Original Message 1/6                 Date: 28-Oct-05  @  08:18 AM   -   master pre-master?

Garuna

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Just had some tracks mastered in a studio for the first time The engineer is a pro and knows what he's doing, and easy to talk to and discuss issues with in lay man's terms. The equipment there is state of the art.

Allthough the result was decent, I was still left wondering whether I should have done more to the tracks before submitting them. I have been experimenting with processing the master channel to get the feel I want (eq, comp, stereo) - in essence master before mastering. Is this OK? This option makes the engineers task more of taming and subtracting during mastering rather than enhancing the sound. Is this a total no-no?

Or should I only process tracks or groups of tracks in the mix and then talk the engineer into getting the levels, feel, energy I want?

Opinions please.

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Message 2/6                 Date: 28-Oct-05  @  10:28 AM   -   RE: master pre-master?

Dominic

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Dunno if this is too do with the pro level of equipment but every single mix engineer I've made tea for shoved a stereo SSL compressor over the main mix on a neve legend and kissed the mix with 1-2db worth of compression before hitting the DAT machine.

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Message 3/6                 Date: 28-Oct-05  @  05:51 PM   -   RE: master pre-master?

milan

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yeah Garuna, just shove your SSL compressor over the main mix of your neve legend and kiss the mix with 1-2db of compression...

but seriously- no. dont mess with your stereo mix if you're gonna have it mastered professionaly. you might just be taking away from what the engineer needs to do anyway. especially dont fuck with the dynamics. if you compress it in a bad way, there is no "uncompressor" to make it better afterwards.

just make the mix as good as you can, and let the guy polish it.

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Message 4/6                 Date: 28-Oct-05  @  08:31 PM   -   RE: master pre-master?

psylichon

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leave... it.... alone....

Nothing makes a mastering engineer's job easier than good mixes. You shoulda been happy with the mix as you printed it or else you shouldn't have printed it yet, innit? Make each mix stand on its own then let the M.E. do his thing.

As stated, I highly doubt you have any processing in your arsenal that would truly impress at a mastering house, right?

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Message 5/6                 Date: 01-Nov-05  @  06:41 AM   -   RE: master pre-master?

Garuna

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Understand. It was just tempting with some mastering presets I tried out at home that gave the track the sound I wanted. I guess the alternative is to do individual tracks..... I met one engineer who likes to "master" his vocals, drums with a multicomp when mixing.... tricks of the trade. Thanks all.

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Message 6/6                 Date: 01-Nov-05  @  01:45 PM   -   RE: master pre-master?

k

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yeah i do that sometimes. a 'multi' on a kik can do good stuff even

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