Chapel Productions (Nick Hackleman) Mix Session Guideline

*It is important to follow these guidelines in order to avoid additional studio 
costs and unnecessary delay 
*Nick mixes from Pro Tools 8.0.5 - 24 bit @ 44.1k, 48k, 88.2k or 96k. Please send 
files at the sample rate that was used during tracking.

{General Guidelines} 

1. Please send only SCSI Removable, Firewire hard drives, flash drives & CDRs. 
We don't work with 24 track ANALOG or 48 track Digital tapes. If your project 
is on one of these formats, please transfer prior to shipping. 

2. To help ensure no delays on the scheduled mix day, it is essential that the 
Pro Tools files are received 24 hours prior to the mixing session. If they 
are not at Chapel Studios 24 hours in advance. Nick will not have time to 
prepare the files, and the song or songs cannot be mixed. Also, it is likely 
the studio will charge for lost time. If Nick is mixing an entire CD, please 
indicate the order in which the songs are to be mixed (this gives Nick time to
prepare the files to his specs). 

3. It is important to include a rough mix, either by mp3, or by audio CD. 
If the "Rough Mix" and the Pro Tools files don’t match exactly, a brief note
 should be sent along explaining the difference (i.e. "The song was re-sung" 
or "We redid the drums"); If this is the case, please make a new "Rough Mix" 
CD. The reason for this is if the arrangement is different and no explanation 
is given, Nick starts to question whether or not he has the correct session. 

*Please pass along the following instructions to your pro tools engineer 

{Tech guidelines} 

1. Managing a session: Only one session should be sent for each title. It 
should be labeled as "(Song title) For CP". No other sessions should be 
included. It should be notated clearly and correctly so there is no 
misunderstanding what a part is. PARTS THAT ARE NOT TO BE USED 
SHOULD BE DELETED. Not hidden, but deleted. Hidden tracks WILL be 
deleted By Nick before mixing the song. This also includes 
play lists not being used. Please delete them (The number one reason for 
HUGE files are all the unused play lists). Again, Nick will delete these 
before mixing starts. It is very easy to clean 
out a session and then "Save a Session Copy In" checking the "All Audio 
Files" box to save a new session and audio files. Make sure that you 
"Delete Unused Regions" from the session first so they don’t take up disk 
space in the new session. Make sure that you open up this session and 
that there are no missing audio files (If audio files are missing, whether 
they are being used or not, Nick will question the validity of the entire 
session). Make an extra copy of the EXACT session for yourself in case 
Nick has any questions, you will be able to see EXACTLY what he has. 
Also, in some very rare cases, another engineer may need to do a mix of 
the song, this copy cab be used for that. It also may be used for record 
company archives. If more than 64 Voices are being used, it is the 
responsibility of the Pro Tools engineer to assign them so everything can 
play. 

2. Automation & Plug Ins: Record any effects that are part of the songs 
integrity. For example, a guitar going through "Amp Farm" or a "Telephone 
Vox" Efx. Label it then save the original and make sure you CLEARLY 
LABEL that it was unaffected sound in the note page. Once this has been 
done, REMOVE ALL PLUG INS. All automation should be removed from 
the session. (not disabling the master automation). Delete any and all 
volume moves, mutes, automated plug ins, etc. from the individual 
channels. 
 
3. Track Labeling: Since there is no standard for this, Nick is asking you to 
spend some time and label the instruments so there is no guessing what 
they are. Many times we have received tracks labeled in "hieroglyphics". 
If you follow these suggestions, you will get a better mix. 
Vocals- Lead vocal should be marked as such: "Ld Vox", 
Not "John Vocal 5". The same for vocal doubles- "Ld Vox Dbl" or “Br Vox”. 
Instruments- Notate the main instruments as such: i.e. "Main Gtr", not 
"Joey SG6"(add the suffix "L" or "R" if there are a pair of them). Including 
the section that they play is also helpful, i.e. "Br Pad", not "Virus" (This is 
the pad that ONLY plays in the bridge). 
Drums- Unless there are more than one mic on any drum or room, we 
don’t need to know what the mic is, rather what the sound is (If you must 
leave the mic info, put it on the note page). Bass Drum- “Ft” or “Bd” 
Snare Drum- “Snr” add the suffix “Top” or “Bttm” if applicable. Etc…… 

Alternate Instrumentation 
Nick knows that it is impossible to make ALL the decisions before the mix, so if 
there are questionable parts that you may or may not want to use, these should 
have "?" in front of them i.e. "?Br Gtr Line". Tom will use his discretion on 
whether these will be used. 
With all instruments, any note in the comment boxes is helpful.