Mastering, Would You??

I would only hire you if I heard some before and after samples on your site.

Ben,

Some random thoughts. 

1. One day turn around time is meaningless. What if you got 363 songs in one day. No way can you turn around that may songs.
2. $50US, Canadian?, AUS?. FWIW there are people here (that I know of) that will master as low as $35US and as as high as ~$150US. For the starving non-pro musician can you imagine which they will choose?
3. James is correct. You'll need examples else what do they *really* know they are getting.
4. In all fairness, unless you will be in a true (i.e. provable) commercial building, most will assume you are some nerd sitting in your acoustically treated (spare) bedroom using the prochannel TL Audio A2, Avalon 747, Various UAD Plugs and 3 sets of monitors to master.


I'm not saying #4 to be mean or cruel. Just stating what most people "will think", regardless of the degree of truth.


HTH

How about a 23 hour turn around?

I'd charge by the hour.  Are you going to charge the same $50 for "Yesterday" as you are for "Thick As A Brick"?  I did a little bit of mastering way back when and some tracks are just more problematic than others.  Sometimes, you just can't tell how long it will take until you get started.  

Ben, if you don't want to spend a lot of money advertising, the very best way of getting yourself out there is by word of mouth.

I don't know if you've been around here long enough to know Cakewalk forum member 'JamzOr'? The guy runs his own mastering business and his method of publicising his services was to offer free song mastering to other Cakewalk members over in the Songs Forum. I know a lot of folk took him up on his offer and the feedback was always very favourable. The very fact that I (and I'm sure a lot of the folk in here) can remember that he does mastering is testament to the fact that this approach does work.

As well as spreading the word (and a lot of good will) by doing this, you could ask that anyone who gets a 'free' mastering job allows you to use a short clip of their song for 'before and after' examples for your web site, and maybe a 'letter of recommendation' they are happy for you to include with their example. This is a win-win situation for all concerned - you get valuable references and examples for your website (in addition to on the job experience) and others get their songs mastered and advertised for free. 

And spend any spare cash you have on setting up a professional website. Don't be tempted to cut corners here - correct grammar, spelling and legibility are of paramount importance. As are layout and ease of navigation and use - make the process of visiting your shop window as pleasant, and above all as professional an experience as possible for your potential customers.

It may or may not be true, but a sloppily written and amateur-looking website screams 'sloppy and amateur' company. A 'real-world' analogy might be a new restaurant opening in town. If the frontage is grubby and in need of a lick of paint, patrons will subconsciously suspect that the kitchens and staff are in the same state.

You certainly have the enthusiasm and committment needed to make this work Ben, just make sure you take it one step at a time - don't rush headlong into it without considering every aspect.

And good luck.

CJ has managed to get himself up and running since I've been around.

I've got no way of knowing how well he is doing but being as he's already trodden the path you want to take he may be a good person to talk to about it.

Many here finance their way forward with a more traditional job until they have built up a sufficient customer based income to be able to make the switch to 'full-time'.

A strong enough desire to do it will be the thing that carries you forward, whatever methods you have to take to get there.

Remember to wear hearing protection when you do your mastering suite remodel.

Hey Ben, 
Not exactly sure what your complete background experience is or what your degree covers and what your daily life is like as far as work/living.  Speaking as a newbie to all of this I think if you can manage the time and have enough knowledge and experience to do something regardless of what it is and you ENJOY doing it, JUMP ON IT. 
Im really enjoying all the bands coming out of the woodwork around here that are just looking for a nice sounding simple demo to get more gigs. Ive been playing around with one as a learning experience between what I get here from all you guys in the forum and what I get from working with the band. Its priceless to me just for what I gain from it-I dont charge them a thing and enjoy helping others out and in turn I get what I need from it as well. The benefits just get better form there.

All kinds of exposure and band after band seeking to see what you can do for them.
Im standing back but keeping them interested in whats going on so when and if I do really start bringing them in, the demand for it is already there and reputation is already established.

Dont hold back if ya Enjoy it and want it!!!

mike_mccue


I just downloaded some before and afters from the competition to check out and I am thinking I can make my own website:

 
I can't hear anything
 
I would have thought that would be a major problem for an audio mastering site.
 
$39.99 is a bargain though, I have to say.
 
 
 
 

I actually make most of the money on the back end.

If you send it in hotter than peaks at -12dBFS then I have to charge a special per dB rate to turn it down so as to properly prepare it to be turned up.

A lot of folks seem surprised when they get the final bill even though I strongly encourage them to do that part themselves.

bapu

mike_mccue


I actually make most of the money on the back end.

If you send it in hotter than peaks at -12dBFS then I have to charge a special per dB rate to turn it down so as to properly prepare it to be turned up.

A lot of folks seem surprised when they get the final bill even though I strongly encourage them to do that part themselves.

You went to The Bouy School of Business Models dinnit you?

Nah, he never, he muttered about it taking him 17 years to pay back the enrolment fees or something.

Stupid really, if he was charging double then it would have only taken eight and a half years.  That's what happens when you try to go cheap.  Everyone suffers because of it.

Ben I think it's great to have dreams, goals and plans.
Go for them and hope you make them happen.

:-)

Ben, I like the mastering suites with the Captain Kirk chair.

:-)




I'm serious.


best regards,
mike

What's the need of a big reflecto-desk when you are tweaking 2 tracks?

best,
mike

Mike you are correct. There should be no mixer between you and the speakers and also the monitor screen should be right out of the way. When I master I actually re arrange my studio to suit.  As Mr Katz points out there really should be nothing between you and the speakers.

Talking of speakers Ben you say you have three sets of monitors. What are they out of interest? Also you will need a set of real VU meters if you want to master properly, period! Every mastering suite in the universe has them. Don't even think about it without them. Have you thought of that.