Mastering required :)

[Dubsy]

Hello all!
New to this forum and really finding it a great source of information and help. So first and foremost a big THANK YOU!

I am looking to work with someone on mastering a track of mine (if the final product is what i'm looking for then i am more than happy to pay for your efforts)

The track is a remix of Destiny's Child - Say My Name. Its bass heavy dance/house/electro.... so if anyone fancies a bit of a challenge and something a little different please give me your details and we can take it from there.

Hopefully with an LP/digital release due in the forthcoming months we can work together throughout the year on more of my work.

Appreciate your time in reading this.
Luke


p.s I am sorry I have just realised I have posted this in the wrong forum. If a Mod could be so kind to move it to the correct forum that would be great!

[Franco]

Originally Posted by Dubsy

I am looking to work with someone on mastering a track of mine (if the final product is what i'm looking for then i am more than happy to pay for your efforts)...

I wish I could do the same thing with the 5 or 6 Italian Restaurants I've yet to try here in L.A. - you know, order a Pizza, eat it and if the Pizza met my expectations, I would pay for it (if not, oh well).

[Dubsy]

haha, well unfortunately I do not have the resources to shell out money on a few masters before I am happy I have found the right guy to do my business with.
As a lot of the cheaper online mastering now includes free previews and there are so many people out there offering their services I wouldn't really find it unusual to see someone asking for a preview before handing their cash over.

[Franco]

Oh don't I know it! - I did the free mastering thing from 2001 - 2009. Complete songs too, not just snippets. Often times people wouldn't even say "thank you" just take it and run.

Back then people would take the time and research mastering services and pick up the phone and talk a little bit before sending in the mix; not these days - today it's become such an expected thing that you see things like posts on message boards like this one, who basically say "Okay fellas, I need a free master - GO!"

Not too long ago, I got a series of nasty emails from someone who was a bit upset I wouldn't give him a free master. It's very common, yes, but the Mastering Community in General doesn't owe everybody a free master (especially when considering folks who get constant paid work and don't charge $5 to master songs). Let's fall back with the expectations a little bit.

[Dubsy]

OK.... but I am not asking people for free full mastered tracks am I?
I am asking for ANYONE (whether that be 20+ years experience or 1 years) to send me over SAMPLES of a master which I will then judge if its going in the direction I want.
If it is, I will then make payment and offer work for the remainder of the year to that particular engineer.

I could have spent a few hours searching google for online mastering services (which the majority are most likely a large business who outsource the work) or I could put my offer out to this community (which im sure will do a far better job and the money will go into the right hands)

I have obviously touched a nerve there Franco but I have not acted unreasonably with my request. In fact I have had 6 people respond offering their services.... and I am confident that whomever I select to work with will benefit financially in doing so.
I don't however expect a PM from yourself

[Chris Bauer]

Originally Posted by Franco

I wish I could do the same thing with the 5 or 6 Italian Restaurants I've yet to try here in L.A. - you know, order a Pizza, eat it and if the Pizza met my expectations, I would pay for it (if not, oh well).

Only 5 or 6? Most people seem to get free previews from 20 to 30 mastering studios.

[Franco]

No worries! Honestly, you're absolutely right in your request as a prospective client in a field that is these days extremely saturated. The only thing I can ask is that you consider the point of view from someone at the other end of the line. You're in the Mastering Forum, and you're bound to get comments from people this side of the fence, is that alright?

In the 14 years I've been doing this (which isn't that long actually), I've noticed expectations from prospective clients have changed, especially those who have been working on music for less than 10 years, that's really what I was trying to get at. For example, you have said:

Originally Posted by Dubsy

I could have spent a few hours searching google for online mastering services (which the majority are most likely a large business who outsource the work) or I could put my offer out to this community (which im sure will do a far better job and the money will go into the right hands)

I'm not upset at you for saying this, but I am sorry that you feel this way and can't help to worry that this will be the same thought process for newer generations of artists (but sincerely hope not).

I guess before the days of finding everything on the internet, people would look inside a CD they thought sounded great and check the credits, or ask other artists whose music you like who they went with. All good though man, I'm sure you won't have a problem being accommodated (TONS of people hanging around here and am sure by now you have at least 10 PMs). Good luck, I seriously mean it.

[yllet]

Originally Posted by Dubsy

I am asking for ANYONE (whether that be 20+ years experience or 1 years) to send me over SAMPLES of a master which I will then judge if its going in the direction I want.
If it is, I will then make payment and offer work for the remainder of the year to that particular engineer.

Feel free to check out my page, samples included: Sound of wool

All the best from Sweden

/Jon

[bryan k]

This reminds me of a time when someone asked for a session guitarist to play a spot for a guitar solo for their new upcoming song.

He asked for everyone to record/contribute their solo version, and the best one would be picked from the bunch and get paid the $.

Funny thing is, after 25+ submissions......he didnt pick anyone.

[spectrasound]

...and NOT only in the mastering field.

Happening in tracking, mixing, pre-production...all facets.

I like Franco's comment on spending time to listen and research mastering engineers. There is a reason that some are getting paid and working regularly...and a reason why there is so much "spec" work being done.

In the mixing world I expect to get paid. Mixing for free is someone taking away a piece of my life that I'll never get back. And that's worth something, isn't it? (In any field.)

Mild rant is over. :-)

[clivek]

Hey Luke thanks for the email !!

Glad your feeling the examples on my website !!

Like your track too !

I'll see what I can do !!!

All the best !

[Riccardo]

Originally Posted by bryan k

This reminds me of a time when someone asked for a session guitarist to play a spot for a guitar solo for their new upcoming song.

He asked for everyone to record/contribute their solo version, and the best one would be picked from the bunch and get paid the $.

Funny thing is, after 25+ submissions......he didnt pick anyone.

Well in the not so old days they would pay each session musician and then use whoever they tought played the best................

Nothing wrong about free previews for those want to offer those. I understand clients (artists?) looking for engineers they feel comfortable working with.
Imagine if all Mastering Engineers started doing the same

[bryan k]

Originally Posted by Riccardo

Well in the not so old days they would pay each session musician and then use whoever they tought played the best................

Right,.....but what im talking about is NOT paying anyone, buy only paying the ONE guy who made the cut and was picked after everyone did their recording.

*but in the end no one being picked, which sucks for eveyone who participated. Ive seen it happen. Wasted alot of time for all session guitarists involved.

kinda like the OP, wants people to master a track for him, and if it sounds good....he will pay you. Meaning he will probably get 10-15 different people to master his track, and he will pick the one he wants to go with and pay just that one person.......

[Riccardo]

Originally Posted by bryan k

Right,.....but what im talking about is NOT paying anyone, buy only paying the ONE guy who made the cut and was picked after everyone did their recording.

*but in the end no one being picked, which sucks for eveyone who participated. Ive seen it happen. Wasted alot of time for all session guitarists involved.

kinda like the OP, wants people to master a track for him, and if it sounds good....he will pay you. Meaning he will probably get 10-15 different people to master his track, and he will pick the one he wants to go with and pay just that one person.......

I understand that. The OP is of course free to do whatever he likes or works for him. Mine was just an excuse general provocation.
Choosing between different mastering versions instead of focusing on getting back to good mixing (skills developed over time) and then sending the finished mix to any serious mastering engineer witouth worrying too much and just get a master back.
Imagine (ideally of course) if ME had their perspective clients sending them mixes to check as in a shootout how capable or how good are they at their job.........

Enough off topic, let's leave it for now.