online mixing + mastering ? can be good ?

[isham]

Dear all ,
I found many interesting posts on this forum about this subject.
In my opinion mixing process can't be dissociated from the mastering session (maybe I'm wrong).
I mean I don't find the advantage, as I'm not a pro, to send my final mixing to a company if there are some mixing issues, to perform a mastering.

So my question is : does someone have experience with "online mixing + mastering" services ? I mean without going to the studio ?

Any good address ?
thanks a lot

[MASSIVE Master]

I'm not sure I understand the question, but I deal with several studios that "mix by mail" - Clients will send in "home brewed" tracks, along with a representative mix of what they're shooting for as far as levels are concerned and they'll (the studios) will attempt to make a more polished and refined set of mixes for them.

Two places that come to mind - www.farviewrecording.com and www.bluebearsound.com

After that, they may or may not send it off to a mastering facility for a final "detailing" job and assembly of the production master.

One place that comes to mind - Well, I won't go there.

But in short, it all depends on what you're trying to get out of your project.

If it helps at all, I think Blue Bear Sound actually has some examples of just what we're talking about here on his site.

[isham]

thanks a lot,

yes that was exactly my question (mastering studio offering online services from the mixing step to the end),
I will check these adresses, thumbsup

other experiences to share ?

Best Regards,

[masteringhouse]

I haven't had the op to work with farview but agree with John in regards to Blue Bear Sound. He does very good work.

Mixing online is a bit more difficult though than mastering in my opinion as there are quite a few more variables to contend with. If doing it, I would allow myself plenty of time to evaluate proofs etc.

[merla]

Ive had some great results with both online mixing and mastering. The best deal (and sound for that matter) i had with cavestudio-online, I think they are relativey new but it was certainly the most reasonable price by far. They did the mastering for free with the mixing (which seems to make sense).
Definitely recommended!

[MASSIVE Master]

Originally Posted by merla

They did the mastering for free with the mixing (which seems to make sense).

(emphasis added for impact)

(A) No it doesn't.

(B) How old is this thread?

[brethes]

Originally Posted by merla

They did the mastering for free with the mixing (which seems to make sense).
Definitely recommended!

Not sure how to read this. We do a lot of online mixing & mastering, but while we quote a competitive package price, the mastering certainly isn't free.

If you mean that mixing and mastering are both integral to the final result, and that it makes sense having it all done at the same time to be able to make adjustments to the mix or the mastering very quickly, I would agree only with some caveats: not many good mixing engineers are capable of doing great mastering, and mastering something you have also mixed is very difficult. It may require a separate room with mastering monitors and a good night's sleep in-between the sessions in order to be more objective about what the mix require. This why the general advice is to have separate mixing & mastering engineers.

But a handful of engineers successfully manage to do both and if you are on a very deadline, it can make sense having it all done under one roof.

[DominicWyeth]

There are some dudes in brisbane that do reasonably priced online mastering stuff and I have heard nothing but good responses.


Its a great idea personally, I wonder if any super geeks out there would no if any FTP processing would do anything to the final audio track...I wouldn't think so...but you never know

[inlinenl]

watch out FTP can be very tricky, if sending against the turning direction off the earth, the phase and DC offset can switch channels. I heard some major mastering-engineer talk it over with a platinum USA artist. Don't let anyone tell you different, they try to poison your mind.

[brethes]

Originally Posted by DominicWyeth

I wonder if any super geeks out there would no if any FTP processing would do anything to the final audio track...I wouldn't think so...but you never know

No FTP doesn't change the audio. To be absolutely safe, you can Zip the files so there is checksum involved at the other end. We haven't had any problems in a very long time. But avoid sending SDII file format unless Zipped, as the header info can get stripped, rendering the files unreadable by common applications.

[seimen]

Originally Posted by isham

,
So my question is : does someone have expirience with "online mixing + mastering" services ? I mean without going to the studio ?

Any good adress ?

hitshapers : easy mixing and mastering online has a new approach, they are dispatching mixing and mastering jobs to 3 engineers anywhere in the world and the client can buy the best mix or master.

[Waltz Mastering]

Good that they offer "CD Quality".

[Ecktronic]

I work online Mixing and Mastering and have been for around 8 years. I find it is easy to work this way as long as you get on with the clients.
I have had hardly any problems Mixing and Msatering online with clients.

Here is some of the comments people have kindly left me on my page. And also some samples of work I have done.

Crystal Mixing (and Mastering) on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Videos

PM me if you are looking for any Mixing or Mastering.

Cheers,
Eck (G)

[Marogru]

90% of my work is online MIxing. To my surprise, most Of my clients want from me a "Mastered" and use it as a final stage.

If my client wants to master someware alse, I always cooperate with the mastering engineer and do recalls if needed free of charge. Basicaly it goes down to things like, taking the vocal 0,5db lower or drums 1db up....

So to answer the q. Yes it can when the process isn't robotic and people on the other sides of te screens are willing to cooperate.

[Mastering7]

I work online more and more. It's very important for me to keep in touch with the clients, and to consider as many instructions as possible. My aim is to do my best, to vivify the song and not to get the money as soon as possible.
It is very comfortable and effective to work online IMHO.

[jdier]

Originally Posted by isham

thanks a lot,

yes that was exactly my question (mastering studio offering online services from the mixing step to the end),
I will check these adresses, thumbsup

other experiences to share ?

Best Regards,

I would strongly suggest Trevor Sadler of Mastermind. One man shop. He did the last project I worked on and did great work. I do not think he is active on this site, but he is a great mastering engineer and was great at communicating.

[John Suitcase]

It's the future, for sure (the online thing)

I recommend my clients use a pro mastering engineer, but about half don't presumably because they like my mix well enough and can't see their way to spending more money. These are little self-released projects, usually.

But as a mixer, I really prefer to have a good mastering engineer put his touch on the mix.

I do stuff via the internet quite a bit these days, even with local artists. we'll get rough mixes, etc, then get together to put the final touches on it in person.

[gleemuzic]

Originally Posted by isham

Dear all ,
I found many interesting posts on this forum about this subject.
In my opinion mixing process can't be disociated from the mastering session (maybe I'm wrong).
I mean I don't find the advantage, as I'm not a pro, to send my final mixing to a company if there are some mixing issues, to perform a mastering.

So my questioln is : does someone have expirience with "online mixing + mastering" services ? I mean without going to the studio ?

Any good adress ?
thanks a lot

I ued to feel weary about it too but a friend of mine has a mix done by cspmg.com and his stuff came out nice and you couldnt tell it was recorded on some junk ( i.e home studio in bedroom with logic) but once the mix came back you couldnt tell. He went on to have it mastered with them and I sent mine in along for mastering and came back radio ready. If you want anything tweaked, you just do it by phone and email. No different than being in the studio. Plus, you can take your time with listening without pressure to hear every tweek you want to make. I took mine to different speakers so I could hear what it would sound like at all levels.

[diogo_c]

Originally Posted by inlinenl

watch out FTP can be very tricky, if sending against the turning direction off the earth, the phase and DC offset can switch channels. I heard some major mastering-engineer talk it over with a platinum USA artist. Don't let anyone tell you different, they try to poison your mind.

Not to mention the dirty artifacts caused by firewalls.

[The Private Room]

long distance work is a daily reality at our place too! It just doesnt matter anymore where your client lives

[clivek]

I've been offering affordable online mixing for a while now.

I do offer mastering but always advise to get mastering done by separate mastering engineer. Another set of ears is always handy !! thumbsup

[MOTTOsound]

Most of our work is online mastering, but also mixing too. The Online element is bigger business these days and can bring long term relationships with clients from across the world, rather than your neighbourhood. Our clients come back time and time again and are in as far places as the US and southern Europe. (we're in the UK).

Online is a positive for our business.

[AcoosticZoo]

Originally Posted by seimen

hitshapers : easy mixing and mastering online has a new approach, they are dispatching mixing and mastering jobs to 3 engineers anywhere in the world and the client can buy the best mix or master.

Hey that looks interesting. Can Anyone join the group? How is it working out for your mixing engineers?


Regards
Josef horhay
Mixing engineer
Www.acoosticzoo.com

[MASSIVE Master]

"They" offer...?

[PBM]

Originally Posted by MASSIVE Master

"They" offer...?

`They' offer no names, no history, no client list, and the only kit mentioned is M-Audio. And obviously `they' don't know about Private Eye's successful six year piss-take of companies that offer `solutions'.

Online is so passe - I can't bring to mind anyone who *doesn't* offer it one way or another. Maybe your local Post Office ...

[Red Mastering]

Originally Posted by PBM

......

Online is so passe - I can't bring to mind anyone who *doesn't* offer it one way or another. Maybe your local Post Office ...

you're my idol!

[MASSIVE Master]

(Oh, FFS...)

[Kenny Gioia]

Not to knock any of these "companies" but I would highly recommend hiring a "mixer" rather than a company.

Any good mixer builds up their name based on their credits.

Hiring a company sounds too general to me. Who's mixing it? The interns?

Even when I hire one of the top Mastering houses in the world, Sterling Sound, I still hire one of the mastering engineers specifically. I don't just give it to the company.

Good luck.

[Masterer]

Good advice.

Originally Posted by Kenny Gioia

Not to knock any of these "companies" but I would highly recommend hiring a "mixer" rather than a company.

Any good mixer builds up their name based on their credits.

Hiring a company sounds too general to me. Who's mixing it? The interns?

Even when I hire one of the top Mastering houses in the world, Sterling Sound, I still hire one of the mastering engineers specifically. I don't just give it to the company.

Good luck.

[trappy]

I have just started up an online mixing and mastering service to help with the demands that my studio currently has. When the studio is being used for days on end for recordings I still have work mixing and mastering other projects so I decided to set up Mix Energy.

It's started to take off pretty well and I'm hoping that it'll remain steady.

feel free to take a look at my site below.

Mix Energy