Having a great idea for a song is good, but having a song that everyone can listen to is better. Perhaps the most important part of your musical journey is the recording, mixing and mastering of your songs: melding your musical ideas into a final form that you can share with the world.
Professionals throw these terms around, but what’s the difference between mixing, recording and mastering? If you know what each term means and what to look for, you can be more prepared in a studio situation, whether you’re [sent to a specific studio required by your contract at a record label] or looking for a studio to tailor the recording, mixing and mastering of your audio to your specific need.
Let’s look at recording, mixing and mastering separately.
Recording is the process involved in committing an instrument or voice to a storage device that will play back the sound as accurately as possible. Record a sound too loud and you get an unpleasant distortion. Record a sound too quietly, and you raise the noise floor of your song in order to hear the recorded sound effectively. At Soundsmith Productions, we record audio in a variety of DAW (multi-channel Digital Audio Workstation) formats, and make sure to keep an arsenal of the latest signal processors to make sounds sparkle and keep the mixes tight. We work mainly with Digital Performer™,ProTools™, and AbletonLive™ DAWs, but it’s important to accommodate other formats as well.
Mixing involves balancing the volumes and positional placement of each musical instrument and vocal track in your song. You want a mix with clarity and focus. Adjusting each instrument’s level and position in the mix allows the listener to hear each instrument, while leaving room for the other instruments to be heard. Instruments shouldn’t have to compete for listener attention. Mixing your song is a subjective process, and you should work with a studio that will invite you to have full input in this process.
Once your song is recorded and mixed, you will want to master your songs so that they maintain that balance and clarity throughout the album. You don’t want your listener to be constantly turning songs up and down as they listen. Using the latest mastering software and equipment will ensure that each song sounds its best, and that the entire listening experience is a positive one.
If you’ve recorded a song with a company but don’t like the way they’ve mixed or mastered it, you can bring it to another recording studio for repairs. At Soundsmith, we’re happy to listen with an artist and share our expertise for a minimal charge.
Sometimes when you have unwanted noises and audience sounds that disrupt your listening experience, all that’s needed is a good hand with the latest audio repair software. A cough in a quiet section of a song can be annoying, but rest assured; we can get rid of that cough without sacrificing the quality of your song.
Hopefully now you have a better grasp on the recording, mixing and mastering world, and can use this understanding to communicate your vision to the producer you work with. And if you’re still looking for a producer, or you need someone else’s work corrected at a good price, hey! Look us up. I’ll look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Kent Smith