Gearslutz.com - View Single Post - Master each song individually then bring it all together or as a whole album?

Jerry Tubb · 10th August 2006

We've had folks bring in 1-3 songs at a time over the course of a year or two, to build a 12-14 song master, as they finish mixing each batch of songs.

It's not so hard for us to be consistent, esp if we make notes as to gear, and a few example settings, but it can be difficult for the client, as players, engineers, studios, equipment, production & mixing concepts can change over the course of year :~)

At that point if you don't reference the previous group of tracks for vocal level and overall mix balance, it can begin to sound disjointed. I've gotten to the end of a long term mastering project and redone a few of the earlier tracks to tighten up the consistency.

More than once we've mastered a CD where the tracks were done over the span of a decade (or more), that one can be tough to get consistent, various Analog formats, some ADAT, PCM, DAT, CD-R, , Hi-Res B-WAV, and even cassette ... gasp! At that point you kinda have to let it be what it's gonna be... a retrospective anthology!

my offering of random free associations tonight... JT

10th August 2006	#5
Jerry Tubb Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2006 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,959 Verified Member	We've had folks bring in 1-3 songs at a time over the course of a year or two, to build a 12-14 song master, as they finish mixing each batch of songs. It's not so hard for us to be consistent, esp if we make notes as to gear, and a few example settings, but it can be difficult for the client, as players, engineers, studios, equipment, production & mixing concepts can change over the course of year :~) At that point if you don't reference the previous group of tracks for vocal level and overall mix balance, it can begin to sound disjointed. I've gotten to the end of a long term mastering project and redone a few of the earlier tracks to tighten up the consistency. More than once we've mastered a CD where the tracks were done over the span of a decade (or more), that one can be tough to get consistent, various Analog formats, some ADAT, PCM, DAT, CD-R, , Hi-Res B-WAV, and even cassette ... gasp! At that point you kinda have to let it be what it's gonna be... a retrospective anthology! my offering of random free associations tonight... JT __________________ Terra Nova Mastering Celebrating 21 years of Mastering! Using analog, digital, tape, tubes, transformers, plug-ins, hardware, etc... whatever best serves the project.