Please DO NOT use Splice or similar company for melodic loops that can be easily detected by audio recognition software.

Also, NO AI to be used as part of the composition process to create full or partial musical phrases/tracks. We are looking for original, Human made music only please. 

DEMO SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

 ✔︎ Main Version Only - Please send only the main version. If your track is selected, we’ll request the other versions (please see deliverables checklist below)

 ✔︎ MP3 Format

 ✔︎ Named appropriately - Track title or working title, BPM, Your name, your CAE/IPI number

 ✔︎ Check your mix - Submission dates are listed on each brief and all submissions will be reviewed after the submission date

 ✔︎ Send your track via We transfer or Dropbox

Deliverables ChecklisT - VERSIONS AND STEMS

Deliverables Requirements

 ✔︎ Main / Full version (Mastered) (the version / mix that has been approved)

 ✔︎ 30 sec (exactly 30 seconds - no fades - ensure tracks are top and tailed)

 ✔︎ 60 sec (exactly 60 seconds - no fades - ensure tracks are top and tailed)

 ✔︎ Alt - A broken down version of the main. Keep it very sparse and simple - no melodies, vocal hooks etc

✔︎ Underscore x 2 - Really stripped back version of the main track - No beats, no melodies or vocal hooks

 ✔︎ Instrumental (where applicable) 

 Please ensure that all WAVs are in the following format

 ✔︎ 24bit / 48k WAVS 

 ✔︎ Mastered 

✔︎ Top and tailed – please ensure that there is no unnecessary noise or silence at the start or end of the file or notes and that sustains and/or reverb, delays aren’t cut short

 ✔︎ Each of your files are named as detailed below and the BPM is included in both the folder and each file within it.

NAMING YOUR FILES

This applies to both the versions and stems. Please name your files in the following way. This helps to keep everything consistent and ensures that your tracks and stems are easily identifiable whilst we work on the metadata for each album

Track Title > BPM > Version > Your name > CAE/IPI  

Lost_65bpm_Main_John_Rushton_CAE123456789

Lost_65bpm_60_John_Rushton_CAE123456789

Lost_65bpm_30_John_Rushton_CAE123456789

65bpm_Underscore_John_Rushton_CAE123456789 

For co writes please add 2nd name and CAE/IPI at the end of the file

STEM PACKS

Each individual tracks STEM should be placed within a track folder (example below). Each STEM should be labelled with the track name and the proper suffix. Please remember that these are groups of like instruments (such as percussion or pads) We don’t require each instrument/track as a separate stem (please see below for more info)

Folder Name example: Album Name > Track Title > BPM > Your Name > CAE/IPI > STEMS

FOLDER Name > Decay_Lost_65bpm_JohnRushton_CAE123456789_STEMS

FILE Name > Decay_Lost_65bpm_BASS_John_Rushton_CAE123456789

FILE Name > Decay_Lost_65bpm_STRINGS_John_Rushton_CAE123456789

FILE Name > Decay_Lost_65bpm_GUITAR_John_Rushton_CAE123456789

 ✔︎ Stems for Main track ONLY

 ✔︎ Lead instruments should always have it’s own STEM. 

 ✔︎ If there is a unique instrument (e.g. vocal line, guitar solo etc) these need to be isolated on their own STEM. 

 ✔︎ All STEM files MUST start at the exact point the full mix does so if editors added all of the STEMS from the STEM PACK it would sound identical to the full mix. 

 ✔︎ E.g. if the full mix starts at 0:00 and ends at 2.20 then each STEM for that track will be the same duration. If Strings are only present from 30seconds until 1m20 seconds the Strings STEM will still be 2m 20 in total. With 30 seconds of silence at the start and 1min silence at the end. 

 ✔︎ 24-bit 48k interleaved stereo WAV files (Unmastered) 

 ✔︎ Bypass mix bus limiting prior to bouncing stems

Most stem packs include somewhere between 5 and 7 stems, but this depends on the type of track.

MIXing & MASTERING

A BALANCED MIX

The production of your track is just as important as the composition therefore it’s important to achieve a well- balanced mix so that no one element/ instrument of the arrangement is poking out of the mix. Library music is often used at low levels behind dialogue so it may pay off to listen at low levels when mixing and prior to mastering your track(s)

• Play your mix at a very low level
• Turn it up slowly until your track start to become audible. How does it sound?
• If one instrument sticks out too much or is much more prominent than everything else, it may be too loud

• Turn down the instrument and replay at low levels to check

MASTERING - THE BASICS

Mastering chain example – Master channel

If you need further guidance, please get in touch.

info@thermalmusic.tv