In reference to reference material..

[John The Cut]

Listening to commercial CDs is all well and good to evaluate your mixes, but I find it hard to listen to professionally mastered and duplicated CD to evaluate my own work - mastered at home and duplicated on CD-R.

I was wondering if anyone knows of a 'Reference CD' that shows some mixes before and after professional mastering perhaps with an explanation of the gear and processes used?

Is there also anyway to evaluate the difference between a CD-R and a commercially duplicated CD?

If any of you guys have a couple of pre/post mastered CDs lying around I would love to be able to have a listen. I just want to guage what shortcomings I can expect from my system and not try to over compensate.

Any help greatly appreciated

[Rodney Gene]

In theory the best mixes need little 'sweetening' in mastering. In other words the final mastered version is basically identical to the original mix.

In reality your mixes are only going to suffer or excel as much as your ears / room / equipment / experience permits.

When it comes to mixing..in my own sub 10 year limited experience. Nothing can compensate for experience.

P&B,

[lucey]

Originally Posted by Rodney Gene

In theory the best mixes need little 'sweetening' in mastering. In other words the final mastered version is basically identical to the original mix.

Well it's a nice theory, a worthy goal ... although only a very few mixers meet that goal.


mogWai I could send you some b4 and after masters but I dont think it will help your work ... you shold be aiming to get very close to mastered CDs (in the genre you're mixing) with the exception of limiting. In other words, make it sound as good as you can, but not as loud as you can.

Some other thoughts and tips

[Rodney Gene]

Originally Posted by lucey

Well it's a nice theory, a worthy goal ... although only a very few mixers meet that goal.
]

Very few? I didn't realize the percentage was so high!

My only point is that the goal should be great mixing, and using a ME only for what is missed or not possibly noticed by the room / experience / equipment. In which case all mixes are different which means there is no single way (or before and after formula) for Mastering.

P&B,

[lucey]

Originally Posted by Rodney Gene

Very few? I didn't realize the percentage was so high!

My only point is that the goal should be great mixing, and using a ME only for what is missed or not possibly noticed by the room / experience / equipment. In which case all mixes are different which means there is no single way (or before and after formula) for Mastering.

P&B,

Right on ...

Yet also in modern music the final ounces of volume are up for grabs in mastering assuming a dynamic mix ... great mastering can be loud and still move ... modern mastering trends are for limiter overkill OTOH.