Research Project: Mastering

The Definition Of Mastering:

It is the final stage in the recording process. Every major label release is mastered to be prepared for retail sale (i.e. CDs, Vinyl, iTunes, etc) and/or radio play. Major releases that are going to get radio play get compressed a lot to raise the overall level of the loudness, this is make the song "stand out" compared to other songs, so the general public will assume the song is better because it's louder.


Why it would be beneficial to learn more about it:

Because my passion in music is being an MC (rapper) as well as being a producer, which means I'd be in the studio a lot of the time either recording or making music. So instead of paying professional a lot of money to make my songs sound better, it'd make more sense if I learn the skills of mastering music and craft the final product of my own music.

Mastering is an especially good skill to acquire in the industry today because it will ensure that you will last longer as labels/artists/bands will come to you to get songs mastered. The better you are at mastering music, the higher your reputation meaning more people will come to you.


Techniques I need to explore to improve mastering:

*Knowledge on speakers:

To get the very best results, it's best that you make sure your speakers are in the frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. This is because the hearing system of a human generally can hear anything from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, so you'd want to hear everything you can while mastering, otherwise this will cause issues in the long run.

*Knowing how to record:

If a song doesn't level up to expectations, the issue may not be in the mastering but the recording itself. To make a recording sufficient enough, you need to make sure you have the best possible microphones to record vocals/instruments (i.e. Use a condenser mic for things like vocals and piano because it has a greater high frequency response). You'll also need to make sure the space your recording in is good enough, so you'll need to take many things into account for when you master the track (i.e. Space in the room, positioning of the singers/instruments, positioning of the microphones, etc). The biggest advantage is; if you're present from the very start of the recording sessions, then you can pick out the best recording in general, have it mixed then add the finishing touches.

*To know plug-ins:

This is very essential as plug-in's (i.e. EQ, Reverb, Multi-band Compressor, etc) are the main tools everyone uses to master a song. It's also important that you know what each plug-in does. Most composers and producers use plug-ins to either pull off a certain sound or to add something so subtle that can effect the song so much.

*Know what you're listening out for:

The most important tool anyone can have when mastering music; ears. When you're listening to a song that has been sent to you for mastering, before you open up your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and get right to work, it's best that you listen to the song over and over again to pick out any and every flaws. Preferably, I'd listen to it once to get a feel/groove of the song, then keep listening to it over and over to pick out every mistake then work on it.

Pros & Cons:

It's good to know about speakers so you know which one to buy to get the best sound.

Being efficient in a recording sessions will help you loads in the studio, it would greatly benefit you if you're going to work in the studio, regardless what you do in the music industry (performer, producer, sound engineer, etc). This would mean that operations can run much smoothly when recording a track.

Plug-in's can do so much to a song as long as you know what you're doing. It's a standard that there are plug-in's in all DAWs.

Improving your ears for music is something all performers, composers, producers and sound engineers should do if they want to get better at what they do. When you have a better ear for music, you could do so many things compared to someone that doesn't have a good pair for music.

Speakers and Recording both have one common disadvantage: Money. In terms of sound systems (speakers), it costs quite a lot to get good ones. Most (if not, all) professional studios (both recording and mastering) have speakers that cost an arm and a leg. However, recording is even worst as it'd cost even more to get all the equipment you want like mics (both condenser and dynamic), acoustical soundproofing treatment, the list goes on.

When it comes to plug-in's and sharpening your ears for listening to music, there's only one common con (which really isn't a con) and that is time. Learning about plug-ins and how they effect a song will take time, as well as improving your ears for music. In my view, if you see time as an "investment" in this case, then it's no longer considered a con.