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[masterhse]

I don't know if this question has been asked before, but I'm curious what the engineers here feel is their favorite mastering engineer(this is of course excluding yourself!) and influences that they may have had on your work.

[Level]

The "craft" of mastering has not been around long enough to form a favorite. One that consistantly does quality without smashing is Bernie Grundman.

Transparent transfer in accordance with artists wishes.

Some do great for a while and then "blow it" so therefore, my stance is that since we don't hear the premaster, how do you know whether the mastering engineer made things "better" or "screwed them up?"

Unless you get to hear the mixdown and then the actual final, you are pissing into the wrong end of a fan. You are guessing, unless you are the artist, the mixdown engineer or a quiet observer with knowledge of both the mix and master.

Consistantly, Bernie G has not presented any eggs that I know of. As for his satt. offices, I withold comment.

[Jerry Tubb]

I'm gonna have to go on record as voting for:

aha... a three-way-tie...

East Coast: Bob Ludwig

West Coast: Doug Sax & Bernie Grundman

these gentlemen are pioneers, and continue to do impeccable work !


Peace  

[e-cue]

For me (the only mastering I do is ghetto mastering), Eddy Schreyer at Oasis.  His mastering is an extension of my mixing.  He recently remastered a track I mixed over a year ago that was originally done by Big Bass and the difference in quality was obscene.  Gene Grimaldi over there at Oasis ain't too shabby either.

[bobkatz]

masterhse wrote on Sat, 21 May 2005 16:38

I don't know if this question has been asked before, but I'm curious what the engineers here feel is their favorite mastering engineer(this is of course excluding yourself!) and influences that they may have had on your work.

Doug Sax, Bernie Grundman and Bob Ludwig (in any order) are at the top of my list. Influences...  too numerous to mention.

I hesitate to put a particular "sound" on any of the above three's work. I believe they are very versatile and roll with the flow. BL is probably the most flexible of the three. Doug Sax's "liquid" channels are probably the most identifiable or consistent.

There's a "top" number I'm sure from each of these mastering engineers in my honor roll.

BK

[bblackwood]

Level wrote on Sat, 21 May 2005 15:48

The "craft" of mastering has not been around long enough to form a favorite.

I dunno how long something has to exist to be considered a 'craft', but I would think that 30-plus years qualifies...

Consistently, Ludwig (historically), Gardner (for killer level for hip hop) and Sax (for shear body of work) are my three...

[dcollins]

I think I'd go with Joe Gastwirt.

DC

[Arf! Mastering]

dcollins wrote on Sun, 22 May 2005 01:45

I think I'd go with Joe Gastwirt. DC

Just based on Larry Carlton's "Renegade Gentleman" you have a good point.

Then in no particular order...what they said.

[TotalSonic]

I'd have to add Howie Weinberg to the list of people already mentioned.  The stuff he did for Bill Laswell's productions in the 80-90's is really ballsy and near perfectly balanced to my ear.

In terms of my favorite vinyl cutting engineers -
I'd say Don Grossinger for rock stuff (i.e. Brian Wilson's "Smile"), Jim Shelton for classical (all those RCA Red Seal & Telarc releases are pretty sonically amazing), and Shane McEnhill at Heathmans and Nilz at the Exchange for house/techno/idm.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[jfrigo]

Several good names have already come up so I won't repeat, but to add something new, I'd put Greg Calbi in there somewhere.

He's one of the quietest engineers in NYC...

[Jerry Tubb]

Oh yeah and:

the lathe-master Wally Traugott ! and of coure the late Denny Purcell.

[Ronny]

Yes, for sure Joe Gastwirt and I've always like Glenn Meadows on the country acts.

[PP]

[aivoryuk]

For me I would have to say Ted Jensen and bernie grundman, i just like the sounds that they both produce.

when i first got into mastering about 1998 (just b4 things got a bit stupid in levels) these were the 2 names on most of the artists that i was listening to at the time
I haven't heard much of Bernie's later stuff so i don't know how it compares in the loudness wars, but i've always liked his stuff before.

Alex

[Ruairi O'Flaherty]

bobkatz wrote on Sun, 22 May 2005 01:25

Doug Sax's "liquid" channels are probably the most identifiable or consistent.

Hi Bob,

it's probably obvious to others but what do you mean by this? (and I know it doesn't involve Focusrite   ),

cheers,
Ruairi