How to Stop Endless Mix Revisions
By Written by Peter McVeigh
Endless changes wear out both sides. How to set limits, get better notes and bring a mix to a close without falling out.
You send the mix. Back comes a note, then another, then one from the drummer's friend. Six versions later, everyone's lost perspective and the project has stopped being fun or profitable. Most of this can be prevented with a few decisions before the first mix goes out.
Agree it at the start
Before you begin, say:
How many rounds of changes are included.
What counts as a round.
What extra rounds cost.
Who gives the feedback.
Who makes the final decision.
A round usually means one list of changes sent together, not one message for each change. Put it in your quote and contract. It's much easier to say this at the start than halfway through.
Understand why it happens
Revisions rarely go on forever just because someone's difficult. Common causes include:
Nobody agreed what the record should sound like.
A band has five people and no one in charge.
The artist is nervous about finishing.
People are listening on different systems, or comparing it to a heavily mastered release.
If you can identify the cause, you can deal with that rather than just processing another list of notes.
Ask for better notes
Give clients a simple way of doing it. Our Mix Notes Form on the Documents page asks for a time, what they hear and what they'd like. Suggest they:
Listen a few times, on systems they know.
Give the first notes from an honest listen, not from staring at a meter.
Send one list, with all band members' views combined.
Describe the problem, rather than trying to dictate the solution.
Keep track
Number every version and don't use the word final in a file name. Keep each client note with its timestamp, and mark it when it's done. Our Mix Revision Tracker does this and counts the rounds used. It's useful to be able to say "This is the third round" and have it written down.
How to handle it when you hit the limit
Mention it before you reach it: "Just so you know, this is the last included round. Further rounds are at £X. Happy to carry on, I just want you to have the choice."
That's not unfriendly. It's useful information, and it often helps the client to prioritise. Be fair about it, too. If a change corrects your own mistake, don't charge for it. And if a tiny tweak takes a minute, you may be happy to treat it as goodwill.
Don't let opinions pile up
When several people give conflicting notes, go back to the person who has the final say and let them decide. A short call can be better than another ten emails. Tone is hard to judge in writing, and you can often solve in five minutes what would otherwise take days.
When a mix has stopped improving
Sometimes everyone's too close to it. Try a few things:
Take a few days away from it, if the schedule allows.
Go back to the rough mix and ask what's been lost.
Remind everyone of the original goal and references.
Compare an earlier version without saying which it is.
There's no shame in going back to version three if it was better.
Bring it to a close
Ask for sign-off in writing, such as: "Please reply to confirm this is approved for mastering." Then move on. Done is a real and useful state. A good record released this year usually helps everyone more than a slightly improved one that never comes out.
What to do next
Add your revision terms to your next quote. Our Studio Quote Builder includes a place for them, and our practice Recording Engineer Contract has an example clause you can read with its Help button.
Disclaimer
General information, not professional advice. Every session and client is different, so adapt this to your own situation.