Mastering

Mastering Your Music

Have you ever listened to a typical 'basement recording' and found that, while the musicians performance was great and the final mix sounded good, something was still lacking?  The songs sounded flat, dull and muffled, not clean and sharp, or even as loud as a commercial recording?  In response you turn up the volume, only to be even more disappointed as the problems are still there, now just more pronounced.  The reason it sounds that way is because the recording has not yet been through the mastering process.  Mastering is the “polish” that makes music shine.

Mastering is the last step in the production process, which takes the mixed down song and applies gates, compressors, expanders, equalization, reverb, stereo imaging, etc., to the entire mix.

Mastering takes your good recording and makes it a great, professional level recording.  

Sequencing

The mastering process also includes a process called sequencing.  Sequencing is the process of placing the songs in the proper order on the master CD that you will later have duplicated.  The following are a couple of tips to help you in arranging your songs in the best order on the CD.  It's a good idea to start with one of your better songs and end with one of your better songs.  The first song gets the listener interested in listening to the entire CD and the last song leaves them wanting more.  Another point to consider is not to put two similar sounding songs back to back.  Keep in mind the fact that many people will listen to the CD over and over, so consider how the last and first songs interact as well.

Once the mastering is done I will send you mastering proof.  I will ask you to listen to the proof on a variety of sound systems such as your home stereo, car stereo, and personal audio system such as an iPod.  This will give you an idea of how it will sound to various listeners.  We can continue to tweak the sound until you are totally satisfied.