#510670 - 03/17/04 02:40 PM
Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
ptuzer
Senior Member
Registered: 02/24/02
Posts: 479
Loc: Toronto
|
Offline
|
|
Is Mastering in another studio absolutely necessary with todays technology?
In the past recalling a mix to change or fix an eq on a song was a difficult if not impossible task. Today with instant recall it's so easy to go back into a mix and fix anything that may stand out when doing a project. I think aside from the argument it's good to have a fresh opinion on the project the opposite can also be said you need someone one the ground floor of the project guiding the mastering engineer. It can also depend on the studio's gear as well. I have great outboard and convertors with some of the best mastering software you can buy couple with a first rate acoustical studio design. I have had projects go out for mastering to different places and I have don a lot in house and have found no appreciable difference in the quality between the two.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510671 - 03/17/04 03:01 PM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
Bill@Welcome Home Studios
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 08/23/03
Posts: 7343
|
|
Offline
|
|
Has nothing to do with 'today's technology' and everything to do with a second set of ears that do mastering for a living, listening in a tuned enviornment designed for mastering, using mastering-level equipment.
If you are talking about moving from your studio to another studio using similar stuff, why bother? If you are talking about moving to a for-real mastering room, yeah man, it is worth it.
Bill
_________________________
"...it's easier than hitting the kids, and almost as much fun..."
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510672 - 03/17/04 08:37 PM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
ptuzer
Senior Member
Registered: 02/24/02
Posts: 479
Loc: Toronto
|
|
Offline
|
|
But my point is I have a lot of mastering level equipment that is better than a lot of mastering studios I have seen. Plus a room that is design by one one best designers in the world. I have done lots of mastering myself in my studio. So my point is - I don't think it's entirely necessary in all cases anymore. And the other point of you statement is that some guy who is not on the ground floor of your project may only spend eight or ten hours listening when you and the producer know every part of the project in detail.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510673 - 03/17/04 09:09 PM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
Jan Folkson
Senior Member
Registered: 07/22/00
Posts: 262
Loc: NYC
|
|
Offline
|
|
The most important piece of "mastering level equipment" is the mastering engineer and the experience he brings with him. It's a really different set of skills than engineering. The fact that you know every detail may not give you the perspective that a mastering engineer needs to have.
The doctor that operates on himself has a fool for a patient.
_________________________
- Jan Folkson http://www.janfolkson.com "How do you know when it's music and not just a bunch of noise" - Dennis the Menace
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510674 - 03/17/04 09:17 PM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
Bill@Welcome Home Studios
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 08/23/03
Posts: 7343
|
|
Offline
|
|
"... some guy who is not on the ground floor of your project may only spend eight or ten hours listening when you and the producer know every part of the project in detail."
Could be a plus, could be a minus. For mixdown, it is obviously a plus. Mastering? I'm not sure.
But lets take it a step further.... even saying that you have a super room, unless it is perfect, you are compensating for it's curves in tracking and in recording. Now you are going to do the same thing in mastering... think that there might be an issue here? Maybe just the act of listening in another 'perfect' room is enough to make it worth while, so that you don't compound any errors that you are making to account for your own room. ("Hearing" rather than "guessing")
I too have -some- gear better than many rooms that I have visited. Even a lot. But not -all- of my gear is better than what I see in what I consider to be pro level places, and as usual, a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link.
Bill
_________________________
"...it's easier than hitting the kids, and almost as much fun..."
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510675 - 03/17/04 10:13 PM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
fuzzbox
Senior Member
Registered: 04/03/02
Posts: 36
Loc: Montreal, CANADA
|
|
Offline
|
|
The guy is the most important part of the job.
I just spent 12 hours at a mastering house here in Montreal. I tell you it sounded amazing and the equipment is very respectable... Weiss digital, Tuned room. As I said it sounded great....till I got home and in the car and on the blaster.... can you say subs from hell.I use this place often and this was the first time with a new fellow...Big Big mistake.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510676 - 03/17/04 10:32 PM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
Nathan_Eldred
Gold Member
Registered: 09/01/01
Posts: 562
Loc: Central FL, USA
|
|
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by fuzzbox:
The guy is the most important part of the job.
I just spent 12 hours at a mastering house here in Montreal. I tell you it sounded amazing and the equipment is very respectable... Weiss digital, Tuned room. As I said it sounded great....till I got home and in the car and on the blaster.... can you say subs from hell.I use this place often and this was the first time with a new fellow...Big Big mistake.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510677 - 03/17/04 10:41 PM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
fuzzbox
Senior Member
Registered: 04/03/02
Posts: 36
Loc: Montreal, CANADA
|
|
Offline
|
|
True very true I should have done the car test while there, But this is suppose to be a MASTERING house... Pay big bucks for big quality.
When I started doing records my first mastering experince left me with the feeling that if I didn't come back with a perfect mix the MASTERing engineer would bite my head off. Now it's just bang them out.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510678 - 03/19/04 02:56 AM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
GreyMantle
Senior Member
Registered: 02/27/04
Posts: 80
Loc: MidAtlantic Mountains
|
|
Offline
|
|
IMHO
I think Jan and Bill make a very important point. I've recently become friends with someone who pretty much only does professional mastering. (Seva, I don't think he'll mind).
Mixing and mastering are two completely different animals. I've done a lot of tracking and mix engineering and he even speaks a different language to engineering language regarding sound. And his ears, he hears... differently? I really got an eye opening education about it talking with him. Though I still couldn't do what he does.
The process of managing the colours and textures of the dynamic range for postproduction and play on who knows what: radio, picnicplayers, audiosnob's wall of sound Blaupunct/Hafler hybrid home studio.... .... ..... B.O.S.E. (better off with something else, heh heh)....
If you find a good mastering engineer, buy him. If you're good at both, you are blessed by the gods.
Grey
_________________________
I perform to live...
I live to compose.
—Mahler
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510679 - 03/19/04 03:41 AM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
CWHumphrey
Senior Member
Registered: 05/31/01
Posts: 36
Loc: Los Angeles,CA,UNITED STATES
|
|
Offline
|
|
Speaking of mastering...I thought I'd put a plug in for our own Bill Dooley. I've done close to 30 projects with him and well as referred a half a dozen other people to him. He's mastering at Paramount these days and yet still finds time to moderate the Studio Business forum right here!
To the original poster of this forum: send Bill one song, and then you tell me what you hear.
Cheers,
Carter William Humphrey
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510680 - 03/19/04 10:27 AM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
shikawkee
Senior Member
Registered: 05/31/01
Posts: 485
Loc: Nashville, TN
|
|
Offline
|
|
It ain't the tools, it's the talent.
Ever heard the term that the man who represents himself in court has a fool for a lawyer ?
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510681 - 03/19/04 12:37 PM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
Jan Folkson
Senior Member
Registered: 07/22/00
Posts: 262
Loc: NYC
|
|
Offline
|
|
Originally posted by shikawkee:
Ever heard the term that the man who represents himself in court has a fool for a lawyer ? 
_________________________
- Jan Folkson http://www.janfolkson.com "How do you know when it's music and not just a bunch of noise" - Dennis the Menace
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510682 - 03/19/04 02:48 PM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
errol
Senior Member
Registered: 05/25/01
Posts: 319
Loc: Amsterdam,,NETHERLANDS
|
|
Offline
|
|
yes and no.
I have a mastering company but also a studio for our own productions.
What I see now is that if I mix a song and after that I want to master it, I cannot be objective as I can be normally.
It suprised me because most of the music I have to master is not really my taste bu I have no problems at all to stay objective.
I'm thinking seriously to master my own mixes by somebody else.
And believe me, it's difficult to find a good mastering engineer in the netherlands. 
_________________________
cut-n-clear Mastering and cdr/dvdr copy centre
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
#510683 - 03/19/04 09:24 PM
Re: Is Mastering in Another Studio Absolutely Necessary
|
Bob Olhsson
Senior Member
Registered: 05/25/01
Posts: 426
Loc: Nashville,TN, USA
|
|
Offline
|
|
The late Denny Purcell put it the best I've ever heard. "You only get to listen to it for the first time ONCE!"
Most of us would vastly prefer that a mastering engineer have any bad first impressions than somebody whose opinion is critical to the selling of the project.
|
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
