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With very few exceptions, no amount of effort spent on a mix can get it sounding like a professional product. More importantly, an entire album of songs is not likely to be mixed so well that all the CD tracks feel and sound good or even like they belong on the same CD when played in one sitting. Changes in the approach of the producer or mix engineer from one song to the next will make for an inconsistent CD if left un-mastered. Mastering puts in the essential finishing touches to make each song sound as good as it can in the context of the rest of the album. A well mastered product will never make you reach for the volume switch every time a new song starts, and it should definitely not make you reach over to adjust the bass or treble settings because you think a song is too "thin" or because your speakers distort during a particular song in the recording! Mastering has a significant effect on the listening pleasure of the customers buying your product. It will affect how good the song sounds on radio, how often it can be heard before becoming irritating and how good it sounds across the widest possible range of sound-systems. Who should master your project? The benefit of specialisation is undeniable. Mastering is rarely done well by the album's mix engineer. Objectivity and a fresh set of ears are useful at any stage of the music-making process. The final stage is no exception. Despite rapid development of recording techniques and equipment, a collection of un-mastered mixes on a CD will rarely sound like it should. As a guideline, the more you compromise in budget at the recording or mixing stages the less you can afford to compromise at the mastering stage. It is your last chance to stand
out, and you'd be surprised at what can be achieved through mastering
at a fraction of the cost of the whole project.
- all performed in the studio in Johannesburg South Africa on some of the best audio mastering equipment available!
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