Mastering Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices: Info for Your Consideration

Welcome to the mastering tips, tricks, and best practices blog.  Please consider these points about our articles.  Understanding the reason for this blog and the perspective that we’re coming from will help you get the most out of these articles.

You are the Cream of the Crop!

The fact that you are reading this means you’re in the top 10% of artists.  You care about you craft.  You want to know more about the industry.  You are intellectually curious.  These are things that will serve you well.   That said, please don’t take these admonishments personally.  The fact that you are here means you want to avoid mistakes!  It’s the people that are NOT reading this that will ultimately be the problem.

Remember Our Bias

We want you to be successful and sell a lot of music.  So suggestions about when to release material, when to speak with media, and when to do things are designed to give your career and music longevity.  Just because you can record a song Monday afternoon, mix it, master with a robot and post it to the Internet before midnight doesn’t mean you should.  I can drive a car with my feet, but it doesn’t mean I should.

Some of the Advice is General

These tips are written for the majority of projects.  Some advice may not be applicable for specialized recordings.  For example, some of the release schedules are tailored for a band or rap artist and less for a book on tape, soundtrack, or restoration project.

Some of the Analysis May Expire

Our society has been changing at a rapid pace: communications, technology, tastes.  Furthermore, the music industry has also been transformed radically.  Record Labels used to employ professional staff.  These men and woman managed artists and repertoire (A&R), touring, media, manufacturing, publishing, distribution, and much more.  Today, you - the artist - is responsible for multiple jobs that were full-time careers for experienced and well-compensated individuals.  Who knows what the new music industry will ultimately look like? All we know is we live in interesting times.

Don’t Assume 100% of our Advice is Perfect

We make every attempt to make accurate statements and provide proper advice.  However, if something we say seems wrong, or odd, feel free to question it.  Do additional research.  Write and ask questions.  Check our work.