Techno premaster checklist

01 · Export the right file

• Export WAV, normally 24-bit or 32-bit floating point.
• Keep the session's native sample rate. Do not convert sample rate just to make the number larger.
• Use a stereo interleaved file unless a different delivery was agreed.
• Leave the full intro, reverb and delay tails. Avoid cutting exactly on the first or last transient.
• Do not send MP3, AAC or a streaming rip as the only mastering source.

02 · Handle the mix bus honestly

• Keep intentional mix-bus EQ, compression, saturation and colour if the mix depends on them.
• Remove a limiter or maximizer used only to make the demo louder when doing so does not change the balance.
• If the limiter is part of the sound, send both the approved loud version and the cleanest safe version. Do not rebuild the mix at the last minute.
• Avoid accidental clipping. There is no universal requirement to peak at −6 dBFS; clean headroom matters more than an arbitrary number.
• Do not normalize a clipped export down and call it fixed. The clipped waveform remains clipped.

03 · Check the low end and centre

• Listen quietly: the kick and bass relationship should remain readable without turning the room up.
• Check mono compatibility, especially for the kick, sub, bass layers and wide low-frequency effects.
• Compare on at least one smaller playback system. A club-focused mix still needs a usable hierarchy outside the club.
• Look for individual hits that overload the mix bus, not only the average level.
• Do not add broad low-end boosts simply because a reference is louder. Level-match references before judging tone.

04 · Re-listen to the actual export

• Import the exported WAV into a blank session or a separate player.
• Listen from the first sample through the final tail. Check clicks, missing automation, muted returns and truncated reverbs.
• Confirm left and right are correct and no channel was exported twice.
• Check that offline rendering did not change time-based or random effects unexpectedly.
• Make sure the export is the approved version, not simply the newest filename.

05 · Name and describe the version

• Use an unambiguous filename, for example: Artist_Track_Mix_v07_24bit_48k.wav.
• Include the artist, track title and version. Add sample rate or BPM when it prevents confusion.
• Send two or three focused references, not a playlist of twenty tracks.
• Say what you like about each reference: low end, density, brightness, punch, width or level.
• State the release format and deadline, including any vinyl, video, radio or alternate-version needs.

06 · If stems are requested

• Export every stem from the same start point and through the same end point.
• Preserve intentional effects and automation. Label dry or wet alternatives clearly.
• Do not normalize stems independently; that destroys the approved balance.
• Re-import the stems and confirm that their sum is reasonably consistent with the approved rough mix.
• Include the approved stereo mix alongside the stems so the target is never ambiguous.

07 · Decide whether it is ready for mastering

Mastering can refine translation, tone, dynamics, sequence and final delivery. It cannot reliably repair an arrangement that still feels unfinished, a kick and bass that are fighting, distorted source material, or a lead that is simply too loud. If those decisions are still open, a mix feedback session or a mix revision is usually the more useful first step.