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Audio mastering is the key to great sounding music
| Mastering is a little known procedure which is performed at the end of the audio recording process. It is the final quality control check and audio spectrum adjustment before music is released via digital means. Typically the mastering will take place in a specialized studio which has very good acoustics. In this instance good acoustics means neutral and accurate frequency response to a point where it is possible for an experienced engineer to make tonal decisions on the music so it translates well to as many sound systems as possible. In a mastering studio you will find high quality large format audio speakers which have been designed to reproduce the full audio frequency range. In addition they will be accurate and neutral in their response and no unduly favour any give range of frequencies over another. This means the audio is a good representation of what is within any given audio mix or file. This is very important as the engineer will require such accuracy in order to make correct sonic judgements when using his audio processing. the processors a mastering engineer will use will be equalization, compression (dynamic range control not data), stereo width control and also limiters. The goal is clear, the engineer will be making sure the music is enhanced in terms of clarity, translation, frequency response and audio level. In addition to these sonic adjustments the engineer will be listening carefully for any sonic problems such as widen blasts, digital noises, microphone knocks, buzzes and hums. If they are found to be present they will be reported for removal in the multi track recording where it is most transparently rectified or they will be rectified by the mastering engineer himself. Mastering studios used to be quite expensive but these days they are more cost effective due to the new online model which has come about over the last 5 years. This has meant that the pricing can be as little as a third of what it used to be. Despite the improved value it is suggested that musicians looking for mastering services should ensure the studio they choose is reputable and qualified. When selecting your online services for mastering bear the following in mind. Most reputable services have photo's of the equipment, a recent clients list, picture of the room where the music will be mastered, engineer background and professional experience. In general it is not a great idea to choose the services if the Website is purely graphics based. Studios should be willing to show their equipment if they own it and most would be proud to display their equipment and prove they own it to potential clients. In many instances it is possible to get a free mastering test preview file. Just send the track with some details to studios that offer this service and you can compare and listen to the mastering results for yourself and make an informed decision. When you present your audio files for mastering it is suggested that they be 24 bit resolution . wav or .aiff audio files. Please ensure that you remove any limiter and when doing so double check to ensure there is no clipping in the file. (peaks above 0dBFS). |
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SafeandSound Mastering is a high end, low cost online mastering studio.
audio mastering
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