MASTERING

Mastering audio is one of the least talked about aspects of recording. However, it has a tremendous effect on the overall sound of recorded material. In this article we will talk about why we master music, the different approaches to it, and the studios that will do the right job for your particular project.

Mastering is the final step in the recording process. This is the time when the engineer can help tonally balance each of the songs on a particular release, using specialized equalizers, compressors, and limiters. The job of mastering is to help the album have a consistent “sound” from song to song. On a major label release, many times different songs are recorded at different studios. The sound of each of the studios’ particular rooms and gear will come through on the “raw” un-mastered mixes that the mixing engineer will then put together. The mastering engineer’s job is to take the raw mixes, and create the final “mastered” version that will then be sent into duplication. There are as many different approaches to mastering as there are mastering engineers. Each of them will bring a different aesthetic sensibility to the project. Usually the producer of the project will decide where the mastering will occur. This is because a good producer will know which mastering engineer will best suit the project.

If you listen to songs from each decade of recorded music (for our purposes from the 50’s until now), you will definitely hear the difference in the mastering techniques being utilized. In the early days of recorded music, the mastering engineer would try to EQ and balance the mixes before he would send the signal to a cutting lathe, which would then be used to duplicate the final release on vinyl. As the gear became more sophisticated, so did the mastering process. When digital recording became possible, mastering engineers were able to do things that they were not able to do before working with strictly analog gear. Engineers were able to push things harder than before, thus giving you more volume and more of that “in your face sound” that many people equate with a good recording. One negative result from this pushed sound is a reduction of dynamic range from the recorded material. Dynamic range is the difference between the quietest sound and the loudest sound. Typically on a CD there is a dynamic range of about 96 dB (decibels). When a mastering engineer tries to get the volume to be as loud as it can be, he has to compress and limit the dynamic range quite a bit, thus taking away some of the dramatic “louds” and “quiets” that can make music interesting. So it’s up to each band or artist to decide if they want a loud CD or one with more dynamic range.

Mastering studios range in price from $25- 500 per hour. So what makes sense for your project? If you’re on a record label that is fronting the cost of the project, you’d definitely want to send your material to one of the top mastering suites in New York City or Los Angeles. The rooms there are top of the line, offering you gear and experience that is well worth the money. If you’re not on a major label (like most recording artists), a local mastering house or studio will most likely be the more realistic option. A lot of the gear used for mastering is specialized, which means it costs a lot of money. However, in recent years software manufacturers have developed digital “plug-ins” that do a pretty good job of mastering and don’t cost too much. The mastering results are probably about 90% of the quality of what you’d get at a top of the line facility, but end up costing much less. So if you want to master your project locally, choose a studio that you feel comfortable in, and one where you trust that the engineer will do the best job with the available gear and budget. Trust your ears, and listen to many previous recordings of the potential mastering engineer, especially taking note of things like tonal balance, volume consistency, and dynamic range. If they seem like they can do the job successfully, they probably can.