Mastering Advice...Help!

[jamesduysen]

Hey all,

My band is going to have our album finished soon and I had a couple questions about mastering. I would never try to do it myself so

first of all:
Are there any cheap places that you know of that would do a good job.

second:
We are doing the recording at my house and I was wondering what quality a mastering engineer will be expecting...I dont want to hand him a mix and have him laugh in my face.

Here is a clip of one of our songs (no vocals and not completely done with the mixing)...just let me know if this is eligible for mastering and if not...what can I do to get it ready(keeping in mind there is alot of mixing left to do!):

Lights Out

Thanks a bunch!

James

[iqi616]

If he wants your business, he won't laugh in your face. He might give you some advice but if he gives you attitude, he's not the right guy for the job even if he wants to do it.

Your sample track sounds okay to me through my computer speakers. Any pro should be able to handle it. Don't be so intimidated. Remember that these guys want to make a living and to do that they need customers (people like you).

Good luck with finding someone. Negotiate a deal where you get to hear at least one track mastered before you commit to the whole album.

[chessrock]

I think it depends completely on what the purpose is for your recordings.

Are you trying to get gigs? Just getting some ideas down and learning your sound? Or do you really want to do something with it?

You need to be clear about your objectives. If this is a serious project, then I don't think it will hurt to see what someone can do with it. At the very least, you might be able to get a little more punchy sound out of it with a little more volume and bla bla bla.

Otherwise, I think it might be a waste. In other words, it should match the seriousness of the project. And the fact that you recorded it yourselves in your home kind of lends the idea that it might not be that serious. The way I look at it ... if you're going to spend the money to have a professional track and/or mix the thing for you, then it would be a waste of money not to get it mastered.
.

[jamesduysen]

Well we are serious about it as we have been together for 6 years now...also I have about 10,000 invested in my home studio...So I wouldn't say it is a stretch to make an album here...I am sure I need mastering! I am not sure that my mix is good enough to go yet....I guess that was my main question... is this mix something that could benefit from mastering(keeping in mind that there is still mixing to do!)?

Thanks,

James

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Originally Posted by jamesduysen

Are there any cheap places that you know of that would do a good job?

It doesn't matter whether you're asking about audio disc mastering, car mechanics, medical services, etc. Plug in the tech service of your choice. You already know the answer is the same for all of them.

G.

[chessrock]

Originally Posted by jamesduysen

...also I have about 10,000 invested in my home studio...So I wouldn't say it is a stretch to make an album here...

Not to be a prick, but the amount of dollars "invested" in a home studio isn't, by itself, indicative of it's fittingness for making an "album."

And if it were, 10 G's probably wouldn't be the magical number, unless there was some very prudent and strategic spending coupled with a high degree of the knowlege and experience factor.

And just looking at this logically ... if you have that kind of knowlege and experience, then I don't think you'd need to ask on a message board if your stuff "could benefit from mastering." So my answer would be; Yes, it could. Can an old, dented car benefit from a professional wax and buffing job? Sure. Anything can "benefit" from mastering. But as for the question of whether or not it would be worth spending a lot of money on (?) ... I would say probably not. It would likely be a waste, and I'd save the fancy spit-shine job for a more serious project.
.

[jamesduysen]

Alright guy...I appreciate your honesty...But I said this is a serious project...and I know that mastering can help and as I said I know I need to have it mastered...
I am not saying I have some magical amount of money invested...I am simply stating that its not some po dunk garageband project.
So really I am asking(as I should have to begin with) what will a mastering engineer be expecting from a mix and what can I do to get my mix ready for the process?


I am not offended and I hope that you are not frusterated with the questions!
thanks again,

James D.

[mshilarious]

Originally Posted by jamesduysen

So really I am asking(as I should have to begin with) what will a mastering engineer be expecting from a mix and what can I do to get my mix ready for the process?

Well, for starters, finish it! Then post it in the MP3 clinic, and take the advice you get.

[bigtoe]

hey james. stuff sounds cool. try kicking the guitars up a tad. when you have mixes you like then send it to a mastering guy. it's that easy... or hard. don't expect the mastering guy to do anything to fix anything. a good mastering guy will assume you like the mix and they'll work with it.

when the bands i work with have bread i try to use: www.mastermindproductions.com. i've used trevor twice and he's super nice. he does great work and has a great ear. some of the stuff i sent him was lo fi at best and if he was laughing i didn't see his head moving/shaking in front of the board so he has a great poker face. 5-600 bucks for indie stuff.

Later...

Mike

[Robert D]

You may also want to engage your mastering engineer of choice into the feedback process while fine-tuning the mix. Unless you're going to a big shot ME with a perpetually full calander, your ME might be willing, even happy to take a listen to the project and steer you towards a mix that he can do his best work on.

[Ironklad Audio]

1st and foremost, make sure to leave some HEADROOM in your mix...it seems like most ME's like to have 3-6db to work with

[Freudian Slip]

Originally Posted by mshilarious

Well, for starters, finish it! Then post it in the MP3 clinic, and take the advice you get.

Well not all the advise.... Watch out for me

Actually the mix you have sounds pretty good, all be it a bit dry. Bring it over when vocals are done.


F.S.

[masteringhouse]

Originally Posted by iqi616

If he wants your business, he won't laugh in your face. He might give you some advice but if he gives you attitude, he's not the right guy for the job even if he wants to do it.

Totally agree. While I have declined to work on projects in the past as I didn't feel the mixes could be improved on to the point of representing something "professional" I've never considered it humorous, more tragic.

Sonically the mix could use some improvement but it isn't anything to be ashamed of. I've heard much worse from large studios.

First off there are some things in the performance I would personally try to fix before mastering though. There are some timing issues in the drums that I feel could use a bit of editing. The drums also seems to be more "forward" than the guitars and and bass. I would lower their overall volume, and use a bit more "room" to push them back. I would place a bet that the person mixing this was/is a drummer? The bass sound is thin, as well as the guitars. Overall I feel the mix could be better balanced.

Please take these criticisms constructively and in the vein in which they are intended, to make your music sound it's best. Also take them with a grain of salt as it's your music and you have the final word in what is "right".