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[cass anawaty]

I hear ya' Tom.  I get some of that as well.

That's where Cass' canned speech about "expectations" comes in handy.  I'll knock a sample in line as best I can and say "I'll only work this project if you're happy with this sound--IMO it's as good as it's going to get w/out starting over--mixing, tracking, or both.".

And we go from there.

[prolearts]

Bob and I always laugh about the irony of how the "better" or more successful you get, the less you usually have to do to the source mixes because you end up (usually) getting better and better mixes.  

I think we generally tend to get a pretty decent level of source mixes, but every once in a while you just get those big turds and I think it's good for me. In most cases, the clients are aware that it's not the greatest sounding thing in the world and are stuck with it for various reasons. Most times they end up really pleased that it did go from a "D" to a "C" and hopefully they pick up a thing or two to make it better the next time. You usually have to learn a new thing or two in these cases I find.

I have twice sent clients back to remix when I knew that they were home recordists who had ready access to the equipment and time. It did make things at least somewhat better in both cases. I have never turned anyone away because their mixes weren't up to snuff. Though that sounds like it'd be nice, I don't think it'd be a good business move for a facility that caters to a lot of independent musicians on limited budgets.

Jason Ward
Chicago Mastering Service

[cerberus]

Thomas W. Bethel wrote on Tue, 17 June 2008 06:58

As for sending clients away because you don't think it is worthy of mastering - horse pucky! If this is a an advocation or hobby or you are independently wealthy I guess you can be more picky.

i have a mix gig that is putting food on my table. it isn't going to further my career
much, but that is not the point.  i am getting paid as an audio engineer.
and of course i will master the product too, that would be my
specialty, my stronger suit. but i will earn only 1/10
from mastering as i will from  mixing it.

jeff dinces

[Jerry Tubb]

Hearing and Listening... from the Micro to the Macro...

We MEs listen for the tiniest tick lasting only a few samples, to the whole song,
the entire record, and how it relates to the genre, and the world.

"Hearing more/doing less" invokes the old adage about the taylor that cuts the best...

why turn ten knobs when one will do(?)

Best - JT

[mcsnare]

I remember taking an album to Ted several years ago. One of the producers commented that he didn't hear much of a difference. Of course I wanted to make myself look good so I explained that the better the mixes, the less change he would hear in mastering!
Dave