Understanding the Mastering Checklist
When I started sending my mixes to mastering engineers, they would have these lists of requirements for the tracks. I saw them but I never understood why they asked for them. So... I often didn't follow them. The result was that the Mastering Engineers couldn't do what they do to the best of their ability and I didn't get as good a result as what I could have.
So, I thought I would explain why I'm asking for what I'm asking for on our Mastering Checklist. My hope is that you will understand the reasons so that you can make intelligent choices about your final mixes and get the best results possible whether you have Capella Starway or any other Mastering Engineer work on it.
- All files must be in at least 44.1kHz format and at least 24bit - having a file at this resolution gives us the best, minimum standard to work at. The plugins and analog gear have a relatively complete enough representation of the sound waves to work with with the least amount of guessing having to be done by the processing algorithms. When there is less extrapolation, there are less errors. Less errors, better sound reproduction. Better sound reproduction, better choices can be made by the Mastering Engineer. Better choices, happier you.
- All files must be either WAV or AIFF file format. No mp3s - much like above, mp3 or other compressed formats are not optimal for getting the kind of audio detail that is ideal for making sonic decisions. It is also not optimal for giving you access to the many different formats you may wish to use your material with (e.g. film) at some day in the future. The one caveat to this is if the music is important to you but you have no access to the original source material any longer. In this case, we will do the best we can with what you've got.
- All reference material must be "high quality" mp3 or better - reference tracks used to compare the track in process of being mastered to the overall loudness, frequency spectrum and feel with that of the reference. Again, the better the resolution the better comparison.
- All files must have at least -6dB of headroom - a Mastering Engineer is going to be adjusting the EQ and dynamic range of the track. If the track is already peaking at 0dB, the only place left for us to go is into clipping. We can adjust the volume. It adds another layer of processing that isn't needed for any good reason. However, having no headroom can often mean that someone has already tried to master the track and has left compressors and limiters on the master buss.
- Please remove all limiters or compressors from your master buss - much like leaving us -6dB of headroom, this is about letting the Mastering Engineer have room to work. If you have already squashed the WAV file into an audio sausage, it doesn't give us much ability to change things in a positive manner. If you HAVE already tried to master the track, that's fine. Send along the track as you have mastered it. We will use that as reference for the direction you want to take the track. However, leave the compressor and limiter off of the track you send us to actually work on.
-
Have all individual tracks edited with clean fades, as we aren’t responsible for any cuts or pops within the master when the problem exists in the individual track - there should be no need for a Mastering Engineer to fix editing-type problems in a track. It's not that it's beneath them. It's just that the mastering stage is not an effective point in the process to fix these types of things. If we do fix them, chances are that fixing it is going to negatively affect some of the good stuff in your track. We want your track to be the best it can be. THEN, we put the shine on it.
-
Leave some room at the beginning & end of the song to give us some room to work with fades - an abrupt stop to your track is going to result in a chopped ending. Leave a little extra on either end of the track. It's like a haircut. Better to leave a little extra if you're unsure because you can always chop more off. You can't add it back once you've chopped it.
-
Do not send session files, only WAV files - I resonate with this one because I also wanted to do this. The problem is, this is mastering and not mixing. I did it hoping the Mastering Engineer would fix the stuff that was wrong with my mix. Mixing is a different thought process entirely from Mastering even though it uses similar tools. When we do an initial listen to the track, if there is anything that we think will give you a bad mastered track, we will alert you with specific information and suggestions on how to fix it in the mix. Just remember, if WE have to fix the singer's sibilant "SSSSSSS", we're likely to take off the top of the snare and a bunch of the hi hat too. So, it's better if you fix it and then we master it.
Schedule a Consultation