"How much does mixing and mastering cost?" is one of the most common questions I get — and one of the hardest to find a straight answer to online, because every engineer quotes it differently. Here's a transparent breakdown.

Mixing vs. mastering — two different jobs

First, a quick distinction, because they're often bundled:

Mixing takes your individual stems and balances them into one cohesive stereo (or spatial) track — levels, EQ, compression, effects, depth, and space.
Mastering takes that finished mix and gives it the final polish: consistent loudness, tonal balance, and translation so it sounds right everywhere from earbuds to a club system.

You usually want both, but they're priced separately because they're separate work.

What it costs at Terra Echo Studios

Here's the actual pricing, no "contact for a quote" runaround:

Mixing

From $200 per song. Mixing is stems-based, so the exact figure depends on track count and complexity — a sparse acoustic song and a 60-track production aren't the same job. You get an exact quote after a quick project assessment.

Mastering

Single: $75–$100 per song
EP (4–6 songs): $300 flat
Album (10+ songs): $500 flat

Dolby Atmos

Stereo-to-Atmos conversion: $200–$300 per song
Full spatial mix from stems: from $500 per song

You can see the full service breakdown on the mixing and mastering page.

What actually drives the price

If you're comparing quotes, here's what moves the number:

Track count and complexity. More stems and denser arrangements take more time.
State of the recording. Clean, well-recorded stems mix faster than ones that need repair first.
Revisions. Most engineers include a set number of revision passes; heavy changes beyond that can add cost.
Format. A stereo master and a full Dolby Atmos spatial mix are very different amounts of work.

Why the cheapest option usually isn't the cheapest

A $20 "fully automated" online master can be tempting, but it can't make musical decisions about your song. A real engineer hears what your specific track needs and where it should sit. For a release you've poured months into, the difference is the difference between "fine" and "finished."

That said — good mixing and mastering shouldn't be gatekept behind agency prices either. The goal here is professional results at rates an independent artist can actually afford.

Get an exact quote

Pricing ranges only get you so far. For a real number on your specific project, tell me about it — track count, genre, timeline — and I'll come back to you personally, usually within 24 hours.

See mixing & mastering services →