This is what MASTERING does????

[Stavencrows]

I paid to get this mastered..

Am I going mad? Is this a poor master or was the mix poor and have I made the unfortunate error of trying to get the masterer to fix the mix?

http://www.stavencrown.com/mastering/unmastered.mp3
http://www.stavencrown.com/mastering/mastered.mp3


no no no my toms, my beautiful toms! they've disappeared! And I can hear the compression. ME! ME! Look back on my threads - I know s*hit about compression and I hear it CLEARLY! What has gone wrong here? I'm really disappointed! Is it me????????????

[F_cksia]

I think it's a pretty good master. Yes, the toms are less clear and everything is really really loud and compressed, but now it does sound like it can be broadcasted on radio without having to be molested any further. I don't know if that was the main aim, but I do think the song sounds more tight and intense, without losing too much of the most important parts. Sorry for the toms indeed.

[006]

Well, after one listen to each (original and mastered) on my laptop...I can safely say that the mastered version does BASICALLY what it's suppose to...I wasn't yelling there, but imagine italics. Then, yeah...

I wish I could listen on my monitors or even on my huge stereo, but from the laptop runs I can say that also BASICALLY all he did was do some comp and add some highs for an overall eq on the track. You didn't by any chance get to see him do it, did you? Because if you were there, it's your own fault. But if you left it with him, then you should've listened to more of his mastering work...or maybe you did and the thought of having your song mastered was blinding you...I dunno. Can't tell much from laptop speakers, sorry.

Although the original did have that "professional" sound to it to where the high-end was very smooth. Amateur engineers (mostly people who have NO idea what they are doing) commonly add a lot of highs to their final mixes to make them "more clear". When it's almost always too much high end, or it's the wrong frequencies being boosted to add the clarity. When, also in fact, all they had to do was mix it right in the first pla.....anyway. You get the idea. Maybe he's newb at mastering. Maybe he just doesn't like your music, I don't, lol. That's not to say it's no good or anything, just doesn't sound like my cup of tea and of course "to-each-his-own". Yeppers.

~006

[Stavencrows]

Originally Posted by F_cksia

I think it's a pretty good master

really? god I guess I should have a re-listen

Originally Posted by 006

You didn't by any chance get to see him do it, did you?

no - I just left it up to his interpretation

Originally Posted by 006

Maybe he just doesn't like your music, I don't, lol.

fair enough

[NationalSandwic]

stavencrow
imho, the master sounds a whole lot better. i can hear the toms fine, i actually thought they were too loud in the unmastered mix. you're using a lot of synth sounds, which sound a lot cheesier in the unmastered mix than in the end. even that distorted harmony sounds better to me.
i don't know really. the two are definitely different. to my ears and my taste, the mastering has helped. maybe you're being a little precious about your stuff? i mean, if you can't master it yourself, you've got to accept another person's input. and he/she hasn't made any significant creative changes. it's the same song, and the master is more listenable. am i rambling ? =)

[Stavencrows]

wow this is totally the opposite of what I expected, I thought I had it all worked out. I feel like an idiot! Well this is the whole reason I got someone else to master it (f*uck, I hope he doesn't find this thread!)

[Mike_OHara]

Originally Posted by Stavencrows

I paid to get this mastered..

It's a good thing there are mastering studios out there that let you listen to the results before charging you anything. Check out www.carrotcottage.com, where we provide you with an evaluation version of your track before you see any invoice.

Regards

Mike.

[Dogman]

The mastered version definitly sounds better to me. Vocals are more prominent, and I can mcuh more sound. The unmastered one is good, but quiet, and some sounds are too buried. I would say that you had one vision of what it was going to sound like, and had that stuck in your head, and so wharn you got it back, and it wasn't like that, you were surprised. I'd say, sit back and give it another listen, and reevaluate it. It's a pretty cool song, with a somewhat somber vibe.

[Massive Master]

One thing you might be concerned with is a fairly nasty phase shift... Especially audible on the snare - Sounds like it's coming at you sideways.

And yeah, it's compressed. Hard... Not that compressing hard isn't becomming the norm...

You can always contact the guy and say "you know, I like it, but can you back off on the gain reduction a little?"

[Commander]

In my opinion I think you are having trouble with it because you have been too close to the track. The mastered version really does sound far better than the original and it would definitely jump out at you on the radio. And the toms are plenty loud enough!

The difference would become more apparent were you to broadcast both versions on Virgin Radio, back to back. The unmastered version would sound small and quiet, whereas the mastered version would sound loud and proud and grab your attention. Radio stations work to a PPL (Peak Programme Limiter) meaning that the loudest point of your song is the loudest the song will get. In the case of the unmastered version this would render the verses barely audible I should think. The mastered version has no real peaks and that's what mastering is supposed to do!

[Stavencrows]

Originally Posted by Mike_OHara

Check out www.carrotcottage.com, where we provide you with an evaluation version of your track before you see any invoice.

I'll check that out!

Originally Posted by Dogman

I would say that you had one vision of what it was going to sound like, and had that stuck in your head, and so wharn you got it back, and it wasn't like that, you were surprised. I'd say, sit back and give it another listen, and reevaluate it.

yeah, I must be missing something - I'm going to let it settle for a few days and listen with fresh ears

Originally Posted by Dogman

It's a pretty cool song, with a somewhat somber vibe.

thanks!!

Originally Posted by Massive Master

One thing you might be concerned with is a fairly nasty phase shift... Especially audible on the snare - Sounds like it's coming at you sideways.

yikes! what does that mean? any remedy?
p.s. I was going to get you to master it but you're in America - I liked your site + all the stuff about CD error rates.

Originally Posted by Commander

The mastered version really does sound far better than the original and it would definitely jump out at you on the radio. And the toms are plenty loud enough!

this is just getting more and more embarrassing. I've read a lot from the people who have replied to this and I know you know what you're talking about. I'm going to shoot myself now.

thanks millions for the help - I think this thread can die now(but massive master could you just give me a pointer on how to fix those phase shift issues?)

[Nick The Man]

yeah the mastered version sounds much better... although i dont hear much of a differance on the vocals besides a little reverb

[Neeps]

I prefered listening to the unmastered version... the mastered version gives me a sore head... but then again so does the radio... so i dunno... maybe it is a good thing... I guess it depends... maybe you want to make irritating music...

[Neeps]

the synthy strings are way too loud on the mastered version...

and somebody please shoot whoever is doing the distorted la la la la-ing in the background quick!

no don't shoot them... give them a slow painful death...

no.. don't do that.... lock him/her up and force them to listen to the horrible noise they have made for the rest of their days...

[Stavencrows]

I'm afraid I wrote this song to spite you.

[Neeps]

What can I say then... job well done!

[Neeps]

Truth be told there's lots I like...

I liked the main vocal... - nice accent...

I liked the strings... - dark.

I liked the arrangement...

Just shoot the little elf singing through the guitar amp and I'll be happy...

[Stavencrows]

Originally Posted by Handsome Al

Just shoot the little elf singing through the guitar amp and I'll be happy...

LOL!

I must admit - I've had quite a few complaints about parts of this tune being annoying - maybe I should take the hint - but I don't want to go near it ever again!

[Stavencrows]

p.s. I like all your songs btw (scottish accent is my only slight gripe)

[fierywater]

I really like it. The only things I noticed were that the vocals do seem compressed pretty heavily, and the aforementioned "elf singing through the guitar amp". Sounds better than most shit I hear on the radio, to be honest. I mean, I hate the radio, so that's not saying much, but still, I like it. And like someone else said, the accent's cool.

[Stavencrows]

thanks! really appreciate that!

[Neeps]

Originally Posted by Stavencrows

p.s. I like all your songs btw (scottish accent is my only slight gripe)

If i get the time I'll retune my vocal take up an octave and run it through a distortion pedal... don't worry you won't even make out an accent after that!

[Stavencrows]

hmm, sounds familiar - but that would be a stupid idea and make the song a joke surely?

[NYMorningstar]

I agree with you Stavencrows. It is over compressed at the cost of you losing some dynamics. It's not a bad job but I wouldn't call it good either, louder yes, but not good.

[fierywater]

Originally Posted by Stavencrows

hmm, sounds familiar - but that would be a stupid idea and make the song a joke surely?

i think he means he's going to try to make his voice sound like the elf singing into the amp he was talking about.