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anonymous 23 December 2004

Good day all,

I wondered what you mastering pros use to master vocals. Do you just use the things everyone knows (like CEP's EQ, compressor, etc), or do you have special mastering equipment (which makes that pro-sound we all know from i.e. the radio) that you use?

And is it possible to professionally master a track with just a random program (like CEP)?

Comments

anonymous Tue, 12/28/2004 - 07:33

Michael Fossenkemper wrote: Cash,
if it were as easy as going to the local GC and buying a protools system and a mic, then there would be more great music then we can imagine to ever hear. But it's not that easy. Here are some steps to follow to become a great recording engineer. This is How about 90% of the ones out there became good.

1) Either go to a recording school or get a job sweeping the floor at a studio or both.

2) Convince a studio to hire you to run errands, empty the garbage, and help wrap cables before and after sessions. Do this for a few years.

3) become an assistant engineer at a studio working with engineers. This requires long hours and a knowledge of coffee. You do this for 2-? years.

4) slowly get engineering gigs at the studio working on stuff that is horrible and low paying. Apply all knowledge that you learned as an assistant from other engineers.

5) buy a pair of monitors that you can trust

6) finally get enough work as an engineer to warrant buying other gear.

7) become hugely successful as an engineer and then you can think about having your own studio and achieve professional results.

I may have left out this or that, like luck or being in the right place at the right time, but you get the idea.

I hate to tell you, but you could achieve stunning results with a good pair of monitors, a sm57, a mackie mic pre, and 4 track cassette recorder. This would of coarse be after you knew what you were doing. By skipping the above steps, you are no better than my grandmother with a mac and a mic. The only difference is, is that my grandmother has enough experience in life to know that she's not going to get great results. I don't want to sound harsh or disrepectful, but it's the truth.

Now the other 10% became good by hard work and listening for many many years. Plunking away in their bedroom on gear that they can afford. This is the most risky way of doing it because it takes a long time and you have no one to learn from, so you end up re-inventing the wheel about 200 times every week. So if you want to become a good recording engineer, the first thing you have to realize is that you aren't going to get it in a 1 paragraph post in a forum.

Oooouuuucccchhh!!!!

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