Lots of bands and home studio musicians record and mix their music, but few take the step of getting their material mastered, and fewer still prepare their music for mastering correctly.
For example, it amazing how many tracks are sent for mastering that use effects like EQ or compression on the main output / master buss. If you do anything, do not do this!
So, here are a few tips on preparing your mix for mastering:
- Leave some headroom for your mastering engineer to work with
- Make sure that none of your individual tracks are clipping
- Make sure none of your individual track effects are clipping
- Don't put any effects on your main output / master buss
- Make sure your main output / master buss isn't clipping
- When you bounce your mix down, make sure you keep it at the same resolution ie use the same bit depth and sample rate that you recorded in.
- Bounce to AIFF or Wave file, not MP3!
How do you give yourself the best chance of being happy with the mastered track?
Well the best chance is to be able to sit in on the mastering session, but lets face it, if you are working with an online mastering engineer that is just not going to happen! Here is a quick checklist:
- Don't hire a mastering engineer until you have heard their work. You may be able to get a short section of your track mastered to serve as an example, or you may be provided with example works.
- Check whether revisions are included in the price
- Make sure you have tested and are happy with your mix on a number of consumer audio devices including ear bud headphones, headphones, your car stereo, your home hi fi with and without sub woofer, your computer speakers
- Don't just listen to your mix at a high volume. Make sure you are happy with the mix when you play it back at a low volume
- Don't hire a mix engineer to do a mastering job
When you have several tracks to be mastered, why not use one track as a test track and send it to a few mastering engineers to see who does the best job and achieves the best sound? You are looking for a great pair of ears, so don't settle for second best.
That's all folks....
