What is Mastering?

Mastering, Pre-mastering and Post Production are terms used to describe the final stage in the studio life of an audio recording project. Mastering optimizes and enhances sound so that the finished product meets commercial standards. The process involves a series of precision calibrated adjustments to dynamics, frequencies, levels, scaling, dithering, etc. Essentially, mastering attempts to correct the errors and anomalies encountered during recording and mixing. The mastering engineer is a trained listener who must pay a great deal of attention to detail, definition, imaging and musical depth. The idea is to improve the overall sound quality of the product. An analogy is this: When you paint your car, you still need to give it a buffing and polishing before the job is truly complete. Likewise, a musical recording project is not truly complete until you have it mastered.

Why is Mastering necessary?

Mono, Stereo and Multi-track recordings whether live or in studio, are normally overseen by an engineer whose goal is to achieve the best sound possible. Once he is satisfied, he will ultimately produce a “Final Mix” or “Master” of that particular session. The chief reason for mastering any recording project is to have an objective listener make the necessary adjustments to this “Master” in order to achieve optimum sound quality. (Objective meaning not exposed or subject to prior listening of that project.) At times, the decisions made during the recording and mixing stages are not satisfactory. These decisions may result in distortion, over compression, unbalanced sound levels and other serious problems.

 

Because the recording engineer has already made these mistakes and may have grown accustomed to hearing them, he may overlook them. In some cases, he realizes his errors, but the damage is beyond his ability to repair. Additionally, there are problems that occur most commonly on compilation albums, where the audio material comes from a variety of sources. Each source would have used different recording equipment, been overseen by a different engineer and would have been mixed differently. The result is a wider spectrum of sounds all having to be compatible enough to be featured on the same album. Another more recent problem occurred when computer production software and home studio equipment became inexpensive. The “bedroom studio” is now a common phenomenon and so is “cheap” digital sound. Let’s face it; you can never expect to get high-end sound from low-end equipment.

 Fortunately, a good mastering facility can solve all of these problems. Engineers will put the finishing touches on your work and boost the overall standard of your product to the level of consumer palatability.

 

 

Why should I master my projects at Soundreaction?

 HDCD^® Technology

 High Definition Compatible Digital (HDCD^®) is a technology that is designed to make digital productions sound better. The process allows 20-bits of data to be recorded into the standard 16-bit CD format. This is done using a patented “digital watermarking” technology which encodes the extra 4 bits of data into the least significant bit of the 16-bit word length. As a result, more data can be stored ensuring better frequency response, extended dynamic range, greater richness and musical fidelity to any project.

 The extra 4 bits of data encoded on an HDCD^® disc can be decoded through any CD player carrying an HDCD^® decoder or through Microsoft Windows Media Player 9. The disc will play normally in any other CD player, still displaying attributes superior to a regular CD. HDCD^® titles also gain greater recognition through Windows Media Player and through Microsoft’s official website (www.hdcd.com) where they are catalogued.

 

 

Complimentary Custom Workstation

In addition to this technology, our studio has customized its workstation to include some of the world’s best complimentary electronics. Our monitoring system is primarily the industry standard HD-1. Made by Meyer Sound, the HD-1 is by far one of the most accurate studio monitors money can buy. It is designed for critical listening so that mastering engineers can make the crucial decisions necessary without second-guessing. The PSB Platinum T8 and Stratus Mini are also used as reference monitors. For equalization and compression, Ear-Pro, Weiss and Z-Systems processors will be used, guaranteeing the most transparent sound possible. Our playback system is located in a 40 square metre listening area. It is centered around Classé Pre and Power amplifiers, CD Transport and Processor, with cables and interconnects by MIT.

 

                                                                                                       

                                                                                        

 
What kind of mastering work has Soundreaction done?

 Here are some of the popular projects mastered at the Soundreaction lab:

 

Artist/Group	Title	Label
Ron Reid, Orville Wright and David “Happy” Williams	Reid Wright and Be Happy	Sanch
Amoco Renegade and Fertrin Pandemonium Steel Orchestras	Pan On The Plaza	Sanch
Sacred Heart Choir	Resurrexit	Sanch
Clive “Zanda” Alexander and Annise Hadeed	Pan Jazz Conversations	Sanch
World Steel Orchestras	The Panorama Soundstage	Sanch
Various	The Panman’s Choice	Major and Minor Music Productions
Various	True True Kaiso	Major and Minor Music Productions
Steel Orchestras of Trinidad and Tobago	Steelband Paradise	Sanch
Canboulay Productions	Sing de Chorus / Roaring 70’s	Sanch
Felix Roach	Improvising The Classics	Sanch
Trinidad Theater Workshop	The Joker of Seville	Trinidad Theater Workshop
Germaine Scott and Friends	Happy Times (HDCD® Re-mastered Version)	Sanch
Samaroo Jets Steel Orchestra	Two to Go	Sanch
Pan Maestros Steel Orchestra	Pan Maestros	Double-X Workshop
Signal Hill Alumni Choir	20th Anniversary Commemorative CD	Sanch

What are the other services provided by Soundreaction?

 

 

 

 

 

 

• On-Location Recording – Choirs, concerts, performances, speeches, presentations etc, recorded at live venues using Danish Pro Audio (DPA) Microphones.
• Studio Recording – Professional multi-track recording done using HDCD^® technology.   
• Mixing – Digital mixing of full compositions and arrangements to 24, 20 or 16-bit word lengths at 44.1, 88.2, 96, 176.4 or 192 kHz.
• Voiceovers, Radio and Television Commercials – Complete productions also done using HDCD^® technology.
• Editing - Precision audio editing using software platforms by Sonic Solutions, Magix and Steinberg.
• Archive Transference and Audio Restoration – Vinyl, Cassette, Open Reel, VHS and BETA to CD or DVD. Noise reduction can also be done in order to remove crackling, hissing, buzzing and other noises from the audio stream.
• PA and Sound Reinforcement - Meyer Sound loudspeaker system and accessories custom designed for PA, small and medium scale venues. Loudspeaker behavior in any environment may be predetermined using Meyer Sound’s Online Multi-purpose Acoustical Prediction Program (MAPP Online) as seen in this illustration.
• CD and DVD Replication – Factory Pressing or Burning of CD and DVD masters. (Minimum production runs of 500).