I just think that in a "real" studio project, the cost is justified.
For a self-produced effort ... it's not like a mastering job is going to transform it in to a professional product. And the fact that it was self-produced, kind of hints at the idea that probably it's not a very serious project.
And if it is, then the money you're just now looking to spend on mastering ... may have been more wisely spent on the tracking or mixing stage. At this point, I think it's mostly wasted, because for the most part it is what it is.
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I find this Thread very interesting in the sense that I am currently attempting to create a nicely done Mix from the material I have in a Home Studio I built which seems to have most of the Bells & Whistles you'd find in a Pro Studio only 5 times lesser. But picking up on your point (which I think is excellent) many of those on this Forum seem to have ideals of Producing a polished CD and doing what with it, I'm not entirely certain.
I have a very serious connection with a family member who works for a large Record Label (one you all know) she is an executive in this Company and has asked me to give her some of my work for almost 3 yrs now after hearing some one Holiday get together where my wife threw one of my CD's in the machine for background music.
So I have hesitated sending her anything since my thoughts are, if I'm going to give her something that she might hand to someone else, I want it to be as good in Audio quality as possible. I'm totally into doing it myself. so I'm learning a lot about Engineering from reading, forums such as this and hands on application. I am not interested in getting a Record Deal per se in the sense that I want someone to say to me, we want to put a Band together, send you on the Road and promote you. I want to sell my stuff if at all possible.
Your comment
Chessrock said:
For a self-produced effort ... it's not like a mastering job is going to transform it in to a professional product. And the fact that it was self-produced, kind of hints at the idea that probably it's not a very serious project.
Is valid no matter how you slice it or try to justify your time in one's on home studio. We spend serious money on equipment and software etc for the purpose of learning & doing these projects ourselves and if one were to take these words to heart, then I'd have to ask, what's the point of buying any of this stuff? Why have the best monitors, mics, Recording, Mixing, Mastering Software, etc.? Then why this Forum even, since if any of us feels our work is serious, then all we really should have is a little 4 track to put down the idea and then take it into a Professional Studio.
But for the hundreds' of thousands that are purchasing gear that provides that next level of recording quality, there must be a means to an end for us.
This Forum is called
HomeRecording.com not,
HomeRecording_is_a_Joke.com
So I often wonder why when someone comes on here asking advice or opinions about gear, setup, software, layout construction, whatever, they are met with a barrage of putdowns from some who simply feel unless you're spending money in a Professional Studio, you must
not be serious about what you're doing.
More people today have better setups in their Homes than what was available for Bands in the 60's & 70's in those very high priced Professional Studios. A couple of weeks ago, a friend who works in the Pro-Audio Dept. of a major Music Retailer out together a small piece of work using ProTools and it sounded every bit as polished as anything you'll hear on the Radio.
I believe it not only can be done but is being done each & every day by guys like myself who once there's an understanding of sound relationship and all the other nuances of the audio spectrum, can produce some serious music that can go up against what you'll shell out in a Pro Studio. Maybe for you guys who are Professional Studio Engineers, this is not something you want to even consider because it threatens your very livelihood.
My wife learned Type Setting when she was young and was told she had a lifetime occupation as long as she became good at it. But according to her, the industry went under with the advent of Text rendering Programs like Microsoft Publisher & Word, etc. Now everybody can put together a nice business card and all you need from places like Kinkos, Staples, Alphagraphics, etc. is for them to plop your disk in the machine and cut them for you.
Thus the end of the Type Setter.
But of course this is just my opinion ...