Most frequently asked questions about Mix, Mastering, Production, and Studio BK operations.
Yes, in principle, my door is open to everyone and I am pleased to work with artists of all levels. The only criteria for me are the seriousness of the project and the clarity of the communication established.
Please review the guideline on the contact page and reach out to me via social media or e-mail, providing as much detailed information as possible about your project.
Absolutely not. Discriminating based on an artist's popularity is against my work ethics and is out of the question. Every mix and mastering project leaving my studio bears my signature. As long as the arrangement and recording quality allow, my professional standards are applied at the highest level in every project.
Furthermore, I personally manage all mix and mastering processes. I communicate one-on-one with my clients; presenting my personal experience and attention at every stage of your project without any assistant or third party intervening. Our priority is always musical quality.
This situation stems from the complex structure and variables inherent in music.
Namely; it is inevitable that technical differences will occur between songs recorded in different studios or produced by different arrangers, even within a single album by the same artist.
The result is directly related not only to my engineering skills but also to two fundamental elements: Sound Selection and Recording Quality.
A. Sound Selection (Sounds Used in Arrangement)
The final clarity, width, and power of a song; depends on the quality of the sounds (drums, bass, synth, etc.) chosen in the arrangement. This is the element that creates the biggest difference between arrangers. Even the key (tonic note) of the song directly affects the sound character as it changes the frequency response.
Frequency Conflict Risk: For example, using a Kick sound with a very low frequency (Sub-Bass) character simultaneously with a Bass Guitar/Synth sound that also has intense low frequencies; creates frequency confusion (masking) during the mix and mastering stage. This situation significantly lowers the general Loudness of the song and leads to unwanted rumble.
In Summary: The more spacious, clear, and correct the frequency ranges of the sound choices during the production phase; the higher the potential of the song will be during the mix and mastering stage.
B. Recording Quality and Environment
I process every work leaving my studio with my own hands; however, the quality of the raw (unprocessed) sound reaching us determines our starting point.
Importance of Equipment and Environment: Recordings made in studios with professional acoustic treatment, with high-end equipment, and accompanied by an experienced recording engineer; are much cleaner, more detailed, and suitable for processing compared to recordings made in home environments or rooms with poor acoustics.
Details such as microphone distance, intonation, emotion in the performance, and technical posture during recording are managed instantly by the recording engineer. This professional meticulousness directly determines the quality of the final product to be obtained after mastering.
My expertise and preference in this regard are based on a scientific foundation supported by my graduation project at Istanbul Technical University (ITU).
I started my career growing up in completely analog studios where not even a single plugin (software) existed. Thanks to this, I have a deep command of the working principles and characters of analog devices. However, upon noticing details during the digitalization process in the industry, I chose to conduct my university graduation study on "Comparison of Digital Emulations with Analog Devices".
ITU Graduation Study and Scientific Comparison
In my graduation project; I compared the plugin (software) emulations prepared by the industry's leading companies one-on-one with the reference real analog hardware and conducted comprehensive analyses.
Tested Devices and Method:
The following legendary equipment was compared within the scope of the study:
Test Method: By sending controlled Noise and instrument signals to the devices; I scientifically measured the responses they gave at the same signal levels and settings.
Result of the Study and Impact on Our Workflow
Fundamental Discovery: The limited options offered by the nature of analog hardware direct the user to more focused and limited interventions. When I restricted myself with the same discipline in the digital environment; that is, when I made the "minimal but correct" intervention, I proved that the obtained sound retained the analog volume and was indistinguishable from analog in terms of perception.
Result: These tests showed that the response and frequency differences between software (plugin) and hardware were not "excessive at an audible level," but on the contrary, very minimal. In fact, surprisingly, I detected that the RMS (Sound Power) values of digital plugins were higher and more stable compared to analog devices.
Analog Mentality in Digital Environment: Acting as if "I don't have unlimited plugins" while mixing; that is, making the least and most correct move, is the real secret that gives the mix that sought-after "analog warmth and fullness". Because the more unnecessary plugins are added to the chain, the more the volume and naturalness of the sound are damaged.
Why Don't I Use Completely Analog Gear?
System Setup Decision: I planned a completely analog system when establishing Studio BK. However, I updated this decision by analyzing operational efficiency and modern production needs.
Speed and Efficiency: Today's music industry requires very fast revisions and deliveries. In analog systems (Recall), re-opening a project months later to match the same settings and doing the cabling takes hours, and this situation unnecessarily increases studio costs (and therefore the client's budget). The digital environment provides this speed, flexibility, and precision perfectly.
Technical Sustainability: Authorized service, maintenance, and repair processes of analog devices are regionally extremely difficult. Spare part supply and repair times can take 3 to 6 months. For a professional business, these durations are an unacceptable risk factor.
For these reasons, I use the analog hardware available in my studio only during the recording stage.
Yes, professional vocal and instrument recording services are provided at Studio BK. However, in order to ensure the highest quality workflow and maintain studio efficiency, a minimum 3-hour rule is applied to our recording appointments.
A correct and detailed vocal recording at professional standards takes an average of 1.5 to 3.5 hours. Even if your recording technically takes less than 3 hours; due to the prior technical preparation, microphone setup, sound check, and appointment blockage, pricing is made based on a minimum of 3 hours.
Please reach out to us via our social media channels or e-mail for pricing and availability.
After your project details and needs are reviewed by me, a custom price quote and work schedule will be sent to you as soon as possible.
Delivery Time: After your project files reach me completely, the delivery time is generally between 3 to 7 business days depending on the studio workload. An estimated delivery date will definitely be notified to you at the start of the work.
Revision Rights: You have 3 free revisions as standard for your Mix or Mastering projects. However, since I base my work on client satisfaction, I can stretch this right up to 5 times on my own initiative depending on the progress of the project. In cases exceeding 5 revisions or requests for radical changes that will alter the project from the start, the process continues by charging over additional working hours.
Yes, I provide Arrangement and Music Direction services for special projects. However, since this process requires much more intense labor and a partnership of vision, I am quite selective in this regard and only accept projects I believe in.
For our global clients, we accept payments via SWIFT (Bank Transfer), Western Union, or Crypto Currency (Crypto) transfer. Unfortunately, since PayPal operations are suspended in our country, we cannot use PayPal and similar payment methods.