

Jay's info regarding L.A. is correct. As for my rates I'm flexible but usually try to stay around $1000 per day and quote between $500 - $750 for my room. I can throw the room in for free if the band needs a break, and like I said above, 2 songs a day is not uncommon.

[delcosmos]

Originally Posted by robmix

Jay's info regarding L.A. is correct. As for my rates I'm flexible but usually try to stay around $1000 per day and quote between $500 - $750 for my room. I can throw the room in for free if the band needs a break, and like I said above, 2 songs a day is not uncommon.

Maybe I should start charging something extra for my room because usually I get $1000-$1500 per mix with studio when mixing others people productions.

Thanks god on most of my recent proyects I am playing as a Producer and Mixing engineer, I just want to mix for others when I like their music.

Best.

Armando Avila

P.D. By the way, today I reached #1 on Billboard's hot 100 latin albums, Im very happy!!!!

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by delcosmos

Maybe I should start charging something extra for my room because usually I get $1000-$1500 per mix with studio when mixing others people productions.

Yeah but is this for a label project or an independent project(the clientis paying for it themselves)?

If independent projects are paying that much than i have to seriously consider Mexico again.

Originally Posted by delcosmos

I just want to mix for others when I like their music.

Wouldn't we all.

But if that were the cases some of us wouldn't be working.

Originally Posted by delcosmos

P.D. By the way, today I reached #1 on Billboard's hot 100 latin albums, Im very happy!!!!

Congrats or Felicidades.

[paul mckenna]

Hey Armando, which record is #1? did you mix Shakira? she's #1 Latin single.
we have some of the same clients from the past.... whatever happened to the
Avila Boys?

[Shan]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

It doesn't really matter as long as:

A) You track the things.

B) When you track said instruments please do not record everything to the top or the red as they say if possible.

C) And lastly not all the sounds need to be in stereo.

Instruments like kicks,snares, some percussion, bass sometimes can be tracked to mono and beefed up after.

...D) And please bypass all verbs, delays etc on your synths before you print your tracks to audio. If it is an absolute 'must', then give us the version with effects and without.

You wouldnt believe the stuff I have to send back.

Shane