Mastering in Chicago or St Louis

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 11:28 am

Hey Y'all. I'm wondering if you'd please share you mastering experiences in Chicago and St. Louis. the band doesn't want to drive too far (they do enough of that for gigs). I
d like to hear from people who have actually had work done and/or attended session. I need a studio with 1/4"capabilities and analog outboard.

(BTW info on working with Boiler Room and Colossal is much appreciated!)

Thanks all

JGriffin · Post by **JGriffin** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 12:16 pm

Most of the people I have talked to around Chicago say Colossal (Dan Stout) is really good. I had a session scheduled there that I had to postpone and haven't been able to get back, so I don't know.

MarcoPogo · Post by **MarcoPogo** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 6:37 pm

***Dan Stout at Colossal does excellent work, and he's done different styles of music for my clients. I get (slightly) with him what I have experienced at a number of other mastering facilities- that it's a quirky sonic environment and hard to listen critically in. But in Dan's case, the results justify.

Mike Hagler at Kingsize is good, too. Our pal Doug McBride is doing mastering at Gravity, and though I haven't had him master anything yet, I thoroughly trust his ears, and his communication abilities, which are also critical to the process.

...I've also had less happy experiences with other mastering places in the area, both professional-seeming and ersatz...

I haven't found any mastering people that I trust for all styles of music. It's a little like picking a musician for a recording: you need to match their particular ears, flavor and style with the work at hand.

Cheers!

-MR

djimbe · Post by **djimbe** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 9:19 pm

Another vote for Mr. Stout's work. A number of things done at my place have gone there, all with great results. My first call engineer prints to 1/4" and Dan works with it just fine. He actually sometimes admits a preference for tape. He has an idea what something from our space sounds like, and I guess has learned to work well with it.

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 4:19 pm

MarcoPogo wrote:***Dan Stout at Colossal does excellent work, and he's done different styles of music for my clients. I get (slightly) with him what I have experienced at a number of other mastering facilities- that it's a quirky sonic environment and hard to listen critically in. But in Dan's case, the results justify.

Mike Hagler at Kingsize is good, too. Our pal Doug McBride is doing mastering at Gravity, and though I haven't had him master anything yet, I thoroughly trust his ears, and his communication abilities, which are also critical to the process.

...I've also had less happy experiences with other mastering places in the area, both professional-seeming and ersatz...

I haven't found any mastering people that I trust for all styles of music. It's a little like picking a musician for a recording: you need to match their particular ears, flavor and style with the work at hand.

Cheers!

-MR

I'd really like to work with Doug, but he's only got 1/2" heads for his 2-track...

I need to call Dan Stout this week. I talked to Colin at Boiler Room and he's seems to have a good vibe about him.

MASSIVE Mastering · Post by **MASSIVE Mastering** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 8:17 pm

My 1/4" deck has been out of commission for a year...

mfedderman · Post by **mfedderman** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 9:05 pm

Dan is great. I have sent quite a few projects to him. He is great for mastering rock music! Great room and the guy is a WEALTH of information. I know both he and Doug & last time I worked with Dan, he was telling me that both Collosal & Gravity have the same Ampex 1/4" machine. Both machines can playback both 1/4" & 1/2". The ATR 700 (i think).
Dan started off at CRC and opened Collosal about 6 or 7 years ago. Doug McBride is also a staple of Chicago rock production. I have yet to hear his mastering work though.
The only mastering job that Dan did that I was un-impressed with was a live acoustic duo that I mixed. It was mastered more like a rock record than an acoustic CD. It did sound fantastically LOUD!

Both guys are Chicago staples! Just my two cents! I hope it helps!

-Matt

carlsaff · Post by **carlsaff** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 2:50 am

1/4" and 1/2" capable here... but no analog processing... yet...

jmoose · Post by **jmoose** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 4:44 pm

Make sure the ME is gonna be cool with "the band" attending. Most of 'em are Fonzie with the producer or A&R dropping in but draw a line at "the band".

How set are they on attending the session? Yeah, they'd like to attend but what about reality? LOL

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 3:07 pm

It will be me and the songwriter/guitarist/vocalist/leader. AFIK.

If the ME had a problem with the people who are on the record and/or the person who made the record being there, I would not use them, plain and simple.

spomer · Post by **spomer** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:25 pm

tony,

i have had good luck with Blaze Mastering. he finished a few things for me and has a place off of california ave. I sat in with him and he works quick and knows his shit, and best of all, he doesnt go all wieght watchers on your pocketbook. pm me if you want his phone number and I will scrounge it up for you.

spomer

p.s. we have to get the decatur/bloomington conection happening soon

spomer · Post by **spomer** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:27 pm

god i just realized my spelling is horrible. i maybe another vodka and cranberry will do the trick. Jeez.

drumsound · Post by **drumsound** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:41 pm

spomer wrote:tony,

i have had good luck with Blaze Mastering. he finished a few things for me and has a place off of california ave. I sat in with him and he works quick and knows his shit, and best of all, he doesnt go all wieght watchers on your pocketbook. pm me if you want his phone number and I will scrounge it up for you.

spomer

p.s. we have to get the decatur/bloomington conection happening soon

Is tht Blaze (Barton I think) who used to work at Acme on Belmont? He did some friend's record about a million years ago.

Come on up the B-town some time and we'll hang. Are you going to Milliken?

JGriffin · Post by **JGriffin** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 8:52 am

drumsound wrote:
spomer wrote:tony,

i have had good luck with Blaze Mastering. he finished a few things for me and has a place off of california ave. I sat in with him and he works quick and knows his shit, and best of all, he doesnt go all wieght watchers on your pocketbook. pm me if you want his phone number and I will scrounge it up for you.

spomer

p.s. we have to get the decatur/bloomington conection happening soon
Is tht Blaze (Barton I think) who used to work at Acme on Belmont? He did some friend's record about a million years ago.

I just played on a session with Blaise Barton engineering last week. He has a really nice space on the west side. Really great guy, nice gear, got teriffic sounds and was a blast to work with. Dunno if he does mastering, it may not be the same guy.

xonlocust · Post by **xonlocust** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 9:48 am

dwlb wrote:
drumsound wrote:
spomer wrote:tony,

i have had good luck with Blaze Mastering. he finished a few things for me and has a place off of california ave. I sat in with him and he works quick and knows his shit, and best of all, he doesnt go all wieght watchers on your pocketbook. pm me if you want his phone number and I will scrounge it up for you.

spomer

p.s. we have to get the decatur/bloomington conection happening soon
Is tht Blaze (Barton I think) who used to work at Acme on Belmont? He did some friend's record about a million years ago.
I just played on a session with Blaise Barton engineering last week. He has a really nice space on the west side. Really great guy, nice gear, got teriffic sounds and was a blast to work with. Dunno if he does mastering, it may not be the same guy.

i've also heard good things about Blaise Barton's mastering work, though haven't ever used him myself.

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