Preparing a mix for mastering...

[Uladine]

When I finish my bands next demo I want to take it to a local studio to have it mastered. I know that I shouldn't compress the final mix because thats better left to someone who knows what theyre doing, but what else should I do or not do? is EQing a bad idea? I know that a pro would be better at getting my mix to sound a certain way, but I don't want a metal recording sounding like an soft rock album. I've seen it before: "Oh thats fine and dandy, but you'll really want this to sound this way because (insert excuse here)" Then you get the CD home and you feel you couldve done a better job yourself. Anyway, I'm basically trying to find out how to prepare a demo for mastering while keeping the general sound there, but at the same time still allowing for any necessary changes that must be made. Maybe I can make a dry version and one that I EQ'd a bit to point him in the direction I want it to go? I know they say to bring in your favorite commercial CD's as examples, but what if theres no ONE cd that you really want your work to sound like? Just kinda curious for now.

 

[sjoko2]

EQ'ing a mix? That is definately something to be avoided, unless you have some kind of horrendously expensive, high quality EQ you can insert on the master buss - in which case you should have extremely accurate monitors to llisten, as well as a good listening environment. In other words, that is a mastering job. If you EQ a master, you are likely to introduce a whole bunch of unwanted artifacts.

Ask yourself why you'd want to EQ a mix? A mix is a sum of the total tracks............ so focus your attention on ensuring each individual instrument / part / effect sounds the way you want it to, in isolation and in sum. Then you should not have to EQ the master buss.

Other advise is to, if you record digital, leave the material in the bit and speed you recorded it at, do not dither it down to 16/44.1.
Make SURE your signals do not clip out, don't record to hot.