![]() Much as I must favor either the kick or the bass in the low end, I have to let one process win the battle of color. If I am doing both mixing and mastering, I have to think very carefully about where to impart color-where I employ big, tonal-shaping gestures to add flavor. But I also note the intended vibe of the mix, and, if it falls short, I use my tools to achieve that vibe. When I’m mastering, I do the same thing to a certain degree: yes, I try to achieve a balance across the entire album, one that translates to all delivery media and speaker systems. If I get a blues-rock mix in the vein of the Black Keys, I know what that means in terms of EQ choices, harmonic distortion implementation, and compression. Know when to add colorĪs a mixer, I’m always trying to suss out the right personality for the song and to translate that personality into technical processes. The following are the rules I live by when I’m asked to master my own mixes, which is more and more often these days. With technology like Ozone 9 and the improved Tonal Balance Control, I find it’s more possible than before-provided I follow concrete rules of thumb. It was interesting then to see engineers like Luca Pretolesi and Don Gehman break that rule. Growing up, I was always told by amateurs and pros alike-you can’t master a song you’ve mixed.
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