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Author Topic: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?  (Read 11536 times)

bleen

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #15 on: November 27, 2010, 01:52:23 AM »

jdg wrote on Fri, 26 November 2010 17:47

bleen wrote on Fri, 26 November 2010 14:05

jdg wrote on Fri, 26 November 2010 11:56

let them sit in the "captains" chair a few times.


You never let me do that... Crying or Very Sad  Crying or Very Sad



dont eat beans



If you had an Aeron it wouldn't matter...
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Andrew Hamilton

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #16 on: November 27, 2010, 03:05:43 AM »

Hi Gregg, you probably have heard or thought of these ideas, before.  However, review is often helpful:

Be sure to A/B reference material at the monitor gain position you're working at (or at least attenuated in calibration to that level).

Don't forget to watch how much time is spent talking.  Try not to debate politics or philosophize Nietzsche or proselytize sinners or anything nut-ball like that, while on the clock.  


The client is not always right.  Don't be persuaded to deviate from your work-flow until you have thought it through.  A good idea from a lay-person may be inspired - or, quite possibly, it may only be reasonable on the surface.  What Cass said is quite right.  You are the ME - it's your room.   Don't let the tail wag the dog.  They want your advice.  Don't take theirs with anything but a grain of salt.  

If it sounds good, it is.  

Only hard-bypassed bands don't interact.

Green tea, o kudasai.

Do bathe.  Seems unnecessary, but you might wish you had done so...   Especially if Nasui (or Quincy Jones) comes over during the session.

Having a friend come over to rescue you at around the time you think your session will be over, in case it's a setup, is probably wise - especially if it's the first time you meet with dude.  If you can phone your friend with an innocent-sounding statement, such as, "Red Licorice," you can agree ahead of time that that means, "SOS!," or similar.  With all that nice equipment, if you don't have security guards, or at least a secretary, you could be a sitting duck for robbery.  

Viva la unattended session.


Good luck,
    Andrew



(P. S.,  I listened to the other songs in the Peppermint Waves collection.  My favorites are still the first three tracks.  Somehow, compositionally, I was less entertained by the others.  The mastering was fine, however.  Most of the value of a song is the performace.  Second is the composition.  Third, the mix.  Last, and least, the mastering.  So, enjoy the low pressure mystery tour, Gregg J.!   Cool
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Gregg Janman

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #17 on: November 27, 2010, 03:48:41 AM »

Thanks for all the great tips people!

Yeah the "Pullet" In/Out never fails to bring a smile to my face either.  Very Happy

I have worried about doing attended sessions before, because of the "robbery" thing, so that advice is well worth taking on board Andrew.

Thanks for the kind comments re: the "Peppermint Sine Waves" compilation too!

Will report back on how it went after the session.

Thanks once again,

Gregg
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Thomas W. Bethel

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #18 on: November 27, 2010, 06:42:58 AM »

Andrew Hamilton wrote on Sat, 27 November 2010 03:05

Hi Gregg, you probably have heard or thought of these ideas, before.  However, review is often helpful:

Don't forget to watch how much time is spent talking.  Try not to debate politics or philosophize Nietzsche or proselytize sinners or anything nut-ball like that, while on the clock.  

The client is not always right.  Don't be persuaded to deviate from your work-flow until you have thought it through.  A good idea from a lay-person may be inspired - or, quite possibly, it may only be reasonable on the surface.  What Cass said is quite right.  You are the ME - it's your room.   Don't let the tail wag the dog.  They want your advice.  Don't take theirs with anything but a grain of salt.  

If it sounds good, it is.  

Having a friend come over to rescue you at around the time you think your session will be over, in case it's a setup, is probably wise - especially if it's the first time you meet with dude.  If you can phone your friend with an innocent-sounding statement, such as, "Red Licorice," you can agree ahead of time that that means, "SOS!," or similar.  With all that nice equipment, if you don't have security guards, or at least a secretary, you could be a sitting duck for robbery.  

Viva la unattended session.

Good luck,
    Andrew




Also all good suggestions.

Don't forget that the client is in an unfamiliar room listening to his or her materials on a system that is foreign to them so it is a very good idea to play some things the client has brought with them as examples early on in the session so the client can get an idea of what his or her reference materials sound like on your system.

The client will probably ask a lot of questions so do your best to answer them in a timely manner. Don't get sidetracked into a discussion of mixing or performance - there is not much you can do at the mastering stage to fix either one. Also as Andrew has suggested stay away from long discussions especially about politics or religion. The client is in your studio to do work. If the client wants to have a long personal discussion save it for a dinner break. Some clients feel the need to describe in the minutest details their feelings about the music, how they did the recording, what they want from their efforts and will go on an on and then complain that you over charged them or you charged them for time that was not used in mastering their materials. You have to develop your own way of dealing with this. I usually just change the subject back to the mastering we are doing but you will have to use your own judgment on how best to do this on a case by case basis.

Let the client make suggestions - it is after all their money and they do have the final say - but also mention what consequences their decisions may have on the music. ("gee my salesman at GC told me to boost the frequencies of 100 Hz and 10000 Hz by 10 dB if I want to make my stuff commercial""can you do that???")

As to security. I usually have an intern in attendance at any attended session where it is the client's first time mastering with us just for some extra "protection" I also have a panic button connected to our alarm system that I can activate when I am sitting at my mastering desk. I have NEVER had a problem but with the increases in the number of people out of work or looking for an easy way to score some equipment for sale it is always a good idea to be extra careful. I also try and stay away from people who suggest doing mastering sessions late a night since that seems to be a more risky time for thefts.

Again best of luck and do let us know how it went.
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fuse

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #19 on: November 27, 2010, 08:12:48 AM »

When the singer(s) wants to attend the mastering you might think twice of doing that. A lot of the singers tends to want the volume of the vocals way to high because they like to hear themself so much. (Sounds like a sneer, but isn't)
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Jerry Tubb

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #20 on: November 27, 2010, 01:21:40 PM »

fuse wrote on Sat, 27 November 2010 07:12

When the singer(s) wants to attend the mastering you might think twice of doing that. A lot of the singers tends to want the volume of the vocals way to high because they like to hear themself so much. (Sounds like a sneer, but isn't)


Hahaha! that's and old joke around here; an attended session with the whole band present except for one guy, who finally shows up near the end of the session and asks "wow! can you turn me up?"... everybody else rolls their eyes : - )

Good luck Gregg, it's really not that big of a deal, just stay on the path of what's been working for you.

If the client wants to veer off and nano-tweak something insignificant for a few minutes, indulge him, it's his nickel.

Then get back on course and keep moving forward, as the other tendency is for the client to start looking at his watch toward the end of the day.

Now that you've stirred everyone's curiosity, report back.

JT
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jackthebear

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #21 on: November 28, 2010, 09:00:21 AM »

Have fun.......don't over think things.......play your natural game as it were.....

Simplistic approach I know.......but doing so seems to produce the best results for me in all facets of my life.......

Once you get over the day I'm sure you will find you have nothing to really worry about and it will just get easier.......it's no wonder we marvel at how people make things look easy after they have been doing things for a long time........repetition is the mother of skill......and we grow once we step out of our comfort zone.......

I'm certain you will do very well......
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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #22 on: November 30, 2010, 06:45:46 AM »

Thanks guys,

Things went very well, and the client was happy, but it did feel very strange having someone peering over my shoulder, and having to explain what I was doing all the time. I am sure it was a good learning/teaching experience for me, but I think I'd prefer to fly solo in future.  Twisted Evil

Gregg
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resolectric

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #23 on: November 30, 2010, 06:56:50 AM »

Gregg Janman wrote on Tue, 30 November 2010 11:45

...I am sure it was a good learning/teaching experience for me, ...

Maybe even more so for your client.
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mastermind

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #24 on: November 30, 2010, 08:20:20 AM »

If the whole band is there, make sure your musician jokes are distributed evenly amongst all the band members, so that any one band member won't feel picked on. Unless of course one member doesn't show up for the session (say - the drummer), then it's open season on drummer jokes....    Very Happy

t
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trevor sadler
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Viitalahde

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #25 on: November 30, 2010, 10:44:26 AM »

My favourite attended session discussion:

I hand the ref CD to the client, and he asks how he should listen to it. I ask how he does his dishes, by hand or with a machine? The client gets a little confused and answers "Uhm.. By hand".

"Great! Put the CD in the player and listen while doing the dishes, that's how you do it."
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cass anawaty

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #26 on: November 30, 2010, 10:52:29 AM »

Gregg Janman wrote on Tue, 30 November 2010 11:45

 I am sure it was a good learning/teaching experience for me, but I think I'd prefer to fly solo in future.  Twisted Evil

Gregg


That's me as well.  These days I pretty much insist on the attended part being the "approval", but of course I send them with a disc to check out in their own spaces.  At a minimum, I make sure I've flown in the files a week ahead so I can have a couple of listens in and a general idea of what I want to do.
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mastermind

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #27 on: November 30, 2010, 10:20:59 PM »

I think if the artist wants to attend, they attend... regardless of how it impacts workflow.

It is their music after all.....

t
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trevor sadler
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Jerry Tubb

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #28 on: November 30, 2010, 11:08:23 PM »

mastermind wrote on Tue, 30 November 2010 21:20

I think if the artist wants to attend, they attend... regardless of how it impacts workflow.

It is their music after all.....

t



Yep, helps develop great client relationships!

And they love hearing their music on the big speaks.

JT
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djwaudio

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Re: First attended mastering session on Monday, any tips?
« Reply #29 on: December 01, 2010, 12:19:23 AM »

I always like to have the artist in if it's handy, as it makes for an enjoyable day.  After a while of doing this, clients will sense you know what you're doing, and wont be over your shoulder so much.  

I like to A/B the straight mix to what I'm doing for them, see a big smile, then move along.

Then I reengage their ears for the spacing/fades.  I actually *like* to have the drummer in on this part of the process.  They usually have the best sense of rhythm in the house!



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Respectfully submitted,
Dana

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