Master or not?

[gitanosoy]

Hi,
Just wondering if we have to submit every composition mastered or can we just bounce a mixed tracks and submit an mp3, I master my own songs at home but if not required I like to save the time. I realize that sometimes they will specify "Broadcast quality needed" I am assuming these are mastered tracks.

Thank you.

[eeoo]

I would send in the best possible representation of your work. They're not in the business of trying to imagine what your cue would sound like if it were mastered, they'll just move on. My 2c...

[ttully]

Hi gitanosoy.

I completely agree with eeoo.

Everything has to sound as good as possible.

I master every single track..... In fact....I have the mastering plugins running when I record...
I know that is not the usual way to do it....but I have been doing it that way for years.


My 2 cents also,
Tim

[gitanosoy]

Thank you for replying...I guess I will keep on mastering...just a quick one.

[Len911]

It depends on what you call mastering. "mastering" is a pretty loose term, nowadays. I don't think everyone's on the same page with the meaning.

If we start with gain staging the individual tracks or optimizing them for mixing, then in the process of mixing or fitting all the tracks together, each stage of the process should require less drastic eq and compression, and then when you get to the master buss stage, the mastering eq's are more for tone control, and limiting to control the peaks and set a level, you pretty much have mastered for a wav or aif file. Technically you are providing a clip that will be mixed with other clips, like
dialogue and other audio, which will then be mastered. It's easier to imagine the real "master" as being the final stage,whether that be a completed film, or even a radio broadcast, and everything in between as a part of mixing, I think it is much
more likely to yield a better result by optimizing rather than jumping the shark and trying to create the master.

[gitanosoy]

It depends on what you call mastering. "mastering" is a pretty loose term, nowadays. I don't think everyone's on the same page with the meaning.

If we start with gain staging the individual tracks or optimizing them for mixing, then in the process of mixing or fitting all the tracks together, each stage of the process should require less drastic eq and compression, and then when you get to the master buss stage, the mastering eq's are more for tone control, and limiting to control the peaks and set a level, you pretty much have mastered for a wav or aif file. Technically you are providing a clip that will be mixed with other clips, like
dialogue and other audio, which will then be mastered. It's easier to imagine the real "master" as being the final stage,whether that be a completed film, or even a radio broadcast, and everything in between as a part of mixing, I think it is much
more likely to yield a better result by optimizing rather than jumping the shark and trying to create the master.

Of course I master my compositions for CD, DIGITAL DOWNLOADS for limiting peak levels and volume but for primarily submiting music for Taxi I want to make sure if it is not clipping and it sounds really good not to bother mastering before converting from 24bit Wav to Mp3 ....just wanted to know what others were doing as ..that's all.
thanks