Audio Mastering - CD Premastering

MASTERING: If you’ve been reading through this site, you should have a good idea of what mastering is if you didn’t before.  Let’s review...

• Extraction / input of original material into the digital audio workstation (DAW).

Once the tracks are entered into the DAW, digital processing can be automated.  Increases or decreases in volume, EQ changes, noise reduction, etc. can be surgically tweaked (You don’t want noise reduction where you don’t need it!).  Some of these processes include... 

• “Heads & Tails” edits, fades
• Noise reduction if necessary - Fully automated.
• Clicks & pops, sibilance control, etc.

Most processing after these digital corrections will be done through MASSIVE Mastering’s chain of analog mastering gear and brought back into the DAW through top-quality conversion.  Tracks are then sequenced to client’s instructions and track markers are carefully placed with frame-precision to avoid arrested starts - even on older CD players or players that quickly “ramp up” volume.  Once that’s all done... 

• CD-TEXT, ISRC (etc.) data embedding
• Authoring DDP file set (included in our "Indie" packages) which can be uploaded directly to the replication plant.
• Redbook compliant PCMD discs available also - Data comparison to the source file and block error rates are checked and recorded.

   “ITB” (Incredibly Tight Budget) MASTERING: You asked for it, you got it.  A budget-friendly service in a full-service facility.  Generally, the work is done “ITB” (a.k.a. “In The Box”) with minimal, if any analog processing.   As much as we love our analog gear, we understand that not every project has the same budget.  Our “ITB” service puts you in the same room, with the same engineer, on the same top-quality monitoring chain while using some of the latest and greatest digital processing available.  This FTP delivery service allows you to take the finished files and upload them to your favorite digital delivery service (iTunes, etc.) or “burn your own” disc for short-run replication.  If you want to send your project out for quality ‘post-processing’ without the high price tag, this is it.  There’s no reason to take a chance on cut-rate ‘fly-by-night’ operations when you can send your tracks to MASSIVE and know that they’re in good hands.  If you have the need to compromise on the budget, you don’t necessarily need to compromise the whole project. 

Q. Why so much less expensive? A. Time.  Digital processing is much quicker - No disc burning, error checking - Paperwork (recall sheets, notes, hand automation) is all but eliminated as the settings are stored digitally with the session.  This saves a LOT of time.  So, we’re saving you a lot of money. 
Q. Is there a significant sonic difference?  A. We won’t lie to you - Analog processing is still the king.  But with today’s digital processors and plugs, in the hands of a professional engineer in a well-tuned space with a top-quality monitoring chain the sonic impact is somewhat minimized.  Let’s be candid - This is a judgment call.  Would we personally recommend it for an amazing quality recording for large-scale commercial release?  Probably not.  But will the average ‘home brew’ / limited release recording benefit from the process being done here more than if it went to a ‘low budget’ facility with less experience and perhaps compromised acoustics?  Almost certainly.  This is a two-way street -- It allows us to compete with the “ITB” mastering facilities.  It allows you to compete with the ‘big guys’ -- It’s a no-brainer.  :-)

“ONE PASS” LIVE MIX EDITING & MASTERING: Let’s say that you recorded all your source material in one session with basically the same settings, then mixed using the same settings.  All of your mixes sound very similar from one song to the next.  You only need a final master for short-run duplication so you can get some gigs and sell a few at shows  --  OR  --  You recorded last week’s orchestra concert in the gymnasium on to a portable recorder and you want to burn CD’s to sell to raise funds for those new music stands.  The recording however, sounds “weak”...  Here’s a “not-so-secret” secret:  MANY recordings sound comparatively "weak" before they’re properly mastered (Check the Audio Samples page for examples of this).  Get the best recording you can,  and SEND IT HERE where we will...

• Extract / input
• Edit out and cross fade “awkward pauses” and speech between pieces leaving smooth, short transitions between tracks on live recordings
• Render an “EDIT” file for mastering
• Perform a “One Pass” master where the edit file, as a whole, will be tweaked, EQ’s, compressed and stereo field adjusted & rendered to a collection of PCM (.wav, .aiff, etc.) files delivered to you via FTP.

“ONE PASS” Mastering is a great “budget” alternative to standard mastering.  However, keep in mind that there is one “global” setting applied to the entire finished product.  If songs vary widely in volume or general tone, or if they were mixed using different settings, “ONE PASS” would probably NOT be your best choice.

Editing & compiling audio from digital sources -

COMPILATION & RECITAL EDITING: Perfect for schools, dance academies and Park Districts - You’re a dance instructor with a big recital coming up.  Do you want to go in and give the audio engineer a box full of CD’s and cassettes?  Do you want that long hiss while the dancers are nervously posed on stage waiting for the music to start?  Do you want wildly varying sound levels and wrong tracks being played?  OF COURSE NOT.  You want to send the box of CD’s and tapes to MM.  Then, we’ll...

• Extract / input source material
• Heads & Tails edits and fades
• Noise reduction (especially from the cassettes!)
• Volume adjustments - To make every track approximately the same apparent volume
• Burn the whole show to REDBOOK standard* CD(s).  VERY important!
• Recital / Compilation editing typically takes approximately 4-5X the program material length

AUDIO RESTORATION: Without going into detail, let’s just say that the “Rice Krispie” treatment (Snap, Crackle and Pop removal), hum removal, even stereo simulation of a mono source is possible -- From tape, digital or vinyl. 

Keep in mind that audio restoration can be relatively simple, or very time-consuming and complex.  It all depends on what you’re trying to get out of the recording.  The condition of the original sets the tone, the client sets the agenda.  A vinyl transfer can be as simple as removing a few clicks and pops here and there - or may take hours of spectral editing.  Music has a tendency to mask some problems.  Spoken word can be much more complicated -- A project done here for legendary broadcaster Paul Harvey was rather complex -- The only available source was a 50 year-old vinyl pressing.  Excellent condition - but still with the typical limitations of the medium.  The end result sounded cleaner than tape with little (if any) apparent evidence that the source was vinyl.  However, it took roughly one hour per minute of audio to get it that clean.  That’s pretty extreme - On the other side, a more modern recording of music may only take a few hours to get it cleaned up well. 

So - Make sure you have a clear budget in mind for restoration projects -- We’ll do the best job we can, of course - but knowing the budget dictates the procedure. 

VINYL TRANSFERS: If you want a quick recording of a record you have so you can listen to it on your iPod, you’re better off getting one of many “direct to digital” consumer turntables out there.  If you have a rare record that you need transferred to digital for archival purposes or for re-release, bring it on in.  We’ll transfer it to digital and give it a once-over.