Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Electronic Music Production // Dark Arts
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Neal
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Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by Neal »

I lurk on here from time to time but decided to pipe up.

I make a lot of tracks, I think to a fairly decent standard, problem I have is knowing when to let go of a track for mastering. The reason I have this problem I think is because I use my own mastering chains as a reference against other tracks to get a feel for how they compare and when I hear how my track doesn't stand up to the reference I go back to the production mixing stage... Caught in an endless loop. Perhaps I just need to accept my tracks have their own qualities and should be less precious but it's difficult when you know you're going to pay decent money for a master and you want it to sounds the best in can possibly be.

Does anyone else have this problem?

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Lost to the Void
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Re: Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by Lost to the Void »

That is the golden question.
I stop when I feel I no longer have the ability to correct any problems I might hear, or when I stop hearing problems.
Don't over reference and compare, just reference purely as a guide but focus on your own thing otherwise you will forever assess yourself in comparison to others and you'll never get anywhere.
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Mattias
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Re: Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by Mattias »

It's between where you're not quite 100% satisfied with the track but still can accept it as a piece of work you can stand for.
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Neal
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Re: Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by Neal »

Lost to the Void wrote:That is the golden question.
I stop when I feel I no longer have the ability to correct any problems I might hear, or when I stop hearing problems.
Don't over reference and compare, just reference purely as a guide but focus on your own thing otherwise you will forever assess yourself in comparison to others and you'll never get anywhere.
Something deep down I know but helps hearing from someone else. Thanks.

Neal
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Re: Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by Neal »

Mattias wrote:It's between where you're not quite 100% satisfied with the track but still can accept it as a piece of work you can stand for.
Sound advice.

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Re: Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by Neal »

Perhaps I should post tracks on here for feedback, it might help with the 'letting go' of tracks. I don't have any friends who produce or many friends who are into techno so maybe posting here is a good option.

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Senko
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Re: Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by Senko »

Was going to make a thread on this.

Seems a lot of people A/B their material to properly mastered tracks, and realistically it's difficult to get close to that level of polishing. Gives a false impression of what to expect from the pre-master stage and really sets the expectation high. I've actually talked to well established producer who have said they put a Utility Gain VST on the master (Even a limiter sometimes) before sending out promos.

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Re: Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by msl »

Lost to the Void wrote:I stop when I feel I no longer have the ability to correct any problems I might hear, or when I stop hearing problems.
Don't over reference and compare, just reference purely as a guide but focus on your own thing otherwise you will forever assess yourself in comparison to others and you'll never get anywhere.
This!

I don't reference and compare. You just gotta let go at some point, when you know its professional enough and acceptable to you. Its the same in my graphics work. I get pretty anal about the final mix... because I really want to improve my output, so its good to push yourself but know when is enough. Its a form of masochism otherwise...
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rktic
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Re: Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by rktic »

I think "done" is too vague without any kind of definition. Here are my three levels of done:

1. The sounds of the track are the way I want them to be
2. The arrangement reflects the flow I had in mind
3. I'm at the point at which I can't vastly improve the mix in 15 minutes

It also happens that I return to a track with a fresh mind after letting it rest for a month or even more. Having worked on other contexts in between has a benefit in spotting certain issues faster for me.

Also: there are tracks I enjoy listening to again and again and those I don't. That helps me find out about the value I produced and whether it's worth spending more time on it or not.

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Re: Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by sergiobR1 »

Lost to the Void wrote:That is the golden question.
I stop when I feel I no longer have the ability to correct any problems I might hear, or when I stop hearing problems.
Don't over reference and compare, just reference purely as a guide but focus on your own thing otherwise you will forever assess yourself in comparison to others and you'll never get anywhere.
this advice is pure gold
we speak of art with flaming passion
then do work void of compassion
and wonder why reality is bleeding fiction

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Mslwte
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Re: Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by Mslwte »

this is a big problem for me at the moment. i have a lot of "almost" finished tracks. problem is i keep fliting between them and making little adjustments here and there and not actually committing myself.

i recently sent a remix back to the label and then realised it could be better, then set another version. now i'm on the 3rd, final, final, final version and i think its finished.

i hate it when i do that.
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rktic
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Re: Pre Mastering/Knowing when it's ready

Post by rktic »

Mslwte wrote:i hate it when i do that.
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