Mastering Explained

muzzadj

muzzadj

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Ez!

Probably another stupid question from myself but what exactly is mastering? What do i do to do it? Do i do it as i work through the track or only at the end?

And why use a specialist when it can be done by yourself?

Thanks in advance :)
 
It's done at the end, when the track is completed and mixed to perfection.
I'm still a bit confused as to whether the home producer can master themselves or not. I reckon so to a certain level.
Some would agree, some would chop of my bollocks for suggesting it possible.
 
muzzadj said:
Must be done from home i'm sure not every single producer spends money to get each and everyone of their tracks done!!!!
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well, thing is you should be able to produce a tune to a good enough quality to be played out, but mastering IS done by a professional with proper equipment.

seach 'mixdown v mastering' thread by me, should explain it better!
 
muzzadj said:
Ez!

Probably another stupid question from myself but what exactly is mastering? What do i do to do it? Do i do it as i work through the track or only at the end?

And why use a specialist when it can be done by yourself?

Thanks in advance :)
Click to expand...

unless youve got £10,000 pound equipment in your bedroom you cant really master at home, well possible if youve got a waves diamond pack or somat, but yeah my brother in law is a sound engineer for tv and he always says a good master of a tune your lookin at 60quid easy.

but yeah basically YOU mix everything nicely at home, then the sound engineer will add compression etc perfectly to match the tracks need / spec.

if you didnt master a tune propely then pressed to vinyl and played it, it would sound like most dnb from 98 lol
 
muzzadj said:
Must be done from home i'm sure not every single producer spends money to get each and everyone of their tracks done!!!!
Click to expand...

yeh its pretty pointless inless going to be released on cd/mp3/vinyl. when it is mastered its doing in a mastering studio, this is why it costs a fair bit. If it is going to be released the label should pay for this anyways...
 
richie_stix said:
oh, and what some would consider 'mastering' at home, is really all part of the mix down!
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This.

99.9% of the time mastering cannot be done at home, needs a really good listening environment (acoustic wise and high quality monitoring), and high-end equipment. Simply slapping a software limiter on the master bus and squeezing the life out of the mix isn't mastering, lots of people just seem to think its a case of getting the tune loud and nothing else.
 
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