Does it make a difference???

[GZUZIZLORD]

I went to two local studios around town to have some songs mastered, and the first one all they did was use ionizer 1.3 and L1, the second one which was the biggest studio in town, Pro Tools tdm and all that, all they did was use TC Electronics master x3 plug-ins and send me on my way.
But, and heres my question, the first studio had a Yamaha 02R, and the second had an Tascam DM-24, so would having those do anything to make the quality of the music better? the music wasn't recorded into those, but I noticed it went out to them as part of the signal chain, and then to the monitors, do they give more volume or loudeness.
I ask because I'm going to just do what they did and master my own using those plug-ins and before I take that step I would like to know If having something like that is necesary.

Thanks

[audioeric]

aren't those both digital mixers? I know the Yamaha is.. And it can't add anything to the sound, except the effects that it has on each channel..

We took a client's material down to Mike Fuller in Miami, I would consider him a Mastering Studio because thats what he is. He had much more than just some plug ins or a TC.. You went to regular studios that say they do mastering.

Having a Yamaha 02R isnt' going to make your recordings louder or sound different unless you use the on board effects..

ANyway, what do you think of the mastering? Sound good? Hot signal?

eric

[GZUZIZLORD]

Thanks for your input.
Yea they were both digital mixers and I see what you mean because they didn't have no effx from them.
The mastering, So, So, thats why I'm like man I am not going to pay someone to do something I can do myself. Its good enough to make airplay but overall, it's like they slap a plug-in on it and use the same setting for all the other songs.
Does Mike Fuller have a website? and whats his work like?

Thanks

[Chris Coleman]

I went to two local studios around town to have some songs mastered, and the first one all they did was use ionizer 1.3 and L1, the second one which was the biggest studio in town, Pro Tools tdm and all that, all they did was use TC Electronics master x3 plug-ins and send me on my way.

Unfortunately, you didn't go to a real mastering house. Who knows - maybe the guy turning the knobs is an actual mastering engineer, but he wasn't working in a mastering studio. Any studio that claims to be a "mastering studio" and has the signal going through a mid-level digital mixer as part of the monitoring path is kidding themselves.

In a real-deal mastering facility every link in the signal chain and every single component is evaluated and chosen for a specific purpose, sound, and usually its transparency. You'll usually find top-level EQ's, compressors, limiters, converters, cable, routing, amps, monitors, and most of all - room design.

I don't have a problem with local recording studios making a fast buck with an unbooked room, but perhaps someone at some point should mention that they're not really a mastering house, they just play one on TV. Hell, I admit it - I often master projects for my clients, but given budgets and work-flow it makes sense. However, I make clear to them the distinctions between my services and facilities vs. those of a dedicated mastering studio.

[audioeric]

www.fullersound.com

He's done Rod Stewart, Eric Clapton, 2 Live Crew, Judas Priest, Sister Hazel, BeeGees, Barry Manilow, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, and the list goes on..

He took 4 good mixes and made them all sound like a GREAT CD!!! Which is what actual Mastering Engineers are supposed to do.. Not just make songs sound good, but make them fit with each other.. Like I've said before, just like a Car Manufacturer has that "look" to it, all the cars and trucks look a certain way, but are different, that's how a CD should be.. FOr instance, BMW, all their cars have this similar look and style, but the Z4 is different than the M series, etc.. A mastering engineers job is to make sure that the thread of similarity is present, and to ready the final project for duplication..

HOpe this helps, if you're going to check out Fuller Sound, just realize that he's not cheap.. He did 4 songs for about $1500.. But, if you're going national with it, which is what this band was doing, then its money well spent..

eric

[audioeric]

I don't have a problem with local recording studios making a fast buck with an unbooked room, but perhaps someone at some point should mention that they're not really a mastering house, they just play one on TV. Hell, I admit it - I often master projects for my clients, but given budgets and work-flow it makes sense. However, I make clear to them the distinctions between my services and facilities vs. those of a dedicated mastering studio.

Exactly, I've done the same thing. But, like you, I make sure that it makes sense.. If a band is planning on going national, and has the money, I don't fool myself into thinking I can do as good of a job as Fuller Sound, conversely, if a band is just doing a demo or putting out a local CD and is on their last dollar, I'm not going to refer them to Fuller Sound.. In any situation, I usually call what we do Finalizing and explain the difference that we don't consider ourselves a Mastering House, and that if they want a mastering house, we can refer them to a great one, but usually once they see the price for a full CD, they just have us do it.. We do a good job, but it's not going to have that extra little bit that a mastering house would do..

and Chris, I like your quote, that they're not a mastering house, they just play one on t.v..

Sound like a lot of the studios around here, they're not really engineers, but they did stay at a Holiday Inn last night

eric

[GZUZIZLORD]

Cool thanks for all the info, I see where your coming from. I'm gon save my chips for now on!

[sean shannon]

I also "Master" my client's CDs here at my studio. I don't call my studio a mastering house, but I do it as a service to both them and myself. I find that if done properly, a CD sounds bigger, fatter, and is the same perceived loudness as a commercially available mastered CD, if I do it for them.

They always have the option to get it professionally mastered. I give them 2 CDs: One "Mastered" with my computer and software, and one straight copy of the mix in case they want to master it themselves at a pro mastering facility. What the heck. I work by the hour usually, and if the CD makes the client happy, then I get more bookings. They usually love the "mastered" CD.

[GZUZIZLORD]

Yea, the mastering was pretty good. The one mastered with ionizer 1.3 sounded great actually. The other one had no experiance doing rap, so I had to walk him thru it. Get this we, mind you on a pro tools tdm, he was doin his thing with the masterx3 by tc and then bounce to disk, then wed go out to my car so we could check it. we did that a couple times. That was after I came back, because the first time it was complete crap.
anyways, I just need my music to beable to be played on radio stations, and for booking shows. I don't know about 1,500. for 4 songs, not even an album, only cuz I cant afford it tho. If I had it like I wanted I spend 30gz like P-Diddy. but maybe later, for now I think I'll go with ionizer or something, Im a keep checking.