mixing/mastering @ same time???

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foreverain4

New member
was talking to a guy the other day about mixing. he just recently released a cd. he was explaining the process they used for mixing. they ran their mix right out of the board into a "mastering tool" of some sort (he did not know what it was), then right into the recorder. this supposedly allowed them to skip a step. (mixing and mastering at the same time) now, the studio he mixed at was a pretty well known studio, he named some pretty big names that had mixed there. the engineer explained to him that doing this way allowed them to have greater control while mastering, cause they could go back and change things in the mix if they needed to. what do you guys think of this?
 
i think they could've gone back and changed things inside the mix had it not been ran through a mastering tool. everyone has their ideas for a great mix....some people will slap their dog and eat apple pie before they record cause they think it gives them a good vocal sound. i think that was more like mixing, premastering and then mastering
 
foreverain4 said:
the engineer explained to him that doing this way allowed them to have greater control while mastering, cause they could go back and change things in the mix if they needed to. what do you guys think of this?
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Ummm, it's missing the entire point of mastering - having someone with fresh perspective listening to the mixes.

Mastering is not EQ or compression - that's just processing. Mastering is listening to the mixes in an intimately familiar environment unemcumbered by previous experience with the track. Fresh perspective is what mastering is all about...
 
Re: Re: mixing/mastering @ same time???

bblackwood said:
Ummm, it's missing the entire point of mastering - having someone with fresh perspective listening to the mixes.

Mastering is not EQ or compression - that's just processing. Mastering is listening to the mixes in an intimately familiar environment unemcumbered by previous experience with the track. Fresh perspective is what mastering is all about...
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i agree, but he seemed pretty sold on this concept.
 
Re: Re: Re: mixing/mastering @ same time???

foreverain4 said:
i agree, but he seemed pretty sold on this concept.
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Thats' fine.

My point is that at that point it's not mastering, it's just processing added to the mix, regardless of whether or not he's sold on the idea...
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: mixing/mastering @ same time???

bblackwood said:
Thats' fine.

My point is that at that point it's not mastering, it's just processing added to the mix, regardless of whether or not he's sold on the idea...
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Welcome to HR


Malcolm
 
"Mastering is not EQ or compression - that's just processing. Mastering is listening to the mixes in an intimately familiar environment unemcumbered by previous experience with the track. Fresh perspective is what mastering is all about..."

Think you've got things mixed up. Mixing is a much more artistic approach to the tracks, whereas mastering is a technical thing. Boosting levels, eq'ing some, and spreading out the sound stage.


am i wrong???
 
Umm.... perhaps you guys have not ever heard of Brad Blackwood......... Brad is an extremely well-regarded ME.....

Trust me - he knows EXACTLY what mastering is.......... and you'd do well to learn whatever you can from him!
 
Are you serious, Blue Bear? I HAVENT heard of him.
I Do know some ME and I thought that mastering was a much more technical take on the tracks than actually mixing the tracks.

you agree?
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: mixing/mastering @ same time???

bblackwood said:
Thats' fine.

My point is that at that point it's not mastering, it's just processing added to the mix, regardless of whether or not he's sold on the idea...
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i understood your point, that is why i agreed. :D i just could not get him to understand he was missing the point of mastering.
 
I agree with Brad completely... the biggest advantage to mastering IS the fresh-ears perspective of an ME that has the ears to also analyze the sonic qualities of a mix from a listening point of view.
 
the dude said:


Think you've got things mixed up. Mixing is a much more artistic approach to the tracks, whereas mastering is a technical thing. Boosting levels, eq'ing some, and spreading out the sound stage.


am i wrong???
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Wecome to HR.com


SoMm
 
I've been sitting here for a few minutes thinking of what I could add to this discussion without repeating something that's already been said.

I guess an analogy of photography comes to mind as the clearest example. If professional photographers got their pictures colour corrected and framed at Wal-Mart, how professional do you think the pictures would appear?

Framing and colour are two very important elements of their work, as mastering is to the sound professionals of the world.

However, I suppose that by mixing the music through a limiter, you are in a sense "mastering" the music... kinda like how Poloroid is still "taking pictures".
 
Another part of mastering - at least when dealing with an entire album - is an attempt to make the work cohesive. To hear the project as a whole, as well as to deal with the transitions from song to song.

The above described process ignores this part of mastering completely.
 
This is easier to understand if you work with all digital music like electronic... It's a good idea to constinously mix and keep a maintained mastering track...
 
Side B said:
This is easier to understand if you work with all digital music like electronic... It's a good idea to constinously mix and keep a maintained mastering track...
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Do you even know what mastering is? Your post makes absolutely no sense. Besides what Massive said about spamming an 8 year old thread.
 
foreverain4 said:
allowed them to have greater control while mastering, cause they could go back and change things in the mix if they needed to. what do you guys think of this?
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Kinda gives you less control (recording after the mastering tools because you dont have an unmastered mix to re-master if you dont like it). If they werent charged extra its not a bad idea to save money if your in a very expensive studio since their gear might sound better than what mastering you could do cheap, but if they were charged more for the time, it sounds like a sales pitch type a deal.
 
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