Audio Mastering

The work of audio mastering is the final stage in preparing your music for distribution. On tracks collected on to a CD, it includes matching volume levels and EQ to give the album a uniform sound. EQ is also used to enhance and bring out certain features of each track possibly vocals and percussion. It also includes trimming tracks, setting spacing between tracks. Especially with live instruments and generally on live recordings, the mastering engineer can remove unwanted noises, pops, bangs, sibilants and coughs (even behind the music). This is why it costs more to perform the mastering on live instruments and live recordings rather than the music produced "in the box"

Here are a few notes on submitting tracks for Audio Mastering. The people tagged on this note are mostly unconnected with the recommendations and these notes are intended for future projects (and partly as an advert).

Definitions

Producers: I refer to 2 different types of producer though in some cases this is the same person. The Beat Producer who creates the backing track; The Studio Producer who records the artist and produces the final mix. Some of these comments apply to both.

Stems: This is the bounce of each individual instrument/voice etc as a seperate file. It can be stems with or without effects and it should be specified which is required

Do's and Don'ts

I need high quality WAV or AIF files. I can resurrect and enhance an MP3 if that is all there is but this will never be as good

Do not trim the recording right up to the first note of the track. Leave some space and I will trim it

Do not chop the end of the track too soon. Especially do not chop the reverb tail or a ringing note. This is usually the fault of automated bouncing of tracks. You can extend the length of the bounce by adjusting the setting to include effects trails or simply by extending time a few seconds. This is something I can fix, but would rather not have to.

You can leave the fades at the end of the track to me; a note telling me when to fade would be nice

While you will want to put compression on individual stems, PLEASE do not put compression on the whole track. This is best done at the mastering stage.

WAV and AIF files are pretty big. You can use YouSendIt or a similar service to send a single file but for a full set of files it is better to use FTP. I can set up an FTP account for you to transfer the files to my server.

Information required

Some of the following information is required as it is embedded in to the master CD image and iTunes tags.

Purpose of mastered tracks: CD, iTunes, MP3 downloads. It maybe that I need to produce multiple versions of each track to suit its destination.

Name of each track in the required order on the CD

Gap required between tracks (can be different per track). Without a specification, I will use 2 seconds

Any useful notes/opinion on tracks needed to assist me in the Audio Mastering

Names of any featured artists

Names of any writer(s) (This should include the beat producer, i.e. the maker of any backing track/beat)

Name of the studio producer for each track

Declararion that all material is copyright to the writers listed and that no unauthorised samples have been used

I can provide a form for this information on request.

Remixing and Radio Edits

I can do Radio Edits from the final mix files, but it is much easier to do this with the stems (with effects)

Remixing: I really do need the stems for each instrument and vocal; with or without effects depending on how much you want doing. I would prefer an MP3 of the original mix as a guideline unless you want me to just start again.

About my work

I qualified in Audio Mastering at the Berklee College of Music, USA. I have done mastering on all types of material from hip-hop to classical. Mastering starts at £25 per track for tracks made "inside the box". Mastering of live recordings is by quotation after I have heard the source material.

Using an FTP software to transfer files

Who: This note is for producers and musicians recording in their own studio

Difficulty Level: 1/5

Purpose: To transfer large files.

In a previous note, I described how to do FTP using Explorer (PC) or Finder (iMac). Using a specialist FTP software is far easier and faster, and many programs are actually free.

FTP Software

There are a number of free downloads of FTP client programs as well as a few that cost a few pounds

• PC: FileZilla (free) etc
• iMac: Filezilla (free) / Yummy FTP etc

At the basic level you need 3 pieces of information

1. Name of the FTP Server: in my case www.affinityentertainment.co.uk
2. User Name
3. Password: this is case sensitive to user capitals or lowercase as given to you

Once set up you can drag and drop files between your computer and the other computer, or vice versa

Transferring files with FTP using your existing software

Who: This note is for producers and musicians recording in their own studio

Difficulty Level: 2/5

Purpose: To transfer large files. (In this example from me to you)

At the basic level you need 3 pieces of information

1. Name of the FTP Server

User Name

Password

Windows

• Use Explore. Explore is your normal Windows file manager. It is NOT your Internet Explorer web browser. Right Mouse click on the bottom left (Window icon) and choose Explore. In the top line where it shows the current directory: click in that box and type the server name: ftp://www.affinityentertainment.co.uk

iMac

• Use Finder. From the Top menu choose Go/Connect To Server. In the dialogue box type the server name: ftp://www.affinityentertainment.co.uk

Logging In

You will now be asked for a user name and password. This has to be issued by me to give you access to your own area of the FTP server. Username and password has to be typed with uppercase and lowercase exactly.

Transferring Files

When You have logged in, you will see the files just as if they were on your own computer. You can drag the files to a folder on your own directory.

Likewise if you have write access, you can send files to me by copying the files (drag and drop) up to the server

If the files are large, they could take some minutes or longer to copy. You should see a progress bar while the files are copying.

Still having difficulty copying files over?

You need to have the FTP window open and another window of Explore on your own computer. If you are having difficulty with drag and drop. You can select the file(s) you want and press Ctrl C to copy. Then in the window of your own computer press Ctrl V to paste.

If you using an iMac then the key commands are Cmd C and Cmd V

FTP Software

There are also a number of specific FTP programs that do the job far more clearly.

PC: FileZilla (free) etc

iMac: Yummy FTP etc

Filezilla setup screen click File / Site Manager/ New Site

Sending Tracks for re-mixing

Who: This note is for producers and musicians recording in their own studio
Difficulty Level: 2/5
Purpose: Preparing files for remixing

Mastering is the last chance to get a track right but prior to that sometimes you may want to have a track mixed or remixed by someone else (like me :) ).

You can share your tracks between different software and even different computer platforms (PC, Mac, Linux). Each instrument or voice, whether in audio or midi, should be exported or bounced to a separate audio file (the most universal format is WAV. MP3's are not good enough). In Logic 9 and probably in some other DAWs you have the luxury of being to bounce every track to a separate file with just one menu option. In other DAWs you have to do each track one by one. It is best also to remove any compression from the tracks before exporting. You may also want to remove other effects or plugins but that depends on how crucial they are or how certain you are that they are part of the finished sound.

If you are working in midi on some tracks, you may also want to export these tracks in midi format, i.e. .MID files.

As well as the files, it is useful also to give some notes on your expectations or thoughts on each instrument/voice and for the track as a whole

Each individual instrument or stem will be quite large, too big (20mb - 70mb) to send by email. You may need to send via CD but also see my previous note on FTP. Also see my previous notes on mastering which are also relevant to preventing mistakes in bouncing tracks.

Collaborative Music via internet Pt 4: Exporting WAV/AIF

A few collected notes from questions that have come up from various artists

If you are recording tracks with a microphone, i.e. mono, then you should also choose a mono track to record on. You should do this before you start recording as often software programs default to give you a stereo track.

• Garage Band: Track/Show Track Info (Command I), Input source should be Mono (name of interface input will be in parentheses depending on which equipment you have connected.
• Other software. some software has a stereo symbol (2 overlapping circles) or a mono symbol (single circle). Look at the track info to change the track to mono

Your recording should be exported in highest quality available. 320kbps MP3/M4a is good but really you should export uncompressed as AIF or WAV

In Garageband you can export an AIF file as follows

* Share

* Export to Disk

The default is compressed. Untick the checkbox after "Compress" then click export and choose your file location to save. 

Collaborative Music via internet Pt 2: Vocals

Recording vocals at home

When recording vocals you need a high quality clear signal that can only come from good quality equipment. This is a minimum requirement to record vocals at home

• A Condenser Microphone (large diaphragm) Rode/AKG at the lower end of the price ranges but still likely to be $200 or £200 (as we always pay more in England)

• A Microphone Stand

• Pop filter (large)

• An Acoustic Shield such as SE Reflexion filter. There are now some cheaper copies such as the one marketed by Thomann. These can be very unstable because of the weight of the acoustic screen. By putting the SE Filter together incorrectly: basically the clamp mechanism that attaches to the stand is assembled upside down, it becomes more stable, putting the acoustic shield and the microphone on opposite sides of the mic stand (i.e not like the picture here).

• A good quality XLR cable. You cannot buy a good cable for £5.00

• An Audio interface. This connects your microphone to your computer converting the audio into digital via USB2 or Firewire. You get what you pay for. The most basic would be something like an Tascam, M-Audio or Edirol. Better quality would be a brand such as Focusrite

• Finally you will need some acoustic absorption behind you: a duvet or something like that fastened to the wall.