Mastering is one of the least understood processes in the production chain from the standpoint of the layperson. Common misconceptions are that it 'makes it louder', or 'fixes things that are out of tune', etc. While mastering is a process that often involves bringing the overall volume up on a recording, it is far more complex than one would imagine. It involves taking the mixed stereo tracks and finalizing them so that they sound as good as possible across a range of listening environments both as individual songs and as a unit [i.e. LP, EP or single] and preparing them in a form that is ready to be sent to a duplication house. There are many tools used, like equalization, compression, limiting, stereo imaging, frequency analysis; and every project requires different tools. The overall effect can be either drastic or subtle, largely depending on the quality of the mix and the desires of the artist.

Why should I master my recording?

There are many reasons to master a recording. For one you want to make sure that a project has "glue", i.e. that the songs are leveled properly, and have a definitive sound as a unit. If you are planning on releasing or shopping a particular project, it is unlikely that the result of your mixing session will have this essential "glue" that makes it sound professional. Secondly, particularly in the age of home studios, it is very important to have an experienced engineer listen to a project and correct the flaws that are otherwise missed due to inexperience, poorly tuned mixing rooms, or monitors that leave much to be desired in their frequency curves. And to be blunt - it just sounds better if it's mastered. After putting all sorts of time and money into a project, why shouldn't you take that essential final step to make it sound as good as it possibly can.

What can and can't be 'fixed' in mastering?

There is a surprisingly wide range of issues that can be addressed in mastering. Through the use of clever equalization and compression one can, on a limited basis, remix a project: is that kick drum too soft or loud? Are the vocals not cutting through, or is the guitar lacking attack? Though problems like these are best addressed in the mix environment, a mastering engineer can 'change' the mix so that problems like these are fixed. Certain types of digital clips and noise can also be lessened, or completely eliminated and harsh or overly warm mixes can be brought into better balance. Further, digital recordings can be recast so that they sound more like vinyl than CD - not exactly, but pretty close [listen to my samples, particularly "Made for TV Murder"]. What can't be fixed? Well, I'm sorry but no mastering engineer in the world can tune your guitar or eliminate that amp hum or radio frequency that plays through the entire track. If they tell you they can, they're lying. Vocals can be auto tuned, but only if the artist supplies separate music and vocal tracks - and then, it's not just a mastering project, but a mixing project as well, so it will cost more. In general, mastering is limited by the mix as well - a terrible sounding mix, while it can be greatly improved by mastering, can not be made to sound 'like a Zeppelin album'. By the same token, a great sounding mix, left unmastered, will often times sound 'flat' and incomplete.

Do you do analog or digital mastering? What's the difference?

While I hope to be able to offer a full analog chain sometime in the future, at the present time, I use digital tools to master projects. The primary difference between the two is the types of harmonic distortion that are introduced into the product. Analog gear often uses tubes and output transformers that add a very pleasing 'analog distortion' to the final product - think of the warm sheen that seems to cover the sound of a vinyl album. This 'distortion' is caused by saturation in the analog chain. While that saturation can be emulated in the digital environment, it is not quite the same. It is a difficult difference to quantify but a trained ear and a good stereo system will definitely bring out that difference. The secondary difference is price. Analog mastering houses typically charge a minimum of $1,000 to master an album, both because it takes longer & the gear itself is much more expensive & requires more maintenance. Lucid Production, along with other digital mastering houses, charges significantly less. Our base price begins at $25 per track with increases for the difficulty of the job, or the number of special effects the artist requires. Is the price difference worth it? It is hard to say. It depends largely on taste and your financial situation. While one can definitely hear a difference when listening to your recording on a $10,000 stereo system, how many people actually do that? If you have the money, it might be worth your while, but the mastering job that we can produce for you here at Lucid will be as good if not better than most commercial issue CD's today, and cost significantly less.

What is the difference between Lucid Production and it's competitors in the digital market?

Most mastering houses that are my immediate price competitors have several flaws: they lack the extremely high end monitors necessary to do effective mastering work, they use presets, and they are either a) inexperienced, or b) have a volume based business model that means they don't treat each individual project with the time required to bring out the best in its sound. The monitors are really the most important issue. If your monitors aren't up to speck, you literally can't hear frequency problems, or digital distortion, and therefore cannot correct the flaws. Sure, you can 'make it louder' and look at a frequency analysis and 'guess' how it sounds, but volume and guesswork usually result in an imperfect product. At Lucid, we use some of the highest quality monitors on the market [Devore Fidelity 7.1's] and we also use a range of cheaper speakers and headphones to test the translation from quality to crap. Furthermore, we don't farm out our projects to inexperienced engineering interns. I, Kurt Leege, master every project that comes through the door and I spend the time necessary to both find the right sound for the project and make sure that the finished project sounds as good as it can. I listen to supplied reference material and interpolate it to craft the finished product that you want to hear. And if you want, I can make it really loud too.

What types of media do you require?

We prefer to get files in the highest bit rate and resolution that you can give me [up to 24 bit 48 resolution]. We take files formatted as .WAV, AIFF, and SDII. If all you have is a CD, We'll take that too. We can also take DAT and ¼ inch analog tape. We can also transfer files via FTP, so you don't have to rely on the mail or live in the NY area to take advantage of our services. If this confuses you, just put me in touch with your mix engineer & I'll let them know what I need.

Do you do free samples?

We prefer not to. Our mastering samples page has both .WAV and mp3 samples of a wide variety of music. Please listen to them to get a sense of the work we do. If you have a very large project and absolutely require a sample of your specific product, I will consider it, but if you want me to master your single - no we won't give you a sample. We also have a general policy that if you are unhappy with your project, we will work to fix the issues you have for no additional charge, within reason.

Any other general tips?

I can't stress this enough. If you are intending to have your project mastered, make sure that the final mixes peak at -3 db or below. For one, mastering requires headroom. Secondly, when you mix digital hotter than that without using special tools you begin to add levels of digital distortion, and unlike analog distortion, digital distortion ain't pretty. Please tell your mix engineer to have the final mixes peaking at or below -3 db [don't worry - they'll understand]. Let your mastering engineer worry about the volume.

And, I don't mean to sound snarky, when you're mixing, if you see individual channels peaking [those pesky little red lights] adjust the other levels in the mix down so you can reduce the channel to a level at which it isn't peaking. Many of the cheaper, 'prosumer' monitors don't reveal digital distortion very well, so it's better to be safe than sorry. I can't tell you how many mixes we receive where the digital distortion on the vocals or something else in the mix is painful to listen to [not to mention unfixable at the mastering stage]. If you want it to sound 'loud' when you're mixing, turn up the amp, not the channel.