Mastering Engineer needed for this "World" Music Album

audiothings · 25th June 2010

Greetings

I am in India. We recorded this song a couple of weeks ago along with seven other songs. I am looking to hook up with a mastering engineer at this stage... I wish to mix the other tracks with the ME's guidance.

There is a budget. It is not a lot but we are not too stingy either. I prefer to discuss it privately.

The music is very beautiful. All are welcome to listen and offer ideas on how to better the mix. Whether or not you want to work on it, please listen. You will thank me.

4 piece band... drums, electric bass, acoustic guitar, slide guitar/vocal. Recorded live in studio. No real overdubs, just a couple of lines punched in. The language is Sanskrit... a language no longer spoken by common people... the music, I'd like to think, is universal.

I would like anybody to take this track, master it for me and offer me advice on the mix. My concern is a slight bass boom, because of the bass cab spilling into all the mics.

As I understand, some mastering engineers offer a 'one song on the house' demo situation. All are invited. We will master the album with the person we can afford and are most comfortable with.

We DO NOT want it to be squashed. We are not competing. We are looking for a certain euphonic quality that will somehow enhance the experience.

Please listen to the song and then decide if you want to work on it.

please address all communication on this matter to audiothings@gmail.com

Thank you.

Jai Shankar.

audiothings · 27th June 2010

wow. thanks guys. forgive me for not replying personally to each person who sent me a track. did not expect so many responses. and certainly not from so many famous people with key facilities.

this has become a big problem. in a blind test, nobody is able to come to a consensus on which master is preferable. i think i know which one stands out but i was the one conducting the blind test, i have to be tested myself to decide that i can actually hear the differences...

problem of plenty is a rare thing for us third world guys

trmchenry · 28th June 2010

This is a really great song.

dimitvel · 28th June 2010

I'm sure most of the guys here know how to take a blind test in the right way but I want just to remind some of the rules deserved to be respected:

#1. Louder seems to be better, but very often it is not! To avoid that all tunes have to be with EQUALIZED RMS LEVEL! That, of course should be done by e professional engineer (ME) who can do it with no loss of any quality!

#2. People who are NOT INVOLVED in the recording should be used for the test! They are really objective. Musicians and engineers who have recorded the songs are not!

#3. Listeners SHOULD KNOW WHAT TO LISTEN: they have to be instructed to look for the features that a good master should have: macro-dynamics, atmosphere, natural ambiance, finer details, soundstage depth, proper presentation of the build-and-drop musical dynamics etc...

#4. The BEST AVAILABLE HI-FI EQUIPMENT has to be used for the test! Otherwise some details can't be reproduced well and different samples will sound in the same way.

#5. Using headphones can give better result when analyzing fine details than any speaker in any room.

#6. The most important: during listening (to already equalized in RMS level tunes) - DO NOT TOUCH ANY BUTTON like volume, EQ, pan etc.

#7. After all, the chosen tune should be compared with commercially available CDs in the same genre.

Following this rules you will get more objective, unprejudiced results from a blind test!

Take care,

Dimitar

audiothings · 30th June 2010

Thank you for all the responses. Overwhelming.

We have picked the ME, thanks to this very forum. Its a name you all know (tho' he is a lurker and does not post here). He will remain anonymous by request. He decided to master the track because he enjoyed the music a great deal... he specifically does not want people to approach him with more "gimme a sample on the house" requests.

I will try to give more specific reactions to those who took personal interest, as I find time over the next few days.

gratitude,

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Looking for Mastering House/Engineer who is familiar with world music	Baykush	"where to"	15	6th April 2010 09:34 PM
Mastering engineer needed for hiphop album	mos	Jobs Offered	0	25th November 2009 06:33 PM
Mastering Engineer/Studio needed for folk/acoustic album	rtb197	"where to"	1	16th May 2009 09:41 PM
Mastering Engineer for Progressive Metal/World Music album.	jkhuri44	"where to"	10	10th November 2008 12:51 AM
"Music has lost its power to change the world"	Sigma	So much gear, so little time!	139	16th February 2008 09:17 PM

27th June 2010	#2
audiothings Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 1,257 Thread Starter	wow. thanks guys. forgive me for not replying personally to each person who sent me a track. did not expect so many responses. and certainly not from so many famous people with key facilities. this has become a big problem. in a blind test, nobody is able to come to a consensus on which master is preferable. i think i know which one stands out but i was the one conducting the blind test, i have to be tested myself to decide that i can actually hear the differences... problem of plenty is a rare thing for us third world guys

28th June 2010	#3
trmchenry Gear maniac Joined: Sep 2009 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 233	This is a really great song.

28th June 2010	#4
dimitvel Gear interested Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 28	Rules for proper blind test: I'm sure most of the guys here know how to take a blind test in the right way but I want just to remind some of the rules deserved to be respected: #1. Louder seems to be better, but very often it is not! To avoid that all tunes have to be with EQUALIZED RMS LEVEL! That, of course should be done by e professional engineer (ME) who can do it with no loss of any quality! #2. People who are NOT INVOLVED in the recording should be used for the test! They are really objective. Musicians and engineers who have recorded the songs are not! #3. Listeners SHOULD KNOW WHAT TO LISTEN: they have to be instructed to look for the features that a good master should have: macro-dynamics, atmosphere, natural ambiance, finer details, soundstage depth, proper presentation of the build-and-drop musical dynamics etc... #4. The BEST AVAILABLE HI-FI EQUIPMENT has to be used for the test! Otherwise some details can't be reproduced well and different samples will sound in the same way. #5. Using headphones can give better result when analyzing fine details than any speaker in any room. #6. The most important: during listening (to already equalized in RMS level tunes) - DO NOT TOUCH ANY BUTTON like volume, EQ, pan etc. #7. After all, the chosen tune should be compared with commercially available CDs in the same genre. Following this rules you will get more objective, unprejudiced results from a blind test! Take care, Dimitar __________________ "It's not how loud you make it. It's how you make it loud." BOB KATZ "Mastering is an art and a science. ..Mastering engineer marries the art of music with the science of sound." BOB KATZ

30th June 2010	#5
audiothings Lives for gear Joined: Apr 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 1,257 Thread Starter	Thank you for all the responses. Overwhelming. We have picked the ME, thanks to this very forum. Its a name you all know (tho' he is a lurker and does not post here). He will remain anonymous by request. He decided to master the track because he enjoyed the music a great deal... he specifically does not want people to approach him with more "gimme a sample on the house" requests. I will try to give more specific reactions to those who took personal interest, as I find time over the next few days. gratitude,