Comments on: Why You Don’t Need Mastering Software

By: Alexander Dorian

Alexander Dorian — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:30:54 +0000

You’re pretty much right - when it comes to mastering it is the pair of ears that matter not the amount of equipment. http://www.SoundOnSound.com Magazine did an article featuring internet mastering houses - they sent the same material to say 5 or 6 different mastering houses and they rarely got the same results, which means that it is all subjective.

Here is the link:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/apr06/articles/onlinemastering.htm

I think one thing that remains the same nowadays is that commercial records are squashed to hell in the volume wars - record labels continuously fight whose album will sound louder on the radio. You can also hear this in modern music, listen to anything pop to metal and you’ll see that mastering usually squashes the dynamics to make a song louder as well.
I think a person at home can do a decent mastering job but the tools that you’d need are much more expensive than the crappy DAW software you create your album on. You’d need real hardware analogue gear that costs some serious amount of money - think of an eq processor upward of $2000, same on compressor/limiters and in many cases a professional 2 track 2inch analogue tape. Yes, they still use analogue tape for most rock and pop stuff!

Alexander Dorian
HoustonMusicReviews.com - equipment and music reviews!

By: brandondrury

brandondrury — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 22:16:56 +0000

So Mastering sucks, but after a proper mixdown, conversion of midi to wave and then to mp3 some reconciliation needs to be performed.

I’m not sure about the mp3 part of the deal, but I don’t think mixingdown or converting the MIDI synth / sample tracks to wav is any reason to need mastering.

Again, mastering is just there to even out the differences between songs on an album. I know when I mix, I do like to compress on the 2bus. I may even put a shelf EQ of some kind, but these are very subtle processes.

Brandon

By: Mike D

Mike D — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 04:10:08 +0000

OK. So Mastering sucks, but after a proper mixdown, conversion of midi to wave and then to mp3 some reconciliation needs to be performed. I can remember my first Steinberg software package (Cubasis) had a mastering module that made the finishing the process easier. It allowed for boosting what needed to be boosted and expanded (put space…air between) the tracks so they didn’t come out sounding like a wall of concrete. Sorry for the lack of technical terminology, but I have been slowly trying to improve my stuff for years and every time I upgrade software or equipment I take a step backward in order to move forward.
Mastering can make a difference, but I don’t dispute there is a lot of BS home recording stuff sold out there.
MD

By: brandondrury

brandondrury — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 18:38:45 +0000

Thanks for the compliments, dude. Usually when I feel strongly about a subject, I get more criticism. I’m glad you dug it!

Those jokes were great too!

You may not want to encourage me!!!!

By: StrangeCat

StrangeCat — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 05:27:42 +0000

That is one of the best articles I have come across on the web I think! damn that was good !
This should be published on every forum from Gear slutz to KVR!
Great read Thanks

Those jokes were great too!