International Mastering vs Local Mastering

FruitarGeek

In a nutshell... What is the difference between the 2?

I got rates from 2 different studio's. A guy in Stellenbosch will charge around R450 but another company in UK will charge about R1000 (80 pounds) per track.

Does the international companies in general have something that us local guys don't have?

DonovanB

If you're willing to find out, send the track to both... then let us know so we can answer your question ?

Other than that I have no clue. Maybe others have an opinion on it. Mastering seems to be a touchy subject around these parts.

IceCreamMan

sticking my oar in here..happy yo be shot down in flames if my logic is wrong...... just cos one is dearer dont mean its going to be any better i reckon..remember in the uk a macdonalds meals costs around 5.50 quid = around 73 ront ...here its around 30 ront ...so using the same ratio's the overseas one should be around a grand if the local is 450.....

now which meal is better , well i am having nando's tonight ....an last time i had nando's in the uk it cost me 6 quid 10 for a 1/4 chicken ,fries and soda .....damn it was expensive ....prefer the local variety for under 35 ront last time i had......

Bob-Dubery

Adrian Rogowski wrote: In a nutshell... What is the difference between the 2?

I got rates from 2 different studio's. A guy in Stellenbosch will charge around R450 but another company in UK will charge about R1000 (80 pounds) per track.

Does the international companies in general have something that us local guys don't have?

Get references from both studios.

The market here is much smaller, so the studios may have to drop their prices to pick up a slice of a smaller pie.

There's no reason why an overseas operation must automatically be better.

FruitarGeek

Ya Bob. That was my rational - but my main question is even if they do have better equipment and state of the art sound treatment etc. What will it mean for the song. At best it would be nice to hear the same song mastered by 2 different companies to get an idea

Bob-Dubery

Adrian Rogowski wrote: Ya Bob. That was my rational - but my main question is even if they do have better equipment and state of the art sound treatment etc. What will it mean for the song. At best it would be nice to hear the same song mastered by 2 different companies to get an idea

Then get them each to master one song, on the understanding that you will give them more work if you're happy.

Not that I think one song will do THAT much good. One of the aims of mastering is to make a set of recordings have some sonic uniformity. There's been some other discussions on GFSA around mastering and what it is supposed to achieve, and with some good input from people who have experience and knowledge in these matters, so maybe you want to read those and make sure that you understand what you should be getting.

So why not put that deal to them, and tell them they can put the file online for a limited number of days and then delete it?

Worst they can do is say no.

majestikc

Also, your song/songs should already sound the way you want them, if you're relying on"mastering" as some final magic bullet to make your music sound "pro" or "better" you're most likely going to be pretty disappointed, even if you sent your stuff to Sterling Sound, just to keep making that point clear.

I would second the idea of testing out both, especially since some mastering places do give you a one track free test. A hack in the UK would most likely give the same result as one from here, "international" is no guarantee for quality, I've heard tracks come back from "mastering" in Nashville from a place with some pretty fancy anal-og gear that sounded pretty bad, worse than the un-mastered versions once the levels were matched.

FruitarGeek

Yea. Its such a subjective term. I am learning though.

I am looking at this UK company Metropolis, and they seem to have a legit Mastering studio, the fee's are hectic though. The more budget option is between £50 (unattended) and £65 (attended). What the heck is the difference between unattended and attended?

http://www.metropolis-group.co.uk/services.php?m=1&p=10

DonovanB

Abbey Road do mastering as well. Last I check it seemed reasonably priced.

Bob-Dubery

Adrian Rogowski wrote: Yea. Its such a subjective term. I am learning though.

I am looking at this UK company Metropolis, and they seem to have a legit Mastering studio, the fee's are hectic though. The more budget option is between £50 (unattended) and £65 (attended). What the heck is the difference between unattended and attended?

http://www.metropolis-group.co.uk/services.php?m=1&p=10

GIYF!

See http://recording.org/blogs/trilliumsound/78-mastering-attended-vs-unattended-sessions.html

Manfred-Klose

or you can send it to seatlle ?

http://www.rficd.com/Studio.aspx

a friends band(which has broken up now) also sent their track to the USA (not the link i gave but a different company)
and got it back it didn't really sound any better that mastering i have heard locally.
their mix was excellent and frequencies blended nice, but the band didn't really cut it as musos.

there is alot of good mastering guys locally.

here is a few that i know of :
http://www.lapdust.com/

http://audiomastering.co.za/

the one in stellenbosch you got:
http://www.mastering.co.za/

(R300 per song and running analog mastering)
http://www.timecode.co.za/mastering/

so it depends on how good the recording and the mix is. our guys can do magic if you dont give them a turd to work with.

so go with your gut feeling and just check what bands have they mastered for reference, and go listen to the stuff and just decide if it sounds good for you

FruitarGeek

X-rated Bob wrote: GIYF!

Ironically Bob, I had to Google that! hahaha - But thanks for the link, in all honesty, I didn't even know how to search for this on Google. I did try! I am not that lazy

@Manfred - Thanks for the links. I checked them all out. Some I thought had a real pro vibe to them, and others not so much.

We decided to go for the UK company, NOT because we think its better than SA, but for personal interest really. I'd like to see how it differs. My former band once had its EP mastered by a local guy, and I really could not tell the difference between the mix and the master. I was rather disappointed. I'd like to see how this UK based company will differ.

majestikc

About the Abbey Roads mastering, it's only 10 pounds more than what you got quoted, they're 90pounds per track:

http://www.abbeyroadonlinemastering.com/faq.aspx

I'd go with that, just because. It's most likely a safer bet than the guy you got the quote from (although, to be fair, you never know)

FruitarGeek

I hear you. They actually where an option. Although I was misquoted. Metropolis (the UK based company) is also £90 per track. But we doing the unsigned unattended option which is £60 incl Vat.

They have also done countless of international artists that we all know and love, so I'm sure they are just as good, if not on par with Abbey Road

majestikc

Koowl, maybe post some before and after clips when it's all done, if you would be so kind.

FruitarGeek

Yes. Certainly, although they do have before/after songs on their website. Check them out. Its rather interesting.

http://www.metropolis-group.co.uk/