What is mastering? and how do i do it?

[TylerDrums109]

I know...I know...im a noob...and what a vague question...but if you could start me off slow with the basics i would be very greatful...i just want to know how to make my mixes come to life...thank you for any input

[Jammer429]

Mastering is something that I am currently trying to learn..google audio mastering guide and read on it and see if it is something you want to do..mastering can be a very intricate process.but check out a guide

[Seafroggys]

Mastering is preparing the final master for any particular medium for replication.

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Originally Posted by TylerDrums109

i just want to know how to make my mixes come to life

The number one way to do that is to practice and work on your mixing skills.

Mastering is not supposed to be about bringing mixes to life, it's supposed to be about detailing mixes that are already alive and prepping them for publication.

G.

[Massive Master]

i just want to know how to make my mixes come to life...

Then stop asking about mastering and figure out what's wrong with your mixes.

[ZING!] Glenn beat me to it... [/ZING!]

[TylerDrums109]

Originally Posted by Massive Master

Then stop asking about mastering and figure out what's wrong with your mixes.

[ZING!] Glenn beat me to it... [/ZING!]

Ok i phrased that incorrectly...i want to perfect my mixes

[Chili]

Well, everyone keyed up on your "make my mixes come to life" statement, no one really answered your first question: What is mastering? It's basically putting your collection of songs together into an album. Adjusting levels and tonal balance so the album has cohesion from one song to the next. Setting pauses between songs, editing starts and endings, fade-ins and fade-outs, PQ codes and redbook standards for CD's (whatever that is??).

The mastering engineer can also make corrections to a mix in a macro setting, such as was the case with my collection of tunes where I had a little too much low end energy. But your mixes should already have life, breath and depth before going to a mastering studio.

Peace,

[TylerDrums109]

Originally Posted by Chili

Well, everyone keyed up on your "make my mixes come to life" statement, no one really answered your first question: What is mastering? It's basically putting your collection of songs together into an album. Adjusting levels and tonal balance so the album has cohesion from one song to the next. Setting pauses between songs, editing starts and endings, fade-ins and fade-outs, PQ codes and redbook standards for CD's (whatever that is??).

The mastering engineer can also make corrections to a mix in a macro setting, such as was the case with my collection of tunes where I had a little too much low end energy. But your mixes should already have life, breath and depth before going to a mastering studio.

Peace,

THANK YOU!...lol somebody finally answered my question...well what i didnt realize was that i was already dabbling in mastering without even knowing it...i think i'll read up on this as it seems there is an abundance of material on internet about it.

[Seafroggys]

Originally Posted by Chili

Well, everyone keyed up on your "make my mixes come to life" statement, no one really answered your first question: What is mastering?

I answered it. Learn to read.

Ok i phrased that incorrectly...i want to perfect my mixes

Then stop asking about mastering and figure out what's wrong with your mixes.

[Chili]

Originally Posted by Seafroggys

Mastering is preparing the final master for any particular medium for replication.

Originally Posted by Seafroggys

I answered it. Learn to read.

Oh right... that did a whole lot of good.

[Massive Master]

Originally Posted by TylerDrums109

Ok i phrased that incorrectly...i want to perfect my mixes

Still the same answer - Work on your mixing technique.

A mastering engineer's most useful tool is objectivity - No one can give you that - Especially on your own mixes. People accuse mastering engineers of "keeping secrets" all the time - If there's a secret, that's it. Do what the mix tells you to do. That what we do. If you've already done that, there you go. If you're not happy with your mixes, they're either not done, they don't have the potential you hope they have, or you don't have the (vision? skill? technique? etc.) to bring it out.

Putting on a hat that says "Mastering" isn't going to change anything...

[BushmasterM4]

Originally Posted by TylerDrums109

I know...I know...im a noob...and what a vague question...but if you could start me off slow with the basics i would be very greatful...i just want to know how to make my mixes come to life...thank you for any input

Sent you a pm

[MCI2424]

Originally Posted by Massive Master

Still the same answer - Work on your mixing technique.

A mastering engineer's most useful tool is objectivity - No one can give you that ...........................
...

Then I have to do it myself? Thank god I have a split personality, the other one hasn't heard my mixes yet.

[Waffleness]

Originally Posted by MCI2424

Then I have to do it myself? Thank god I have a split personality, the other one hasn't heard my mixes yet.

You dont need a split personaility, but it works for us

Anyway - give yourself a point of reference if you don't have objectivity. Find a peice of music in the same genre as the one your mixing and compare the 2.

[steve.h]

Originally Posted by Massive Master

Putting on a hat that says "Mastering" isn't going to change anything...

Well, I mean, you'll be WARMER, but that's really about it. And this is assuming it isn't a mesh hat. Which is probably a poor assumption.

Was I was going somewhere with this?

[Massive Master]

I suppose it can change things though, now that you mention it - It was only 61 degrees in here when I came in this morning - I still have my hat on - and without a doubt, everything above, I dunno, 3k or so, is rather impressively attenuated from this thin, sparse little hat.

So cold... I think it's -5 outside again. Too old for this cold...

[BenignVanilla]

Originally Posted by TylerDrums109

...i just want to know how to make my mixes come to life...thank you for any input

Mastering? How do I do it?

The way I answer that question...poorly and without a lot of effort, but that's just me. I've been learning the art of recording-editing-mixing-mastering for less than a year now, and it seems every song I work on gets better than the last one. I learn little things here and there.

So far the only rule that seems to stay true always is...there are no rules.

On the bright side, you are experiencing something that everyone goes through early on.