What is Mastering?

[FrantzM]

Hi
I have sometimes different mastered versions of the same Albums and they are often different and some better to me and many other persons and fellow audiophiles.
Thus my questions. I solicit not only the participation of the professionals but that of the WBF community . I admit that my questions will color me clueless but .. here I go:
What is Mastering? What is involved in Mastering? Why do different Mastering sound … well … so different? Who make the Mastering decisions? What role do the musicians and producers play in the Mastering process?
I thank you in advance (Barry? Bruce? Lee? Those whose names I forgot )

 

[microstrip]

Hi
I have sometimes different mastered versions of the same Albums and they are often different and some better to me and many other persons and fellow audiophiles.
Thus my questions. I solicit not only the participation of the professionals but that of the WBF community . I admit that my questions will color me clueless but .. here I go:
What is Mastering? What is involved in Mastering? Why do different Mastering sound … well … so different? Who make the Mastering decisions? What role do the musicians and producers play in the Mastering process?
I thank you in advance (Barry? Bruce? Lee? Those whose names I forgot )

Frantz,

You can start going back to the thread started by the excellent Bruce post:

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?7217-What-is-Mastering

 

[FrantzM]

Thanks very much microstrip >>. I will shut down this thread if possible ...

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Wikipedia actually offers a pretty good basic definition:

Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device (the master); the source from which all copies will be produced (via methods such as pressing, duplication or replication).

What it doesn't get into is how much manipulation of the final mix can happen on the way to the master. This manipulation is primarily eq, but can also include, compression, noise reduction, etc, etc, ad infinitum. Digital mastering is extremely powerful, and, as Uncle Ben said, "with great power comes great responsibility." Mastering can help; it can ruin. That is not a function of analog or digital. That is a function of the objectives, taste and skills of the people doing the mastering and the people directing them.

Tim

 

[Steve Williams]

As Micro suggested, let's refer to Bruce's thread for this topic