Digital and Vinyl Mastering

Q: Analog or digital and why?

A: Both! Tape and tubes and digital EQs are all tools. Sometimes one tool works better on a project than another. Tape is lovely, but it can hurt a mix just as much as it can make it better. And we can use a digital limiter plugin artistically and also destructively. We try to tailor what we use for each project specifically for what it needs. We try to be transparent (pun intended!) about our process, which we think helps people understand it's not all a "smoke and mirrors" aspect of the production process.

Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

A: To do the best job we can without trying to make it seem like it's some sort of "dark art" to be a mastering engineer. It's not. You need to have good ears, the technical knowledge, and the ability to communicate well with your clients. We try to do those things to the best of our ability, and charge a price that people can afford.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: Being a mastering engineer means getting to listen to all genres of music! We bring the same attention to detail and feeling to all projects we work with, whether it be rock, hip-hop, classical, etc. Keeps our ears fresh and workflows varied.

Q: What's the biggest misconception about what you do?

A: That mastering is simply about making things "louder." Simply, mastering is a very elaborate QC process where we make sure the audio sounds similar across all listening formats. We wouldn't use the same limiter settings on files destined for CD as we would for those destined for vinyl. Repeatability, consistency, and an ability to understand the artistic expectations of different genres of music - all these things are important for a mastering engineer to know and understand. There isn't one way to do things. Every project is different!

Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

A: We have a standard questionnaire that's sent via email to every prospective client, which is a bulleted list that answers questions about their project - it helps us learn quickly about their needs as well as get them a proper invoice for things. Some standard questions: artist, song titles/order, ISRCS or not?, what formats are you releasing on, and if vinyl what pressing plant, etc. Mastering engineers have to get to know a client quickly - a mix engineer might be working with a band for months, we have to learn about the artist seemingly overnight and be able to deliver to them a product that makes them happy! So it's important to get all the details up front.

Q: What do you bring to a song?

A: We try to enhance the vibe and feel of a song, while correcting any technical errors and making the overall balance appropriate for streaming services, CDs, etc. From a vinyl mastering perspective, the goal is to provide the most seamless and transparent transfer of your music to a record - taking into account the anomalies and nuances of the medium. Before starting the process, we like asking clients about what they are looking to achieve through the mastering process. It helps make the process more efficient and accurate!

Q: What's your typical work process?

A: For unattended mastering, we will start by providing you with two “reference” tracks out of all the songs you need mastered. If you have a preference for which two we start with, let us know. We’ll work with those two songs and get them how you like them before working on the rest of the album - we can use them as a rough “guide” for the rest of the tracks. For attended mastering, we’ll work through the whole album with you and then you can evaluate the masters in listening environments you are familiar with. The “full reference” will be an encrypted DDP (Disc Description Protocol, the Redbook CD audio format) player which allows you to see track titles, names, etc. as well as hear spacings and transitions between songs. When you approve the digital mastering, we’ll provide you with appropriate deliverables for each format. The next step, if needed, will be preparation for vinyl.

Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

A: Most of the work we do is either: 1) working from the "ground up," mastering a project for both digital and vinyl formats and 2) taking mastered material and optimizing it for vinyl, subsequently cutting the lacquer masters.