Mastering is a highly subjective process so it’s always wise to have it done by a fresh pair of ears. But you could send the same song to 100 different mastering engineers and get completely different results. That’s why I speak with all the artists I work with to get clear overall idea of what is intended for the audio and how the material should sound.
For mastering I use a variety of software and hardware techniques depending on the style of the material. I use Logic for mixing then Waveburner for mastering and burning the final CD.
There are two types of mastering I offer. One is stereo file and the other is stems (drums, bass, guitars, vox on separate stereo files). The latter involves mastering each part to compile the track which can provide a louder result (better for radio). In terms of prices, I charge £25 per track for stereo mixdowns and £50 for stems.
If you are interested in some mastering you’ll probably want to hear what difference it can make to your music. Here are several examples where you can do just that.
Sonny Ft Singh-One – Down To You
This catchy R&B tracks was sent to me by Jason Singh for mastering. For this more commercial sounding track I used some tight multiband compression to add punch and sweet harmonic enhancers to bring out the top and bottom end of the mix. You can buy the tune from iTunes here. Produced and lyrics written by Singh-One.
Before
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
After
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
X Lion Tamer – I Said Stop (Neon Hearts EP)
Tony came to me after working on his tracks for ages and he needed a fresh pair of ears to address what really needed doing. I made sure the masters were nice and full with a deep punchy bass and sweet top end using some linear phase eq to sparkle up the vocoded vocals.
Before
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
After
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Pundigrion – Everyone Kisses A Stranger
Julien wasn’t happy with the master he’d done himself so he passed it on to me. He wanted a sense of analogue warmth and more punchiness in the final mix.
Before
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
After
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
The Kays Lavelle – Aftermath (Live Recording)
This band play really delicate songs with epic builds and a big dynamic range. In the mastering process I made sure I didn’t over compress the track so the rises and falls of the music were kept in tact. I also made sure the intimacy of the performance and Euan’s vocals came across in the mix.
Before
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
After
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
This example shows the effect mastering can have on acoustic music. Ewan is a great singer songwriter with a distinctive style and we’ve worked together several times. I recorded, produced and mastered this track recording several of my own parts to enhance the structure of the song.
Before
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
After
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
FOR MORE INFO ON MASTERING CLICK HERE
"I'm happy to say that i'm absolutely delighted with your service. Very good attention to detail, excellent musical ear and a lot of patience. I would recommend you to anyone wanting recording, mixing or mastering services. I should know - i'm incredibly fussy!"