LorenzVauck.com

Mastering can often result in a significant improvement for your music. However, the difference it makes for you depends on the quality of the engineer doing the mastering.

An inexperienced mastering engineer can only help with a few small improvements in the quality of your sound (if you’re lucky). Sometimes they can even make your music worse!

But, a pro mastering engineer is going to give you feedback and know how to make the right adjustments that results in a final “Hit” sound.

For this reason, let’s cover what you should look for in a top mastering studio:

1. Has a solid reputation. There aren’t a lot of mastering engineers who work for the big studios. Only a small number have gained their trust.

The reason is because the best mastering isn’t easy to achieve. It takes years of experience and even then you’ve got to have knack for the process.

Average mastering engineers are not hard to come by, but the best engineers are a rare find. When you come across an engineer who you can trust with your music, then you’ll want to stick with them album after album.

2. Has a wide range of experience, especially with your genre of music.

Every song has its unique quirks and only experience allows the engineers to know the best solution for every song.

Moreover, each genre of music is going to be slightly different. Your ideal mastering studio should be very familiar with your genre of music… and preferably be a fan.

This allows the engineer to give the best feedback and help get the creative juices flowing to bring out the best possible sound.

3. Has fast response times.  A good mastering studio offers you quick responses and once the work is done, they are prompt in sending it back to you.

A mastering studio should give your music a top priority and be devoted to achieving your final vision.

4. Has the right equipment and is skilled with it.

A common problem with many “budget studios,” which seem to offer a good deal (at first sight) is that they often don’t have the proper equipment to give your music the adjustments it needs.

And if they do have some of the equipment, then they don’t have the experience needed to get the most out of it – meaning your music turns out far short of what it could.

5. Guarantees you’re happy with the result.

A good mastering studio works to ensure that you’re happy… and you’ve gotten what you wanted (and more) out of the mastering process. So, if something is overlooked, you can rest assured that they will go back and fix it – so your music is a success!

About the Author:
Lorenz Vauck is an Audio Mastering Engineer, Musician, and Internet Entrepreneur from Dresden, Saxony, Germany. He is the Managing Director and Chief Mastering Engineer of XARC Mastering, one of the world’s first online audio mastering studios established in 2003.

The music world is filled with one hit wonders and those that made it big for a short time, but are now forgotten. Their loyal fans are non-existent.

You see, most artists don’t realize that you can attract lots of fans in the short run, but it doesn’t mean your music is going to stick around for long.

New music comes out. Fans move on.

On the other hand, some bands have loyal fans that are die-hards forever. Even more, the music is passed on to their kids, a new generation of fans (the Beatles, for example).

But, what is it that keeps fans loyal to your music long into the future?

Of course, there are a lot of different factors. But, probably the single biggest one few people put enough emphasis on is creating a record that fans want to listen to nonstop – without tiring of it.

Because think about it. If you have good music, then your record is likely going to have some sales even if the record stinks.

But, how many of those fans are going to want to listen to your record years into the future? Not many. Because there’s nothing memorable about it.

And this is where good mastering comes into play. Mastering can by no means completely fix terrible recordings and mixes… But, it is what transforms your record into a masterpiece.

Without it, you have about 1 in a 1,000 chance of creating a timeless record. There are just going to be too many flaws that prevent your music from flowing smoothly from beginning to end.

And that’s the goal of a good mastering job. You want the listener to be able to replay your CD dozens of times in a row without wanting to throw it out.

Because when this is accomplished, you have created a memorable record. The listener looks forward to the next time he gets to listen to it it, tells his/her friends about it because it sounds great and fat – instead, of feeling “Sick and tired” of hearing it.

The need to listen to something new and different is reduced. Your music is a “Go-to” record time and time again.

In other words, what all this means to you is simple. Take your record serious and give it the respect it deserves. A good mastering engineer can literally be the difference between having your CD tossed or kept in the record player for generations to come!

About the Author:
Lorenz Vauck is an Audio Mastering Engineer, Musician, and Internet Entrepreneur from Dresden, Saxony, Germany. He is the Managing Director and Chief Mastering Engineer of XARC Mastering, one of the world’s first online audio mastering studios established in 2003.

When most people look for a mastering engineer, they often think that talent is the most important characteristic.

Although it’s true that skill is vital to getting a “Hit” sound, it’s NOT the most important part.

Far more important is effective communication.

This is because without it, the engineer’s talent doesn’t mean a thing. It’s impossible to get the “Hit” sound YOU’RE after.

You see, the reason communication is so important is that there are countless adjustments the mastering engineer can make.

But, knowing which ones can be tricky. They must be based on the sound/feel you’re going for and what the engineer is technically able to do (based on experience and tools).

Additionally, good communication also allows you and the engineer to get on the same page.

Because each person only has half of the story. You have an idea of what you want your music to sound like and the engineer knows the full scope of what can be done to achieve your vision.

And when everybody involved with the production gets in the groove of creating the best possible sound, this is how hits are made.

A good dialog allows both sides to fully picture what can be achieved… and generate the ideas needed to get a successful master.

With that said, let’s move on to…

5 Tips to Achieve Communication Success:

1. Give references of bands you want to sound like. Then, discuss with the engineer the parts you like and what you want to capture for your music. The more specific you are in what you like, the better job the engineer can do.

2. Talk to the engineer about all the potential changes and solutions he or she has in mind. You can then give your input to generate new ideas and ensure these changes are what you’re going for.

3. Look for an engineer who you can get in touch with using the phone or email.

You can then quickly reach the engineer if a good idea hits you.

4. Look for an engineer who’s interested in listening to your ideas. The last thing you want to work with is somebody who fails to listen to your input. A good mastering engineer will deeply consider your ideas and then tell you what can be done.

5. Pay attention to the engineer’s critique of your recording. Often the engineer has worked with hundreds of other acts and knows exactly the common problems that occur. By listening to the engineer’s ideas carefully, then you’ll know exactly how to get the best sound out of your music.

Relating to this, you should also be in contact with your mastering engineer during the mixing and recording phases to make sure that you have the best possible mix by the time it gets to the mastering engineer.

Mastering can only improve your audio based on where it starts. A bad recording can’t be turned into a top-quality master (though it occasionally can be transformed into an average sound with a star engineer).

Simply put, good communication is the difference between having simply “Average” or “Good” sounding music… or creating memorable music that leaves a lasting impression on the listener.

About the Author:
Lorenz Vauck is an Audio Mastering Engineer, Musician, and Internet Entrepreneur from Dresden, Saxony, Germany. He is the Managing Director and Chief Mastering Engineer of XARC Mastering, one of the world’s first online audio mastering studios established in 2003.

Quality mastering costs good money for a reason. It can sometimes mean the difference between having simply a good album or creating a smash-hit that lives on for decades to come.

All because it gives your music the independent look by a skilled engineer who can quickly identify problem areas that need improvement —and add polish to the parts of your music that may end-up causing your album to sell far less than it could.

With that said, there are a few times when it is NOT worth going through the expense of hiring a mastering engineer. These are for small personal projects that you may not want to focus on promoting.

They are just for you to experiment with and for a small amount to people to hear.

So, if this is you, then pay attention. Here are 6 mastering techniques to get a winning result if your music does not warrant hiring a pro:

1. Focus on the big problems and let many of the small ones slide. Remember, that many of the changes you make may cause problems to 5 other parts of the song.

In other words, you don’t want to get off track by focusing on a small problem that in the end isn’t very noticeable.

2. Remember that every track is different. Just because a change in a previous track was effective, it doesn’t mean it’s going to work on another.

Listen closely to each track and then decide what should be applied.

3. Get another pair of skilled, independent ears. The biggest advantage mastering offers is getting a second opinion from someone else who is not close to the music – and knows from experience about potential problems that occur.

Do your mastering with someone who has experience with music production to help make sure your changes sound good. And if you’re not sure about something, then take a break and let your ears and mind become “Fresh” again.

4. Know that mistakes are part of the process and you will make lots of them. Just be sure you save your music every step of the way…. And listen closely every time you make a change to make sure you don’t get way off track.

5. Create a mix optimal for mastering.

6. Listen on as many systems as possible. You want to make sure that your music sounds good on as many different systems as possible (like at home, in the car, on the kitchen radio, etc.) If you don´t have a good monitoring system in an acousticaly treated room and if you don´t know your system very well, then this is the only way to get at least “useable” results.

Simply put, you’re never going to get a truly “Pro” job without the help of someone who can perform expert mastering. However, it is possible to improve your personal music on your own and get a sound far better than you would have otherwise had.

About the Author:
Lorenz Vauck is an Audio Mastering Engineer, Musician, and Internet Entrepreneur from Dresden, Saxony, Germany. He is the Managing Director and Chief Mastering Engineer of XARC Mastering, one of the world’s first online audio mastering studios established in 2003.

Passion is a key ingriedient to creating good music. Without it, the artist is never going to put his or her full emotion into the music.

However, this often causes a huge problem. After the music has been recorded and mixed, those who worked on it often fall too closely in love with the finished product.

Long hours slaving away in the studio can make anybody feel like little or nothing is wrong with the masterpiece you’ve just created.

It’s just like an author that writes a novel or a director that creates a movie. After all of that time and work spent on it, nobody wants to hear critical reviews. They’ve put their heart and soul into it. It’s their baby.

Your music is the same way. All of those who have put a lot of time and energy into your music aren’t going to be critical enough to catch serious problems.

For instance, maybe there’s a problem with the recording quality, the song just does not gel together, or it just does not have the best overall “feel” your potential listeners are looking for.

Simply put, too often musicans just don’t realize these mistakes, until it’s too late!

This is why a good mastering engineer is so important. You should think of your mastering engineer as the final quality control check by “fresh,” skilled and independent ears.

It’s less about simply the processing and more about making changes based on a final and objective look at what you’ve created.

Only after the engineer has given your music a fresh look and discussed potential problems with you are any adjustments made.

In other words, the mastering process revolves around the objective look at your music.

This means it’s impossible for anybody else who has worked with you during the creation of your song to not be biased (even if it´s only slightly – like for the mix engineer for example). They’ve heard the arguments for why the music is the way it is and worked hard to make it that way – everybody, but the mastering engineer is emotionally invested.

This also means you should be talking to your mastering engineer throughout the entire process to ensure you deliver the best possible mix for the engineer to work his magic.

Additionally, you should deeply consider all of the feedback the engineer gives you.

Remember, he is giving you feedback based on years of experience and knows what he’s talking about – because he’s “heard it all” before.

Your mastering engineer should be somebody you trust to give you the right feedback to bring-out the best in your music.

The bottom line is that the objective view of a good mastering engineer offers can mean the difference between the success and failure of your record. It’s what catches flaws and helps gear your music torward a positive direction.

About the Author:
Lorenz Vauck is an Audio Mastering Engineer, Musician, and Internet Entrepreneur from Dresden, Saxony, Germany. He is the Managing Director and Chief Mastering Engineer of XARC Mastering, one of the world’s first online audio mastering studios established in 2003.

Although music mastering is only one small component of a hit record, it can’t be overlooked.

In fact, it sometimes can be the most important part of post audio production.

This is because there’s often a thin line between success and failure.

All that’s standing in your way from massive success may only be one little flaw making a big impact on your music.

And this is what mastering is about. 

A good analogy is that mastering is like an Olympic sports trainer whose job it is to get the athlete (or your record) into peak performance.

Failing to get the right coach could cost the athlete the gold medal because he or she is off by just a fraction of a second.

Mastering is the same way in that its job is to optimize your music to give it the edge to cross the finish line first.

Good music mastering is the difference between having a record that falls flat of its potential… or getting a “Hit” sound that lives on for many years to come.

Additionally, just like a there differences in quality between coaches, not all mastering engineers are in the same league.

Some have a track-record for creating the “Hit” sound, while others are still learning.

A good mastering engineer gets the music playing up to its potential by bringing-out the best sounds, reducing the bad ones, and giving it the overall feel you’re going for.

Moreover, he or she knows how to listen and communicate with the artist. Because if the engineer does not, then he or she is never going to accomplish a final result everybody is happy with.

The mastering engineer’s job is to help you accomplish your final vision… because he or she knows the most efficient way to get there.

Without the mastering engineer, you’d never reach your full potential. Because you would not know what changes you should make or how to make them.

About the Author:
Lorenz Vauck is an Audio Mastering Engineer, Musician, and Internet Entrepreneur from Dresden, Saxony, Germany. He is the Managing Director and Chief Mastering Engineer of XARC Mastering, one of the world’s first online audio mastering studios established in 2003.

Every song requires something different inside the mastering studio. It all depends on the quality of the recording and what the artist’s final vision is.

Some tracks require more time spent trying to reduce or eliminate errors… and others may need lots of adjustment to make the songs come together.

Simply put, whatever sounds best for the album and each particular song is what’s used.

With that said, each music genre often has similar adjustments made to it.

Let’s talk about some of these so you can get an idea of what’s done to your genre of music:

First, let´s take a look at hip hop. With hip hop, the artist often wants to achieve a big and fat bass/bottom with clear and “Peaking out” vocals and a sparkling highend.

Also “extreme” loudness, at least nowadays, is often what the artist is looking for in order to compete with other releases (see posts on the loudness wars here and here).

This is compared to the other end of the spectrum with classical music.

Compression is sparingly used. Maintaining the dynamic range is very important for the listeners.

Essentially, the live performance feel is what is trying to be captured. Ideally, there is very little sound processing to keep everything as natural as possible.

The main adjustments are editing and noise removal. Bringing all the instruments together in the right way is also very important with careful equalizing.

Classical is related to jazz mastering.

With jazz, you are also trying capture the live performance sound. However, compression is often used, especially on the vocals and slightly on the overall mix to increase the loudness, while keeping the dynamics in tact.

So, what about other types of music?

With rock, for instance, the sound ranges from very dynamic to heavily compressed and from “dark” to a very “bright” sound with a lot or a small amount of bass. Whatever the artist preferes. And the same basically goes for any genre – because there is never a “One approach fits all” rule for a good mastering engineer.

The bottom line is… every song varies in what should be applied.

About the Author:
Lorenz Vauck is an Audio Mastering Engineer, Musician, and Internet Entrepreneur from Dresden, Saxony, Germany. He is the Managing Director and Chief Mastering Engineer of XARC Mastering, one of the world’s first online audio mastering studios established in 2003.

One of the most important steps during the mastering engineer’s work is what’s known as “Dithering.”

Dithering is applied at the end of the mastering process to ready your music to be put on CD, DVD, MP3, Vinyl, or any destination format.

It’s needed because the mastering work is often performed at either 24, 32 or 64 bit (a high resolution). However, most playback devices/destination medias do not currently support anything higher than 16 bit (CD) or 24 bit (DVD).

This means the bit-depth must be reduced. You can think “Bit depth” as the steps of loudness that can be represented. 8 bit only supports 255 “loudness steps” which the music’s volume-dynamic must be fit into. While, 16 bits supports 65535 steps (a much better resolution already).

The ladder then keeps on climbing with increasing bit depths.

However, a problem occurs when you reduce the bit-depth. The loudness steps can’t be evenly reduced because there are more “loudness steps” occupied by the music’s volume-dynamic in the higher bit depth than available in the lower destination bit depth.

Unwanted distortion occurs as a result.

This problem is what’s commonly known as the, “Quantization error”.

To fix this problem the process of dithering is used. Dithering makes the distortion unnoticeable to the human ear by adding noise to the lowest signals to help fill-in the uneven loudness steps.

Simply put, dithering is an essential part of mastering to eliminate low-level distortion (a “grainy” sound) for creating the truest possible sound.

About the Author:
Lorenz Vauck is an Audio Mastering Engineer, Musician, and Internet Entrepreneur from Dresden, Saxony, Germany. He is the Managing Director and Chief Mastering Engineer of XARC Mastering, one of the world’s first online audio mastering studios established in 2003.

Dear Friend,

I hope you had a good first two months of the new year?

I just wanted to quickly let you know that I have again added a new before / after demo to the ever growing big before / after demos section of my website. This time it is a song from Lewis Newman called “Piano Track”. It´s a very dark and ambient song, with a very nice mood to it!

Here is what Lewis replied to me after I´ve sent him the approval master so he could let me know any changes he might require before we go final:

“Hi Lorenz,

I just had a listen to it on a few different systems, and i think it sounds absolutely amazing!…

I am so pleased with it, so much better than the unmastered mix. There’s nothing i would want to change.

I did an A/B comparison, and the unmastered one seems so flat and boring compared to the new version!

I just want to thank you for everything.

The master is exactly what i wanted, and on top of that, your service and communication is absolutely excellent.

I’m doing a demo to send to music libraries at the moment, so i will have more tunes for you soon if that’s ok!…

Thank you so much again, you are great!

speak to you soon,

Lewis.”

The before / after demo can be heard at http://www.xarcmastering.com/demos/ (Lewis Newman – Piano Track)

Besides a pretty huge before / after the mastering difference, this demos again shows the massive benefits of my newly installed equipment, including a “new old” tape machine, new passive tube equalizers and a new custom build dynamics processor which again shows its full potential on this demo if you listen to how much details are revealed “out of the dark”.

Especially the tape machine and the tube equalizers, which I carefully select for each and every boost/cut I do on each song, gave the song this massive and fat, airy but still warm analog sound. With all those possibilities at hand, it often takes a few days to finish just one song! But hearing the results and getting such feedback from my clients, I always see it´s worth it to not do it like “common” mastering studios which finish a song in an hour or two usually.

So enjoy listening and let me know any questions you might have, I am always here to help and listen to your thoughts / ideas / questions.

Probably the most important tools in the mastering engineer’s toolbox are equalizers.

Equalization is what makes about 95% of the sound by adjusting the frequency of the various components of a song (such as the bass or treble). It’s essential to bringing-out the vocals or instrument sounds, or to add some “sparkle” and “shine” to the song.

Additionally, it’s vital to making the songs come together and sound coherent. For example, one song might have too much bass, while another doesn’t have enough. You can then reduce the bass on the first one and boost it on the second one so that you have a same level in both tracks.

When applied to vocals, you may use equalization to make them less “nasal” or give them more “body” / “warmth”.

For instruments, equalization is important because many instruments have complex frequency components that are difficult to mic correctly. Equalizing can balance this.

It can also help emphasize certain sounds of an instrument you like and eliminate ones you don’t. For example you can raise the attack / kick of a bassdrum or boost its “body” so that it has more power in the bass area.

Another example might be if you had a whistle sound that’s too loud in a Brazilian song. With equalization, you can reduce the exact frequency of the whistle to make it fit in better.

Inside the mastering studio, there are a wide range of EQ´s available… from clean digital to warm analog models.

Each equalization model can dramatically change the overall feel or “flavor” of the song.

This means that every song varies in the types of adjustment it needs and it can even be the case that several EQ´s (an analog EQ for that “sparkling” highend and a precicse digital EQ for exact low-end adjustments) are used for specific frequency adjustments within one song.

And this is also a reason why you need an experienced mastering engineer to help guide you in making the right EQ adjustments to your song.

About the Author:
Lorenz Vauck is an Audio Mastering Engineer, Musician, and Internet Entrepreneur from Dresden, Saxony, Germany. He is the Managing Director and Chief Mastering Engineer of XARC Mastering, one of the world’s first online audio mastering studios established in 2003.