CHAPTER 13
What Happens After Mastering?

After mastering is complete, the journey of the album is just beginning. There are a few details to take care of, and soon the recordings will be heard on a variety of listening systems. Sometimes, at this point, mastering clients need a little guidance about what to do next. Also, there are things that happen after mastering that may affect the way you work. This chapter provides a view of what happens after the mastering role is complete.

Storage and Returns

Often, if you are working with analog tape, the tape will be returned to the record label for storage. If analog tapes are to be stored by the mastering engineer, they are usually stored in plastic bags along with desiccant material (material that absorbs moisture). Digital media used to transfer files normally are kept by the mastering engineer and stored, along with any information about a project. External hard drives and online cloud storage provide excellent means to store digital files and protect against loss. Also, it is important for clients to maintain a copy of final mixes and not to send the only copy to mastering.

Database Submission

Some CD players show CD-Text, but most software music players and services draw information from online databases. For example, iTunes draws from the Gracenote database. Windows Media Player and the Playstation 3 player draw from the AMG Lasso database. The AMG Lasso database requires a physical copy of the CD be sent to it, from which it enters the information. AMG Lasso is infamous for incorrectly entering information, so it is recommended to type out a sheet to include with the submission with song titles and other information in a large, easy-to-read font. Below is a list of the most common databases:

• All Media Guide/AMG Lasso

• Gracenote

• Muze

• FreeDB

• MusicBrainz

AllMusic Credits

The most widely recognized clearinghouse for album credit information is the AllMusic Database. Most often the client’s digital distributor will be making the AllMusic Database entry. It’s often difficult to make sure that the mastering credit is added. Communication with the client to advise him or her about requesting the credit can help. It is also possible to communicate with AllMusic but it can be difficult to arrange for additions or changes.

Replication versus Duplication

CD copies are made by a manufacturer using one of two processes—replication or duplication. With replication, a glass master is made. A glass master is created by covering a block of glass with a chemical coating that contains the data of a CD. Then it’s used to stamp out the CD copies. In the most precise language, this is called mastering, and the service performed by mastering engineers is called premastering. The duplication process is entirely different from replication. In duplication, a CD is copied using the CD-burning method familiar to most consumers. Usually, CD duplication machines allow multiple copies to be made at once to speed up the process. Replication is normally chosen for high-quantity orders (1,000+), whereas duplication is for smaller quantities. During this process, the manufacturer also prints the CD artwork, and the final salable products are assembled and shrink wrapped.

Eclipse Systems

Many replicators use Eclipse systems (by Eclipse Data Technologies) to create glass masters for replication. The “imagecopy read-in” feature of Eclipse analyzes masters for errors. Often problems with CD-Text, including non-standard characters or the language set to “not defined” in a DDP image, can produce errors. If errors occur during this stage, replicators usually notify the client that an error has occurred in premastering. Even when the error returned by Eclipse is in line with the Red Book CD standard and is not a true error, most mastering engineers wish to avoid being perceived as having made an error.

Disc Life

The strictest experts say that a burned CD may have a life of only two to five years; manufacturers say that they may last from 50 to 200 years. The quality of the disc is a big factor in disc life, and the life varies among brands. Gold CD-Rs provide a longer-term option and are used for archival material. They are said by manufacturers to have an expected life of around 300 years, although this remains to be seen.

Radio and Broadcast Processing

In FM/AM radio processing, Orban and Omnia are the two most popular manufacturers. Omnia broadcast processors are the most common in radio stations across the United States. The most noticeable processing that takes place with these processors is multiband limiting (called multiband AGC in radio terminology). These processors have sophisticated loudness-detection algorithms, so all recordings they process are played at equal loudness. Because of this, creating loud masters will not make a song sound louder on the radio. Radio processors also have equalization processing that can affect recordings, especially the bass frequencies. To find out more, see Cornelius Gould’s “Optimizing Audio for Radio” in Chapter 16.

Car Stereo

Because of the positioning of the speakers, the listening environment of a car produces a sound that tends more toward mono than stereo. Also, car stereos have adjustable equalizers, which are typically shelving equalizers.

CD Refractive Index

Many people have had the experience of burning a CD only to have it fail to play in certain sensitive CD players. Mastering engineers who are just starting out may have performed CD error checking and noticed that the error levels are far below the Red Book standard error rates, yet the CD still will not play. The issue at play here is likely to be the CD refractive index levels. Silver CDs produced from a glass master have extremely high reflectiveness, so these CDs will play in sensitive players. Burned CD-Rs, of any type or error level, may not work with the most sensitive players that require the highest in CD refractive index levels.

Clubs

In dance clubs, the acoustics and PA system are normally such that the very lowest bass sounds do not come through powerfully. Bass sounds that have the most energy in these environments are normally between 75 and 95 Hz.

Growing Home Theater 5.1 Systems

Because of the increasingly low cost of equipment, consumers are buying 5.1 home theater systems. As the sales of 5.1 systems grow, it presents an opportunity for studios to produce in this format.

Internet/Streaming/Format Conversions

Mastered audio often finds its way into many different audio and video streaming formats on and off the Internet. When these conversions occur, if the limiting ceiling is set too high, there can be clipping problems.

Smart Phone/MP3 Player/Computer Playback

Smart phones, MP3 players, and random song playlists are the one area where the loudness of a recording can make a difference. When a mastered recording is played in a playlist with audio from other albums, the levels will not be consistent. Because of this, the impact to the listener may be lower with recordings of a lower loudness.