It is a day's work to master a track, for an experienced engineer. It is a surgical procedure that requires attention to every frequency, transient, effect, instrument, and vocal. Then sleep on it, and back to polish the diamond again when the ears are re-charged. It is not possible to do a pro mastering, by a renowned engineer, for peanuts.
If anyone is offering cheap mastering, you can be sure the music is not given the technical and artistic attention it deserves. Often it is processed with a pre-set chain or a semi-automated process. If your budget allows it, choose experienced craftsmanship.
A couple of anecdotes:
🔶 Bruce Swedien spent over 100 hours mastering Michael Jackson's track, Billie Jean.
🔶 Prince's track Diamond & Pearls famously took 3 engineers 75 hours to master at Paisley Park Studios.
We offer full analog chain mastering, full VST chain mastering, or a fusion of both. Every track is given an individual, surgical process from raw audio to final product.
Our mastering engineers are:
🔷 Adolf Ericsson
🔷 Robert Jensen
⬇️CLICK LINK⬇️ Portfolio / Credits / Highlights :
Steinberg Mastering Playlist on 🟢Spotify
Listen to the creamy sound of our work for Coldplay, Ariana Grande and Seal, and you will understand the difference between a standard and premium mastering job. A song should sound perfect whether you listen on state-of-the-art Klipsch speakers or a broken mobile phone.
Paying premium is crucial, if you want to go mainstream and compete for the big stream counts.
Apple Digital Masters® - Mastered For Itunes®
Tell me about your project and how I can help, through the 'Contact' button above.
8 Reviews - 1 Repeat Client
Endorse Steinberg Mastering- check_circleVerified (Client)
A perfect evolution from "mastering engineer" to "mastering artist". The only one on Soundbetter. If you got the money, it will definitely result in streams in the other end.
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Schwing! The sound is fatter than cream cheese on a buttered waffle.
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You really do get what you pay for. By FAR the easiest, most understanding Engineers I’ve had the pleasure of working with on this entire platform. BIG thank you to Steinberg Mastering for making my track sound SO good, that it made people come into the room just to ask “what song is that?!” Haha!
Even when I had to send over nearly FIVE different versions of the song to them because of mistakes that I WAS MAKING, they were understanding!
Definitely going with them again for all future masters - check_circleVerified (Client)
A very professional studio to work with. Obviously, decades of experience matched with a serious track record with award-winning song credits speaks for itself. A total pleasure to work with from start to finish.
The best ears on the planet - the sound enhancement is close magic
This is the Mercedes of mastering.
SM is mastering most of our classical music. They are able to bring out to clarity every instrument from silky violins to a muffled timpani. Amazing transients in the sound.
We have used Steinberg Mastering for several releases. Their work is impeccable. They are a bit more expensive but you get what you pay for.
Interview with Steinberg Mastering
Q: Analog or digital and why?
A: An intelligent fusion of both. Because technology evolves, and sticking to your old guns is just a statement of ignorance and capitulation. However, one has to acknowledge that analog equipment has a palette of "high voltage" colors that just does not come to life in plugins... yet. I am the first to jump onboard new tech when I am convinced.
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Mastering a track is an artform and engineering job that takes many hours. It is like a surgery for every instrument in your song. No experienced mastering engineer can do this for 200$ or less. If someone is offering a 100$ mastering job, you can be sure it is simply run through a preset chain - with a quick adjustment of bass, wideness and compression. In that case you might as well use an automated online service like E-Mastered or LANDR.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: Since the 1980s
Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?
A: The ghost of Nat King Cole. If his voice could sound so smooth on 1950's processing equipment, I wonder what I could make him sound like today in a modern studio.
Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Trevor Horn, Quincy Jones, Tome Coyne
- Mastering EngineerContact for pricing
See our reviews
- Sontec 432c EQ
- Dangerous® Compressor
- Yamaha CL3 Console
- Steinberg: Wavelab & SpectraLayers
450$ for your first song mastering. Choose: full analog, full VST or a fusion of both.