WHY DO I NEED MASTERING?

1st Call Mastering

"Good music recorded, AND mastered well...: what a potent combination!"

Well, why indeed? If you read the article entitled "what is mastering" in the link of the same name, you undoubtedly have your answer. If not, then lets take a look at some tell tale signs that might answer this question. Even if your recording and mix are of the highest quality, you will STILL notice a few anomalies such as:

1) The overall volume of your project is very low, even compared to your lowest volumed commercially/store bought CDs. It also seems to lack punch, thickness, and an overall density.
2) Individual songs differ drastically in volume from one to another, to the point of disrupting the continuous flow of the whole CD.
3) Along with level differences, there is also a dramatic tonal difference in each song. For instance, one track is boomy and bass heavy, while another is thin, piercing bright and lacks any power. Again, that wrecks havoc on the flow of the work as a whole.
4) Some of the basic utilitarian items, such as track order, fade ins and outs, basic editing, pq code writing, and a host of other general assembly steps to make your project ready for mass replication/duplication and retail, haven't been performed yet.

DON'T PANIC! There is nothing wrong with your project. It's just that in the recording process, these above mentioned steps aren't performed. Nor are they performed in the mixing process. Contrary to popular belief, mixing is NOT the final step in your project. Mastering is. It addresses all of the above mentioned conditions, to create a complete and flowing project in volume, tone, and continuity. A lot of these above conditions or anomalies are a result of a lot of factors, the most common being recording and mixing different songs in various studios, as well as utilizing different personnel and gear. Again, this is normal…even the best recordings suffer these things. It simply means, that the project isn't finished yet. That's where mastering puts the final touch, EQ, sparkle, and final assembly before your work is sent off for replication/duplication.
To avoid confusion, keep in mind that some consider replication/duplication as being the final step. While this might be literally true, we refer to MASTERING as being the final step, since the mastering engineer is the last person to actually affect any sonic changes. The replication/duplication facility does just that. Replicate/Duplicate. So you see how important the mastering stage is, as it will shape the FINAL sound your audience/consumers will hear!

So please read over all the links, and see just what services we offer to you.
Pay special attention to what seems to be lacking in your project, and let's discuss what exactly it will take to get your work where it needs to be. Again don't panic! Chances are, the conditions you notice in your music are the reason you are here!

Be patient, keep on reading.