Reclaiming Dynamics
I received a single to master recently that had two problems: lots of bass and no dynamics. It was already recorded hot and limited, and there was no way to re-mix. I ran the track through my Neve 5042 Tape Emulator and sort of hit the tape drive lightly to give more LF rolloff. It [...]
No Substitute for Listening
The other day I got the go-ahead from a client to finalize their master disc. I cut the disc and error checked it. Everything seemed good. Then, I put my headphones on to listen through for one final check, with RME’s DigiCheck metering software running to make sure the disc didn’t have any overs, and [...]
Technology’s Shortfall
My wife and I just got a new home theater system: a Sony BDV-E500W. After an initial setup we watched part of a movie. It sounded great. The next day, to try an fine-tune things, I used the included calibration microphone to run the “auto setup” audio function. Basically, you put the mic where you [...]
Never Forget to Listen to Your Clients
I’m mastering a project for a band…a la Passion Pit and Rogue Wave. I mastered the tracks and used my Neve 5042 to (God I can’t believe I’m saying it) “warm things up a bit”. I received a note from the singer saying everything sounded great, but 3 tracks needed to be brighter. My first [...]
Revealing Video
If you have (or ever had) any interest in Frank Zappa, this is a must-see video clip that gives some insight into all the work he did.
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!
