ok...i'll say it
mastering for newbies.....
www.masteringhouse.com
www.bluebearsound.com
www.massivemaster.com
if it absolutely has to be done right....
let somebody do it that know what in the hell they are doing.
i know this ain't in the spirit of home recording....but heres what i think.
i am learning too. i dont think i will EVER master a cd. i might finish one or two, to a point that i am satisfied with it. Tracking, engineering, and mastering are all specialized skill that it takes years and years to learn. it sure aint pushing a big red button that says MASTER on it! To have all the automated equipment and the experience to do what needs to be done is a dream to me.
but that doesn't mean that i ain't going to try. treat every session as a learning experience and get as much from it as you can. take notes along the way. read this forum every day and every other forum you can find on recording.
then, in about 20 years...after you have tracked and engineered a couple thousand sessions, you'll be ready to TRY and master.
my $.02