Mastering your project: DIY or Go to a Pro?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jack Russell
  • Start date Start date

Mastering: DIY or send to a pro?

  • I do home recording, and I master it myself.

    Votes: 82 72.6%

  • I do home recording, and I hire the pros to master it.

    Votes: 21 18.6%

  • I am a pro: I think DIY is fine for mastering.

    Votes: 5 4.4%

  • I am a pro: always use pros for mastering.

    Votes: 5 4.4%
  • Total voters
    113
We do it all ourselves. We record at our bassists house cuz he has a nice setup there, and I take the tracks, and mix and master them on my setup at home. I ussually do some dubbing here though if somthing sounds weak. We don't use alot of effects just some eq, and compression maybe a lil chorus if my vocals need to souind wider. Saves a ton of money for a band that doesn't make alot of money so we can buy better equipment, and we have more control over how we sound.
 
ecktronic said:
I had a quick shot at mastering the 1st sample of the clip you put up MM.
Just for a laugh really. The noise was unbearable. I tried to get rid of it as much as I could but some is still there. The high end is a bit lost but I would prefer to have less high end than more noise.

http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=7480
Hope you didnt mind me messing on this.

Eck
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I hear noise removal artifacts all throughout it :(
 
danny.guitar said:
I hear noise removal artifacts all throughout it :(
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Yeah as I said "a quick shot at mastering" :)
I dont tend to use noise reduction much at all, so not very good at using it yet.
I dont really have much motivation to get better at using noise reduction.

Eck
 
I hear that 16 khz whine. (I'm quite glad; despite the abuse in my youth my ears aren't dead!)
It's quite a nasty noise coming thru.
 
I think it's entirely down to circumstance: If it's a good song that has been mastered at home, it will gain popularity and they the client will be thinking hmm... maybe we can fork out a little more and do a better job on that. I think that in general, the quality of music that gets mastered at home will either become popular and be re-recorded (because the musicians will get better too!) or will slip into insignificance. I do think that you still need an outside opinion though, and it can be hard to find someone who can articulate what they are/aren't hearing in the master. But that's just my 2c :)
 

Well hmm this is a tough one...lol

Some artists such as Jon Young from Orlando, Fl has recorded and mastered his own stuff all from home. Sounds real good so I guess its all up to the person who is doing the track

 
punkin said:
Do both...get a pro to do it and while the project is out try your own hand at it. When the pro-job shows up, see how you did. It would be a great reference point to see what you can and can't do.
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Great Idea!!!!


I think the answer to this question is another question. What do you plan on doing with the finished product?!!

If you plan on just giving it to friends, Dont Plan On GETTING SUPER RICH AND FAMOUS... Or just want some people to HEAR your music... Why waste the money...

But remember... If you sound professional... Youll be taken as professional... And only people who are professional can be professional and succeed in a job field... this one being the music industry... the most fucked up crazy back stabbing get ready to get hit by a line backer with no pads on type of industry!

Haha. I use Ozone 4! It's monsterous!
 
Mixteco said:

Well hmm this is a tough one...lol

Some artists such as Jon Young from Orlando, Fl has recorded and mastered his own stuff all from home. Sounds real good so I guess its all up to the person who is doing the track
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Jon Young has 2 songs that are 6 years old. And he still remains a nobody.
 
This is one place where I feel doing it at home is never quite the same as in a Mastering studio. If I wanted stuff commercially released I would get the money together for great mastering since I feel this really makes or breaks your CD but then again I master myself but only cause I dont have money to spend on Mastering.
 
I'm a true, 100% home recordist, so I never have to grapple with this question. That doesn't make me noble, just poor! Absolutely everything that goes into every one of my recordings is my responsibility, from mastering to cleaning beer cans out of the studio.
 
I master myself,(at least i try to). As said before, the mix is the most important thing. If it isn't good trying to master will be a waste of time! I always try to remember something an expert said,(I forget who). "the best recordings are the ones that don't sound as tho they have been mastered". I do my own for 2 reasons. 1), I can't afford to send them out and 2), I bought an Alesis ml9600 Masterlink and I think it works for my purposes. since I don't publish or distribute my work it works for me. after all, for me it's just a hobby. I'm not seeking fame or fortune in the music business, those days are far behind me and i'm perfectly content. Friends and family seem to like my work so... I guess it all depends on who you want to impress. A major record label or your girlfriend!
 
When it's my own stuff - I'll give it to someone else to master.

I find that it's a good time to step away from the thing and leave it in capable hands.
 
I think Rami means that he wants you to bend over in the shower :eek:

(j/k Rami, I had to swing at that pumpkin :D)

G.
 
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