ABSTRACT
The purpose of this book is to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of the mastering process. Though equally the skills required to master audio effectively are as valid in all areas of music creation. Whether you are involved in games audio, a composer for film and television, or classical music production, the aesthetics required to manipulate and assess audio for mastering are a highly valuable addition to any engineer’s skill set and comprehension of musical form. Learning how to engage in analysis and contextualise evaluations by linking to appropriate processing tools is required to achieve a mastered sound. Exploring processing conventions and theory can be used to create effective transfer paths utilising the best properties from each process. All these aspects are discussed in depth, and practical examples are given to support development of processing control and to facilitate an engineer to actually master audio effectively and achieve positive repeatable outcomes. Bridging the gap between perception of mastering as a ‘dark art’ and breaking myths surrounding what in truth is a technical and highly analytical process. There are no ‘presets’ in mastering, and the skills and knowledge gained through developing this area can be equally applied to other parts of the production process. After all, the principles and perception of sound do not change just because recording or mixing is being conducted, but the directives towards observations and outcomes do.
