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Once you've recorded and mixed all the tracks for your
CD or cassette, you need to put them in the correct order and make
sure they sound cohesive when played back-to-back. This is called
mastering, and you can do it one of two ways:
- You can master in the studio where you recorded.
In this case, you will simply be transferring your finished mix
from one DAT to another, in the final order you've decided upon,
with each song exactly at the volume you want it, and with an
appropriate amount of space between each song (typically 3-4 seconds).
You can also do a limited amount of "sweetening" (changing
EQ and reverb settings on individual songs) in the studio at this
point, although doing this in the studio may be a bit more awkward
than it would be in a mastering house.
You can master in a bona fide mastering house, where you have
a few more creative possibilities. Mastering-house equipment allows
you to edit your performance on a computer system (example: you
can replace a poorly-sung chorus with a chorus borrowed from elsewhere
in the song almost as easily as you "cut and paste"
on a word processor), to cross-fade from one song to another,
and more. Other advantages include a) a fresh set of ears (the
ears of the mastering engineer) and b) a fresh set of studio monitors
(speakers), so you can hear how your mixes sound in a new environment.
Whichever approach you take, the goal is to end up with a DAT
(digital audio tape) or CDR (compact disc) that includes your
songs in the right order, at the right levels, with the proper
amount of silence between the songs.
At this point, simply send your master & log sheet off to us
and, as far as audio is concerned, you're all set. A very good idea
is to ask for a test tape before you proceed further. This way you
can hear what your final product will sound like in all your usual
listening environments -- boom box, car, living room, etc. Fleetwood
offers test tapes at no extra charge, as we feel this can avoid
much hassle and heartache farther down the line
As far as what to do with your tape once you have
finished the duplication part . . you should get as much information
about your business as possible. Read industry periodicals like
Mix, ask advice of people in your industry, and there's a lot of
information on the web. Good luck!
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