Mastering
- Thread starter Kavie
- Start date
What Is Mastering?
The easiest way to describe the mastering process is taking a collection of songs and making a record out of it. Mastering is the use of post-production processes including editing, sweetening, EQ matching, level matching, limiting, song sequencing and dozens other tools to create the finished album. Mastering engineers can optimize the material for different formats too! Subtle changes in EQ and compression can make a master more suitable for pressed on CD, vinyl or cassette.
Often when starting a mastering job, the source material may be uneven in level from song to song. One song might have too much low end while another may have to much high end and yet another song might need to have the end faded. While you might believe these are jobs for the mixing engineer in the studio, just remember that while you're mixing a record that may include a dozen or more songs, it is very hard to remember how the low mids on the first song sounded while you're mixing song number fourteen. Also, editing technique such as fade-in's and fade-outs are much easier to execute perfectly in the mastering stage as oppose to doing so at the mixing console.
It's best to think of mastering as the postproduction step of recording, because that is exactly what it is. All of the above mentioned processes take place after the final mix down is completed, so real adjustments individual instruments are not really available. I have added instruments and vocals to final mixes during mastering on occasion, so many things are still possible, it's best to consult your mastering engineer about what tricks he/she recommend.
Because the mastering process deals with the final two-track mix, only the best equipment can be used. We use Discrete Class A electronics in the analog chain as well as Pro Tools/24 (Pro Tools is a Digital Audio Workstation I will explain a little later). This enables us to affect the program material in a most positive way without introducing unwanted sonic coloration (subtle changes in the audio fidelity). If the mix is going to pass through analog gear, you will want to know if your engineer uses quality converters, as poor converters can wreak absolute havoc on a mix.
Do I really NEED mastering?
You can skip the mastering process, I don't recommend it, but it is possible. Chances are that your CD will not have the polish, nor the presence and sheen to stand up to the majors. When you've put hundreds of pre-production and studio hours and seemingly countless dollars into your project why settle for second rate? The personal satisfaction along with avoiding that "local CD sound" are worth the price of having your album professionally mastered. It will make your project stand with the best as well as give people a good first impression of your music. Remember that when an A&R rep is finally listening to your CD amongst a pile of 50 others you need a sound that will keep them from tossing it in the trash.
Take a few minutes and grab a dozen of your favorite CDs and/or records and look for the mastering engineer credits. All your favorite, great sounding albums may have a few names in common: Bob Ludwig, Bernie Grundman, Bob Katz, John Golden and George Marino... just to name a few. The fact that these same names pop up on many of the best sounding albums you own has got to make you realize that the mastering engineer has a big hand in how great that record sounds! The recording process is a system of checks, and personally I feel it is wise to use a separate engineer for mastering and the recording and mixing. It keeps the project from becoming one-dimensional.
The easiest way to describe the mastering process is taking a collection of songs and making a record out of it. Mastering is the use of post-production processes including editing, sweetening, EQ matching, level matching, limiting, song sequencing and dozens other tools to create the finished album. Mastering engineers can optimize the material for different formats too! Subtle changes in EQ and compression can make a master more suitable for pressed on CD, vinyl or cassette.
Often when starting a mastering job, the source material may be uneven in level from song to song. One song might have too much low end while another may have to much high end and yet another song might need to have the end faded. While you might believe these are jobs for the mixing engineer in the studio, just remember that while you're mixing a record that may include a dozen or more songs, it is very hard to remember how the low mids on the first song sounded while you're mixing song number fourteen. Also, editing technique such as fade-in's and fade-outs are much easier to execute perfectly in the mastering stage as oppose to doing so at the mixing console.
It's best to think of mastering as the postproduction step of recording, because that is exactly what it is. All of the above mentioned processes take place after the final mix down is completed, so real adjustments individual instruments are not really available. I have added instruments and vocals to final mixes during mastering on occasion, so many things are still possible, it's best to consult your mastering engineer about what tricks he/she recommend.
Because the mastering process deals with the final two-track mix, only the best equipment can be used. We use Discrete Class A electronics in the analog chain as well as Pro Tools/24 (Pro Tools is a Digital Audio Workstation I will explain a little later). This enables us to affect the program material in a most positive way without introducing unwanted sonic coloration (subtle changes in the audio fidelity). If the mix is going to pass through analog gear, you will want to know if your engineer uses quality converters, as poor converters can wreak absolute havoc on a mix.
Do I really NEED mastering?
You can skip the mastering process, I don't recommend it, but it is possible. Chances are that your CD will not have the polish, nor the presence and sheen to stand up to the majors. When you've put hundreds of pre-production and studio hours and seemingly countless dollars into your project why settle for second rate? The personal satisfaction along with avoiding that "local CD sound" are worth the price of having your album professionally mastered. It will make your project stand with the best as well as give people a good first impression of your music. Remember that when an A&R rep is finally listening to your CD amongst a pile of 50 others you need a sound that will keep them from tossing it in the trash.
Take a few minutes and grab a dozen of your favorite CDs and/or records and look for the mastering engineer credits. All your favorite, great sounding albums may have a few names in common: Bob Ludwig, Bernie Grundman, Bob Katz, John Golden and George Marino... just to name a few. The fact that these same names pop up on many of the best sounding albums you own has got to make you realize that the mastering engineer has a big hand in how great that record sounds! The recording process is a system of checks, and personally I feel it is wise to use a separate engineer for mastering and the recording and mixing. It keeps the project from becoming one-dimensional.
d-sane..
i got my c.d. mastered by 'lou' at digital insight in vegas..
i also mastered my c.d. there for my folks..
question is: my folks said the songs don't say the name when you pop it into a c.d. player or computer.... is this done by the mastering engineer?
it's always been my understanding that a c.d. in a computer will get it's names from the cddb (compact disc database www.cddb.com ) if a copy of the c.d. was sent there and registered..
mine doesn't show up cuz i didn't do that yet.. anyway..
my folks said he got some peeps c.d.'s that show up with titles for each song and what not on his car's c.d. player and his computer without an internet connection.. which i can't verify cuz he's in the bay and i'm out in vegas right now..
let me know if you heard of this cuz i got my stuff mastered and it doesn't do what he describes.. i hope i make sense
peace.
i got my c.d. mastered by 'lou' at digital insight in vegas..
i also mastered my c.d. there for my folks..
question is: my folks said the songs don't say the name when you pop it into a c.d. player or computer.... is this done by the mastering engineer?
it's always been my understanding that a c.d. in a computer will get it's names from the cddb (compact disc database www.cddb.com ) if a copy of the c.d. was sent there and registered..
mine doesn't show up cuz i didn't do that yet.. anyway..
my folks said he got some peeps c.d.'s that show up with titles for each song and what not on his car's c.d. player and his computer without an internet connection.. which i can't verify cuz he's in the bay and i'm out in vegas right now..
let me know if you heard of this cuz i got my stuff mastered and it doesn't do what he describes.. i hope i make sense
peace.