Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions about Mastering

**masteringhouse** · 07-09-2010

Originally Posted by DrewPeterson7

One question I've been wondering that doesn't really come up (or didn't at a quick glance); how "hot' should a mix be when it's sent in for mastering? Obviously you don't want it clipping, and I've been told it's a good idea to leave at least 6db or so of unused headroom for the ME to work with, but given the preference where would you mastering guys want a mix to peak? -6db? -12? Does it even really matter, as long as it's below 0?

I'm with John. The purpose of a peak cushion is to help ensure that clipping hasn't occurred and to have a little room to breath when EQing. The bigger factor regarding headroom in my opinion is the crest factor (peak-to-average ratio).

I'll take a mix with a healthy crest factor that peaks at -1 over a mix with little room between average and peak that's at -12 any day.

**DrewPeterson7** · 07-09-2010

Cool, thanks guys - basically, as long as it's not clipping it's fine, provided the mix itself isn't absolutely slammed and is any good?

**masteringhouse** · 07-09-2010

Originally Posted by DrewPeterson7

Cool, thanks guys - basically, as long as it's not clipping it's fine, provided the mix itself isn't absolutely slammed and is any good?

Yep, well said.

**flatfinger** · 07-31-2010

Originally Posted by masteringhouse

I'll take a mix with a healthy crest factor that peaks at -1 over a mix with little room between average and peak that's at -12 any day.

Oh come on; What's wrong with a little

"pre-mastering"

with "T-wrecks" or "overblown4"

Those two are'nt mutually exclusive Tom !! ( Just so you're ready for my next project I'm sending you !!!!

)

( I know ; I'm bad

)

**masteringhouse** · 07-31-2010

And the third little pig made his album from bricks and the big bad wolf huffed and puffed and eventually died of overexposure to noise. :-)

**buzzard bass** · 12-23-2010

After reading this article I still have no idea what mastering is all about. All this stuff seems to begin with a line like, in music production there is a desire..Which you know means the article's gonna be a bunch of bullshit.

What does the mastering engineer statr with, and what do they finish with? Give me the meat and taters and enough of the side dishes.

**moresound** · 12-23-2010

In music production there is a desire ..............

**SouthSIDE Glen** · 12-24-2010

Originally Posted by buzzard bass

After reading this article I still have no idea what mastering is all about. All this stuff seems to begin with a line like, in music production there is a desire..Which you know means the article's gonna be a bunch of bullshit.

What does the mastering engineer statr with, and what do they finish with? Give me the meat and taters and enough of the side dishes.

Which of the meat and potatoes in the answer to the first question did not satisfy your appetite? Here's what I read:

Mastering is essentially the step of audio production used to prepare mixes for the formats that are used for replication and distribution.
...
The mastering engineer picks up where the mix engineer leaves off. Mastering is geared toward creating the balance required to make the entire album cohesive. The mastering engineer is most concerned with overall sonic and translation issues. A mastering engineer works with the client to determine proper spacing between songs and how songs will be ordered on the CD.
...
Any final edits will be addressed during the mastering process as well.
...
Finally, the role of the mastering engineer is to provide preparation and quality control of the physical media send to the plant for replication. This includes listening to the premaster CD to verify integrity, along with the more technical aspects such as encoding text, UPC/EAN and ISRC codes, checking for errors within the media and providing any necessary documentation such as a PQ list.

Now, that pretty much covers an accurate and fairly complete description of mastering, and right in the answer to the the first question in the article. Where are you still left wanting?

G.