Mastering is the final step in the process of producing audio before the song is ready for duplication and distribution. Mastering requires that a song be looked at from an artistic as well as a scientific point of view. Editing can be applied which helps eliminate unwanted sounds such as clicks, hisses, and hums. Also adjusting equalization, compression, limiting, and volume can help shape the overall dynamics and quality of a song. The correct design of the mastering room is a crucial factor for engineers to hear precise details of each song. The experience of an engineer is also a key part of getting the best results because they offer the expertise and knowledge that can only come from years of practice. Learning about how to prepare your song for mastering is a great way to really help the engineer really get the most out of your music. Pre-mastering tips and tricks are a vital necessity for a musician's success. There are numerous online social media outlets, live shows, festivals, tours, that once you're a part of, mastering is a must. Once the music is at a professional level and reaches its full potential, you will be ready to proudly share your music with the world.
Getting a killer mix and master starts with a great recording. Using the right mic plays a big role in getting that recording. Ribbon mics are great for their smooth tones and warm mid-range. Here are some top models worth investing in.
Occasionally, with digital music, you’ll find unwanted distortion in your mix after changing the bit depth of your track. This is an effect called quantization distortion. The way to fix this is to apply dithering when you process your music from one bit depth to another. Here’s how dithering works…
One of the best ways to add space to your mix is by utilizing panning to its fullest potential. A mix that has a well-crafted stereo image will sound far more interesting and engaging. Unfortunately, panning doesn’t get quite as much focus as EQ and compression in many mixing and mastering resources. So, here are some general tips for panning that can help you get started with building a solid stereo image.
The hallmark of a great master is that it sounds consistently good across multiple platforms. This is why a good pair of monitors, with a neutral response is so important. However, sometimes even a great pair of monitors can’t tell you how your mix will sound in the real world, where various and devices and speaker sizes are used. That’s why this mastering test is used by MTSU’s prestigious Recording Industry program to evaluate student work…
Understanding the importance of signal flow is essential to digital music production. When you’re mixing and mastering, the order of your processing will have a significant effect on the sound of your project. Because of this, it’s usually best to place your reverb after your EQ in the plugin chain.
Some indie producers have rediscovered cassette as a medium for adding analog color into their mix. While this is, for the most part, not the best way to add warmth to digital recordings, there are some cool effects that can be had by incorporating an cassette deck insert into your workflow.
HD music formats are gaining popularity thanks to more affordable high-end DACs and cheaper hard drive storage space. Mastering your music in an high-fidelity format enables you to put it on SACD, Blu-ray and digital download. It sounds better and enables you to sell your recordings at a higher profit margin. Check out these four reasons why you should consider mastering your music in HD…
Mastering plugins are numerous and allow engineers to fine tune with limitless options. While there’s a place for all of those options, these five types of plugins are the basic essentials and should be in every studio that seeks to master successfully.
Here are some tips to improve your home recording studio; no matter the size. Make sure to limit the natural audio reflections. This can be attempted in a few different various ways depending on your budget, space, and what is available. Acoustic foam can be very handy when trying to limit audio reflections. If this isn’t inside your budget range you can simply lay carpet or rugs on the ground, walls, and ceilings to help minimize the audio reflections. Both ways will help provide a “dry” audio source. If this doesn’t help you get closer to the sound you are looking for, then you mat want to consider changing the mic. You have a choice of choosing a condenser mic or a dynamic mic and this will all depend on what kind of audio sound you are looking for specifically. You should take into account the size of your home recording studio because that will make just as big of an impact when choosing the correct mic to go with.
Acoustic guitar pickups are typically bridge piezo pickups or magnetic models installed in the sound hole. We explore the differences between the two, and what they can do for your recordings and live performance. Some artists prefer one over the other depending on what kind of sound they are looking for. Although piezo bridge pickups are more standard than a sound hole pickup because the piezo generally comes from the factory. It comes down to your particular recording needs, but keep in mind these may be best for recording. When playing live nothing can reproduce the sound of an acoustic guitar quite like a great microphone on an instrument.