Pls recommend Mastering Engineer (LA pref.)

[Kubilay]

Looking for someone to master 14 tracks, 68 minutes of music. 12 of which go on a CD, the rest I want to have handy for bonus tracks, downloads and such.

Style: Sort of Thomas Newman, Carter Burwell, some Van Dyke Parks maybe, with some sound-scape/radio-play like ambient noises, etc.

These are acoustic and electric solo instruments with electronic sounds and some samples. Some pieces cover the full-frequency spectrum, others are deliberately narrower (i.e. a track that's all metal mallets, medium to high piano notes, cymbals etc., or another that is a very dull piano and very mellow synth sounds...) Some tracks include "classic pop-isms" (i.e. a fairly big kick and bass) others have a more "classical" sensibility.

The tracks were mixed with an "electronic-pop attitude" (multiple rooms of various "wetness", instruments panned at will, not trying to necessarily sound like there's a live performance on a stage going on, etc.)

There are short mp3 excerpts at this website. Just click on the music samples button. They should give you a bit of a taste of the style and nature of this project. (These mp3's are L3'd ever so slightly, and of course they're mp3s, but the mixes I'd deliver are obviously not limited, with no mix bus compression whatsoever.)

Please, recommend only very experienced mastering engineers that you have had personal experience with, or whose work you know well and you think they just really fit the bill. And please do mention why you think that particular engineer is particularly right for this project. (i.e. Brian Gardner is great, but probably all wrong for this one, 'knamean?)

NOTE: I am NOT interested in a list of "people who do mastering." If anyone has a recommendation (incl. your own sweet and no doubt very talented self) please tell me why I should send my tracks to that person in particular for this particular project

(i.e. "Chris Bellman mastered Tom Waits' album Mule Variations, and while that album is a bit more abrasive than your tracks seem to be, he clearly gets Tom's somewhat unusual music and doesn't force him to be something he isn't. Which seems to be an issue for your tracks as well." Sorta like this, ya know...? Needless to say, I'm thinking about Chris. He still at Grundmann? Anyone work with him?)

Also, if you're recommending yourself, even if you're in every other shelf at Tower Records (and especially if you're not), please do send a short list of verifiable and accessible mastering credits that are in the stylistic ballpark of my project, so I can do some listening. Thanks much!

I'd prefer a mastering engineer here in LA so I can be present, but if someone is particularly well suited for this project I'm willing to ship the files elsewhere. The mixes are 24bit 44.1 and I can deliver in pretty much all the standard formats.

This needs to happen within the next two weeks.

I am obviously looking at a few people and studios here, and of course going through every mastering credit on every album I've ever liked that's "sort of like this", but I'd be neglecting my due diligence if I didn't post this here as well for some input from my fellow forum-dwellers.

Thanks for your recommendations!!!

[Jack the Bear]

******//www.collinsaudio.com/

Fits all the criteria.

Nuff said.

Cheers,

[djui5]

Brad Blackwood is a great mastering engineer who I've had good experiences with.

******//www.euphonicmasters.com

If you insist on someone in LA, look into Brad at Red Mastering

******//redmastering.com/

[Sender]

Doug Sax.... he's great!

******//news.acousticsounds.com/floydmastering.cfm

this isn't his website but a cool little thing, you know, only him remastering Dark Side. But he mastered it the first time around!

He's been mastering since thr early 1950's, check out his credits!
credits

[burst]

Doug Sax and The Mastering Lab are great. Totally agree! I can only vouch for Doug's friendly demeanor, but I use Gavin Lurssen (also at TML) on anything and everything I can... Thumbs up.

[Sender]

I've never met Doug, but I'm glad to hear he's a nice guy! His catalog speaks for itself. I think he would be more then totally acceptable for what you're looking for.

Did you cut the album in LA? Who engineered?

[Rep]

ALSO our own Brian Lucey , has done really well for our fellow slutz here .
Is also a great guy and works with the people with all steps of the way.
******//www.magicgardenmastering.com/

[gsharp]

Another thumbsup for Gavin @ The Mastering Lab. He books out 4-6 week in advance though. But still try. They are very accomodating over there.

[syra]

Yeah, Gavin is awesome.

[jayfrigo]

Well, since I'm not there any more... ;-)
Dave Collins is your man.

[James Lugo]

We use Louie at Marcusen in Hollywood. He's real good.

[paterno]

Dave Collins or Stephen Marsh @ Threshold Sound + Vision have done great work for me. Dave's in Hollywood and Stephen [pronounced stefan] is on the west side, in Santa Monica.

Both guys have extensive discographies that you can view on their sites. They are both really cool guys and interested in the integrity of the music. My favorites in LA by far!

good luck...

John

[Kubilay]

Hey Eric:

What style was that? To me it's pretty clear that different musical styles require different mastering sensibilities, and there are probably very few individuals who are going to be "getting it" in every style. I mean, if you can expertly master a Mozart String Quartet, does that make you a likely candidate for a HipHop album? Most likely not.

[Essay]

....Just adding another thumbs up for Gavin at Mastering Labs!

[Telecastr]

Originally Posted by djui5

Brad Blackwood is a great mastering engineer who I've had good experiences with.

******//www.euphonicmasters.com

I'l second that as well. thumbsup

[delcosmos]

I usually work with Don C. Tyler at Precision Mastering in Hollywood with very good results.

Best.

Armando Avila

[seriousfun]

I've just finished a project mastered by Bill Dooley at Paramount Mastering www.paramountrecording.com. Bill will do a great job.

[vocomotion]

Just used Doug Sax (The Mastering Lab) to master the Dark Side of the Moon A Cappella CD. Amazingly nice guy! Master sounds awesome!

--> freddie

-------------------------------------------------------------------
VOCOMOTION
A Cappella Recording Studio, Studio Products, and Record Label

******//www.vocomotion.com
******//www.DarkSideVoices.com

[InsideTrip]

Another high-five for Dave Collins, who just mastered a 13 song indy work for me. The real deal, a pro experience.

[ToddS]

Mastering Lab....Doug Sax

[RCM - Ronan]

Originally Posted by paterno

Dave Collins or Stephen Marsh @ Threshold Sound + Vision have done great work for me. Dave's in Hollywood and Stephen [pronounced stefan] is on the west side, in Santa Monica.

I will second the vote for Steph over at Threshold. I think he has done 10 or 20 albums for me and I bring him a lot of odd stuff. Free M&Ms at the studio to

[DSD_GUS]

I believe Doug Sax would relate well to your project and do an excellent job for you. It sounds like something he would really enjoy doing. You couldn't go wrong.

[Berolzheimer]

Mitch Zelezny is great.

(818) 247-9592

[Kubilay]

Thanks to all for your help and input.

I ended up doing a LOT of research: soliciting recommendations from composer/producer/engineer friends and acquaintances, as well as from audio boards like this one; listening to a BOATLOAD of CDs and tracks; meeting with mastering engineers in person in their studios and listening to their work, and having them listen to a few of my tracks and talk about what they hear; and finally having one song test-mastered by the two top contenders.

I ended up going with Stephen Marsh at Threshold Mastering. We finished yesterday, and the tracks sound just un-be-lievable. I'll post one or two within the next couple of weeks, once I get through CD production and can concentrate on hosting issues...

These tracks were not easy to master (you'll know why when you hear them, the instrumentation and overall aesthetic is not exactly standard or mainstream), which makes his job all the more remarkable.

The thing that won me over (other than of course the reliably outstanding quality of his work and the impeccable selection of first-class, tricked-out equipment in his room) was that during the test-master he found that elusive balance between on the one hand letting the track be what it is but on the other hand not being shy about getting his hands dirty and doing everything he felt was needed to lift the track, resulting in a superb product.

I'd like to very highly recommend Stephen to all of you looking for outstanding mastering work.