Bouncing (exporting/rendering) is how your DAW becomes files someone else — or another stage — can use. Wrong settings cause clipping, sync issues or quality loss.
Two bounce types
| Type | When |
|---|---|
| Stereo mix bounce | Mastering, client approval, archive |
| Stem bounce | Sending to a mix engineer |
Stereo mix bounce (for mastering)
- WAV, 24-bit, session sample rate
- Full song length, same start point
- Headroom — peaks ~-6 dBFS, no heavy bus limiter
- Do not normalize to 0 dBFS
→ How loud should a mix be before mastering?
Stem bounce (for mixing)
- Same length and start for every file
- WAV 24-bit
- Clear names:
Song_VocalLead.wav - Note BPM, key, dry vs printed FX
→ How to prepare stems for mixing
→ How many stems do you need?
Avoid
- MP3-only for pro work
- Different timeline start per stem
- Clipping on export meters
- Upsampling unnecessarily
DAW-specific guides
After the bounce
- Listen for clicks at start/end
- Verify file length
- Upload with notes and references