Mastering
💀️ £25 per track
💀️ Unlimited revisions
💀️ Optimised for all media (24 bit digital file, Vinyl, Cassette, CD)
💀️ FREE test master (before you proceed with a batch)
💀️ Audio Restoration £30 per track (cassette/vinyl remastering)
💀️ Stem Mastering £40 per track(up to 8 channels - recommended Kick, Bass, Drums, Synths/Instruments, Vocals, FX)
💀️ Mastering Tuition £50 per hour
When submitting files...
24 bit is desirable, but 16 bit is fine too. 44.1/48k or whatever sampling rate you work at.
Some headroom is desirable, but this is just to avoid clipping. Keep the full crest of the waveform within range. Don't flatten peaks, unless it's an integral part of the sound. The only important factor is being free of clipping.
If you have a batch of tracks and would like a test master provided before proceeding, please send first. If you are unhappy with the result, there is no charge. This gives me a chance to demonstrate the benefits and win your confidence going forward.
Do I need mastering?
I would argue, if you are confident that your mix has the right balance of low, mids, highs - has all the necessary loudness and dynamics built into the mix, is free of clipping and nastiness, then you can probably skip an external mastering session and simply place a good quality limiter across the master bus (provided you know how to use the limiter properly). Having said this, hiring a separate mastering engineer has several benefits. As producers, we can be timid with our moves. Or too hasty. Like a chess game, one bad move and all the work up until this point comes unravelled. That means we often miss quality-enhancing opportunities.
Having a final check by someone who was not involved with record-making is the key part. A mastering engineer can be completely objective with their decision making. Whether it comes from Abbey Road or Baz's Fruity Loop sessions has no bearing on how the sound is treated. The presentation of your music in recorded form and how it will translate into the world is all that matters.
From bluetooth speakers to the main room, your mix needs to work across the spectrum of playback devices. Most producers can balance a working sound on their own system, but translatating this to others can be the killer. If you are releasing music regularly, the importance of establishing a working relationship with a decent mastering engineer is important.
Hi 📞️ I am Mike. I can unlock your music's full-spectrum. 🌈️👂️
I can also teach you how to do it yourself. 💪️
Does mastering make it sound better?
Let's be real. It usually always does add some qualitative value. To what degree? That's down to how much room is left for processing and whether it's appropriate for the music. If you're looking for extra-creative impact from your mastering session, please mention this when submitting tracks.
Processing the master bus is like voodoo. Magic happens in ways that isn't possible during mixing, so it's always worth exploring the the creative possibilities. I've even heard of labels asking producers for unprocessed track mixes (no compression in mixing) so the mastering engineer can "go nuts". This is certainly one way to get some interesting collaborative results. But, generally, if a mix has everything needed, then emphasising the signal further may not be the smartest move.
brassicaproductions@gmail.com
