Your mixing sessions are winding down, and it’s time to begin shifting your focus towards the mastering phase. How do you ensure the best possible results during mastering? I’m going to propose a list of suggestions, broken down to cover creative aspects, technical issues, organization, and of course, your due diligence in selecting the right mastering engineer.
(1) Start with good sounds! Let’s back up for a minute. Preparation for mastering starts before you even start recording. Hopefully, you already thought of this! Make sure guitars have had the action and intonation properly set up. Tune and re-tune all instruments, including your drum heads! Make sure amps, keyboards, and other electronics are well maintained and free of excess noise. Eliminate ground loops, replace noisy cables, and clean pots & switches. With your equipment sounding it’s best, and using good recording techniques, you’ll be well on your way to a great sounding master.
(2) Set expectations and goals appropriately. Remember the old saying “garbage in, garbage out”? Don’t forget that this rule applies. Don’t expect miracles from the mastering process. The better the mix is, the better the master will be. Yes, mastering engineers can improve many of the weaknesses in your mix, but there are limitations to what can be done at this point in the process without a remix, so be realistic.
(3) Make sure your mix style is appropriate. Unless you are striving for a niche sound that is unique, creative, and artistic, remember that your music will most likely need to be accepted by a mainstream audience. In Hip Hop, the beat should be hitting hard. Vocals are king in Country music, so make sure they sit nicely on top of the mix. Reverb should generally be used sparingly for in-your-face modern Rock music. Whatever your style, make sure the key elements are receiving the attention they need in the mix.
(4) Check your mixes for consistency. While different songs will require different techniques, in general, key elements – such as vocals – should have a fairly consistent volume from track to track. Compare your songs and make sure there are no songs that have key elements dramatically hotter or weaker than the rest.
(5) Keep the compressor off the mix buss! Unless you really know what you are doing, leave the compressor and limiter off of the mix buss completely. The mastering engineer probably has better gear, better ears, and a better sense of what is actually needed. If you absolutely must, keep the gain reduction to 3db or less and consider providing a non-compressed copy to the mastering engineer as well.
(6) Leave some headroom. Keep your peak levels comfortably beneath the 0 mark. Many mastering engineers suggest allowing at least 2 to 3 db of headroom, as this will give them a little more room to work.
(7) Consider doing stems or “up/down” mixes. If you have struggled to get just the right balance between parts, providing “stems” or “up/down” mixes to the mastering engineer will allow them some additional flexibility. Up/Down mixes are mixes that have a key element mixed at a different volume, so that you can decide later which is the best mix to use. These differences are usually very minor…1db or less. While vocals are the most common tracks to receive the “up/down” treatment, any part that is the subject of debate or concern amongst the band members or producer can benefit from this. Just don’t get carried away, and remember that changes of more than 1db may throw off other areas of the mix as well, so keep the changes small. Stems are essentially sub-mixes. A typical rock band might be broken out into stereo submixes of: Bass and Drums, Keys and Guitars, backing vocals, and lead vocal. This allows the mastering engineer the ability to “tweak” the tracks a little more than normal, while still keeping the basic integrity of the original mix.
(8) Preview your mix with the mastering engineer. Before you move into the final polishing of your mix, consider checking with your mastering engineer to see if they will preview a copy of your rough mixes. Most mastering engineers are willing to provide advice and direction to help you get the mix sounding the best it can before it comes to them, although some may charge a small fee for the service. Doing this may help you keep your project on schedule, and sounding its very best. This is also a good time to discuss other issues.. Be sure the mastering engineer knows who the target audience is – for example, if a track is to be played in a nightclub or on television, you may need to do separate masters for those uses vs. the traditional CD/Radio play. Discuss turnaround time with the mastering engineer and be sure you are comfortable with their processes. Listen to samples of their work – especially “before and after” samples if they have them. Finally, make sure you understand the costs, including any “extra” fees.
(9) Use a reference CD. While most mastering engineers are going to have a very good idea of what a project needs, it’s still helpful to provide a reference track of a song, album, or artist that exemplifies the overall sound you are going for. You may also find it helpful to import a reference song into your mixing session so that you can quickly A/B your mix in progress to a finished piece that has a similar arrangement and vibe. If you do this, lower the volume of the reference CD to match your mix volume! Otherwise, your comparison will be very inaccurate. Also – don’t forget that the reference track has already gone through mastering – don’t expect your mix to have the same polished feel. The reference track is just that – something to refer to, to make sure you are moving in the right direction. Don’t try to duplicate it exactly!
(10) Know what file formats to use! Make sure you know what file format or delivery method your mastering engineer prefers. Generally, these are going to be 24 bit audio files of some type. If your mastering engineer doesn’t specify, ask them if they have a preference. If you are planning to send your tracks in via DAT, Analog Tape, or some other physical medium, make sure you check with your mastering engineer for compatibility first. Also, make sure you understand how the masters will be delivered to you. Will it be on CDR? Internet Download? Other?
(11) Be ORGANIZED! Make sure files are named in a clear, easy to understand manner. Alternative mixes, stems, etc should all be very well organized so that even a complete beginner unfamiliar with the project can understand what goes where no matter how large the project is. If you have specific requirements for track spacing, CD Text, or other data, be sure to have it all neatly typed out, including exact start, end, and fade out points as applicable. Song order should be clearly noted. If you want the mastering engineer to determine the sequencing, make sure you have discussed this with them in advance as they are most likely going to charge an additional fee for this service. Label everything clearly and keep a backup copy of everything you send the mastering engineer.
(12) Try before you buy. Choose your mastering engineer carefully – they will be the last person to touch your masterpiece before it is completed. Most mastering engineers will allow a free sample of their mastering before you purchase, or will defer the bulk of the payment until after you have confirmed your satisfaction with the final product. If you aren’t familiar with your mastering engineer and their work, and they can’t offer one of the above options, don’t use them. Don’t get caught up in what gear they use or how long they’ve been in business. What matters is their ears, their judgments, good acoustics in their room, and that you like their style. Listen to some of their previous work, especially from artists who have a similar sound as your own. When in doubt, ask other musicians and studios you trust for a referral.
If you are thinking about mastering your tracks yourself, I urge you to keep in mind that mastering isn’t about just adding some additional processing – it’s also about getting a fresh perspective from a trusted set of ears in a well tuned room. If you do proceed with your own mastering, don’t forget that most of the above steps still apply.
Follow these steps and you should find the mastering process to go smoothly.
If you are interested in my mastering services, please feel free to contact me directly!
0 comments:
Post a Comment