I'm never ghetto mastering again

Jon Nolan · Post by **Jon Nolan** » Sun Mar 27, 2011 11:41 am

JosephKMurphy wrote:Good stuff. I'm constantly telling clients that my weak point is mastering and would prefer they find some one else to do that phase. I keep a running list of options next to me at these sessions. Will definitely be checking these out more.

what up, JKM?! nice to see another granite stater here. there are a few of us. anyhoo, definitely keep fighting the good fight with musicians. Scott "MSE" craggs is a solid local choice. a bunch of good peeps on this board, too. i always hear great things about Carl, too...

best,
Jon

@?,*???&? · Post by **@?,*???&?** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:02 am

Jitters wrote:I just got an EP back from Scott (MoreSpaceEcho/Old Colony Mastering) and couldn't be happier!

Did he render you a Red Book standard CD? Did he enclose a PQ sheet? Did he embed both ISRC and UPC codes in the digital data for you?

Just asking.

Do you know what program he used for assembly?

Do you know if he had pre-emphasis on or off for your master?

Do you know if he data locked your tracks so that they can't be digitally copied?

JohnDavisNYC · Post by **JohnDavisNYC** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:17 am

pre-emphasis? you still using fucking DAT tapes?

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:26 am

jeff. what is your problem? i am RIGHT HERE on the thread. why don't you ask me these questions directly if you're so freakin' curious.

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:49 am

but here's your answers anyway:

@?,*???&? wrote: Did he render you a Red Book standard CD?

duh

Did he enclose a PQ sheet?

duh

Did he embed both ISRC and UPC codes in the digital data for you?

neither were provided by the client, so no.

Do you know what program he used for assembly?

not sure why this matters, but wavelab 6.

Do you know if he had pre-emphasis on or off for your master?

haha

Do you know if he data locked your tracks so that they can't be digitally copied?

do you know that if you data lock the tracks you get an angry phone call from the replicator saying they can't copy the disc for production? now you do!

Jitters · Post by **Jitters** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 12:18 pm

Jeff, I just know that they sound really good and translate beautifully every place I've tested them. This is just going to be a small initial run of a couple hundred cds to be sold off the stage, used for booking purposes or downloaded for free. Would you like one?

Electro-Voice 664 · Post by **Electro-Voice 664** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:45 pm

I'd like one,

wait do they have bar codes?

emrr · Post by **emrr** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 5:20 pm

Scott did a swell job on a project for me awhile back.

I'm a firm believer that one shouldn't master one's own work.

Jitters · Post by **Jitters** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 8:05 pm

Sorry, the only bar code I have is 'don't suck or else the drunks will heckle you'.

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:40 pm

I'm fortunate to have had my work mastered by some of the best mastering engineers on Earth, including Greg Calbi and the late, great Chris Blair, who was at Abbey Road for over 30 years before his tragic death. Scott's work has totally held up to the standards set by all those guys in the years I've been having my stuff professionally mastered. He's completely and totally, 100% delivered in terms of sonic quality, attention to detail, professionalism, ability to meet deadlines, and general nice guy-ness. He provides copies of anything I ask for (including PQ codes!) and has never, ever, not one single time had any kind of issue encoding ISRC or UPC codes or even doing some funny timing or track ID trickery. His facility is modest, but I've found that the best ones often are. (Chris Blair's suite at Abbey Road was nothing special, once you got past the small amount of impressive equipment that was in there.) Scott's been asked to do some pretty wild stuff and he's had to do some pretty wild stuff, even when he wasn't asked. He's always been abe to rise to the challenge and always makes the right calls on stuff, even in the one instance where I decided to give him a shot at sequencing the album.

I've been paid to make recordings for people almost every day for the last 13-plus years and I've ALWAYS been a HUGE advocate of using a professional mastering facility for the end result. I have been completely and totally happy with everything Scott's done for me in the past two and a half years or so and I'm a PICKY dude when it comes to mastering.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

phantom power · Post by **phantom power** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 1:42 am

@?,*???&? wrote:
Jitters wrote:I just got an EP back from Scott (MoreSpaceEcho/Old Colony Mastering) and couldn't be happier!
Did he render you a Red Book standard CD? Did he enclose a PQ sheet? Did he embed both ISRC and UPC codes in the digital data for you?

Just asking.

Do you know what program he used for assembly?

Do you know if he had pre-emphasis on or off for your master?

Do you know if he data locked your tracks so that they can't be digitally copied?

Ummm... am I missing something or is this some seriously unwarranted dickery?

Anyway, Scott did a great job on a project for me last summer. But what's even more impressive is the help he was willing to give on something he DIDN'T master.

I helped track some stuff for a friend recently and while I wanted him to take the project to Scott, he decided to go with a "big name" ME in NY. When we got it back it was REALLY wrong. I couldn't even put my finger on most of what didn't work about it. At the risk of crossing any ME code-of-ethics lines, I sent the original mixes and newly mastered mixes to Scott and asked if he could find time to give them a listen. I just really needed a pro's ears on it.

If I had gotten an email back that said I was a jerk for asking him to give his input on something that we took to someone else, I would have fully understood. Instead, the very next day, he sent me a detailed list of the things he was hearing. He was able to put some things into words that I wouldn't have been able to as well as explain some of the weirdness I was hearing. In the end, I was able to communicate what was wrong to the ME so that the project ended up sounding much better. Scott got all of this across to me without a single derogatory word about the other guy.

If that's not a stand-up dude, I don't know who is.

I'll definitely be sending more stuff his way.

-AE

trodden · Post by **trodden** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 7:49 am

Hell yeah! I owe Scott as well. I was doing my first mixes in my new room and sent some roughs to Scott, asking for a second opinion on where the mix was going since the new room was foreign to me, also in hopes that the client would go with him for mastering. Scott totally gave some great advice. Unfortunately these punks were cheap skates and went with another option just to save a couple bucks, despite my championing of Scott's services. Sorry Scott. I made them feel bad for "betraying the family" Though ; ) hopefully it comes back sounding good. You and Garges both know of my previous mastering nightmare...

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:43 am

hahaha those punks must've really been cheapskates if i was too expensive for them!

thanks a ton for the kind words y'all, it really means a lot.

leigh · Post by **leigh** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 9:29 pm

MoreSpaceEcho wrote:*serves cupcakes and bourbon*

Now THAT is a mastering session I would be extra happy to attend.

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 10:07 pm

bourbon during the session would be a surefire winner.

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