Making Records in 2025: Remote Tracking, Mixing, and Mastering from Anywhere
When I first started working on records in Texas, almost everything happened in the same room. You’d gather the band, set up mics, track the songs, and then the producer would sit with the engineer for mixing and mastering. In 2025, that process looks completely different—thanks to remote tracking, remote mixing, and remote mastering, I work with artists all over the world without anyone having to leave home or their own studio.
Remote Tracking in 2025
Remote tracking is simply recording performances in one location and sending them digitally to another. I do this all the time—someone will send me their rough track, and I’ll record live drums in my studio, using high-end gear and microphones. The files get sent back as individual files, ready to drop into their session.
The beauty is that remote tracking isn’t limited to drums. Guitars, bass, keys, strings, horns—almost anything can be recorded remotely now. The files are high-resolution, synced to your session tempo, and can be shared back and forth as the part evolves.
Remote Mixing: Collaboration Without Borders
Mixing used to mean sitting behind a desk together, but now I can work on a record for someone in another country just as easily as if they were in the next room. With today’s file-sharing tools and high-speed internet, I can receive multitracks, do a remote mix, and send back a first pass within a couple of days.
Artists send me mix notes via email, video chat, or even join real-time listening sessions. This allows for an organic back-and-forth while still giving them the freedom to work from their own space. The final mixes are delivered in high-resolution formats, ready for streaming services or physical media.
Remote Production: Building Songs from Scratch
Remote production is where technology really shines. A songwriter can send me nothing more than an acoustic guitar and vocal, and together we can build a full arrangement—adding rhythm sections, layers, and textures—without meeting in person.
The workflow often looks like this:
They send a demo and reference tracks.
I create a foundation—drums, bass ideas, melodic ideas.
We exchange files and notes until the song feels fully realized.
It’s collaborative, but flexible. Time zones and distance don’t get in the way anymore. From here, these production demos can be sent to remote players to let them do their magic and play on the song.
Remote Mastering: The Final Step Anywhere
Mastering used to be an intimidating, in-person process, but now it’s just as effective remotely. In my workflow, mastering involves final EQ adjustments, stereo image enhancement, and loudness optimization for streaming platforms. The mastered track is sent back in multiple formats, ready for release.
Since files are digital, the turnaround is fast, and artists can compare versions in their own listening environments before approving the final.
Why Remote Music Production Works So Well In 2025
Remote recording and production work because:
File-sharing is instantaneous and high quality.
Musicians can collaborate globally without travel.
Gear in small studios rivals what used to be exclusive to big facilities.
The process saves time while still allowing creative control.
I’ve found that remote work has opened up opportunities that never existed before. I can collaborate with musicians in Nashville one day and a pop artist in Australia the next. And because everything is recorded, mixed, and mastered in professional environments, it’s possible to collaborate, create, and release music with the same care and quality as a traditional studio session—only with more flexibility.
If you’ve been thinking about starting a project but weren’t sure how to bridge the distance, now’s the time. Reach out to the musicians, engineers, and collaborators you admire—no matter where they live—and see what’s possible. The tools are here, the process is proven, and your next record could be just a few files away.
