Mastering Yourself?

[lemonchili]

Thank you John and Tom. #9 does answer my question, and that article answers a few of my other questions

There certainly are a LOT of mastering services :S

 

[Moe Shinola]

I've been a solo artist until recently, so I've mastered everything myself. I've gotten praise about how my record sounded from some people I really respect. For a group I'd probably do what everybody thought was the most professional, but I'd be growling under my breath when I heard the finished product.

 

[Red Mastering]

I've been a solo artist until recently, so I've mastered everything myself. I've gotten praise about how my record sounded from some people I really respect. For a group I'd probably do what everybody thought was the most professional, but I'd be growling under my breath when I heard the finished product.

that's great, but why you don't try once to use someone else to check your music ?
you can try free sample - it's painless,
mastering your material yourself - you are loosing the 'fresh pair of ears' approach - and it's very difficult if not impossible to be a creator and judge in 1 person;
as someone mentioned - ME could bring ( and she/he usually does) something extra to the table - hence it could improve your music further

 

[kcearl]

that's great, but why you don't try once to use someone else to check your music ?
you can try free sample - it's painless,
mastering your material yourself - you are loosing the 'fresh pair of ears' approach - and it's very difficult if not impossible to be a creator and judge in 1 person;
as someone mentioned - ME could bring ( and she/he usually does) something extra to the table - hence it could improve your music further

are you offering freebies?

 

[Red Mastering]

are you offering freebies?

not, as it's my day job, but I offer free sample;
also I did not meant myself - there's many great mastering guys around, why don't check them ?
best idea imho is to visit mastering studio, sit with engineer and check how she/he approaches the project,
that's the great lesson

 

[kcearl]

nope, Im happy to pass on that....when/if the time comes i think something of mine is worthy of release I'll let a pro handle it...its taken me 3 years to get mixing just about there, Im not going to learn anything more


besides my ears produce enough wax to supply mcvities with a years worth of jaffa cake filling

 

[room]

fresh ears are important if you can afford them - otherwise play your mates two versions of your mastering

 

[TheTruth_Mikeyd]

Mastering is a art that take time time time...time and some more time to acquire the skill and technique to master right...yes I said right. I personally would send my music to a mastering engineer who has credits and lots of experience, if you take your music serious.

 

[Red Mastering]

absolutely!
but you don't have to break your bank nowadays to have a great master, imho
if you do research, try free sample/preview - you could end in hands of great engineer and have a great master,

 

[RAMI]

HR, you should be charging this dude for advertising space. He found a loophole to free advertising.

 

[kcearl]

OK so I got my first track mastered, and when you get over the fact that its not going to make groundbreaking changes to your mix its pretty satisfying

The problem I would have doing it myself is lack of a decent room and ears I second guess constantly...every project I have has around 20 different mixes before Im satisfied, then a month or so later I hear how crap that final mix was

Using a decent mastering engineer gives you two things, a room and a pair of decent ears, and for me thats worth every penny

If you have those then no reason you cant master yourself with a bit of experience

 

[Red Mastering]

OK so I got my first track mastered, and when you get over the fact that its not going to make groundbreaking changes to your mix its pretty satisfying

The problem I would have doing it myself is lack of a decent room and ears I second guess constantly...every project I have has around 20 different mixes before Im satisfied, then a month or so later I hear how crap that final mix was

Using a decent mastering engineer gives you two things, a room and a pair of decent ears, and for me thats worth every penny

If you have those then no reason you cant master yourself with a bit of experience

congrats!
there is also skills&experience factor, as not every mixing or recording or producing engineer has ability to be at the same time mastering guy...
you mentioned very important fact
'when you get over the fact that its not going to make groundbreaking changes to your mix'
this is basic assumption in mastering - get good mix and then you will get great master,
and don't expect mastering engineer to 'tune' your vocal

good luck

 

[kcearl]

congrats!
there is also skills&experience factor, as not every mixing or recording or producing engineer has ability to be at the same time mastering guy...
you mentioned very important fact
'when you get over the fact that its not going to make groundbreaking changes to your mix'
this is basic assumption in mastering - get good mix and then you will get great master,
and don't expect mastering engineer to 'tune' your vocal

good luck

you're right

when I wrote "Using a decent mastering engineer gives you two things, a room and a pair of decent ears"


I meant to write skilled ears.



Now about tuning those effing vocals......

 

[SafeandSound]

The value of mastering can be huge. When you consider what you get in terms of objectivity, service, experience, advice
and result I think it's a no brainer as long as you choose a competent. Sometimes it's a reality check to realize that whilst DIY culture is a great thing you cannot be expert in all things and there is a kind of liberation in this even if the service costs few shekels.

Anyway wishing everyone a wonderful new year !

 

[Red Mastering]

...... Sometimes it's a reality check to realize that whilst DIY culture is a great thing you cannot be expert in all things and there is a kind of liberation in this even if the service costs few shekels.

absolutely!
DIY culture is great, but it has few pitfalls

 

[jaynm26]

Top 5 Reason Why you should go to a Mast Eng & Why?

TOP 5 Reason to go with the Mastering Engrs & Why?

1.) Fresh Ears - Why? Because you cant hear you own mistakes period. You have been recording and mixing the music everything sounds good to you because your ears have been dummed and made accustomed to the sound therefore making it almost impossible to hear your errors, or to be more precise when certain freq needs to be cut or boosted or less bass or more bass ect.

2.) State of the Art Monitoring - Why? music has to be heard LOUD and CLEAR with great equip to detect the errors to make precise EQ cuts/boost. Near field "mixing" monitors dont have the dynamic range or volume needed to push the sound hard enough. Most mixing monitors are not even supported by amplifiers just self powered NOT RELIABLE.

3.) PERFECT Listening environment - Why? - If sound is not house correctly and acoustically treated correctly the reverberations that bounce off your wall, bunk bed, tv, then your fish tank before it returns to your ears can and will give a false representation of sound. Dont believe me go in your bathroom and try to master a song, you wont know whats up or down. Mastering engrs have a room that is dedicated and designated to mastering music.They have been stationed a acoustic supported room for years! They know every sound to every scratch on the wall. The acoustic set up absorbs the many 1000's reverberations from all the tones of the master which enables the engr to have a true representation of sound, and body of the master. Room treatment is so essential cant stress this enough you need a well treated controlled environment for mastering and you need to sonically know it like your first name

4.) Equipment - Why? Need I say more? from Manley Passives, to Crane Songs, to B&W, Dunlavy, Studer's, Waves, UAD , Samplitude, Neve, SSL, Pultech, Avalon, LA 2A (Hardware), Pendelum, Lavry (Converters), Fairchild. List goes on the length of webster. Eqiup that most couldnt buy in a live time. And not only that the knowledge of when and how to use it.

5.) Experience - To me the most important, you cant teach it, you can buy it, you can download, cant upload it. You just gotta have it and nothing not even all the equip stated can beat it period.

 

[Massive Master]

....

 

[Red Mastering]

absolutely agree,
but I'd put point 5. - EXPERIENCE on the 1 or second place,
and the rest - I agree 100%
also as someone mentioned - ME can bring something extra to the table -
which is important too

TOP 5 Reason to go with the Mastering Engrs & Why?

1.) Fresh Ears - Why? Because you cant hear you own mistakes period. You have been recording and mixing the music everything sounds good to you because your ears have been dummed and made accustomed to the sound therefore making it almost impossible to hear your errors, or to be more precise when certain freq needs to be cut or boosted or less bass or more bass ect.

2.) State of the Art Monitoring - Why? music has to be heard LOUD and CLEAR with great equip to detect the errors to make precise EQ cuts/boost. Near field "mixing" monitors dont have the dynamic range or volume needed to push the sound hard enough. Most mixing monitors are not even supported by amplifiers just self powered NOT RELIABLE.

3.) PERFECT Listening environment - Why? - If sound is not house correctly and acoustically treated correctly the reverberations that bounce off your wall, bunk bed, tv, then your fish tank before it returns to your ears can and will give a false representation of sound. Dont believe me go in your bathroom and try to master a song, you wont know whats up or down. Mastering engrs have a room that is dedicated and designated to mastering music.They have been stationed a acoustic supported room for years! They know every sound to every scratch on the wall. The acoustic set up absorbs the many 1000's reverberations from all the tones of the master which enables the engr to have a true representation of sound, and body of the master. Room treatment is so essential cant stress this enough you need a well treated controlled environment for mastering and you need to sonically know it like your first name

4.) Equipment - Why? Need I say more? from Manley Passives, to Crane Songs, to B&W, Dunlavy, Studer's, Waves, UAD , Samplitude, Neve, SSL, Pultech, Avalon, LA 2A (Hardware), Pendelum, Lavry (Converters), Fairchild. List goes on the length of webster. Eqiup that most couldnt buy in a live time. And not only that the knowledge of when and how to use it.

5.) Experience - To me the most important, you cant teach it, you can buy it, you can download, cant upload it. You just gotta have it and nothing not even all the equip stated can beat it period.

 

[Red Mastering]

absolutely agree,
but I'd put point 5. - EXPERIENCE on the 1 or second place,
and the rest - I agree 100%
also as someone mentioned - ME can bring something extra to the table -
which is important too

TOP 5 Reason to go with the Mastering Engrs & Why?

1.) Fresh Ears - Why? Because you cant hear you own mistakes period. You have been recording and mixing the music everything sounds good to you because your ears have been dummed and made accustomed to the sound therefore making it almost impossible to hear your errors, or to be more precise when certain freq needs to be cut or boosted or less bass or more bass ect.

2.) State of the Art Monitoring - Why? music has to be heard LOUD and CLEAR with great equip to detect the errors to make precise EQ cuts/boost. Near field "mixing" monitors dont have the dynamic range or volume needed to push the sound hard enough. Most mixing monitors are not even supported by amplifiers just self powered NOT RELIABLE.

3.) PERFECT Listening environment - Why? - If sound is not house correctly and acoustically treated correctly the reverberations that bounce off your wall, bunk bed, tv, then your fish tank before it returns to your ears can and will give a false representation of sound. Dont believe me go in your bathroom and try to master a song, you wont know whats up or down. Mastering engrs have a room that is dedicated and designated to mastering music.They have been stationed a acoustic supported room for years! They know every sound to every scratch on the wall. The acoustic set up absorbs the many 1000's reverberations from all the tones of the master which enables the engr to have a true representation of sound, and body of the master. Room treatment is so essential cant stress this enough you need a well treated controlled environment for mastering and you need to sonically know it like your first name

4.) Equipment - Why? Need I say more? from Manley Passives, to Crane Songs, to B&W, Dunlavy, Studer's, Waves, UAD , Samplitude, Neve, SSL, Pultech, Avalon, LA 2A (Hardware), Pendelum, Lavry (Converters), Fairchild. List goes on the length of webster. Eqiup that most couldnt buy in a live time. And not only that the knowledge of when and how to use it.

5.) Experience - To me the most important, you cant teach it, you can buy it, you can download, cant upload it. You just gotta have it and nothing not even all the equip stated can beat it period.

 

[jaynm26]

Hey Red how much do you charge per song, and per album for a master. I just seen your website and I like what I see would like to see if I could work with you.