Studio Booking Policy and Terms

The following terms and conditions are designed to ensure clarity, professionalism, and operational efficiency for all projects. By booking services with Embouchure, clients agree to these standard operating policies.

1. Booking and Scheduling

All projects must be scheduled through official Embouchure channels, which include:

  • The official website intake form
  • Direct email confirmation
  • Authorized booking representatives

Informal bookings via social media or direct messages are not considered official or confirmed.

All bookings are subject to availability and formal project approval.

2. Project Confirmation

A project is considered formally confirmed only when the following criteria are met:

  • The intake process and $75 File Audit (if applicable) are successfully completed.
  • The project scope and pricing tier are approved.
  • The required deposit or full payment is received.
  • Written confirmation is issued by the studio.

No production or engineering work begins prior to formal confirmation.

3. Payment Requirements

Audio Production, Mixing, and Related Services

  • All remote mixing projects require a non-refundable $75 File Audit and Diagnostic fee upfront.
  • Upon audit approval, mixing projects require a non-refundable 60% deposit of the remaining balance.
  • The remaining 40% balance is due prior to final file delivery.
  • Standalone mastering services require full payment in advance.
  • Rush Services: Any project requiring a rushed or expedited turnaround must be paid 100% in full, including all applicable rush fees, before any work begins.
  • Verified student and conditional projects may require full prepayment.

Enterprise and Label Accounts

For verified major labels, established publishing houses, and corporate partners, flexible payment terms (Net 30, Net 60, or Net 90) are available exclusively through official corporate Purchase Orders (POs) and executed Master Services Agreements. Standard independent and remote projects remain subject to standard deposit structures.

Recording Services

When physical recording is required:

  • Studio time may be coordinated through affiliate facilities.
  • External studio rental fees are the sole responsibility of the client.
  • Recording sessions require advance payment.

Videography and Event Services

  • A non-refundable 60% deposit is required to secure event bookings.
  • The remaining balance is due prior to final video delivery.

All financial balances must be cleared before final deliverables are released.

4. File Delivery and Access

Final deliverables are provided through the FilePass portal or secure digital distribution via EngineEars.

Remaining balances can be settled directly through the delivery portal, after which high-resolution downloads unlock automatically.

All intellectual property and master files remain the property of Embouchure Studios until full payment is received.

5. Intellectual Property and Work-for-Hire

Standard mixing and mastering services are provided strictly as flat-fee, work-for-hire engineering services. Embouchure Studios claims no master ownership or publishing equity for standard mix and master orders.

Contributions involving creative co-production, musical arrangement, or executive production that qualify for master points or publishing shares require a separate, executed Split Agreement prior to project commencement.

6. Session and Production Standards

Remote and Self-Recorded Projects

Clients frequently provide self-recorded tracking materials. Clients are entirely responsible for baseline audio quality, clean file organization, and technical accuracy.

During the initial File Audit, session assets are evaluated for readiness. If files require extensive vocal tuning, timing correction, or structural arrangement rescue, the project will be categorized under our Mix + Edit or Finisher tiers and priced accordingly.

Affiliate Studio Sessions

When external facilities are utilized:

  • Session time must be reserved in advance.
  • Cancellations are subject to the specific facility policies.
  • Embouchure is not responsible for third-party facility fees.

7. Cancellations and Rescheduling

Audio and Production Projects

  • Cancellations made more than 72 hours before the scheduled start time: Deposit retained.
  • Cancellations within 72 hours: Additional administrative fees may apply.
  • No-shows result in the total forfeiture of all fees paid.

Videography and Events

  • Cancellations must be submitted in writing.
  • More than 30 days prior: 20% of the deposit is retained.
  • Less than 30 days prior: Full deposit retained.

Rescheduling requests remain subject to studio availability.

8. Turnaround Times

Standard turnaround begins only after files successfully pass the File Audit, the final scope is approved, and the initial deposit (or full payment for rush and mastering orders) is received.

  • Mixing: 10 to 20 business days per song
  • Mastering: 2 to 4 business days per song
  • Video projects: Up to 90 days from the event date

9. Revisions, Scope and Arrangement

Each project includes a defined scope of revisions, specifically two complimentary revisions for both mixing and mastering.

The Locked Rough Requirement: To ensure we capture your exact vision, song arrangements must be 100% locked before mixing begins. All mutes, drops, and structural choices must be reflected in the reference material provided. Once mixing commences, structural arrangement changes are no longer accommodated.

Mix Revisions versus Production Revisions

  • Mix Revisions (Included / $50 per occurrence thereafter): Adjustments to sonic balance, EQ, vocal levels, compression, or spatial effects (e.g., turning a vocal up or adding reverb).
  • Production Revisions (Billed at Custom Finisher Rates): Requests to alter the underlying arrangement, mute or unmute instruments in specific sections, create new transitions, or fundamentally modify song structure. These fall outside standard mixing parameters and require a custom quote.

Excessive revisions or major creative scope changes may require a revised project agreement.

10. Alternate Deliverables and Credit Integrity

Upon final approval and full payment, standard audio deliverables include the Final Mix, Instrumental, Acapella, and TV/Performance Mix.

Usage and Brand Integrity: Alternate mixes are provided strictly for live performance and synchronization purposes. If a client utilizes an Embouchure TV/Performance mix to record new vocals with a third-party engineer and releases the altered product, Embouchure Studios reserves the right to demand the removal of our mixing credits from all platforms to protect our sonic brand standard.

11. Client Responsiveness, Abandonment and Default

Embouchure manages a strict schedule to ensure prompt turnaround times. Clients agree to provide complete assets, respond promptly to communications, meet approval deadlines, secure necessary permissions for live events, and follow precise file submission guidelines.

The Abandonment Protocol

  • 7-Day Feedback Window: Clients have seven days upon receipt of a review file to submit revision notes or final approval. If no feedback is received within 7 days, the mix is considered auto-approved, and the final 40% balance invoice is issued.
  • 14-Day Abandonment: If a client fails to communicate or settle a pending invoice for 14 consecutive days, the project is designated as abandoned and session files are cleared from active studio drives.
  • Archival Retrieval: Reactivating an abandoned project is subject to a $100 Archival Retrieval Fee. Reactivated projects lose timeline priority and are scheduled at the studio's next available convenience.

Default and Collections

If a project is abandoned with an outstanding balance, the following escalation protocol applies:

  • 30 Days Past Due: A late fee equal to 10% of the outstanding balance is applied to the invoice.
  • 60 Days Past Due (Account Default): The project enters official default. The initial 60% deposit is forfeited. Embouchure Studios reserves the right to forward the balance to a third-party collections agency or pursue legal action.
  • Copyright Enforcement: Embouchure Studios retains sole copyright to all unreleased mixes and masters until invoices are paid in full. If a client in default attempts to release unauthorized review files to streaming platforms, Embouchure Studios will immediately issue a DMCA takedown notice to all relevant distributors and streaming services for copyright infringement.

12 through 16. Promotional Use, Liability and Refunds

  • Promotional Use: Embouchure reserves the right to display excerpts of completed work for portfolio, marketing, and promotional purposes unless otherwise agreed in writing.
  • Health, Safety and Working Conditions: For on-location services, hazardous conditions may result in immediate service suspension or refusal of work in unsafe environments.
  • Limitation of Liability: Embouchure liability is strictly limited to the total monetary amount paid by the client for the specific booked services. The studio is not liable for third-party technical issues or environmental interference beyond reasonable control.
  • Refund Policy: The $75 File Audit and Diagnostic fee is strictly non-refundable, covering labor expended during file assessment. Deposits for audio, production, and video are non-refundable once engineering work has commenced. All approved refunds process via the original payment method.
  • Accepted Payment Methods: Credit and debit cards, bank transfer, PayPal, and cryptocurrency eligible for published Bitcoin pricing. Payment methods are subject to change.

Have questions regarding these policies?

Reach out directly through our contact page before submitting your project intake form.

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