I may have spoken too soon…
Posted on | January 13, 2012 | No Comments
Just when I declare that clients seem to have “gotten over” the loudness fixation, I get a client who asks for the loudest project I’ve ever mastered.
The recording and mixing he had done were good, but more clean-and-vanilla than I think he’d wanted. Or, very “neutral-and-unproduced” sounding. So, he was hoping I could give it a sort of production value through volume and brightness. Not my preference, but I understand his perspective. (To read my perspective on the best way to make a professional sounding recording, read my earlier blog post, The “Secret” to Making Great Recordings.)
What ensued was surprising, though. With the help of my newly assembled all-analog signal chain (i.e., not a plug-in in sight) I was able to push volume and EQ to a previously unheard of level and still retain clarity and warmth. In the end, still too loud and un-dynamic for my taste, but the client was happy and I can honestly say that it didn’t sound “digital harsh”.
Long live analog processing!
New Year’s “Resolution”
Posted on | January 2, 2012 | No Comments
Now that a lot of the busy events of 2011 (listed in the previous post) are behind me, I want to share my audio intentions for ZenMastering in 2012.
Simply put, the focus is on world-class quality. Over the past few years I’ve seen the interest in the volume wars of the 1995-2005 era wane, and I think that musicians are re-focused on making the best sounding recordings. They realize that volume-for-volume’s-sake is a losing game.
If you look at our equipment list, you’ll notice we’ve assembled some of the best analog pieces of gear made. I didn’t spend years buying that stuff to make mediocre-sounding masters. It’s there to help musicians make their recordings sound as good as possible. To be competitive, and allow listeners to hear the music in their speakers the way the artist hears it in his (or her) head.
Think about it: as a musician, your recording is your legacy. You want people to be listening to the albums you’ve made years from now and you want them to have a timeless quality. The best way to do this is by infusing your recordings with the properties that have been part of great recordings through time: clarity, impact, power, and detail.
2011 Year-end Missive
Posted on | December 18, 2011 | No Comments
Season’s greetings! As I’m wont to do around this time of the year, here’s a wrap-up of some noteworthy events that took place at ZenMastering in 2011…
New Location
Probably the biggest news is that we moved locations this year. The studio now resides in a tony little neighborhood in Encinitas, CA…just three miles from the beach. Yeah, life’s tough. In the process, I had to start from scratch with room acoustics. A lot of the old George Augspurger stuff I had just didn’t work in the new room, which boasts a higher ceiling from my old location. The new room has a more consistent sound from all perspectives. I’m looking forward to knocking out some great work from “ZenMastering West”.
Hardware
The next big change in 2011 is that we went 100% analog with our processing. I’ve been fortunate to assemble a great chain of hand-picked gear from Dangerous Music, API, TK Audio, and Pendulum Audio. The compressor from TK Audio is a custom shop piece and — to my knowledge — is one of only two in existence. If you’re in search of some “analog warmth”, look no further.
Another exciting addition to the outboard arsenal is that I picked up a nice new turntable for the mastering room. Over the past few years, more and more of our clients are doing small runs of vinyl made to complement their online downloads, and vinyl has been seeing a resurgence overall since 2008, according to industry studies. So, I wanted a nice turntable to reference those finished projects.
Awards
We continued our multi-year run of having clients nominated (and win) at the San Diego Music Awards. This year, four were nominated in various categories:
- Shawn Rohlf and the Buskers (Best Americana Album, “Tiny X’s”)
- Steph Johnson (Best Jazz)
- The Secret Seven (Best Rock Album, “Turn Your Back to the Sea”)
- Todo Mundo (Best World Music Album, “Organic Fire”)
We’re pleased to say that Todo Mundo won their category!
Icon of Audio
Many of you may know that I have a related endeavor called Iconic Audio, which incorporates a long-time friend and expert mix engineer Kyle Thompson. It was a strong year for IA, as we worked on many excellent projects. As time goes by, I see IA growing to a larger part of ZenMastering’s business, as the computer-based home recording revolution continues.
Names and Numbers
Sometime this year — between the move and the gear updates — we mastered our 550th project. That’s a lot of projects in far too many musical categories for me to remember since I started “keeping books” about 10 years ago. A quick survey of this year’s projects reveals music in a broad range of styles: acoustic singer-songwriter, alternative rock, spoken-word, Irish folk-alt rock, Tibetan Lama chants, children’s music, country rock, hip-hop, Christmas songs, film soundtrack music, and big band jazz.
Needless to say, I’m fortunate to be trusted by so many talented musicians and engineers from all walks of life as their choice for professional mastering. I hope to continue to add ZenMastering’s special sauce to many more great recordings in the coming year.
Happy holidays, and hope to hear from you soon!
Food for thought
Posted on | November 20, 2011 | No Comments
In the world of professional audio, a lot of value is placed on equipment. What gear do you have? Do you have that latest-greatest tube compressor? Those amazing speakers? That vintage mic? Yeah, it’s all important. But something happened recently that made me realize what is really important to clients who are looking for professional mastering.
I was contacted by an engineer who has used ZM several times in the past, and asked if I’d do a sample on a project he’s wrapping up so his client could hear it. I did the sample, and this was his reply:
“I have to admit that I wasn’t incredibly excited with what I was hearing so I took the liberty and sent the song to another mastering studio, in N.Y. The engineer mastered a sample, which I am forwarding to you to hear. I would love to get your opinion. I know that we can come up with something that we are all happy with. Just let me know if you still want to work with us at achieving a stellar sound.”
I listened and thought the other studio’s sample was good, and could see where the client wanted the sound to go. Out of curiosity I went to their site and looked at the gear list, to get an idea of how they might have achieved the sound and texture. It was all top-notch gear…as good (or better) than what I have.
I re-did the sample with an ear toward the sound I knew he wanted. He was very happy and we moved forward with mastering the album.
So — needless to say — he could have just as easily gone with the other studio. But I believe that the reason he came back to me was his positive experience in the past. In speaking on the phone after the project wrapped up, he told me that with a lot of other mastering studios there’s not much personalized attention and he likes knowing that if he wants to re-consider or change something that I’m willing to listen and work with it until he gets what he wants.
Yeah…gear’s important. I mean…I needed good gear to match the sound he was looking for. But being an honest business person and giving clients the respect they deserve is just as important. It’s a good thing to remember.
Trust has increasing value in the ever-expanding audio world
Posted on | October 30, 2011 | No Comments
One relevant point recently impressed upon me by a musician friend is the importance of trust between a musician and recording studio. I’ve been running ZenMastering for a little over 10 years and, in that time, have realized that there’s no shortage of talent in the audio community (local, national, or global). However, the number of studios (tracking, mixing, and/or mastering) that I’ve never heard any gripes about is pretty small.
Unlike most professions, there’s no specific training, education, or licensing required for a person to call themselves an “audio professional”. And there’s certainly no governing body to enforce professional behavior. So, as you’d expect, you get all sorts. These days it seems like a computer, a pair of self-powered monitors, and a plug-ins bundle is about all that’s needed to hang out one’s shingle.
So, I can only shake my head (in frustration, not disbelief) when I hear stories from musicians about studios they went to where things didn’t work out as planned, and they have little recourse in the situation. I suggest all musicians pay as much attention to a studio’s reputation as its gear list…maybe more.
Lightbulb Moment
Posted on | August 15, 2011 | No Comments
I recently mastered a project for a client who was interested to see if I could make his music REALLY LOUD. He liked the way my mastering sounded, but wanted something ‘radio ready’. I explained the myth of making it loud for radio. In the end, he saw the light. It was gratifying. It went something like this…
“Man, I am so satisfied and excited about this CD! I am happy with my decision. Nothing lost or missing at all. That other sound, not for me. I stand on the side of real music, not distortion. Did some research re: ‘loudness wars’, made a believer out of us all. Also, everyone in the band loves the work you did.”
It’s always good when a story ends well.
New Interview
Posted on | July 2, 2011 | No Comments
Long time no blog. Sorry. Life’s been busy, work’s been busy…yada yada.
I was recently interviewed for an article on audio engineers in the July 2011 issue of the San Diego Troubadour. Check it out.
No Silver Bullets
Posted on | May 17, 2011 | No Comments
I’m sure I’ve alluded to this concept in prior posts, but I’m reminded often that there is no silver bullet in mastering. Like everything in life, successfully executing a project or concept is the culmination of doing everything (or, just about everything) right. The due diligence required to make sure all the “i”s are dotted an “t”s are crossed is what makes something work the way its supposed to. And when there is a breakdown, the honesty to own up to what went wrong and ascertaining the best way to remedy it is part of the evolution that makes future efforts better than past attempts.
I have often thought that if every person just put a little more effort into refining his or her capabilities, the world could accomplish more than with a handful of geniuses telling people how to live.
Deep Thoughts
Posted on | April 21, 2011 | No Comments
With some rare time on my hands today, I started thinking…and wondering. Namely, about the decade I’ve been running ZenMastering. About the changes I’ve seen in the music industry in that time, and how I think mastering (and my business) has changed through that time.
While the landscape of mastering studios is more crowded than ever, I feel there are very few that combine the ideal of achieving the client’s artistic vision while satisfying the highest sonic and technical standards. I concluded that ZenMastering, as a business, is as valid as it ever was, maybe more.
To create a successful business, there has to be more than just money coming in; there also has to be something valuable going out; a fingerprint or signature that makes the world better and more interesting because of it. And ZenMastering’s contribution to that “something” is sound quality. Not just making things louder, but making audio recordings sweeter, smoother, and more alive. An intangible quality that makes you want to hit “play” again.
Mastering is just one step in a multi-faceted process of making an audio recording. And I’m lucky to be a part of that process. I’m also in a unique position where I know enough to be effective, but still have a lot of learning and refinement ahead of me.
The Future of Audio
Posted on | March 20, 2011 | 1 Comment
My mixing/mastering endeavor, Iconic Audio, just finished up a project with a great San Diego-based band. We had a quick interact about levels of the master disc that Kyle (the mix engineer) and I were able to steer in the right direction. I wish more of this would go on in the world of up-and-coming bands…it will make the future of audio a much better place.
Client Question: “Can you make it a bit hotter without compromising the EQ? It is almost there…I just think the volume could go up a smidgen. (I know, I know, typical band request but I thought I would ask!) It is really close…I played it in a bunch of systems and it could go up a notch if possible.”
Paul’s Reply: “I try to make my masters competitively loud, with quality as the top priority. So, my ‘professional opinion’ is to leave the volume where it is. Yes, there are louder discs out there. But it is also the professional audio community’s consensus that volumes are out of control and quality is suffering. Feel free to give me your counter thoughts on this.
Kyle’s Reply: “In the end it’s your call, but I have to agree in principle with Paul. I’ve listened to the masters and they sound great to me. When you push the volume higher, you can either sacrifice the low end or increase distortion; not the good kind like a sweet tube amp — the bad kind.”
“Bands always want loud, but if more mastering people said, loud enough is enough we would have more awesome sounding records out there. There should be a sticker on every record that says “want it loud? Try the volume knob.”
Client Response: “Hey guys! Thanks for getting back to me so quick. You are the experts…if both of you think the volumes are perfect then I’ll go with what we have right now. It was really close anyway and I don’t want to sacrifice any of the work because it all sounds fantastic! The bassist thought they were good levels and I think they are good, too. I just wanted to see your thoughts on boosting just a little. The album is awesome.”
About This Blog
From Ohm to Om reflects the opinions of mastering engineer Paul Abbott, owner of San Diego's ZenMastering.
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