Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science - Musical Creativity 4

Sun, 08/05/2007 - 19:03 — Alan

How to be musically creative - 4

This may seem an odd reference to put in an article on creativity, but bear with me and I'll explain why you should read Mastering Audio: The Art and the Science. First of all, ignore the title. It's not just about mastering. Actually, the more you read it, the more you realise that how neatly the author ties together the creative elements of the recording, mixing and mastering process. No matter what level you're at amateur, hobbyist, semi-pro or pro, the book should have something for you. Oh alright then, I know there are pros who can match the contents, but there are some that should probably read it as a refresher.

Out of all the books and articles around, this book is the one I referred to for the longest time.

Mainly I'd suggest using it to gauge your level of understanding the recording, mixing and mastering process. At the point you don't understand it, re-read the chapter and maybe even the previous chapter. If you're still stuck, then use a search engine to gather some more detail or check Bob Katz's site at Digital Domain.

Put some of the ideas into practice. Ensure you understand compression and what it does to your music. Understanding compression (as with any effect or processor) means you can use it as a tool. Understanding what the tool does will shortcut the time it takes to get the sound in your head out into the world.

Whatever music you do create, you'll need to know where to call in the services of others. Maybe you record and mix your own tracks, maybe even some mastering. After reading the book, at least you'll understand the disadvantages of doing your own mastering.

And perhaps the best piece of the puzzle is understanding stereo recording. When you've read it, try it out.

The book doesn't stop at the simple concepts, instead Bob Katz does an excellent job of explaining some complex ideas, but starting from the basics and building up.
--Updated 2007/12/07 to include 2nd Edition.

Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.