Record:Mix:Master, you separate or you do all together?

[UKRuss]

Just interested in the differing methods and why you enjoy/prefer it?

I'm totally favouring separating the processes completely at the moment to get my head in the right space for each element of the process. But I see a lot of the 'pros' on vids who mix as they record and build a tune, even some who 'master' as they produce.

Do you think it's genre specific or maybe about your personal experience or talent in each dept.? Is there a technical benefit in doing one over the other? Is it just personal preference? Do you enjoy one part of the process more than the other.

I'm really enjoying my mixing and pre-mastering at the moment, i guess mainly because i want to get better at them so I look forward to it. I'm loving just hitting global record and running through riding the faders against a set of notes...makes me feel old school studio engineer.

[pepezabala]

whatever you like most, I would say.

And then again, consider that Live is the software that broke the boundaries between composing, performance, production and djing. so there is no "right" way to do things anymore.

[UKRuss]

You do all your production processes in Live? I do, I know that others don't for whatever reason.

[Jekblad]

i mix as i go because i can't stand to listen to crap levels when i'm recording other stuff.

but i go back at the end and really mix

[SubFunk]

there is no right or wrong...

however, i do it absolute separately, first writing, then mixing and not mastering my own material. (a quick squash, yes but if it gets serious towards a release, never my own!)

i only adjust levels roughly, while i go.

[UKRuss]

Any reason you don't master your own?

I'm no mastering expert by any means but it seems to me its more about practice and experience than actually being some mystical dark art.

I guess the pros have access to all sorts of lovely outboard gear which may make a difference but essentially it's about EQ, compression and limiting isn't it?

With modern plugs and spectrum analysers and some judicious A/Bing, we really should be able to get pretty damn close on the mastering front.

Gets a bit more complex when you think about grouping tracks to release together as an album or to cut to vinyl and they need mastering ready for reproduction I guess.

Time comes into play too I suppose.

[hurlingdervish]

i think its more fun to do separate

i build my tracks to the point where there is so much clutter an automation that its a breath of fresh air to knock it down to something i can put my fingers on with the nanokontrol

plus you can replace sounds, or edit parts where they get stale and if you need to add anymore to the song you plan it out like "I need X at point Y" then go into a new project make that and bring it back


if you can master while you write....then you are probably an engineer. that shit takes a lot of practice and I doubt most people, even engineers, could do that without the better half of a decade trying. but who knows

[SubFunk]

You do all your production processes in Live? I do, I know that others don't for whatever reason.

writing all in live, as of late most of the production for myself, meaning my own material in live.

any jobs: recording, mixing, audio editing for video / movies, etc. etc. in Logic. maybe some of it at some point in Live, once i can rely on Live, the state right now, is a disaster.

any other editing, etc. Peak...

those are the 3 apps i use permanently.

Live, Logic, Peak.

would not want to live without any of them 3.

for a lot of my work, none of them has all i need. and i don't want it, either, that would be one blown slow monster...

[SubFunk]

Any reason you don't master your own?

I'm no mastering expert by any means but it seems to me its more about practice and experience than actually being some mystical dark art.

I guess the pros have access to all sorts of lovely outboard gear which may make a difference but essentially it's about EQ, compression and limiting isn't it?

With modern plugs and spectrum analysers and some judicious A/Bing, we really should be able to get pretty damn close on the mastering front.

Gets a bit more complex when you think about grouping tracks to release together as an album or to cut to vinyl and they need mastering ready for reproduction I guess.

Time comes into play too I suppose.

yeah, the one major point and sense of mastering is that the material travels through a different set of ears and perception! that is why you have to find "your" mastering engineer the same way you need to find "your" producer if you are a band.

even if you have all the skills and gear in the world, mastering your own is just plain stupid and since software based mastering done all to often...

[UKRuss]

A very good point. different perception. Yes, I see that.

I'm not sure it's plain stupid to do it yourself, on the contrary, I think for a lot of people it's probably pretty valid for many reasons but the ideal would be someone else do it for the reasons you state, yes.

[SubFunk]

A very good point. different perception. Yes, I see that.

I'm not sure it's plain stupid to do it yourself, on the contrary, I think for a lot of people it's probably pretty valid for many reasons but the ideal would be someone else do it for the reasons you state, yes.

sorry i insist it IS plain stupid, and it only, arghhh... sometimes i hate all that computer home studio stuff for it, started with software based mucking about.

it is a disease that came with software. and only because in our days plenty of people do master there own material, does not make it in any way not being plain stupid!!!

[hurlingdervish]

A very good point. different perception. Yes, I see that.

I'm not sure it's plain stupid to do it yourself, on the contrary, I think for a lot of people it's probably pretty valid for many reasons but the ideal would be someone else do it for the reasons you state, yes.

i asked excision in a message who masters his stuff and he said he does it himself

so its possible. but you gotta give the tune a break i think so you can come back with fresh ears

[SubFunk]

A very good point. different perception. Yes, I see that.

I'm not sure it's plain stupid to do it yourself, on the contrary, I think for a lot of people it's probably pretty valid for many reasons but the ideal would be someone else do it for the reasons you state, yes.

i asked excision in a message who masters his stuff and he said he does it himself

so its possible. but you gotta give the tune a break i think so you can come back with fresh ears

many people do, in fact i would say in the electronic music genre more people do then don't, does not make it any good or not being stupid, it's a disease that came with software. i can't say it often enough!

[hurlingdervish]

not everyone wants to pay some random dude 30 bucks an hour at the lowest rate to eq something

[SubFunk]

not everyone wants to pay some random dude 30 bucks an hour at the lowest rate to eq something

there are many reasons... none of them justifying it not being called stupid.



sorry i had to nick this one of a new forum member... but it is so good and true that i could not resist stealing and posting it at an appropriate time.
now is the time. end of discussion about mastering.