The Definition of Mastering

[PpProd718]

Learned something new..

[dkcito]

thats real

[hezekiah]

Can complete mastering be done with Sound Forge?

[M.A.N]

thanks for all the info

[SafeandSound]

I put a new site together with lots of information about audio mastering :

What is mastering

Hope you find it of interest.

Barry
SafeandSound Mastering

[PUG Flava]

Although I agree with Weissound's original post as far as the literal definition of Mastering and the process of Mastering I think we have to keep in mind that CD production is on a steady decline. Most people buy music online and with iTunes you can pick and choose which song from an Album you want to buy, so the relationship, relative levels and EQ to make an Album sound consistent is less and less needed. Yes it has to sound good and loud but Mastering itself has to evolve with the new age of internet distribution.

[Yuno]

When I master I think of it as putting the "sparkle" on my mix that makes it sound like it was done in an expensive studio. Unless my mix is off I just EQ to a bit of presence and brightness to make it sound a bit more "hi fi" and cohesive. Then just mess with some multiband stereo imaging to get the higher freq a bit wider, excite and compress a bit. Wallah. Mastered.

[WeissSound]

When I master I think of it as putting the "sparkle" on my mix that makes it sound like it was done in an expensive studio. Unless my mix is off I just EQ to a bit of presence and brightness to make it sound a bit more "hi fi" and cohesive. Then just mess with some multiband stereo imaging to get the higher freq a bit wider, excite and compress a bit. Wallah. Mastered.

Hence the purpose of this sticky. So that when you do that - you don't think of it as mastering. That's a continuation of mixing.

[flynny500]

glad i saw this post, never really bothered with mastering eq etc, just made the beat ad that was it lol

[Euphoric]

Awesome