# Mastering vs. Mixing+Mastering



## BenG (Dec 27, 2017)

Hey Guys!

I'm working on a small trailer album and was looking to hire a professional mixing/mastering engineer. Unfortunately, my budget is on the lighter side and I likely won't have enough to have the track mixed and mastered. 

- Would it still be worth it to have my music professionally mastered, if I'm the one mixing it? 
- Will there be a noticeable improvement in balance/clarity/etc.?


----------



## Dietz (Dec 27, 2017)

My take on this:

- In an ideal world, mixing and mastering engineer are not the same person. Having a different pair of ears working on the final touches is a good idea, even (or actually: especially) in case of professional, well-balanced mixes.

- In a slightly-less-than-ideal world, a good mixing engineer will be able to come up with mixes which will work without additional mastering.

- Having so-so mixes mastered by a professional will help a bit, but even the most talented mastering engineers can't really change miscarried balances, panning flaws and/or missing space.

.. my 0.02 €!


----------



## BenG (Dec 27, 2017)

Really appreciate your input, Dietz!

Having never had my music properly mixed/mastered by a professional engineer, I had no idea what is capable. What you mention definitely makes sense and it seems that mastering alone is not the greatest idea.


----------



## ThePrioryStudio (Dec 28, 2017)

Mastering is a dark art for sure. As Dietz points out, a mastering engineer isn't a mix engineer, they perform different tasks. If the strings are too low in the mix, only a certain amount of Mastering EQ will fix them and too much will ruin the rest of the mix. These days there are online mastering sites that will charge you decent rates per track, but you are blind to what you'll get back from them, but then being in the room with the mastering engineer will cost you a lot more.

Get a mix you are happy with then look at mastering, if you're happy with what you hear from the mix, you'll be happier with what comes back from the master.


----------



## BenG (Dec 28, 2017)

ThePrioryStudio said:


> Mastering is a dark art for sure. As Dietz points out, a mastering engineer isn't a mix engineer, they perform different tasks. If the strings are too low in the mix, only a certain amount of Mastering EQ will fix them and too much will ruin the rest of the mix. These days there are online mastering sites that will charge you decent rates per track, but you are blind to what you'll get back from them, but then being in the room with the mastering engineer will cost you a lot more.
> 
> Get a mix you are happy with then look at mastering, if you're happy with what you hear from the mix, you'll be happier with what comes back from the master.



Very good point and starting with a decent mix that I am satisfied with is the most important factor.


----------



## Nmargiotta (Dec 28, 2017)

Biggest piece of advice, use a mastering engineer that offers "stem mastering". Stem mastering is a nice mix of mixing/mastering. You provide them with 4 or 5 stems, they balance them and master them to a final stereo master. The benefits are great if your mixing skills aren't quite there and it cuts cost on bringing in another service (mixing). Check out http://mercurymastering.com (mercurymastering.com) Blake is top shelf and provides this type of service, along with standard mastering and mixing services as well. But I would recommend the stem mastering because of its price and it gives them the control to really make things shine, it also typically gets a quicker turn around then having the tracks mixed from the bottom.


----------



## shomynik (Dec 28, 2017)

Nmargiotta said:


> Biggest piece of advice, use a mastering engineer that offers "stem mastering". Stem mastering is a nice mix of mixing/mastering. You provide them with 4 or 5 stems, they balance them and master them to a final stereo master. The benefits are great if your mixing skills aren't quite there and it cuts cost on bringing in another service (mixing). Check out http://mercurymastering.com (mercurymastering.com) Blake is top shelf and provides this type of service, along with standard mastering and mixing services as well. But I would recommend the stem mastering because of its price and it gives them the control to really make things shine, it also typically gets a quicker turn around then having the tracks mixed from the bottom.


That sounds actually great, and the rates are fair. The only reservation I have is that they don't have any orchestral/cinematic music listed.


----------



## John Busby (Dec 28, 2017)

shomynik said:


> That sounds actually great, and the rates are fair. The only reservation I have is that they don't have any orchestral/cinematic music listed.


sign up for a free account and send them a sample of your stuff and they'll master it for you


----------



## shomynik (Dec 28, 2017)

johnbusbymusic said:


> sign up for a free account and send them a sample of your stuff and they'll master it for you


Missed that option. That's fantastic! Thx


----------



## BenG (Dec 29, 2017)

shomynik said:


> Missed that option. That's fantastic! Thx



Yes, thanks for sharing!


----------



## BenG (Dec 29, 2017)

Given my smaller budget, which would be the best option...

1. Hire a great Mastering Engineer for Stereo/Stem Mastering only?
2. Hire a decent Engineer to Mix and Master my music?


----------



## Dietz (Dec 29, 2017)

My personal opinion: Stem-mastering combines the problems of mixing with the problems of mastering.  The engineer has to make fundamental decisions about tone, balance and depth without being able to control the individual signal sources themselves any more.

... this doesn't mean that it couldn't be the proper way to improve certain productions, but I experienced more confusion and necessary revisions in the few situations where stem-mastering had been chosen than in any other context (in music production, that is).


----------



## BenG (Dec 29, 2017)

Hmm, in that case it may be best to go with a less expensive engineer that offers both services...


----------



## Gerhard Westphalen (Dec 29, 2017)

BenG said:


> Given my smaller budget, which would be the best option...
> 
> 1. Hire a great Mastering Engineer for Stereo/Stem Mastering only?
> 2. Hire a decent Engineer to Mix and Master my music?



Depends on what you can do yourself. The work of a great mastering engineer will be miles ahead of "mastering" from those who don't do it well.

IMO it all depends on how well you can mix it yourself. Without a good mix, mastering isn't going to help much.


----------



## BenG (Dec 29, 2017)

Gerhard Westphalen said:


> Depends on what you can do yourself. The work of a great mastering engineer will be miles ahead of "mastering" from those who don't do it well.
> 
> IMO it all depends on how well you can mix it yourself. Without a good mix, mastering isn't going to help much.



Very true and this is the main issue. Mixing is definitely not my strong suit and feel it may be best to work with a professional for both parts of the post-production process.


----------



## Scoremixer (Dec 30, 2017)

BenG said:


> Given my smaller budget, which would be the best option...
> 
> 1. Hire a great Mastering Engineer for Stereo/Stem Mastering only?
> 2. Hire a decent Engineer to Mix and Master my music?



Obviously I'm biased, but in this scenario you should prioritise getting an engineer to mix your music, way over and above mastering. I'd have to agree with Dietz above that stem mastering potentially gives you the worst of both worlds, especially if you're not confident that what you're supplying the mastering engineer is close to a finished mix. Working from 5 stereo stems just isn't enough to be able to dive in and do much of anything.

If the mix engineer does the job properly, mastering should really be pretty trivial- some levelling and maybe an EQ nip and tuck. Save the money you'd spend on mastering and pile it all into getting the best mix you can.


----------



## BenG (Dec 30, 2017)

Scoremixer said:


> Obviously I'm biased, but in this scenario you should prioritise getting an engineer to mix your music, way over and above mastering. I'd have to agree with Dietz above that stem mastering potentially gives you the worst of both worlds, especially if you're not confident that what you're supplying the mastering engineer is close to a finished mix. Working from 5 stereo stems just isn't enough to be able to dive in and do much of anything.
> 
> If the mix engineer does the job properly, mastering should really be pretty trivial- some levelling and maybe an EQ nip and tuck. Save the money you'd spend on mastering and pile it all into getting the best mix you can.



Thanks for this invaluable advice and that is good to hear! It sounds like the mix is the more important of the two (when done well) and mastering should be secondary to mixing. This makes complete sense and I can see the logic behind this thought!

_(Username checks out..._


----------



## ThePrioryStudio (Jan 2, 2018)

I agree. For me, mixing is king and the most important stage once yo have a finished piece. The master is the fairy dust. Mastering stems is just mixing as far as i'm concerned, a halfway house maybe. The balance, tone, panning and general vibe of a mix will give you what you want to hear, the master will make it louder and heighten what the mixer has mixed. I would always treat them as separate stages.


----------



## BenG (Jan 3, 2018)

ThePrioryStudio said:


> I agree. For me, mixing is king and the most important stage once yo have a finished piece. The master is the fairy dust. Mastering stems is just mixing as far as i'm concerned, a halfway house maybe. The balance, tone, panning and general vibe of a mix will give you what you want to hear, the master will make it louder and heighten what the mixer has mixed. I would always treat them as separate stages.



Interesting and I can see your thinking here. That said, if your getting it mixed professionally, you should probably get it mastered professionally as well.


----------



## ThePrioryStudio (Jan 3, 2018)

Oh absolutely - if you can do it, or have the budget to get it done. Mastering a good mix is certainly worth it.


----------

