CD Mastering

[ujnhunter]

I wish I had a Robot that would generate guitar solos for me! Then I would be the "Master" oh yes.

[Billy's Little Trip]

I use Ozone on my SF songs... usually I only have to muck with the EQ and little tweaks before I apply, but it can be great for the quick master before you hand in the song right before deadline
Obviously if you spend more time with it your results will get better. My CDs were also mastered with Ozone (not by me).
-bill

Well, there ya go. There is something more to the program. I think Jon's and other points where about auto mastering. I'm sure that the eq features in ozone are great in the right hands. I'm noticing an important feature for all mastering is multi band eq.

[Caravan Ray]

Has anyone ever had any experience with online mastering services?

There seems to be hundreds of them out there when you Google

eg:
http://www.simplymastering.com/

This one looks like they would do a whole album for about 200 quid.

Seems a simple and easy way of doing things.

Any thoughts or experiences with these sort of services?

[Billy's Little Trip]

Well heck John, that seems pretty easy. Can you try out some of your songs with your Dr wife boomerang money and let us know how it sounds?

..is this Belgian Ale making me ornery?

[ujnhunter]

Careful with online Mastering services... It could be BLT sitting in a room with Ozone Plugin... I read somewhere... (Hometracked?) that you should visit the place were it will be done... Lots of people post fake pictures and fake credits and say... $100 Mastering Service! Just so you know...

[Billy's Little Trip]

Careful with online Mastering services... It could be BLT sitting in a room with Ozone Plugin.

You make that sound like a bad thing.

[jast]

Careful with online Mastering services... It could be BLT sitting in a room with Ozone Plugin.

You make that sound like a bad thing.

I think that is in fact exactly what he was trying to accuse you of.

[Billy's Little Trip]

Careful with online Mastering services... It could be BLT sitting in a room with Ozone Plugin.

You make that sound like a bad thing.

I think that is in fact exactly what he was trying to accuse you of.

Why, that cocky little bastard!

[Caravan Ray]

Careful with online Mastering services... It could be BLT sitting in a room with Ozone Plugin... I read somewhere... (Hometracked?) that you should visit the place were it will be done... Lots of people post fake pictures and fake credits and say... $100 Mastering Service! Just so you know...

Yes, you are right. Did you know that Amazon is actually just one bloke sitting at home with a library card?

While I still find it very difficult to believe that anyone would ever actually pretend to be something online that wasn't really true, or than anyone would even consider using the internet as a means of earning money mischeviously - even I admit that I had harboured some suspicions that these services may be slightly dodgy. That is probably why I asked if anyone had had any experience with them.

[Smalltown Mike]

Absolutely, I would stay away from online mastering services for the most part, because as someone said it's likely just some dude with a plug-in and some presets.

I can vouch, however, for two services. The Hip Cola, who you may know from Gert and Shotpounder, is skilled and knowledgeable. He mastered my Jam Toast CD, and has mastered the later Shotpounder tracks, too. You can find him through the SongFight boards, of course.

Also, here's my plug for Des, who's in Gert and writes the Hometracked blog. Also a highly skilled and knowledgeable cat. His business, themissingtrack.com, offers mastering services (and mixing, and recording and many other things.) Des mixed and mastered Gert's Everybody Calm Down.

I highly recommend you don't get ME to master your album, though.

[Billy's Little Trip]

I highly recommend you don't get ME to master your album, though.

I try to avoid Microsoft products.

[irwin]

Careful with online Mastering services... It could be BLT sitting in a room with Ozone Plugin... I read somewhere... (Hometracked?) that you should visit the place were it will be done... Lots of people post fake pictures and fake credits and say... $100 Mastering Service! Just so you know...

Yes, you are right. Did you know that Amazon is actually just one bloke sitting at home with a library card?

While I still find it very difficult to believe that anyone would ever actually pretend to be something online that wasn't really true, or than anyone would even consider using the internet as a means of earning money mischeviously - even I admit that I had harboured some suspicions that these services may be slightly dodgy. That is probably why I asked if anyone had had any experience with them.

I would worry not so much about intentional misrepresentation as I would about these people actually believing that their protools and ozone setup in their bedroom makes them a badass.

Whether online or in person, referrals are key.