Analog Mastering

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

Hi All,

I've read a ton of posts over the past few years but this my first.
Thanks for all the info - - It's been really helpful.

I'll be finishing up recording my bands first album in a couple of
months and am looking for someone to master it. I've had an EP
mastered and was satisfied with the results but want a little more for
the album.

Brit pop sound. Clean guitars. It's being recorded all digital and
mixed digital.

I know that I can get good results going digital or analog with the
mastering but I would really like to go analog.

Any suggestions for places to go? Information about analog
mastering/digital mastering in general? I'm in NYC and would prefer
to sit in on the session, I would be willing to travel a bit.

My budget is around $1200 for a 34 minute 11 song album.

Thanks in advance,

Andrew

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

I guess what I'm thinking is run it out to tape and bring it back
through analogue(is that the spelling) signal processing - -

Skipping the tape could be ok - And just going out to processors.
I'm not planning on doing any buss eq or compression. I would like
that all to be done in the mastering process. I want to leave space in
the mix to add a little character at the mastering stage that I don't
trust myself to do in the mixing.

I understand that it's all about listening not so much about the
equipment, but part of me wants the mix to go through somthing solid
rather than just being calculated into place like it will have been the
rest of the process.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <1120575785.033580.206320@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
andrewgeller@gmail.com wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> I've read a ton of posts over the past few years but this my first.
> Thanks for all the info - - It's been really helpful.
>
> I'll be finishing up recording my bands first album in a couple of
> months and am looking for someone to master it. I've had an EP
> mastered and was satisfied with the results but want a little more for
> the album.
>
> Brit pop sound. Clean guitars. It's being recorded all digital and
> mixed digital.
>
> I know that I can get good results going digital or analog with the
> mastering but I would really like to go analog.
>
> Any suggestions for places to go? Information about analog
> mastering/digital mastering in general? I'm in NYC and would prefer
> to sit in on the session, I would be willing to travel a bit.
>
> My budget is around $1200 for a 34 minute 11 song album.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Andrew

Analog is certainly great for certain things, but don't get too hung up
on analog vs. digital. Most of the big houses will generally use some
analog gear anyway, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that a trip
through tape as a signal processor is necessary to get what you want.
Sure, it may be interesting, but something with tubes or transformers
may give you the analog glue you are looking for. Some guys may even get
the flavor pretty close with a digital box like the Hedd or Sintefex.

There are many variables, and a good engineer in a good room will use
whichever tools at his disposal best accomplish the musical goals. In
this case, I'm sure something analog will be included in the chain.
Interestingly, sometimes the thing that works best is not what you
initially expected, so keep an open mind. Your budget is reasonable, and
while you won't get the senior guys at a place like Sterling,there
should be several experienced and well equipped rooms to choose from
within driving range of your location.

--
Jay Frigoletto
Mastersuite
www.promastering.com

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

<andrewgeller@gmail.com> wrote:
>I see what you guys are saying.
>
>Can I give a song to bunch of places and see what they do with it?

Yes, but you'll pay for it.

>Is there any negotiating possible in rates?

Sure.

>I saw that at sterling after hours the rate is $1500 for an attended
>session - So that's a little above what I'd like to pay.

If that session is a week long, that's a great deal. If that's for
an hour, that's crazy. Normally you pay by the hour. You'll pay more
for attended sessions, because they have to schedule around you. You'll
pay more if you need it now than if you need it later. A good engineer
may charge more per hour, but take fewer hours to do the job.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

In article <1120593861.568066.144950@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
<andrewgeller@gmail.com> wrote:
>I think that's for 7 hours including the master cd and reference cd.

Does your project need 7 hours?

I've seen plenty done in two hours.

Then again, I once had a compilation album that come to something like twenty
in the mastering room, plus a couple hundred hours prep time to get some of
the older materials transferred.

Not all projects are the same.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

andrewgeller@gmail.com wrote:
> I see what you guys are saying.
>
> Can I give a song to bunch of places and see what they do with it?
>
> Is there any negotiating possible in rates?
>
> I saw that at sterling after hours the rate is $1500 for an attended
> session - So that's a little above what I'd like to pay.
>
I spent $2000 for a days mastering in Munich (MSM). Best decision I
made. Great gear (Analogue & Digital) and the results were wonderful.
It was 5 years ago and he used Sonic Solutions plus a few nice boxes
(EMT 248 reverb, Dolby 740, Prism EQ etc) However, I get the impression
the guy could have made my CD sound good using an alesis comp and a
behringer EQ. It's in the hands/ears/bones.