FAQ
Q. What is mastering?
A. Mastering is the final stage, the
last chance to correct any anomalies and make tonal adjustments
associated with the recording of your CD before duplication. It
is using a qualified engineer, in a good room, with appropriate
equipment as an extra set of ears to help extract the best sound
for your CD. Burning to redbook standards and error checking are
a part of this process.
Q. Why should I have my cd mastered?
A. You have a lot of time
and money invested in your project. An objective, experienced
set of ears using quality equipment can add the final touches
that can make your CD compete with others in the marketplace.
Q. What if I can’t attend the
session?
A. Just advise us of the type
of sound you are going for (or let us get the best quality for
you), and we’ll provide an evaluation demo for your
approval. This is done in many cases and will not compromise the
quality of your CD.
Q. What is your preferred method of
receiving our songs?
A. Preferred method is data files
(wav or aiff) on cd-r, using the same sample rate and word
length that was used in the recording, or Masterlink CD-24.
Q. What should I bring to the
session?
A. A professional CD
which best represents the sound (in a similar genre), you wish
for your project (for reference purposes). Your recording along
with a written list of the songs you are having mastered.
Q. What is a pre-master CD?
A. This is the CD created by
the mastering engineer with applicable PQ coding, error checking
and Redbook specs, to be used by the replication company to
create the glass master for duplicating your masterpiece.
Q. What is PQ Coding?
A. PQ coding is putting the
pause, track markers, and other sub-code information on a cd to
be manufactured. Most duplication plants require a PQ
sheet or extra costs may be incurred, or may not even be
accepted.
Q. What are Red Book specs?
A. Redbook spec is a standard
of the way audio is written to a disc. All audio CD’s are
written at least to the red book specifications.
Q. What can I do to my mix to help the
mastering process?
A. Please make sure your peaks
don’t hit 0dbfs. Leave some headroom for the mastering
process. -6 to -3 dbfs peaks will allow the mastering
engineer to do his job to make your CD the best it can be.
Q. Why is error checking important?
A. Any CD that
does not meet the duplicator’s standards will be rejected adding
valuable time and expense to your project. At Maritime
Mastering we quality check each pre-master CD and provide an
error log to assure that doesn’t happen. Even new CD’s can
have quality problems resulting in enough C2 errors to be
rejected by the duplication plant.
Q. How do I upload my files?
A. Just contact me via email or phone and I will give you the URL with username and password information to access a folder on my secure server. Depending on your internet connection, it can take up to 10 minutes per song to upload. I will process your files and load them back to your folder for your approval