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Author Topic: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests  (Read 15627 times)

cass anawaty

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #30 on: May 28, 2008, 12:56:54 PM »

masterhse wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 16:58

Jerry -

When I create a demo it either alternates between the unmastered/mastered versions, or is edited down. Neither of which would serve as a free mastered track.

Demos are a double-edged sword. They can get you some great new clients, or waste your time. With a couple of questions you can usually filter out the two reasonably.

Demos also allow one to audition the material before taking on the job. I'm curious as to how many potential paying gigs people may refuse?

I recently had someone send me some material and as politely as I could told the person that it would be a waste of money to master the tracks, that the amount of distortion was beyond any reasonable method of repair (these were poorly recorded acoustic tracks with severe clipping) and that I would have to refuse the gig. He told me that there were other mastering engineers that he sent the material to that would take on the job and to go f*ck myself. Glad that I listened and sorted it out pre-demo before dealing with him.


Oh yeah--had a couple submit .wma files, then tell me they found someone that "could" master for them.  Obviously more talented than me.   Razz
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Cass Anawaty, Chief Engineer
Sunbreak Music, LLC
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aivoryuk

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #31 on: May 28, 2008, 01:13:41 PM »

Cass Anawaty wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 17:56

masterhse wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 16:58

Jerry -

When I create a demo it either alternates between the unmastered/mastered versions, or is edited down. Neither of which would serve as a free mastered track.

Demos are a double-edged sword. They can get you some great new clients, or waste your time. With a couple of questions you can usually filter out the two reasonably.

Demos also allow one to audition the material before taking on the job. I'm curious as to how many potential paying gigs people may refuse?

I recently had someone send me some material and as politely as I could told the person that it would be a waste of money to master the tracks, that the amount of distortion was beyond any reasonable method of repair (these were poorly recorded acoustic tracks with severe clipping) and that I would have to refuse the gig. He told me that there were other mastering engineers that he sent the material to that would take on the job and to go f*ck myself. Glad that I listened and sorted it out pre-demo before dealing with him.


Oh yeah--had a couple submit .wma files, then tell me they found someone that "could" master for them.  Obviously more talented than me.   Razz


I had one where the client wanted me to do a sort of stems with a backing track and a stereo vocal track. the backing was in mp3 format and smashed to hell.

Later turns out when questioned it was a pre bought backing track and he just record vocals to it.
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masterhse

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #32 on: May 28, 2008, 02:07:12 PM »

Cass Anawaty wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 12:56

Oh yeah--had a couple submit .wma files, then tell me they found someone that "could" master for them.  Obviously more talented than me.   Razz


LOL, step away from the trainwreck, nothing to see here.

aivoryuk wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 13:13

I had one where the client wanted me to do a sort of stems with a backing track and a stereo vocal track. the backing was in mp3 format and smashed to hell.

Later turns out when questioned it was a pre bought backing track and he just record vocals to it.



Yikes! Almost like using a vocal remover, adding a new vocal, and asking for it to be mastered.
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Tom Volpicelli
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crna59

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #33 on: May 28, 2008, 04:16:13 PM »

Jerry Tubb wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 09:26

trying to avoid doing someone's single for free!
JT


That's why I only process about a minute or so of the track. If they like it, they can pay for the other 3 or 4 minutes of the track. If they don't like it, I didn't waste my time processing the rest of the track!

Regards,
Bruce
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Andy Krehm

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #34 on: May 28, 2008, 05:05:04 PM »

crna59 wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 16:16

Jerry Tubb wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 09:26

trying to avoid doing someone's single for free!
JT


That's why I only process about a minute or so of the track. If they like it, they can pay for the other 3 or 4 minutes of the track. If they don't like it, I didn't waste my time processing the rest of the track!

Regards,
Bruce

But it takes me 30 to 45 minutes to get a single/first song of an album done to my satisfaction. Mastering a demo is EXACTLY the same as mastering a single and if it is to be representative of my work, I want it to be really good which is why I don't do this very often.

Label "shootouts", yes and people who are recommended here and can't come in, I will sometimes do a demo for.

If someone can come in for a demo, I'm happy to have them come in but again, I don't usually give out any audio unless I think its at the same level as my paid work.

jdg

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #35 on: May 28, 2008, 05:26:31 PM »

i have local ppl come in for "Demos"
that takes more time then anything. and is a pain to schedule.
but, if they come in, it converts into a booking 99% of the time.

demos from "the internet" turn a 60% conversion, roughly.

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john mcCaig
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MASSIVE Mastering

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #36 on: May 28, 2008, 05:57:33 PM »

aivoryuk wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 12:13


I had one where the client wanted me to do a sort of stems with a backing track and a stereo vocal track. the backing was in mp3 format and smashed to hell.

Had a client bring mixes in a few weeks ago - On an iPod.  
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John Scrip
Massive Mastering - Chicago (Schaumburg / Hoffman Est.), IL - USA

cass anawaty

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #37 on: May 28, 2008, 05:59:56 PM »

MASSIVE Mastering wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 22:57

aivoryuk wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 12:13


I had one where the client wanted me to do a sort of stems with a backing track and a stereo vocal track. the backing was in mp3 format and smashed to hell.

Had a client bring mixes in a few weeks ago - On an iPod.  


I hope you mastered them on a docking station.
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Greg Reierson

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #38 on: May 28, 2008, 06:00:36 PM »

Cass Anawaty wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 16:59

MASSIVE Mastering wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 22:57

aivoryuk wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 12:13


I had one where the client wanted me to do a sort of stems with a backing track and a stereo vocal track. the backing was in mp3 format and smashed to hell.

Had a client bring mixes in a few weeks ago - On an iPod.  


I hope you mastered them on a docking station.


No, no.... in iTunes!


GR
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masterhse

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #39 on: May 28, 2008, 08:08:05 PM »

jdg wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 17:26

i have local ppl come in for "Demos"
that takes more time then anything. and is a pain to schedule.
but, if they come in, it converts into a booking 99% of the time.

demos from "the internet" turn a 60% conversion, roughly.




It actually takes less time for me if they come in since it's instant feedback. Yeah you may have to do a bit of entertaining and explanation, but I agree that the conversion is that high.

I tend to demo over the 'Net more since I can schedule when I'm less busy. I have a bit better conversion over the 'Net than 60%, I would guess more like 80%. I treat these like any other session, the only issue is that it can take up to a week for me to get to them when I'm booked heavily. I usually try to turn them around in 3 days though. Demos are a lower priority than paid work, and most potential clients understand this.
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Tom Volpicelli
The Mastering House Inc.
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masterhse

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #40 on: May 28, 2008, 08:11:40 PM »

MASSIVE Mastering wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 17:57

Had a client bring mixes in a few weeks ago - On an iPod.  


You can use an Ipod as a disk storage device in which case the audio can be any format. See:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1478
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Tom Volpicelli
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MASSIVE Mastering

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #41 on: May 28, 2008, 11:30:18 PM »

Yeah, but that's not what he did...  
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John Scrip
Massive Mastering - Chicago (Schaumburg / Hoffman Est.), IL - USA

masterhse

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #42 on: May 29, 2008, 08:39:44 AM »

MASSIVE Mastering wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 23:30

Yeah, but that's not what he did...  


Understood. I thought that I would mention it as I have a client who brings mixes on his video Ipod as 48K/24 files on a regular basis. Nothing wrong with an Ipod for xfering mixes if done this way.
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Tom Volpicelli
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aivoryuk

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #43 on: May 29, 2008, 03:05:37 PM »

masterhse wrote on Thu, 29 May 2008 13:39

MASSIVE Mastering wrote on Wed, 28 May 2008 23:30

Yeah, but that's not what he did...  


Understood. I thought that I would mention it as I have a client who brings mixes on his video Ipod as 48K/24 files on a regular basis. Nothing wrong with an Ipod for xfering mixes if done this way.


I am still amazed about the amout of intial mixes I receive that are in mp3/wma format. I find that half the battle is getting it in the right format.

What I find even more amazing is I have witnessed a few mastering places that state that they actually accept mp3/wma as a mix format
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cass anawaty

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Re: 'Cattle Call' mastering sample / demo requests
« Reply #44 on: May 29, 2008, 03:33:53 PM »

aivoryuk wrote on Thu, 29 May 2008 20:05


What I find even more amazing is I have witnessed a few mastering places that state that they actually accept mp3/wma as a mix format


Everytime one of us rejects one, the market grows.   Razz
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Cass Anawaty, Chief Engineer
Sunbreak Music, LLC
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