Always good advice Tim.I was thinking, these guys will think I'm some kind of hack if I haul off and ask them this. So I ended up emailing Robert, he replied back and thanked me for asking. He said that he was thinking of putting together a Q&A for questions like this, and that he wished more people took the time to ask, instead of just showing up with just anything.
Guess I don't feel like such a fool after all... Shawn----- Original Message ----- From: "Tim Burgess" <tim@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2010 9:15 AM Subject: [ddots-l] Re: the mysterious world of mastering
I'e talked to a few mastering engineers at seminars and the like and asked this exact question. The answer they've all given me is to talk to the engineer you're working with to see what he likes to be given. Best wishes. Tim Burgess Raised Bar Ltd Phone: +44 (0)1827 719822 Don't forget to vote for improved access to music and music technology at http://www.raisedbar.net/petition.htm -----Original Message-----From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] OnBehalf Of Shawn Brock Sent: 30 November 2010 16:48 To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [ddots-l] the mysterious world of mastering I'm always the first to say, I don't know when it comes to answering mostquestions about mastering. And it seems that the longer I live, the less Iknow. You would think it would be the opposite right? Mastering has never been my cup of tee, and that aint ever going to change as far as I can see. Its a lot like great visual art, I have a great appreciation for it, but I know my talents lie elsewhere. I was reading back through several years of Sound On Sound Magazine, andfound some articles from great engineers who make a living on both sides ofthe fence, those who record and mix, and those who master. My reason for reading up on this is because the mixing of my record is complete, and the mastering session will take place on December 13th.Its been a long time sense I was the party responsible for delivering filesto a mastering house, and I see the game has changed, or maybe it hasn't. I'm working with Robert Hadley and Doug Sax of The Mastering Lab Inc www.themasteringlab.com The credits and knowledge these men possess of there craft is quiteastounding! Needless to say, this is costing me a fare price, and I want togive them the best product I can to work with... Anyhow, in the interest of providing the best possible files to them, I wonder if any of you have any tips? I'm uploading split stereo 24-96 files to them a week in advance, and will also be taking the files down on a hard drive. My questions are all about the meter. When I look at the master bussesoutput meter, my objective has been to get it to stay below 0. You know howit goes, you start mixing on a tune, add some compression, turn the kick up,and bla bla bla. The next thing you know, the output meter is bouncingbetween minus 4 and plus 2... So in your collective opinions, what kind ofoutput numbers do you like to see on a tune that's ready for mastering? I don't want to go to the point of obsession, and line A Coleman Audio2-channel VU meter into my chain, like David Rideau does... But I want themastering house to have the best product they can get from me. Any thoughts and advice is always appreciated. Shawn PLEASE READ THIS FOOTER AT LEAST ONCE! To leave the list, click on the immediately following link: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type unsubscribe For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the immediately following link: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq or send a message, to ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type faq PLEASE READ THIS FOOTER AT LEAST ONCE! To leave the list, click on the immediately following link: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type unsubscribe For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the immediately following link: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq or send a message, to ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type faq
PLEASE READ THIS FOOTER AT LEAST ONCE! To leave the list, click on the immediately following link: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type unsubscribeFor other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the immediately following link:
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and in the Subject line type faq