Mastering Myths! Over the last few decades, before the average musician even knew of the mastering process, the most common lie we heard was “we’ll fix that during the mix”. While we all know that although this statement can be true, it’s often used as an excuse to keep the talent moving along or for the engineer to avoid recording yet another take. Of course with the invention of digital editing “we’ll fix that during the mix” took on a whole new life, being as that one could easily chop, slice, dice and mutilate a “less than stellar” performance until it became usable, thus making the statement somewhat true. However this was only after much effort that could have simply gone into recording another round of takes. But, I digress. This isn’t about yesterday’s misguided catch phrase, but about the plague that is upon us today, FDM syndrome (fix during mastering syndrome). Let’s start off with a brief description of what mastering can include. Mastering is where the final dimension of sound quality is brought to a recording. Experienced mastering engineers with specialized audio tools work at bringing each project to its maximum sonic potential. Mastering is the step between mixdown and manufacturing. In the mastering studio each project is critically evaluated on a high resolution monitoring system. Any deficiency in the sound is then addressed and careful processing is applied to make the project sound bigger, warmer, clearer, punchier, louder, more three-dimensional, more natural - or whatever may be appropriate to that particular recording. Some processes that might be applied at the mastering stage include: Dynamic enhancement Transparent limiting Equalization Stereo width expansion Multi-band compression Harmonic enhancement Additionally, mastering is where the final assembly of the album occurs. During this process, songs are placed in their proper order, gaps between songs adjusted, fades performed, noises and glitches removed, and so forth. Most importantly, all changes and enhancements in the mastering process are done in close consultation with the client to make sure that the end result that fits the vision of the project. I will attempt to lay out what I have continually seen as common misconceptions of what mastering is, and how I feel we can put and end to FDM syndrome once and for all. Misconception 1: Many mix problems can be fixed during the mastering process. This is the biggest lie being spoken these days in regards to mastering. Although certain overall mix issues can be helped or controlled during mastering, the only way to truly fix a bad mix is to re-mix or re-record the problematic track. A bad mix is a bad mix, period. You can’t expect your house painter to fix foundation and framing problems. You can, however, expect him to make your house more presentable. Misconception 2: Professional mastering will make my home studio project sound professional. This is very common and probably the most absurd misconception of the lot! A professional-sounding recording will contain many things over and above a great mastering job. Solid material, well executed performances, great mics, pre-amps and recording gear, and a stellar mix are all more important than the mastering process. Don’t get me wrong, mastering is vitally important, but if these other things are not in place, no mastering job, no matter how brilliant, will amount to a hill of beans. Of course, this also doesn’t discount a quality home recording. Just do it right. Misconception 3: All recording engineers have the tools and knowledge to master a project. As the description above states, mastering engineers possess very specific skills and gear. Most reputable mastering engineers do nothing but master, and I, for one, would never dream of having my project mastered by anyone who did not specialize in mastering only. As far as gear goes, I’ve been in several mastering facilities where I haven’t recognized one single piece of gear or found any of the tools common to just about any recording studio. I once read a post on an audio engineering board that stated that the BBE Sonic Maximizer was the “secret weapon” of mastering houses. Now, I’m not saying that particular poster did not see that box in what he was told was a mastering house, but in the professional facilities I’ve seen, the only function it would serve is as a drink coaster. Misconception 4: There is software on the market that can accomplish what a mastering engineer in a mastering facility can do. Nope! That’s like saying that everyone with a DAW can produce commercial recordings. Now, can you buy software that enhances you project studio’s recordings? Of course. Should you experiment with all sorts of hardware and software tools to get the best out of your rig—absolutely! Can you get $50 of software to do what years of experience and custom hardware in the hands of a pro can do—not without skill and talent. Misconception 5: All mastering facilities/mastering engineers are created equally. Nope. Go to 10 different mix engineers, get 10 different mixes, and the same goes for mastering engineers and facilities. Just because some people have had bad mastering experiences, don’t assume that you’d be better off doing it yourself. The same also goes with good mastering experiences. Every project is different and has it’s own set of challenges. Misconception 6: All recording projects must be mastered. Simply put, this is not true. It all depends upon the purpose of the recording. If your final (un-mastered) mixes sound good to you, and you want to release them, then more power to you! I’ve produced and heard plenty of songwriter demos, indie EPs, short run releases, and project recordings that would not have been cost effective for the artists to have them professionally mastered, and would have served little purpose for the intended use of the recordings. Misconception 7: Louder = Better Read this great article by Rip Rowan about the atrocities of the loudness war. I will summarize by saying that a recording can be ruined by a substandard mastering job, and that record labels and artists (and even some mastering engineers) seem to think that louder is somehow better. And it can ruin the dynamic aspects of otherwise great recordings.
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 00:19:59 +0000
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