Client Keeps Sending New Mixes? How to Re-Master Without Chaos
Published · by Loopin
Every new mix is a new master, not a tweak to the old one. Name the files, cap the rounds, match loudness and send a two-line changelog, and the fourth version costs you ten minutes instead of an evening.
Cap the rounds before the first mix lands
Put the limit in the quote: two mix rounds include a master each, round three is a fee. Pick your own number, but write it down, because “one small change” is how a $40 job becomes six re-masters.
Say what counts as a new round. A new mix file is a round. A note like “make it louder” on an existing master is not, and you can answer it with the loudness advice in how to handle mastering revisions.
Name every file with the mix version
Use ClientSong_MIX3_2026-10-31.wav for the mix and ClientSong_MIX3_MASTER.wav for the result. The mix number travels into the master name, so you never wonder which master belongs to which mix when the client says “the one from Tuesday”.
Never master a master. Always go back to the newest mix file, bounce it clean and start again, otherwise limiting stacks up and the track gets louder and flatter with each round.
Write down the feel and the target once
Keep one line per client: the feel you chose, the loudness you aimed for, the date. For a Loopin master that might read “Punchy, about −11 LUFS” or “default, about −14 LUFS”. Next time you open the project, master the new mix free with the same feel instead of re-deciding.
Consistency is what clients hear across versions. If mix 2 was Warm and mix 3 is Crisp, the tone shift will be blamed on your mix notes. Change the feel only when the client asks for a different sound.
Match loudness before you compare versions
Play the old master and the new one at the same loudness, within about 0.5 dB. If the new version is louder by 1 dB, the client will hear “better” whether or not the mix improved, and you will chase a problem that is only level.
Loopin’s Original-vs-Mastered switch is loudness-matched, so you can check the new mix against its master in seconds. For old master versus new master, nudge the volume yourself until they sit together.
Send a two-line changelog with every file
Copy this: “MASTER 3 attached, made from your MIX3. Change from MASTER 2: vocal sits slightly forward, loudness unchanged at about −14 LUFS.” The client hears what to listen for, and you have a paper trail if they come back with MIX4.
Keep the subject line and the file name identical, and attach only the latest. Old versions go in a folder, not in the thread.
Know when to stop re-mastering
If the notes keep changing the mix balance, the problem is the mix, not the master. Automatic mastering takes no creative direction and cannot fix balance; a vocal that keeps getting fixed after mastering wants a mixing session, not a fourth master. Until then, run each version through the free masterer and keep moving.
Downloads on the free tier are capped (1 per rolling 24 hours with no account, 2 with a free account), so heavy revision weeks are where Loopin Mastering Unlimited at $10 a month or $59 a year starts to make sense; check the pricing page for your region. For a big release, hand the final to a human engineer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I re-master after a client sends a new mix?
Go back to the newest mix file, bounce it clean, master it with the same feel and loudness target, and name it with the new mix number. Never master the previous master.
How many revisions should I include?
Two mix rounds with a master each is a common starting cap. Write your limit in the quote and charge a fee from round three.
Why does the new master sound louder than the last?
Usually it is level, not quality. Match loudness within about 0.5 dB before comparing, because a 1 dB louder file sounds better to most listeners.
Can I keep the same sound across versions?
Keep the same feel and the same loudness target, for example default at about -14 LUFS, and log both. Change them only when the client asks for a different sound.
Should I tell clients what changed?
Yes. A two-line note naming the mix version and the one audible change saves a round of questions.
When should I send a track to a human engineer?
When the notes are still moving the mix balance, or the release matters enough to need creative direction. Automatic mastering is a fast first pass, not a replacement.