Music Mastering is an Art and a
Science!
Mastering is the final creative and technical step prior to
releasing your final production
digitally. Professional Music Mastering
comprises volume level optimization
while enhancing inter dynamic
details and deepening the sound
stage with life like imaging of even the most
delicate parts of you mixes. All of this is done with the
goal of retaining and presenting the best musical characteristics
your music has without technical processes getting in the way of or
damaging the music itself. Music mastering is a process that
is totally transparent allowing only the music to be experienced,
not the processing. We are convinced that human beings are music
lovers by nature and not so big on processor artifacts, noises and
other non musical distortions.
The Art of Music
Mastering
Music Mastering is much more then the normal volume optimization
that is referred to as Mastering in many places. The music
mastering engineer is a specialist who constantly spends their time
perfecting the craft of mastering. Music mastering is performed in
a dedicated studio with quiet, calibrated acoustics, and a single
set of wide range monitors. Signal paths are kept to a minimum plus
customized gear and tools are used. The monitors should not be
encumbered by the interfering acoustics of large recording
consoles, racks or outboard gear. In other words, the acoustics are
first optimized, and all other considerations must be secondary to
the acoustics.
For optimum results, mastering should
not be performed in the same studio as the recording or by
the same engineer who recorded/mixed the work. It is important to
find a mastering engineer who will bring his expertise and unique
perspective to an album project, to produce the final polish that
distinguishes a professional and musical work of art from an
ordinary recording.
Our attention is focused on the Music so that our clients
end up with a"Music Album"
or "Record" if you will, that is second to
none and that it truly does play back as a "Musical
Event" that it is consistent in every type of play back
system.
Attending Mastering Sessions
Due to acoustic considerations the attendance is
limited to no more that two people. Out of the maximum of the
two people attending sessions one must be the final authority when
it comes to making any decision that your mastering engineer ask
for. Most of the time session attendance is only necessary
for the initial consultation at the time the final mixes, song
sequence, and any documentations are delivered to the mastering
engineer. The other instance would be after your material is
successfully mastered and ready for a final listen and editing and
of course the final QC of the Pre Master (PM).
In most cases the producer in charge or an agent for the
record company is the sole person that makes any decisions about
such issues as song sequence and transitions between songs.
Your mastering engineer may also help you in making these important
decisions if you are unsure.
Finalizing Your Master
After you have lived with your reference CD for a day or two
and are completely satisfied then the certified PM is created
along with your registered documentation and test results of the PM
media. This is the product that goes directly to your
replication or pressing plant where it is used for the glass master
creation. This product is registered to it's own set of
documents that accompany it to the pressing plant and requires a
professional product be delivered back to you.
