Mastering is not a plug in

[rockonin]

I use T Racks 3. I have been using for about 1 1/2 years now. Just managed to get the hang of it now, kind of. I reckon the more your mixing techniques evolve and improves, the better the chance of you understanding the mastering/finalizing process. For a person who records at home and isn't signed by a label or isn't sending a demo to a label, i don't see the point in spending money on professional mastering.

[outbound]

I would disagree that mastering isn't artistic. I think in order to produce a good master, the engineer needs to know what's important and what character to emphasize. Mastering engineers just work on a more abstract level, assessing the sonic feel of a track instead of individual concrete elements. It's a matter of balancing technical requirements with the artistic vision of the producer. Vibes, ya dig?

Completely agree.

Yes, the mastering role is a very technical one but when I'm in that position it isn't just about getting things to sound "Uber awesome" a lot of the time I'm looking for ways to maximise emotional impact, is the song delivering what the artist intended? How does it connect with me on an emotional level.

[safeandsound]

I would disagree that mastering isn't artistic. I think in order to produce a good master, the engineer needs to know what's important and what character to emphasize. Mastering engineers just work on a more abstract level, assessing the sonic feel of a track instead of individual concrete elements. It's a matter of balancing technical requirements with the artistic vision of the producer. Vibes, ya dig?

This is dependent on client. It can be easy for beginners to want to process and this is where experience takes over. Sometimes mastering is doing very little, it is important to know when to leave well alone. There can be an artistic element for some clients and much less so with others. It is ultimately goal dependent.