FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions about Unkewl Sound & Recordings.

GENERAL

Q: Can you describe what Unkewl offers?

A: Yes, Unkewl Sound and Recordings is a music and audio production studio offering pre and post services. If you are an artist or on an artist team, Unkewl can assist before the recording, in the assembly of the recording and/or in the final treatment of the recording, as presented to the audience.

Once the recording is finished and all the parts are “laid down” — mixing uses different layers, balancing parts and sections for emotional impact. Complexity of these services range from a single vocalist over an instrumental to a full band playing live with multi-mic’d instruments. The material points in the direction it wants to go.

Mastering is the wholistic treatment of a finished, mixed recording; considered as a single unto itself or as part of a larger collection of songs, where the volume and vibe of each can affect the other. Thought is given to real-world listening environments to increase engagement in specific ways (for example with a club record) and improve translation of musical information in the widest range of playback scenarios (as with an overhead in a store, on your phone speaker and in headphones).

With a mix, each individual part of the song (down to the syllable) is treated to feel and sound perfect coming out of the speakers; with mastering you are concerned only with refining the perfection. You would be surprised at the good things a master can help bloom, if needed, and the bad things caught not always poking out of a mixing session with thousands of variables. No matter how the mix best exploits the performance, the master refines the action from a bird’s eye view.

Other services are not able to offer the depth of customized-styling at Unkewl Sound and Recordings; this is emotional, rational, creative and technical work. If you want to celebrate your recordings, you want to someone who’s devoted their life to this stuff.

Work for artists and artist teams can translate the Unkewl ethos into other applications including long-term project and artist development, media training, creative project deconstruction, original supporting compositions, audio production for specific needs including visuals, music videos and more.

The goal is always a timeless recording in support of your work, including an eye on how your artistry relates to the history of recorded music we complete against.

Trust is earned and protected like gold.

Q: What is the cost of services at Unkewl?

A: Depends on the complexity of work — and always includes the most we can do. Revisions are included at no additional cost, but the work can be unique, requiring approval. Everything is clearly marked regarding the upside and downside of additional treatments. Specialized revisions are rare, but appreciated for the specific issues they solve. (More on estimates toward the bottom of the page.)

Q: Does Unkewl prefer certain genres?

A:  No!  All genres present unique opportunities, as long as there is a mind to keep it modern and forward-leaning.  For example, if you are working on a polka album and you referenced the Frankie Yankovic classics of the 1940s, there would be a natural inclination to find the spirit of how a Frankie record would sound now.

Current audiences expect genre rules to be bent and twisted or it lacks originality.  For example, if Beyoncé or Bob Dylan or Dolly Parton or Kanye record different versions of the same song you can imagine how the feeling of the production supporting each artist would require a different approach; the same material would not be treated the same.

MIXING

Q: What do I submit for mixing? How do I do this?

A: Upload all the individual tracks or layers for each recording as WAV, if available, clearly labelled to match the song and part (e.g., vocal, bass, snare, etc.) to Dropbox, GoogleDrive, WeTransfer or your preferred file-sharing platform. (We recommend and use Sound Credit for its industry-wide support of participants in the song creation process.) You may send a download link and description of your work at this form here.

Be certain the individual layers of your song align from start to finish; at a glance each layer should all be the same exact file size per song. Sending the original Pro Tools session is preferred by some, where work on a mix may be continued at Unkewl where left off in the recording studio.

Unkewl Sound & Recordings will visit with you or your team; indies are welcomed and encouraged. Once there is mutual understanding of how the mix and post-producton should go, work begins. Typically, an early mix will be delivered with still-developing ideas for discussion and approval. The back and forth continues until the mix is approved. You can add time-stamped comments to recording(s) with private streaming links or schedule a live listening session to make revisions in realtime from anywhere, including email or WhatsApp.

For many, engineering notes pointing out changes and adjustments are enlightening. Artists and teams learn about relevant processes, techniques and options unique to the project, valuable now and in the future.

Q: What about Dolby Atmos mixes for immersive sound?

A: Unkewl is Dolby Atmos ready. Traditional stereo mixes are still easily preferred ny most listeners for their strength and accessibility, but Atmos is a heavy-weight option for streaming services and the users who enjoy.

MASTERING

Q: Do you master recordings mixed elsewhere than Unkewl?

Yes, developing masters from different mix styles is part of what makes the process so enjoyable. An unfinished mix tells you what it needs to be complete; and a finished mix will suggest what it needs or does not need to be ready.

Q: Do all mixes benefit from a master?

Nearly universally, yes. At the very least the quality-control should help artists and artist teams sleep well at night and know their work and original intention is on display to the public with exceptional thought and care put into the final presentation by others who love their work as much as they do (or more).

Q: What digital assets do I submit for mastering? How do I do this?

A: You should upload your approved final mix or mixes as stereo WAV files with the song title in the clearly labeled including sequenced numbers for albums and EPs, if possible. You may have a loud reference mix your team has been enjoying and a version without loudness for mastering — the latter can create more options when maximizing if extreme loudness is important to the project. Also, Unkewl has developed a high-res upsampling technique to add and restore upper frequencies through classic analog practices, not detectable at traditionally lower sample rates. Perfect for streaming Apple Lossless, Tidal Hi-Res, FLAC and the like.

ASSORTED

Q: Why Unkewl Sound & Recordings?

A: Besides developing your unique sound with care and insight like no where else in the world from Memphis, Tennessee, you’ll also earn natural long-term investment in the well-being of you and your artist. It’s hard work putting yourself out there; knowing your recordings are in good hands is the best feeling of all.

Q: Who is Unkewl Sound & Recordings?

A: It’s mostly me, Jay, doing the day-t0-day heavy-lifting of studio operations. You can read more about my unique experience here. There are others helping with specific roles behind-the-scenes to bring such a lavish offering forward and make it look so easy. It is true what they say sometimes: “Team work makes the dream work.”

Q: What about different post-production options?

A: Choices presenting themselves are entirely contextual on need.

For example, if an artist has recorded a song with 16 tracks or layers to be mixed and mastered — the variety, length and intensity of each part of audio is dependent upon the project.  A session could be a raw from the floor or thoughtfully curated and treated performances.  The partnership to finish the project reinforces the entire effort of the team in support of the artist.  Anything reaching Unkewl Sound & Recordings is revered; improvements are observed, noted and reviewed for consensus as everyone’s boats rises.

As an artist or part of an artist team, you’ll understand concrete options and techniques specific to each project usable toward the artist vision. 

No two recordings could ask to be treated the same. But in working with an artist over and over, themes and vibes re-occur and play off each other across a catalog of work. One simply cannot say what will be discovered together.

Budget is the most practical creative limitation on a production, helpful for directing attention and effort to the needs of the recording, both technical (noise, clicks, too dark, too bright, etc.) and creative (“more bigger”, “more aggressive”, “less orange,” etc.).

A larger budget might allow more exploration, but you will hear and feel the work playing out the speakers — curiosities will be satisfied. A smaller budget directs to key issues and the most essential indulgences to practical effect.

In a lifetime of service to music and sound, I have learned engineering can be as powerful and subtle as an actor or actress in cinema with movement of eyes alone, excepting production is more like the support of the lights, costumes and treatment of the final picture, as the artist controls narrative with performance.

Q: What about detailed estimates, costs and payments?

A: Simply put, a mix ranges on average from $150 to $275 USD, turnaround is several days once work starts in earnest, depending on scheduling.  There can be additional production charges, but never a surprise. Rush orders essentially require overtime.  Masters average at $75, but include deluxe treatments not always necessary. 

The experience of an artist and/or artist team lighting up at hearing feelings they didn’t know could be heard playing back out their own speakers in their own environment in support of their own work is priceless.

High-trust partnerships are what Unkewl Sound and Recordings does.  If you require a written contract to be honest, please do not bother.  I can promise it won’t work out.  Thusly, deposits are not required past the screening process, except in certain unique situations. Projects are invoiced after deliverables are approved, but invoices are sent monthly as ongoing services are provided, typically at the end of the month, requesting e-payment in 30 days via the usual: credit card, debit card, ACH transfer, Apple Pay, PayPal, or Venmo. Special arrangements should be communicated up front, prior to work beginning.

Each investment an artist chooses to make in their work with Unkewl Sound & Recordings helps create an invisible language unique to the artist, applied to a snapshot in time+space with a mind on forever… and we make notes about it.

Unkewl Sound & Recordings does not operate on the principle of exchange, but collaboration.  That said, work is done for-hire with service extending into perpetuity.  You keep all your rights and recordings, but we also store your final recordings for optional industry-standard participant crediting and collaboration at no additional charge.  Royalty agreements are rare and require longterm strategic partnership.