I've got a mastering internship coming up and need suggestions...

  • Thread starter Thread starter thispleasesme
  • Start date Start date
T

thispleasesme

New member
Hey everyone.

I've got an amazing opportunity to do an intership at Sterling Sound (www.sterlingsound.com I believe) in NYC this next month where I'll be spending a good amount of time with their president as well as a couple of their top mastering engineers.

I've been doing the recording/mixing thing for a long time and honestly I'm not sure how specialized they are in that field. But, I have never really dabbled in the so-called "dark art" of mastering. The whole concept of multiple tracks for different freq. ranges, etc. just blows my mind. I have no idea where to start experimenting. So I have come to you, my trusted forum-mates to help me ask the right questions, and hopefully I can share them with you all later as well..

So? What should I ask this guy? He's done work on some incredible albums including Coldplay's new record, Clapton, The Cure, lots of big names on there...

Should I bring some of my mixes? I'm just a bit worried that I will let this chance go to waste and not get everything I can out of it. Any suggestions would be killer. Thanks guys.
 
Tell us more about this seperate tracks for different frequency ranges. I've never heard of that.

I got a chance to visit Masterphonics in Nashville and it was awesome, they have two mastering rooms that are enormous, with speakers that are an entire side of the wall.

My advice would be to just listen, take it all in and ask educated decisions when the opportunity arrises. You could take in your mixes, but I wouldn't be up front about asking them to work on them since this might not come off too well. make sure you don't get in the way and offer to do a lot, my guess is that you'll probably mostly be doing grunt work, but it will still be amazing I'm sure. I think you'll be surprised by the 'black art,' it's mainly just listening and then applying some HQ stuff to the tracks to make them stand out a little more. I don't think there are actually very many 'secret weapons' that we already don't know about.
 
Have stuff handy, but only bring it up passively, if at all. Depends on the work flow, you know?

There are a lot of "secret weapons" but most of them are for salvage ops. On certain tracks, I'll have anywhere between 4 and 6 stereo copies of the same track running in unison. What is being applied to these tracks is the trick - However, you never know until you're hearing it. It could be anything from multi-band (real multi-band - using individual tracks) processing, mid-side, multi-band parallel compression, stereo enhancements, anything.

BUT YES - The REAL trick is learning how to listen and what to listen for.
 
I would be open my eyes and ears every single minute I was there! That's a great opportunity.

Try to ask lots of questions when appropriate but don't be to nosy. And then come and tell everything to us on this board :p
 
ALSO - Something that's very important (not just in mastering, but a good communication skill in general).

When asking questions, first show understanding. In simple terms: "I understand why you're EQ'ing that frequency out, but I don't get why you're doing it before the compressor instead of after."

It shows that you're paying attention, and they subliminally know that they're not wasting their time answering your queries. It also shows that you're "hungry for knowledge." Some like that, some don't. You'll have to figure out who is who on that one...
 
My advice as an intern is to just keep your mouth closed, ears open and do what your told. Take notes really well. I suspect you'll start off with some mundane character building tasks like catelogs, labels etc and a smidgen of editing. As you prove to be proficient in the mundane but important documentitive procedures you will be invited to sit in and observe sessions while you are walked through the why's and how's of various things. The ME should ask if your hear certain things or don't hear certain things as your are mentored and indoctrinated. Usually you will be asked if you have any questions on whatever specific if being taught. A constant barrage of why, why , why is more interruptive. There will a cue giving by the ME when to ask why or how. If, your attitude, proficiency and pleasing answers satify the ME's then you will be asked to give a project a shot under the supervision of the ME and corrections will be made on the fly. Too much time with a compressor setting or eq setting is detrimental and you will know hopefully by that point how much time is reasonable. Read manuals of all the gear on your own time unless your given time to do it. Like John said ...communication is key but it has to fall within whatever the ME want and when. Listen to lots of different types of music at all times.

SoMm
 
Thanks for the advice guys... I just thought I'd add that I had a chance today (after posting) talk with the president of that firm. He told me (without me asking) that if I bring my mixes, he'll use them in my lessons.

I might have phrased it wrong when I said Internship. The purpose of this whole thing is for me to learn one on one with these guys about mastering and audio in general. It was setup privately through some connections, so you know, it's all good. I'll be sure to relay everything I learn I promise ;)

Who knows, I may be able to turn some of these guys I meet onto the board and see what they'd be willing to share. We shall have to see. Thanks again for all the great comments. See ya!
 
I think mastering is so tricky because it is so simple at heart. But you have to really nail it. I mean, you can go overboard with the mastering but that isn't necessary if the mix was good.

Generally speaking, because mixing is my strongest suit, if a mastering engineer needs to do much to my mix other than equal out volume among the tracks I'm a little disappointed in myself.
 
Cloneboy I'm with you I feel like if the mastering engineer has to do to much then I didn't do my job good enough. I feel like the only thing he should have to do is equal out the volume and maybe just a touch of eq to it but other than that I failed in my job.
 
I don't believe that you can "save it" in the master. I've done some pretty crazy turd polishing during the mix phase, but during mastering there's only so much you can do.
 
I need more clients like you guys... (Cloneboy & RD)

You should see some of the notes I get with some projects...
 
Massive Master said:
I need more clients like you guys... (Cloneboy & RD)
Click to expand...

Heh heh..

Then you'd be a glorified tape copy boy :)


As long as nearfields exist youll have a job!


SoMm
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top