The Mastering Show – Details, episodes & analysis

I wanted to do something a little different to mark the 100th episode, but wasn't sure what. I was wondering about interviewing myself but that seemed a little weird...

And then Matt Boudreau from the excellent Working Class Audio podcast invited me back onto his show, and it occurred to me - I could get Matt to interview me, which would be way more fun and get some much more interesting questions !

So here it is. Matt and I talk about all kinds of things including:

• My background in music, production and music technology
• How I got my start as a mastering engineer
• The responsibilities of the mastering engineer (and the mistake that nearly cost me my job)
• My first mastering chain, and how it inspired my Perception AB plugin
• How I feel about being 'The Loudness Guy'
• Hardware versus 'in-the-box' mastering
• Why mastering matters

And loads more !

Full links on our website:

www.themasteringshow.com/episode-100

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn to master !

Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

Tools

For Ian's mastering plugins, click HERE

Leapwing

Find out more about Leapwing's plugins

Stereo, mono, binaural or surround-sound ?

I've worked with this episode's guest in all these formats and more over the many years we've been working together - but which does he prefer, and why ?

Richard Durrant describes himself as an "Indie Classical" musician, which I think is a pretty good summary - but doesn't really take into account the fact that he also toured with Sky, worked as an accomplished session musician for many years and has released albums in a brilliantly eclectic variety of other genres and styles over the years.

In this conversation we talk about:

• Why Richard records in an "acoustic igloo" (and what that is)
• Mic techniques for guitar and dealing with "wolf notes" on stringed instruments
• Real spaces versus digital reverb
• Touring (and performing) with a bicycle
• Performing Bach's cello suites on Banjo and Ukulele - how and why

Full links on our website:

www.themasteringshow.com/episode-99

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn to master !

Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

Leapwing

Find out more about Leapwing's plugins

Tools

For Ian's mastering plugins, click HERE

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn to master !

Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

Leapwing

Find out more about Leapwing's plugins

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn to master !

Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

Leapwing

Find out more about Leapwing's plugins

DJs get a lot of flak, especially about loudness. There’s a deep-seated belief that “loud” masters are still a requirement for club music, and that DJs are somehow to blame.

But is this fair ? The reality is much more complicated and interesting than the popular cliche that DJs will only play loud masters, and in this episode Ian dives deep into the issue with Joe Caithness, who works as both a DJ and a mastering engineer. Topics include:

The reality of DJ-ing

The problem with peaks

Loudness ? Or consistency ?

The power of Pioneer

The shocking missed opportunity of loudness metadata

The ‘sound’ of loudness

And much more !

Full shownotes on our site

https://themasteringshow.com/episode-88

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn to master !

Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

Leapwing

Find out more about Leapwing's plugins

It’s amazing what mastering can achieve - but it’s also amazing how many things can influence the results we get right from the recording stage.

In this episode Ian talks to Mike Senior about how to fix mastering problems at the recording stage, without using a time machine ! Topics include how to avoid:

Muddy mids

Harsh guitars

Sibilance

Resonant snares

Boomy or hollow vocals

Exposed vocals

Stereo image issues

And many more !

Links

Mike has put together a fantastic page of resources for this episode, including an excellent video about stereo mic technique - click here make sure you check it out !

https://cambridge-mt.com/misc/mastering-show-2212-resources/

https://themasteringshow.com/episode-87

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn to master !

Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

Leapwing

Find out more about Leapwing's plugins

As mastering plugins become more sophisticated and more technical, there’s an interesting trend towards making the interfaces… less so.

As well as traditional technical terms and numbered scales, controls labelled with less technical terms like “warmth”, “bite” and “colour” are becoming more common. And some interfaces are just… bizarre !

Is that good ? Or not ? In this episode Jon and I like at some more unconventional plugin user interface designs, and discuss:

Why technical interfaces can be a problem

When a more creative approach can be a good thing...

…and when it’s not

Some of our favourite ‘unconventional' plugin designs

But are they better than just closing our eyes ?!

Should plugins emulate the design of the hardware

And does it make them sound better ?!?

Full show notes - http://themasteringshow.com/episode-86

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn to master !

Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

Leapwing

Find out more about Leapwing's plugins

You’ve probably heard of Eric Sarafin, aka Mixerman, but have you heard what he has to say about mastering ?

As always it’s entertaining, potentially controversial but also thought-provoking, so it seemed like a good idea to get him on the show and ask him to explain himself ! We talk about:

* Why he thinks if you don’t make money from your music, you shouldn’t pay for mastering

* Whether an online mastering service is actually a better option for a musician starting out (gasp)

* Eric's favourite limiter, how he uses it and why

* How loud he makes his mixes

* Recent potentially game-changing developments...

* And why they might make mastering engineers obsolete !

Full show notes on our website

https://themasteringshow.com/episode-85

Mentioned in this episode:

Learn to master !

Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

Leapwing

Find out more about Leapwing's plugins

Mentioned in this episode:

Leapwing

Find out more about Leapwing's plugins

Learn to master !

Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

Mentioned in this episode:

Leapwing

Find out more about Leapwing's plugins

Learn to master !

Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources