Elite AI Music Finishing Producer, Vocal Editor & Mix Engineer for Cinematic R&B Record

About the Project GEM Sound, a division of GEM Media, is seeking an exceptional music-finishing producer, vocal editor, and mix engineer to professionally complete an upcoming cinematic R&B single. The song was developed from the artist’s original lyrics, melody, vocal phrasing, demo performance, arrangement direction, and creative vision, then expanded through an AI-assisted production workflow. An approved Locked Creative Reference and supporting audio materials already exist. This reference establishes the song’s definitive creative identity, including its vocal performance, melody, groove, arrangement, atmosphere, structure, pacing, and overall sonic character. It is not the final technical mix or commercial master. The song itself has been found. This project is not about generating a new composition, replacing the artist’s identity, remixing the track, or reconstructing the production from scratch. The mission is to preserve the magic of the Locked Creative Reference while removing technical limitations, strengthening the vocals, adding carefully chosen human detail, and delivering a polished commercial release. The Core Mission Preserve the defining elements of the Locked Creative Reference, including: * Lead-vocal identity and emotional performance * Melody and lyrical phrasing * Beat, bass movement, groove, and rhythmic pocket * Established song structure, pacing, and duration * Instrumentation and overall sonic identity * Dark, sensual, intimate cinematic R&B atmosphere Then elevate the record through expert human production, vocal editing, artifact repair, mixing, and mastering. The final result should feel unmistakably like the Locked Creative Reference, now revealed with world-class human precision, depth, clarity, and finish. It should not sound like a different record wearing its clothing. Non-Negotiable Creative Direction The lead vocal must remain: * Masculine * Intimate and close * Seductive without becoming soft or weak * Polished without losing breath, texture, emotion, or humanity * Controlled without sounding aggressively tuned * Present and expensive without being crushed by compression Please do not: * Replace the lead singer * Rewrite the melody or lyrics * Rebuild the instrumental * Change the groove or arrangement without approval * Add unnecessary instruments simply to demonstrate production ability * Overcompress, over-limit, over-brighten, or sterilize the vocal * Apply heavy Auto-Tune as a default solution * Turn the record into a generic modern R&B mix * Upload project audio to outside generative platforms without written permission Surgical improvement is the objective. Creative ego is not. Primary Responsibilities AI-Artifact and Source Repair * Identify and reduce audible warbling, metallic texture, digital smearing, phasing, stem bleed, unstable ambience, or unnatural transitions * Clean clicks, pops, harsh tails, clipped moments, and distracting generative artifacts * Repair problem areas without damaging the musical character * Improve clarity and cohesion between stems * Preserve natural transients, groove, and low-end movement Vocal Production and Editing * Edit and comp supplied vocal material * Correct pitch and timing only where necessary * Use Melodyne or comparable manual tools with restraint * Manage breaths, mouth noise, sibilance, and tonal inconsistencies * Preserve vocal slides, sensual phrasing, rhythmic nuance, and emotional dynamics * Strengthen lead-vocal presence without making it harsh or artificial * Create or arrange tasteful doubles, ghost layers, harmonies, whispers, and ad-libs from artist-approved material * Identify any additional vocal recordings the artist should provide * Integrate newly recorded artist vocals where needed No synthetic replacement voice or cloned third-party voice may be introduced without explicit written approval. Production Finishing * Enhance transitions, depth, movement, atmosphere, and impact where the record genuinely benefits * Add subtle ear candy, vocal throws, spatial movement, or background detail only when it strengthens the approved vision * Preserve the existing beat, bassline, structure, melody, and primary arrangement * Maintain cinematic atmosphere while keeping the song rhythmic, sensual, and immediate * Ensure all additions feel intentional rather than decorative Mixing and Mastering * Create a clear, powerful, commercially competitive mix * Protect the vocal while maintaining the groove and low-end authority * Create depth and width without hollowing out the center * Control harshness, muddiness, excessive ambience, and masking * Preserve dynamics instead of chasing loudness at all costs * Deliver a polished master suitable for major streaming platforms and digital release Paid Test Requirement Shortlisted candidates will first complete a paid 20-to-30-second test using the same selected section of the song. The test should demonstrate: * Artifact cleanup * Vocal treatment * Tonal judgment * Mix balance * Respect for the Locked Creative Reference * Ability to enhance the record without reconstructing it Please do not submit an unpaid speculative mix. Selected tests will be funded through Upwork. The test does not authorize reuse, publication, sampling, portfolio display, model training, or distribution of any supplied audio. A successful test may lead to the complete project. Expected Final Deliverables Final deliverables should include: * Final approved stereo mix * Final mastered WAV * Unmastered or pre-master WAV with adequate headroom * Instrumental * Acapella * Performance or TV mix, if requested * Consolidated stems beginning from the same start point * Edited lead vocals * Background vocals, doubles, harmonies, ghosts, and ad-libs separated where applicable * Effects returns or clearly labeled wet and dry vocal versions where applicable * Editable DAW session with organized tracks and files * Complete plugin and processing notes * Native-resolution 24-bit WAV files * One archive containing all final project materials All sessions, stems, filenames, tracks, and revisions must be clearly organized and labeled. Please state which DAW you use and whether all project materials can be delivered in a form that another professional engineer can open or continue working from. Ideal Candidate You should have: * Strong commercial R&B and vocal-production experience * Excellent musical judgment and restraint * Demonstrable experience mixing intimate male vocals * Advanced vocal-editing and Melodyne skills * Experience repairing or finishing AI-assisted music * Strong understanding of phase, stem bleed, digital artifacts, spectral repair, and source separation * The ability to preserve groove, emotion, and personality while improving technical quality * Professional monitoring and an acoustically reliable working environment * Excellent file organization and communication * A history of meeting deadlines and responding consistently Experience with cinematic R&B, funk-influenced rhythm, sensual vocal production, stacked background vocals, and modern analog-style warmth is especially valuable. Ownership, Confidentiality, and Working Terms All supplied music, lyrics, vocals, stems, demos, reference files, and creative materials are confidential. They may not be: * Shared * Reposted * Sampled * Distributed * Used in a portfolio * Uploaded to another AI platform * Used to train any model * Played publicly * Provided to third parties without written permission from GEM Media. No ownership of the master, composition, publishing, artist name, vocal identity, or underlying intellectual property is being offered. No royalty participation, publishing share, master percentage, or backend compensation is included unless separately negotiated in writing. Upon full payment, all approved paid work product and deliverables created specifically for this project will belong to GEM Media, subject to Upwork’s applicable terms. The selected professional must communicate reliably during active milestones and notify GEM Sound immediately of any schedule issue. Silence, missed deadlines, or unexplained disappearances will end the engagement. Budget and Milestone Structure The displayed budget is an initial estimate and not an automatic full-project payment. The engagement is expected to proceed through controlled milestones: 1. Paid 20-to-30-second test 2. Full cleanup, vocal editing, production finishing, and mix 3. Revisions, final master, stems, and editable-session delivery Final pricing will depend on the candidate’s test, experience, proposed workflow, and agreed deliverables. To Apply Begin your proposal with the words: VELVET VENOM Then provide: 1. Two or three relevant R&B, pop, or vocal-production examples 2. Before-and-after examples of repair, vocal editing, or AI-assisted music finishing, if available 3. A description of your exact role on each example 4. Your approach to preserving a Locked Creative Reference while repairing its technical weaknesses 5. The DAW, vocal-editing software, restoration tools, and monitoring setup you use 6. Your estimated timeline for the paid test and complete project 7. Your proposed price or milestone structure 8. Confirmation that you accept the confidentiality, ownership, and no-royalty terms above 9. Confirmation that you will deliver complete stems and an organized editable session Please explain what you listen for when evaluating AI-generated or AI-assisted music. Generic proposals that merely say, “I can mix and master your song,” will not be considered. GEM Sound is seeking a finishing partner with elite ears, technical precision, musical sensitivity, and enough restraint to recognize that the goal is not to replace the magic. The goal is to reveal it.