In Los Angeles, a home-recorded track doesn’t compete with demos — it competes with industry-level releases. Whether you’re an independent artist, producer, or songwriter, sending a project to an online mixing engineer in LA means your files are judged by professional standards from the very first upload. In remote sessions, there is no room for guesswork, studio fixes, or “we’ll sort it out later.” The quality and organization of your stems directly affect turnaround time, revision count, and the final sound.
This guide is written specifically for Los Angeles artists working with online mixing and mastering services. It explains how to export tracks in a way that engineers expect, how to avoid common delays, and how to deliver industry-ready files that lead to faster results and fewer revisions.
Why LA Artists Lose Time and Money on Remote Sessions
Los Angeles is built around deadlines. Music is created for streaming releases, sync pitches, social content, and fast-moving campaigns where delays cost momentum. In remote workflows, most slowdowns don’t come from the engineer’s side but from preventable file issues. Engineers regularly receive sessions where tracks start at different points, master bus limiters are baked into exports, or naming conventions make it impossible to identify what’s what. On platforms where engineers advertise clear turnaround windows and revision limits, these mistakes can turn a promised three-day delivery into a two-week back-and-forth. In LA’s competitive environment, that gap matters.
Stems vs Multitracks in LA Workflow
In Los Angeles, the terms “stems” and “multitracks” are often used interchangeably, even though they are not the same. Multitracks are individual audio files for every element in the session, such as kick, snare, bass, lead vocal, doubles, ad-libs, and synths. Stems are grouped exports like full drums, all music, or all vocals printed together. For most online mixing projects, consolidated multitracks are preferred because they give the engineer maximum control. Stems are usually requested only when a project is extremely heavy, when CPU limits are an issue, or when simplifying collaboration. The most professional move in LA workflows is simply to ask the engineer which format they prefer before exporting.
What to Deliver for Online Mixing vs Online Mastering
For online mixing, engineers expect multitracks or stems, a rough mix that shows your intent, written notes, and reference tracks. For online mastering, the expectation is different: a clean stereo WAV or AIFF file with headroom, exported at the original sample rate, without a limiter on the master bus. Many industry guides recommend removing all master processing before export and including a separate loud reference if loudness is part of the creative vision. Sending the wrong type of files is one of the fastest ways to delay a project.
The LA Industry-Ready 60-Second Checklist
Industry-ready delivery in Los Angeles follows a simple logic. Files should be exported in WAV or AIFF format at the original sample rate and at least 24-bit depth. Every track must be consolidated so that all files start at the same point, usually bar one or time zero. There should be no clipping and no master bus limiting. A rough mix, organized folders, consistent naming, and clear notes with reference tracks should always be included. Engineers often describe this as the difference between a professional submission and a “bedroom export.”
Export Settings Engineers Expect
Sample rate and bit depth should always match the original project. Upsampling or downsampling before export adds no quality and can introduce problems. Lossy formats like MP3 should never be used for mixing because they remove information the engineer needs to shape transients and high-frequency detail. Mono and stereo decisions matter as well. Lead vocals are usually mono, while pads, effects returns, and wide synths are often stereo. Exporting everything in stereo is a common mistake that makes sessions harder to manage. BPM, key, and tempo changes should always be included in a text file so the engineer doesn’t have to guess.
— See also: How Much Artists Earned From Streaming in 2025: A Deep Analysis of Top Performers —
Consolidation: The #1 Requirement for Remote Mixing
Consolidation means every audio file starts at the same point and runs the full length of the song. This allows an engineer to drop your files into any DAW and have the session line up instantly. When files are not consolidated, engineers must manually align tracks, which wastes time and increases the chance of errors. A simple check is to import your exports into a new empty session and confirm that everything plays correctly without adjustment.
Gain Staging and Headroom
Clipping is irreversible. Once distortion is printed into a file, no amount of mixing or mastering can fully remove it. Leaving headroom is not about hitting a specific number but about avoiding overload at every stage. Master bus limiters, maximizers, and loudness tools should be bypassed before export. If loudness is important to your vision, include a separate rough reference rather than printing processing into the files.
Dry vs Wet Decisions in LA-Style Production
Los Angeles productions often rely heavily on sound design. Creative effects like throws, delays, or special reverbs can be part of the identity of the track. These should usually be left in place. What should be removed is processing that exists only to make the demo louder. A practical approach many LA engineers recommend is sending both dry and wet versions of key elements, especially vocals, when effects are integral to the sound but flexibility is still needed.
Three LA-Typical Scenarios
A common scenario is vocals recorded over a two-track beat. In this case, improvements are limited by how the beat was printed, but clean vocal files, doubles, and ad-libs still make a major difference. A better scenario is delivering full beat stems plus vocals, which allows real control over balance and low-end. For EPs or mixtapes, consistency becomes critical. File naming, version control, and similar vocal tone across songs all affect how cohesive the final release feels.
Organization That Speeds Up Turnaround
Clear organization directly reduces revisions. Files named clearly, folders grouped logically, and a notes file explaining goals, references, and do-and-don’t preferences allow engineers to hit the target faster. Many engineers publicly advertise revision limits and turnaround time because these factors are tied directly to how prepared a project is when it arrives.
Common Export Mistakes LA Artists Still Make
Even experienced artists still send files with different start points, MP3 exports, clipped vocals, active master chains, or no rough mix. Version chaos such as “final_final_v9” creates confusion and slows communication. These mistakes are common but completely avoidable.
What Happens After You Upload Your Files
Once files are received, the engineer reviews the material, prepares the session, delivers a first mix, collects feedback, applies revisions, and finalizes the master. When stems are prepared correctly, this process moves quickly and predictably, often with fewer revision rounds and better first results.
Next Steps
Clean, organized stems are the fastest way to get better results from online mixing and mastering. If you want your Los Angeles release to sound competitive, start with industry-ready exports and a clear brief. You can then move directly into professional online mixing and mastering without unnecessary delays.
If you’re ready to move forward, you’re welcome to order professional online mixing and mastering in AREFYEV Studio, where projects are handled with a clear remote workflow, transparent revisions, and release-ready standards.
Mini-FAQ: Los Angeles Stem Preparation for Online Mixing
What’s the difference between stems and multitracks?
– Multitracks are individual audio files for each element, while stems are grouped bounces. Mixing usually works best with multitracks.
What format should I export?
– WAV or AIFF at the original sample rate and at least 24-bit depth.
Should I remove my limiter on the master bus?
– Yes. Limiters should be bypassed before export. Include a loud reference separately if needed.
How much headroom should I leave?
– Enough to avoid clipping. The exact number matters less than clean, undistorted files.
Should I send dry and wet vocals?
– If effects are part of the sound, sending both versions is often helpful.
Do I need stems for mastering?
– Usually no. Mastering typically requires a stereo mix unless stem mastering is requested.
How do I make sure stems line up correctly?
– Consolidate all tracks from the same start point and test them in a new session.
