KVR Audio

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sat Oct 30, 2021 8:27 pm

That’s because the mastering engineer isn’t the artist, and the ones who think they are should be avoided. I’d be livid if someone handed back my music with a bunch of distortion on it that wasn’t there when I sent it off.

roman.i · Post by **roman.i** » Sat Oct 30, 2021 8:29 pm

jamcat wrote: ↑Sat Oct 30, 2021 5:37 pm Wondering if most people responding even know what mastering is.
You really shouldn’t be mastering your own work at all.

We are talking about home made mastering.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sat Oct 30, 2021 8:38 pm

roman.i wrote: ↑Sat Oct 30, 2021 8:29 pm
jamcat wrote: ↑Sat Oct 30, 2021 5:37 pm Wondering if most people responding even know what mastering is.
You really shouldn’t be mastering your own work at all.
We are talking about home made mastering.

Then use pseudo-AI tools that automate frequency balance and loudness. That’s going to help you a lot more than doubling down on your own mistakes.

The Main Event · Post by **The Main Event** » Sat Oct 30, 2021 8:41 pm

If you think a mastering engineer has no artistic function, and rely on AI tools instead, then we clearly got a different picture of what handcrafter music is all about.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sat Oct 30, 2021 8:51 pm

I’m not saying a mastering engineer relies on AI tools. I’m saying you aren’t a mastering engineer, so it would be better if you did.

And no, they’re called a mastering engineer and not a mastering artist for a reason.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:25 pm

The Main Event wrote: ↑Sat Oct 30, 2021 8:11 pmadding distortion/saturation/excitement/you name it, is a decision made by the mixing or mastering engineer.

Fixed it for you.

The Main Event · Post by **The Main Event** » Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:29 pm

Well, you seem to know a lot about mastering and myself also ..... not.
I effectively mastered some albums, songs, etc. even for radio and TV with saturation and excitement on the master bus, i guess i broke your rules then.

Did you even watch the video i posted?

Dont emberass yourself...

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 12:03 am

Yes, I'm very emberassed.

I'm not a mastering engineer. I hire them.
You go ahead and do it your way substituting the artist's decisions with your own, but I wouldn't hire you.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 12:40 am

It’s 2021 and “mastering” has become somewhat synonymous with “finalizing” tracks. Most of us are hobbyists who have to play the role of composer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer, agent, promoter, distributor, etc. and some of us even do our own artwork and photography for our releases. The old rules don’t always apply, nor do they have to. We typically learn on our own and we often learn from each other and have a good time doing it. Where’s the problem?

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 12:45 am

neeeeeeeerd fiiiiiiiight!

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 12:47 am

vurt wrote: ↑Sun Oct 31, 2021 12:45 am neeeeeeeerd fiiiiiiiight!

I’ll stab you with my protractor!

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:01 am

cryophonik wrote: ↑Sun Oct 31, 2021 12:40 am It’s 2021 and “mastering” has become somewhat synonymous with “finalizing” tracks. Most of us are hobbyists who have to play the role of composer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer, agent, promoter, distributor, etc. and some of us even do our own artwork and photography for our releases. The old rules don’t always apply, nor do they have to. We typically learn on our own and we often learn from each other and have a good time doing it. Where’s the problem?

That's totally fine. But creative and stylistic processing should be done in the DAW during mixing, whether it's channel by channel, or on the master buss. And I suspect that's where most people are doing that sort of thing.

I'm not saying you shouldn't make those creative mix decisions at some point. I'm just saying don't call it "mastering" because it's not.

"Mastering" is a very specific thing, and it is all about context: The context of your destination format, the context of the other songs it is going to be packaged with. And it's also about gently correcting the mixing engineer's blind spots. Doing your own mastering in the same studio you mixed in is sort of like a writer saying they are their own editor. It just doesn't work.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:12 am

I’ve been doing this for almost four decades and know exactly where you’re coming from, and you can bang your head against that wall all day long, but it won’t change the fact that things have changed and the old school definitions and ways are no longer the way everybody works. Don’t get me wrong, all of my label releases and albums have gone to a pro mastering engineer, but when it’s my own personal work, I just do what I can do, use my limited knowledge and experience with mastering, and make creative decisions wherever and whenever I feel like it. I suspect that’s how most people contributing to this thread think.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:25 am

Have you tried exchanging tracks with a friend to master? Getting another set of ears in a different studio will do a lot more for your tracks than you ever could on your own.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:34 am

The Main Event wrote: ↑Sat Oct 30, 2021 9:29 pm Did you even watch the video i posted?

Yes, I looked at the video.
It's advertisement from iZotope who want to sell plugins to bedroom musicians.

I would suggest adding multiple layers of subtle saturation on a track-by-track basis in your DAW for "excitement." I use console emulation, Studio One mix engine FX, and tape emulation on each channel. That's going to be a lot better than slapping harmonic distortion across your entire mixdown.

.

Best mastering chain with plugins?