Masters

[Chickenhawked]

Someone is asking me for the masters to their music. What exactly should I be giving them? The whole Pro Tools sessions?
Thanks in advance.

[Larold]

You are talking semantics here. Ask them what they need.

If they are actual professionals, they will know exactly what their requirements are. Otherwise, I would give them the entire protools session and keep a back up, (for everyone's sake) and include a separate folder with just the stereo mixes in AIFF or WAV format, in case they are simply going to use those and don't have access to a Protools computer.

[upscaps]

I would not give the pro tools sessions of the mixes that you did. I would give them the untouched, unmixed pro tools sessions and give them the mixed 2trk passes (main, tv, instr, show, clean, etc.)

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by Chickenhawked

Someone is asking me for the masters to their mus The whole Pro Tools sessions?

Masters means the end product to whichever format you should be delivering. For example, if it's a CD you should produce two-track 16-bit 44100Hz audio files.

Never deliver whole PT sessions unless you get paid for it.

[dr_daw]

+1 JFreak

The masters of the sessions are yours, the final mixed product is their's unless that has been previously arranged. In which case, you should be paid for those masters above and beyond your session rate.

[Drew Mazurek]

Originally Posted by dr_daw

The masters of the sessions are yours, the final mixed product is their's unless that has been previously arranged. In which case, you should be paid for those masters above and beyond your session rate.

Nope.

Engineering is a work for hire. You do not own the multitrack masters, the band does.

Your settings are a different story IMO.

So when I mix for a client, they get back EXACTLY what they gave me plus their printed mixes. But when I record a project and they ask for Masters, they get cleaned out PT sessions that contain their tracks with all current edits, volume and pan too, just not my settings/plugs/hardware inserts/etc.

[WombatStudio.Org]

From reading gobs and gobs of stuff on the Internet, you never "own" an artist's tracks and are always obligated to turn them over on request as long as their account is in good standing. If they do owe you money you can hold their tracks, but you can never choose to delete them.

Also, "Masters" can imply something as not knowing what they particularly want. Terminology is a gray area. But "raw tracks" comes to mind.

I've also read that some engineers provide the whole session including their mix and others (as seen in this thread) don't. They will strip their settings and provide the PT session so all audio is in the proper place. Just providing the "Audio Files" folder will provide useless snippets of audio almost impossible to put in place or one long day using SPOT. (IF they have Pro Tools).

[TruestPain]

Originally Posted by WombatStudio.Org

They will strip their settings and provide the PT session so all audio is in the proper place. Just providing the "Audio Files" folder will provide useless snippets of audio almost impossible to put in place or one long day using SPOT. (IF they have Pro Tools).

^^ Yup. As to not reviel the secret of how they master and to not include the exposure of their own pre-sets.

If I had to encounter something like this, which was rare growing up getting more and more involved in music, I relied on my own engineering than somebody elses, I trusted my ability more than others but I was open to recording in other settings when it called for it. When I did, I wanted copy of my vocals how they were in their raw form in the session. What was usual done atleast for me, was the session was copied as a clone minus the settings, presets, whatever mixing and alterations added into the finished product, all I would have is the pro-tools session, with no added effects, EQ's compressions, volume controls, nothing. Just the raw vocals in their natural state.

[Park Seward]

Originally Posted by WombatStudio.Org

...you never "own" an artist's tracks and are always obligated to turn them over on request as long as their account is in good standing. If they do owe you money you can hold their tracks, but you can never choose to delete them.

I'd like to see a quote from a attorney about holding material created for a client, no matter what condition his account is in. It could be he just hasn't paid you yet and the material belongs to him. Did you give him credit? Or is it a cash sale?

I was holding finished masters for a client until he paid. Well, he never did and his attorney got the masters. I had no right to the material, as it went down.

Also, it's a good idea to determine what you are selling to the client. If the band wants to move to another studio, what do they take with them? Getting terms and conditions in writing is always a good idea.

[danander11]

Originally Posted by Park Seward

I'd like to see a quote from a attorney about holding material created for a client, no matter what condition his account is in. It could be he just hasn't paid you yet and the material belongs to him. Did you give him credit? Or is it a cash sale?

I was holding finished masters for a client until he paid. Well, he never did and his attorney got the masters. I had no right to the material, as it went down.

Also, it's a good idea to determine what you are selling to the client. If the band wants to move to another studio, what do they take with them? Getting terms and conditions in writing is always a good idea.

Giving them back raw recordings would satisfy them getting their 'goods'. Gettting back mixed and edited tracks is a different deal. They are not entitled to your work without paying for it.

My understanding has always been that what you create on your comp, (ie: mixes, edits, etc...), is yours.