FWIW...one of my favorite examples for mastering is a song by an artist (Sandra Palmer) who's in a similar situation to you (although the songs aren't that wordy). She's not a great guitarist but comes up with great hooks, uses a drum machine but doesn't overuse it, etc.--she lives within her limitations, and therefore, the listener doesn't perceive any limitations. She comes up with decent mixes, but her strength is her songwriting, which is both catchy and sophisticated...with a vocal approach that's direct and honest. I love her songs, but I also love mastering her material because it can provide the "glue" that holds it all together and (hopefully) brings out the very best in what she does. She's one of the people whose material I'd like to use in any video on mastering.
 
[Edit] I just emailed her...

Dear Craig,
 
Thanks for the very thoughtful reply! Sandra Palmer's songs plus your mastering does sound like a winning combination. I'd love to be let in on any of your tricks, tips and shortcuts, and would be more than interested in buying any mastering tutorial you produce. So, here's hoping you decide to go ahead with one (or several!).
 
Thanks again,
LJ
 

I'm in for the mastering video (series!) Just tell me where to mail my credit card. (And good luck wringing anything out of it.)
Lots of good ideas in this thread. I am especially intrigued at the thought of working with a recording person, like Ms. Palmer or whomever. Mastering is lots of digital audio knowledge, true, but it's also all about taking all those choices that came before in the process, starting with the chords/lyrics jotted down on the back of a scrap piece of paper, and turning those choices into decisions. The final word on what the recording is to be. So having a solid context (the song project) for the what and whyfors of what is happening inside Sonar during the mastering I think would be insightful as well as useful. Of course then there will be all these requests for different "contexts": do a video with a guitar band, do a video with dubstep, do a video with a polka.
 
PS (In addition to the "pro" videos, I think cakewalk should do a deal that anyone who posts a "how-to" video about Sonar that garners more than, say, 500 hits (members only? so no sock puppets), earns a gratis upgrade to the next Sonar release.

Craig,
 
Allow me to chime in as well as I understand the limited time thing.  I do think this would be a GREAT idea for I believe that many like me "think we know what mastering entails" but to have a DEMO using our favorite DAW would not only help us with SONAR but provide us some insight into what mastering is all about.
 
I hope you produce such a video(s).
 
Thanks,
Jim

Anderton
she lives within her limitations, and therefore, the listener doesn't perceive any limitations.

More great Anderton wisdom.

Has to be Mastering if only to prove a point with a lot of my clients who use Abelton Live which is a great DAW but .......... my tent is pitched in the Sonar camp and It WOULD BE GREAT to fight off these DAW Vampires who constantly crave my blood  when I ask for stems !!!!
:)

Perhaps Noel's Jazz Band would be another consideration for a mastering example.

Another +1 for brief end of mix phase showing buss FX and export levels, then on to mastering?
I've seen many of your videos old and new for Sonar and Powercore, thanks for everything. Whatever you decide, I'll be watching..