Do you master your own work?

[Coffeeinthesink]

With the faster turnaround that these submissions entail, and the fact that some are writing and creating for the submission prompt, I'm wondering how folks are getting their work mastered before submitting. I know very little about mastering and have heard the difference between amateur and pro mastering enough times to know its worth. However I don't see how everyone could have a mastered version of new songs or of instrumental versions of songs ready to go in time. How are you guys doing it? Just do a "good enough" job with the software you have available?

[cosmicdolphin]

Good answer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBmc-sS6ZV0

Good Book here https://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Audio- ... dpSrc=srch

But basically..Yes..Do it yourself and learn to do it well..and if you really can't ..well there's stuff like LANDR but it will cost

Mark

[cassmcentee]

Maybe I'm doing something wrong but Libraries are signing my mixes...
My Mixes are my Masters
meaning: I'm not producing albums (where I DO MASTER so that all the tunes are cohesive)
but, instead, I'm making individual tracks for Film/TV (no need for cohesion)
I just need good mixes for individual tunes and for them to be at or above Broadcast Quality
Do you want to give us an example of the music you think needs Mastering?

[Coffeeinthesink]

Thanks Mark. I'm going to learn more about doing it on my own and consider buying some more software in the near future to help. In the past I've paid $75 a song for pro mastering but that would get expensive if I was creating a LOT of new work.

[Coffeeinthesink]

Cass - You're not doing any final processing on the mix? It's kind of essential for the rock/folk stuff I've produced, but maybe film/tv wants total control of that in some cases.

[hummingbird]

I don't 'master' my work per se - I pitch to film & tv and get forwards, signings, placements.

I provide what I feel is a good, clean, well-balanced and blended 'broadcast quality' track that is composed for that specific usage, which is different than mixing/mastering individual artist songs or a collection of songs for CDs.

I've been doing this for long enough that I have my MO, I have templates set up to help me get started and the template I most often use is set up with master busses and a number of tracks already panned and ready. I mix as I go, and then take a break and come back to tweak the final mix with fresh perspective. I use mastering plug-ins and my own ears and eyes, to finish off my cues.

You can use P2P as a sounding board. If you've written a track for a specific listing, post up a link & copy/paste the listing as well. We'll take a listen and give feedback on composition and production.

[cassmcentee]

My Master Bus almost always has EQ, a multi-band compressor and a limiter running for my final processing, if that's what you mean?!?

[funsongs]

The poor-man's answer: if your mix sounds "broadcast quality" good on earbuds... well, dang.

[hummingbird]

@Robert - Similar. I start with Tracktion's "Master Mix" plug in, I have a couple of Rob Chiarelli's plug-ins, plus Neutron Elements and Ozone 7. I start with the default settings and play around until I hear what I'm looking for. Once in a while I'll use a high/low filter or EQ on an individual track if something is too 'screechy' on the top. I use planning and volume a lot in placing the instrument in the landscape of the mix.

It's strange, when I came to TAXI I knew zero, zero, and zero, about mixing or producing. Learned everything I know from TAXI U and this community. Used to read recording magazine even though it was all Greek to me, hoping to soak up something lol. Rally classes with Fett and Rob are priceless.

[mojobone]

Ideally, I'd employ a second set of ears, but economic and temporal necessity means the tunes leave the shop pret a porter. If you need help hitting the target, Peer To Peer is your huckleberry.