To Master or not to Master…
Posted on | September 4, 2009 | 1 Comment
That was the name of an e-mail I received from a long-time engineer/producer friend. He had just completed a project for a client and they were debating whether or not to have it mastered. Their reasoning for not mastering was:
- The album will not be pushed for radio airplay; it was recorded in live fashion as one guitar, two voices, occasional tambourine, or blues harp.
- The project will be a point-of-purchase concern when they’re gigging (mainly farmer’s markets)
My response was:
I understand this is for a “less important” recording, but you never know who is going to listen to what. Think about how much time and money has gone into the project to this point. It doesn’t make sense to skip one of the key elements in making a professional recording to save a few hundred dollars.
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About This Blog
From Ohm to Om reflects the opinions of mastering engineer Paul Abbott, owner of San Diego's ZenMastering.
We welcome comments from readers...pro or con!
September 4th, 2009 @ 3:08 pm
Of course, you have to be diplomatic. . .but the real answer is “Yes! Always master any project that is meant for public consumption.”