Did my first mastering job for an outside client...

Tim Armstrong · May 22nd, 2008, 01:25 PM

John (an old friend of my brother Mike) recently recorded four songs. He took these songs and added several more from various recording projects spanning close to thirty years, and is about to release the whole big shebang as a CD.

Needless to say, the levels, mixing styles, tones, and signal-to-noise ratios on these songs all vary wildly!

He was just gonna send it all on to the duplicator/replicator, but my brother convinced him that the project needed mastering, if only to put everything in a form that COULD be duplicated! He had songs saved as WMA files, .wav files, etc.

And, of course, time was almost nonexistent (as he wanted them back from Oasis in time to have for an upcoming show). I had one 4-hour session to take a total of 11 songs and whip them into some kind of shape.

I converted them all to .wav files, ran them through Reaper, surgically removed some tape hiss, got the levels matched as best I could, fixed a few e.q. odds and ends, sequenced the whole thing, and sent it back.

He is delighted!

I kinda enjoyed doing it! Although, to be perfectly honest, I'm a long ways from having either the proper acoustically treated room or the kind of gear that even minimal PROFESSIONAL mastering would require. Still, I think the old "outside ears on different speakers" thing held true...

Cheers, Tim

woodman · May 22nd, 2008, 01:54 PM

that's great, both for the experience and for your pal's project! i've been tinkering with a little bit of what i call "faux mastering" on a project i tracked for a buddy, and while you're right in that it ain't "pro mastering," it's a heap better'n nuthin'!

mudbean · May 22nd, 2008, 02:00 PM

That's alot of work in a little time, and you probably saved the project - kudos!

Disclaimer: Having said that, I must assert that I stand by the belief that mastering is a "Don't try this at home, kids!" kind of process.

mud

Tim Armstrong · May 22nd, 2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudbean

Disclaimer: Having said that, I must assert that I stand by the belief that mastering is a "Don't try this at home, kids!" kind of process.

mud

As do I!!! Any project of mine will absolutely be mastered by a pro, most likely Bob Ohlsson of Georgetown Masters down in Nashville. He learned his trade in-house at Motown in the 60's.

Cheers, Tim

TeeBird · May 22nd, 2008, 02:09 PM

Can you give us more details on the processing, e.g., EQ, compression?

Tim Armstrong · May 22nd, 2008, 02:11 PM

I have a motley assortment of plugins, stuff from n-Track, Sonar and Reaper. I THINK I used the graphic e.q. from n-Track, and one or two of the compressors from Reaper. Sorry I can't remember better (it was obviously a rush job, and I didn't keep notes!).

Cheers, Tim

tjalla · May 22nd, 2008, 03:00 PM

Oh, now yer jus showing off so we can add more reasons to your appreciation thread

Heheh... kidding, kidding. Nice work with the mastering!

robbysturgis · May 22nd, 2008, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Armstrong

As do I!!! Any project of mine will absolutely be mastered by a pro, most likely Bob Ohlsson of Georgetown Masters down in Nashville. He learned his trade in-house at Motown in the 60's.

Cheers, Tim

How much do you charge?

How much does Bob Ohlsson charge?

mudbean · May 22nd, 2008, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbysturgis

How much do you charge?

How much does Bob Ohlsson charge?

Are you tryin' to say, "You get what you pay for?"

mud

Tim Armstrong · May 22nd, 2008, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbysturgis

How much do you charge?

How much does Bob Ohlsson charge?

I didn't charge anything, as it was for an old friend of my brother's, and really, I'm not a mastering engineer.

Bob is quite reasonable, I think I got a quote for well under a thousand bucks to do my nephew's band's CD (the knuckleheads just released it without mastering!).

If I was gonna put something out and try to get airplay and industry attention, I'd much prefer to have Bob do it!

Cheers, Tim

woodman · May 23rd, 2008, 12:28 AM

usually with a pro-caliber mastering job, you're lucky to come in at 500 bucks -- and that's the brother-in-law deal.

octatonic · May 23rd, 2008, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robbysturgis

How much does Bob Ohlsson charge?

Bob is a great guy.
I chat a bit with him on Gearslutz- he is always very helpful.

Congrats on the gig, Tim.

May 22nd, 2008, 01:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Berlin, Maryland, USA Age: 49 Posts: 9,659	Did my first mastering job for an outside client... John (an old friend of my brother Mike) recently recorded four songs. He took these songs and added several more from various recording projects spanning close to thirty years, and is about to release the whole big shebang as a CD. Needless to say, the levels, mixing styles, tones, and signal-to-noise ratios on these songs all vary wildly! He was just gonna send it all on to the duplicator/replicator, but my brother convinced him that the project needed mastering, if only to put everything in a form that COULD be duplicated! He had songs saved as WMA files, .wav files, etc. And, of course, time was almost nonexistent (as he wanted them back from Oasis in time to have for an upcoming show). I had one 4-hour session to take a total of 11 songs and whip them into some kind of shape. I converted them all to .wav files, ran them through Reaper, surgically removed some tape hiss, got the levels matched as best I could, fixed a few e.q. odds and ends, sequenced the whole thing, and sent it back. He is delighted! I kinda enjoyed doing it! Although, to be perfectly honest, I'm a long ways from having either the proper acoustically treated room or the kind of gear that even minimal PROFESSIONAL mastering would require. Still, I think the old "outside ears on different speakers" thing held true... Cheers, Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

May 22nd, 2008, 01:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
woodman Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mint Hill, NC Age: 62 Posts: 5,961	that's great, both for the experience and for your pal's project! i've been tinkering with a little bit of what i call "faux mastering" on a project i tracked for a buddy, and while you're right in that it ain't "pro mastering," it's a heap better'n nuthin'! __________________ Truth is stranger than fact ... www.myspace.com/woodymitchellmusic BAND PAGES: www.myspace.com/stragglerswing (Stragglers - Western Swing) www.myspace.com/loafersgloryband (Loafers Glory - '70s country-rock)

May 22nd, 2008, 02:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
mudbean Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: SoCal Semi-Desert Semi-Paradise Age: 49 Posts: 1,722	That's alot of work in a little time, and you probably saved the project - kudos! Disclaimer: Having said that, I must assert that I stand by the belief that mastering is a "Don't try this at home, kids!" kind of process. mud __________________ www.mudbean.com "Do ya want it to be interesting, or do ya want it to be true?" "So far, it's neither."

May 22nd, 2008, 02:09 PM	#5 (permalink)
TeeBird Tele-Meister Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sebastian, FL Age: 46 Posts: 328	Can you give us more details on the processing, e.g., EQ, compression? __________________ Kawanga!

May 22nd, 2008, 02:11 PM	#6 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Berlin, Maryland, USA Age: 49 Posts: 9,659	I have a motley assortment of plugins, stuff from n-Track, Sonar and Reaper. I THINK I used the graphic e.q. from n-Track, and one or two of the compressors from Reaper. Sorry I can't remember better (it was obviously a rush job, and I didn't keep notes!). Cheers, Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

May 22nd, 2008, 03:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
tjalla Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 1,891 7 Photos	Oh, now yer jus showing off so we can add more reasons to your appreciation thread Heheh... kidding, kidding. Nice work with the mastering!

May 23rd, 2008, 12:28 AM	#11 (permalink)
woodman Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mint Hill, NC Age: 62 Posts: 5,961	usually with a pro-caliber mastering job, you're lucky to come in at 500 bucks -- and that's the brother-in-law deal. __________________ Truth is stranger than fact ... www.myspace.com/woodymitchellmusic BAND PAGES: www.myspace.com/stragglerswing (Stragglers - Western Swing) www.myspace.com/loafersgloryband (Loafers Glory - '70s country-rock)