

Stem masters allow the mastering engineer to have better control over the balance of the track. Starting at around $100, stem mastering can exceed $500 per track, depending on the quality of the mastering engineer. With that being said, there are more advanced ways of mastering tracks called ‘ Stem Mastering‘ which are much more expensive. Along with the engineer's experience, you're also charged for the high-end gear used on your tracks. Grammy-winning engineers could charge you upwards of $200 for a track. The price increases considerably once you start working with engineers with industry weight. The fact that they've studied their craft means they know what they're doing and they've been marked by industry professionals.Ī regular mastering engineer charges around $40 to $80 for a track.

Lastly, some music production or sound engineering students that have just finished their course are perfect to save money and get a good servie with. Make sure to also listen to your engineer's portfolio with a discerning ear to judge whether you're actually paying for the quality of his mixing skills. That being said, an average engineer who has worked on some one-hit wonder songs that have done well in the charts might not be as good as his reputation suggests. They might do a stunning job in the pursuit of making a name for themselves. If you're an Indie artist or someone on a tight budget, it's a good idea to look for such engineers. As the analogue gear, plugins, studio monitors, and studio acoustics play a huge role in the quality of your track, be sure to check that out before committing to purchasing a service.Īn upcoming mixing engineer with a portfolio of 10-15 credible projects would charge you around $90 to $120 for a track. The price tag also includes the high-quality analogue gear and sonic environment in which your track is being mixed. There are many different ways to get a quality product without having to go to the industry's top names.Ī mid-level audio engineer with five to ten years of experience and a reputable portfolio could charge around $400. While these are the outer limits, a mid-level sound engineer with five to ten years of experience should charge anywhere between $200 to $500 per track.

While an industry stalwart with loads of experience with prominent artists could charge way above $1000 for a single mix, you could get an upcoming engineer to do your mix for $90 to $120.
