Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Options For Beginners To Master CD's

By Eric James


You would be forgiven for thinking that the mixing of separate audio tracks onto a CD is the final task needed for getting a CD ready for replication. The fact is that mastering the recording as a whole is actually the last step to producing top quality sound. The mastering process is the last chance you'll get for any creative input. Once the master disc is created you'll be able to print, replicate and then market your creation.

The process of mastering a CD actually involves several steps. Your songs or audio tracks need to be in the correct order. You next need to set the length of time between tracks and edit the songs. Any unlisted or secret songs on the CD are normally added at this point as well.

CD mastering can be implemented in several different ways. One option is to send the mix to a professional engineer who specialises in mastering CDs and DVDs. Most professional musicians take this route.

The mastering engineers will often work in their own mastering facilities, which are very different from standard studios, in the fact that they have much less gear and are designed for the best possible playback of the mix as possible in order to fix anything that's wrong.

Using your own home computer with some mastering software is another option you could consider. For unsigned musicians or musicians who are just starting out this is probably the most affordable option. Some skill and knowledge will be required as will quality software in order to get a professional sounding mix.

Online CD mastering services are now available with the advancement of Internet technology. As well as taking your physical copy to a professional mix mastering engineer you now also have the option of sending the mix over the Internet. To do this, you'll need a high speed Internet connection.

Free mastering is of course the cheapest way to go when you need to master a CD, Musicians and artists might decide to use free mastering programs for demos or even earlier recordings to generate some interest in their work.

A quality mastering job could mean the difference between a professional sounding CD and one that sounds a bit amateurish. Every song that you hear played on the radio is thoroughly mastered in order to sound better.

While you can master using free programs on your computer, a professional CD mastering engineer is normally the best way to do business if your band is looking to make a profit from your music.




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