Mastering
A good recording and ultimately a successful release is a de facto collaboration of writers, arrangers, musicians, artists, mixers, and engineers. All play an integral role in the outcome of the project.

Mastering is the “last creative step” in the production process, but is by no means the least. The need for mastering bares no relation to the quality of the recording. Mastering is a separate and necessary process in the preparation of your project for manufacturing, whether it be CD, DVD, or Vinyl. The Mastering fee represents a very small percentage of the overall production budget, a sum that cannot be weighed in relation to the competitive edge mastering affords the finished product.

With the advent of digital work stations, the trend as of late has been to skip this vital process and directly replicate from unmastered CD-R's - however, the experienced producer appreciates the importance of this critical last step in the achieving of a superior finished product.

While the mastering engineer affords an unbiased perspective to the project and one who has not been involved in either the recording or mixing process, he truly has a fresh set of ears and can render an unbiased critique of the mix and deliver the artist a superior finished product that is timeless. Mastering preparation checklist