I GIVE PERMISSION FOR THIS POST TO BE FREELY COPIED THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET AND/OR WRITTEN PUBLICATIONS, AS LONG AS THE NOTICE: "COPYRIGHT 2005 BY ROBERT A. KATZ" IS ATTACHED TO THE TEXT.
Medical schools require that their graduating physicians take a hippocratic oath. You can read the original medical oath
here .
I'd like to propose (and sign as the first signer) the following MASTERING ENGINEER'S HIPPOCRATIC OATH. I propose that this oath be delivered and taken at all the audio schools and retroactively by all working mastering engineers:
I swear that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:
To be a loyal and respectful professional colleague with all who have taught me my art and to help teach them this art - if they desire to learn it; to give a share of precepts and oral instruction and all the other learning to my professional colleagues and students who have signed the covenant and have taken the oath, and furthermore, to help my colleagues who have not yet taken or abided by this oath.
I will apply corrective audio measures for the benefit of the sound and performance of the music and other sound which have been given to me to process, according to my ability and best judgment; I pledge not to do the sound harm or injustice, either through commission or omission of any act.
I will not give a bad-sounding product to any client or anybody who (knowingly or unknowingly) asked for one, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. I will make every effort to instruct anybody who asks for a bad-sounding product the reasons why this product is or will be bad-sounding, and to show them how the product can be bettered by using more effective or different processing techniques. If the client continues to prefer a different result which I know to be bad-sounding, I will reluctantly deliver the product to them in as good a condition as I can make it within their proposed limitations. I will make it known to them, as tactfully as possible, that their choice has not been good in my professional opinion.
I will not use severely damaging processes on any audio product. I recognize that the definition of "damage" is in the ear of the listener, but that long experience and ear training help us to distinguish that which is harm from good. To that end I will make every effort to improve my abilities and knowledge, to truthfully say, "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better."
Whatever houses I may visit to do my work, I will come for the benefit of the music and sound, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all mischief.
If I fulfill this oath and do not violate it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honored with fame among all men for all time to come; if I transgress it and swear falsely, may the opposite of all this be my lot.
Signed,
Robert A. Katz, Mastering engineer
All those who wish to sign and uphold this oath as I have chosen to do, please register your signature by sending it to Bob Katz through the guestbook at
www.digido.com and I will publish your names and signatures at digido.com as signatories to this new Hippocratic oath.