Looking back at this month's orders, almost every revision traced back to a note. Not a bad note. Just one that left room for two readings. "One more beat" can mean a longer dip or total silence. "Take the name out" needs a plan for when it can't come out clean.
The best notes I got were short and specific. Here's what made them work.
What to put in your notes
The exact title and artist name. Spelled the way you'll release it. One order this month needed a title fix after the fact. It goes on the filename and the Dossier, so get it right up front.
Where the song is going. Streaming, CD, vinyl, video. A pressing plant wants a different file than a distributor.
What you like about it now. This matters more than people think. If you love how dry the vocal is, tell me, and I'll protect it.
What bothers you, in plain words. You don't need technical terms. "The bass gets muddy in the chorus" or "it sounds clean but less like a band" tells me exactly where to look.
Timestamps for anything specific. "The name at 2:14." "A stop around 3:27." A time saves a round of guessing.
Your fallback. If you ask for something that might not work, say what you want if it doesn't. Keep it, skip it, or stop and you'll fix it at the source.
A reference, or say there isn't one. A reference track helps. No reference is fine too. One customer this month sent none and just wanted to hear the difference mastering makes. That's a clear brief.
What you can leave out
Loudness numbers. I'll set loudness for where the song is going. If you have a target in mind, share it, but you don't need one.
A list of plugins. Tell me what you hear. I'll pick the tools.
A request for song feedback, unless you want it. I don't send notes on the song itself by default. If you'd like my take on it, ask, and I'll give it to you straight.
A note you can copy
Title and artist:
Where it's going:
What I love about it now:
What bothers me:
Anything at a specific time:
If that can't be done, I'd like:
Reference track (or none):
Fill that in and you've given me everything I need to get it right the first time.
Josh, Founder, JG BeatsLab
Want this handled on your track? I master AI-generated music by hand, one song at a time, and every master comes with a Mastering Dossier that shows what I did and why. Book mastering or take the 3-minute scorecard to see where your workflow stands.
