Partnering with artists, producers, mixers & labels
As a producer/mixer or someone running a label, you’re constantly navigating a complex landscape. Balancing client expectations, ensuring consistent quality across diverse genres, striving for that perfect balance in your mix, and meeting tight deadlines – it’s a demanding role.
That’s where I step in. I offer mastering services designed to alleviate these pressures. As part of your team, I provide an objective perspective, ensuring your music is in the best shape possible before release or artist approval. I’m here to ensure consistent quality across all your releases, within budget, and on schedule.
As a former musician myself, I know firsthand the hurdles you’re jumping as an independent artist. I understand the challenges you face—limited resources, the intricate technicalities of audio mastering, and the need for unbiased honest feedback, all while trying to stay true to your creative vision. It’s a lot! and that’s where I come in.
To me, mastering is more than just a service, it’s a partnership. Whether your music was recorded in a home studio or a professional setup, I’m here to help bridge the gap between your creative vision and the world. My goal is to ensure you can release music that not only sounds great but also feels right to you and your audience.
Take a peek into our toolbox: we’re equipped with state-of-the-art analog processors to add warmth, depth, and punch to your tracks, alongside digital plugins for precision and versatility.
Whether you’re chasing a vintage vibe or a modern masterpiece, we’ve got the tools to bring your sound to life. For a detailed look at our equipment and more specifics, feel free to explore below.
Room Frequency Response – REW Measurement taken January 2021.
Mastering isn’t about mystique or secret techniques. It’s about a meticulously crafted environment. Here, I work in a space designed for flat sound (+/- 1 dB frequency deviation across the entire spectrum), paired with an ultra-accurate, full-range monitoring system.
This setup lets me hear every detail in your tracks, guiding my decisions and helping me find the perfect settings for your music. With this level of precision, you can be confident that your masters will sound consistent and translate beautifully across all playback systems.
Our monitoring system is the heartbeat of Cefe Flynn Mastering. It’s designed for ultra transparency, revealing the most intricate nuances of your recordings. This allows me to consistently produce and deliver error-free, high-quality masters.
With these tools, every detail of your music is laid bare, ensuring that nothing is overlooked in the mastering process.
The soul of Cefe Flynn Mastering lies in our analog chain. It’s simple yet effective, designed for precision and efficiency during the mastering session. I’ve handpicked a collection of analog outboard equipment that gives me the flexibility to enhance your recordings with clarity, impact, energy, and detail. Here’s a peek at the gear that makes the magic happen:
TK Audio TK-lizer 2 // Gyraf Audio G14s // High Voltage Audio EQ 6s // Gyraf Audio G22 // Rupert Neve Designs MBP // Solid State Logic Fusion // Overstayer – MAS 8101 // Handsome Audio Zulu.
With these tools, your music is in good hands.
The brain of Cefe Flynn Mastering is our suite of top-tier digital tools. Paired perfectly with our analog gear, these tools offer processing capabilities that extend beyond the analog realm. My aim is to harness the unique benefits of the analog world while leveraging the best aspects of the digital world. Here’s a glimpse at the digital tools that power our operation:
Cockos Reaper // DMG Audio // Tone Projects // HOFA // Acustica Audio // Newfangled Audio // iZotope // SIR Audio // Vertigo Sound // Oek Sound // TBPro Audio // Goodhertz // UAD…and many more.
With these tools, your music is sculpted with precision and finesse.
Want to hear the difference mastering can make? Dive into these before-and-after clips from my mastering projects.
Please note: To give you a true sense of the transformation, the original and mastered versions have been level-matched. This way, you can focus on the changes in quality, clarity, and depth that mastering brings to a track. Ready to hear the magic? Take a listen below.
Based in Sydney, Cefe Flynn is a seasoned mastering engineer with over two decades of experience in the music industry. His passion lies in empowering artists to release their music with confidence, working hand-in-hand with them to ensure their unique message resonates in every note.
Cefe’s approach to mastering goes beyond the technical. He dives into the heart and soul of each piece of music, enhancing its essence to craft a sonic experience that captivates and inspires. For Cefe, mastering isn’t just about perfecting the audio—it’s about amplifying the artist’s voice and forging a connection with the audience.
Cefe Flynn’s journey into mastering wasn’t a straight path, but a winding road that began in a small rehearsal room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His passion for music led him to Dublin, where he played in bands and found himself increasingly drawn to the technical side of music production. This fascination led him to Windmill Lane Studios, where he honed his craft as a tracking and mixing engineer for a decade before fully immersing himself in the world of mastering.
The decision to focus on mastering was a profound one. Despite stepping away from playing, recording, or mixing music, Cefe’s formative years as an active musician and recording engineer played a pivotal role in shaping his approach to mastering. His comprehensive understanding of the technical aspects of mixing, coupled with his appreciation for the creative process, allowed him to strike a delicate balance between technical perfection and artistic expression.
Cefe’s approach to mastering is rooted in respect for the artist’s vision. He believes in enhancing, not imposing, and places the artist at the center of the process. He believes in honest and transparent communication throughout the mastering process, empowering artists by giving them control over the final result. This approach is a response to the struggles he has witnessed in the industry, with many artists feeling overlooked and insignificant due to poor communication and disregard for their input from some mastering studios.
Now based in Sydney, Australia, Cefe is a renowned mastering engineer dedicated to helping artists realize their musical vision. He strives to make the last step before an artist’s music is made available to the world flawless, and offers a free test master to artists who haven’t worked with him before, allowing them to experience firsthand what professional mastering can do for their music.
Cefe’s mastering discography is diverse and impressive, with a range of artists and genres represented. From the Alternative music of J. Thomas and Middletooth to the Indie sounds of Civic Video and Sam Fletcher, from the Blues vibes of Redd Velvet to the Pop tunes of CHEWY, and the Singer-Songwriter creations of Hedy Blaazer and Songs for June, Cefe’s mastery in his craft is evident in the varied and high-quality music he has helped shape.
Cefe Flynn’s journey through the world of music is a testament to his passion, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the artist’s vision. From the small rehearsal room in Buenos Aires to the mastering studios in Sydney, his story continues to be written with every track he masters, every artist he works with, and every note that leaves his studio. And as he continues his journey, he remains committed to making music the best it can be, one master at a time.
With Cefe, you’re not just getting a mastering engineer; you’re gaining a partner in your musical journey. He is committed to helping artists not only make great music but also build deep and meaningful relationships with their teams. His emphasis on honesty, transparency, and artist empowerment makes him a valuable ally in the often complex world of music production.
Don’t just take our word for it. Hear from the artists, producers, engineers, and musicians who’ve trusted their music to us. Check out their reviews and see why they chose Cefe Flynn Mastering for their projects.
We understand that mastering can be a complex process, and you might have questions. We’ve put together a list of frequently asked questions to help you out.
For a more detailed explanation, please read this comprehensive guide that will take you through the essential steps to prepare your mix for mastering. This article, filled with practical advice and tips, will help you understand the importance of maintaining the integrity of your mix, the significance of file formats, and the role of metadata in your final files. Here's the link to the full article for a more detailed understanding:
How to prepare your mix for mastering
How much headroom for mastering
If you're pressed for time, here's a brief summary for your convenience: The article provides a detailed guide on preparing your mix for mastering, emphasising the importance of maintaining a clean and dynamic mix. It advises against overusing processors and recommends keeping the mix's peak level below 0dBFS. The article also highlights the importance of file formats and metadata for distribution, suggesting 32-bit float audio files as the preferred format and providing a comprehensive list of metadata options for your final masters.
To submit your track, please fill out our intake form at the link below. You'll get an instant quote for the project and we'll have all the info we need for mastering and scheduling.
Depending on the complexity, mastering projects' turnaround time is generally less than 72 hrs for singles and 3 to 7 days for EP/Albums after project confirmation.
If you are working to a deadline and need a faster turnaround time, please let me know when booking your project.
Our mastering rates are determined by factors such as the total number of songs, any additional alternate mixes, and the desired deliverables (e.g., DDP, individual WAV & MP3 files, separate preparation for lacquer cutting, Mastered for iTunes, etc.). To get an instant cost estimate based on your project's specific needs go to our projects quote page here.
Mastering revisions based on client feedback are free of charge. We can work together as necessary to make sure we get the sound you’re looking for.
If you need to remix a song to fix a problem or adjust something in the original mix, yes you can resubmit your mix and a small fee of $25 apply to remaster/re-print the new mix.
If you are not happy with my work, you can contact me for free revisions within 30 days. I will do whatever it takes to meet your requirements during our revisions process.
If we decide that I am not the right person for your project after the revision process, contact me for a refund. My only requirement is that my mixes/masters are not released for sale or promotion and that refunds are requested within 30 days of receiving mixes or masters.
After the final masters are approved, all deliverable files will be prepared as per your project-specific requirements. The standard delivery files included in all projects are:
If you have additional file format requirements, please specify them in the project's intake form or during the project discussions.
If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, or need more information, feel free to reach out using the contact form below. We’re here to help and will get back to you as soon as possible.
