Mastered Files Naming and Delivery: 7 Rules So Clients Never Lose Them
Published · by Loopin
Most “you sent me the wrong version” emails come from the filename, not the audio. Use these seven rules and the client always knows which file is the master.
Rules 1 and 2: Name it Artist_Title_Master_v1
Rule 1: one pattern, always in the same order. Use Artist_Title_Master_v1.wav, letters, numbers and underscores only. No spaces, no apostrophes, no emoji: those break uploads on some distributors and store platforms, and they turn into %20 in a download link.
Rule 2: the version number is the only thing that changes. A revision becomes v2, then v3. Never “final”, “final2” or “REAL_final”. If the client says “send v2 again”, you both know exactly what that is. Delete nothing; just stop sending the old ones.
Rule 3: Put the loudness in the name when it differs
If you hand over more than one loudness, say so in the filename: Artist_Title_Master_v1_Punchy.wav and Artist_Title_Master_v1_Warm.wav. Loopin’s free online mastering exports a 16-bit WAV at about −14 LUFS with a −1 dBTP ceiling; Punchy lands near −11, Club near −10 and Cinematic near −16. A client who compares two files by ear will pick the louder one, so the label tells them the difference is intentional.
Run one feel per release and you can skip the suffix. When you are offering options, keep it to two. Three is a decision the client will not make. Our A/B guide shows how to compare them at matched loudness before you send.
Rule 4: WAV is the master, anything else is labelled a preview
Deliver the WAV as the file that gets released. If a client wants something light to play on a phone, make an MP3 from that WAV and name it Artist_Title_Preview_v1.mp3. The word Preview keeps it out of the distributor upload.
Do not send the same track as WAV, MP3 and AIFF unless someone asked. Every extra format is another file to mix up. Use this one-line email: “Attached is the master (WAV) and a preview MP3 for your phone. Upload the WAV.” If you have not set up a release folder yet, master the track free first and name it afterwards.
Rule 5: Number the tracks when it is a release
For an EP or tape, start every name with a two-digit position: 01_Artist_Title_Master_v1.wav. The order then survives any file browser, email attachment list or zip. Without the number, a folder sorts alphabetically and your sequence is gone.
Lock the running order before you master, not after. If the client reorders the tracklist, renumber the files and bump every version, otherwise 03 in your folder is 05 in theirs. For consistency across tracks, see how to master an album so it sounds consistent.
Rule 6: One folder per release, with a two-line note
Folder name: Artist_ReleaseTitle_Masters_v1. Inside: the WAVs, the preview MP3s in a subfolder called Previews, and a text file with two lines: the date and what changed since the last version. That is the entire paperwork.
Zip it only if you must. A zip hides which version is inside until it is opened. If you use a shared drive link, send the folder link, never a link to one file, so there is only one place a client can look. More on checks before sending: the delivery checklist for clients.
Rule 7: Keep the unmastered mixdown with a matching name
Save the stereo mixdown as Artist_Title_Mix_v1.wav in the same folder as the master. Same base name, only Mix versus Master differs. When a client says it sounds quieter than the one they remember, you can line the two up and settle it in seconds.
It also saves you when a mix gets revised. A new mix is a new v number on the Mix file, and the master gets the matching v. Never overwrite a mix with a master or the reverse. That one slip is behind most of the “wrong version went out” stories.
Frequently asked questions
How should I name a mastered file?
Use Artist_Title_Master_v1.wav with letters, numbers and underscores only. Change just the version number on each revision, never use final or final2, and add a two-digit track number first for EPs, like 01_Artist_Title_Master_v1.wav.
What format should I deliver a master in?
WAV. Loopin exports a 16-bit WAV at about -14 LUFS with a -1 dBTP ceiling. If a client wants an MP3 for their phone, make it from the WAV and label it Preview so it is not uploaded for release.
Should I put LUFS in the filename?
Only when you deliver more than one loudness for the same track, such as a Punchy version near -11 LUFS and a standard one near -14. Otherwise it is clutter.
How many versions should I keep?
Keep all of them in your own archive, and send the client only the latest. Name each one v1, v2, v3 so you can go back to any of them within a minute.
Do spaces in filenames cause problems?
Yes, sometimes. Some upload forms and links reject or alter spaces and special characters. Underscores are safe everywhere, so use them in all 7 rules above.