Send a Mastering Preview Before Payment: How It Wins the Client
Published · by Loopin
A 45-second, level-matched sample does more to win a client than any price list. Here is how to send one, what to label it, and where an automatic preview stops being enough.
Send 45 seconds, not the whole song
Cut the loudest chorus plus a few bars of the verse, about 45 seconds. A full file lets a client skip payment; a short sample lets them decide. Fade the end so it feels like a preview, not a broken file.
Ditto’s tool shows the other model: according to its support article, you hear a free full-length preview and pay $5 only to download, at the time of writing (October 2026). Clients already expect to hear before they pay, so meet them there. A short sample is the cheaper version of the same promise: you show the result without handing over the finished file.
Send it level-matched, as A and B
Send the original and the mastered excerpt at the same loudness, labelled A and B, not “before” and “after”. A louder master sounds better for the first few seconds, and a client who suspects the difference is just volume will not trust it.
If you made the first pass with the free online masterer, its Original vs Mastered switch is already loudness-matched, so you can check the pair before sending. Previews and A/B are free and unlimited; downloads are capped on the free tier at 1 per rolling 24 hours with no account, or 2 with a free account.
Say what the preview is and is not
One line in the email: “This is a quick first-pass master from the mix you sent. Final delivery includes a listening check and up to two revision rounds.” That sets the right expectation and keeps the preview from becoming the whole product.
Be straight about limits. Automatic mastering cannot fix a mix with a buried vocal or a boomy low end, and it takes no creative direction. If the preview exposes a mix problem, say so; a client who hears you spot it trusts the final more. Offer to take a revised mix, and keep the sample so the before-and-after is on record. It also protects you: if the client later says the master is not what they heard, you have the sample you sent.
Ask for a yes, not a review
End with one question: “Happy with A or B, or do you want it brighter or darker?” Two choices. No open-ended feedback. Most clients answer within a day, and those who ask for one of the two options are ready to pay. If you want to preview a master free before offering it, check the pair at matched loudness first.
Put your price and payment link in the same email, under the question. The preview makes the decision; the link removes the friction. Do not make them ask where to pay. Reply to any follow-up the same day while the sample is still fresh in their ears. If they go quiet, one polite nudge after three days is enough; the sample is still doing the selling.
Know when to skip the preview
Skip it for a lead single, a release with a fixed date, or a client who wants hands-on tonal control. Those jobs need a human engineer from the first listen, not an automatic sample. Skip it, too, for a client who has never heard an unmastered mix: they will judge the sample on the song, not on the processing, and you are better off talking them through the A and B live.
For everyone else, a fast preview is the cheapest sales tool you have. See how to master a client EP start to finish for the full sequence, and free vs paid mastering for what you can honestly promise.
Frequently asked questions
Should I send a mastering preview before payment?
Yes, a short sample. A 45-second excerpt lets the client decide without giving away the full file.
How long should a mastering preview be?
About 45 seconds: the loudest chorus plus a few bars. Fade the end.
How do I make a fair A/B for a client?
Match loudness between the original and the master, label them A and B, and send both. Loopin's Original vs Mastered switch is loudness-matched.
Does Ditto offer a mastering preview?
Per Ditto's support article at the time of writing (October 2026), it gives a free full-length preview and charges $5 to download, with no subscription.
Can I use an automatic master as the client preview?
Yes, as a quick first pass. Say it is one, because it cannot fix a bad mix or take creative direction.
How many downloads do I get free on Loopin?
1 per rolling 24 hours with no account and 2 with a free account. Mastering and previews are unlimited.