Sunday, June 5, 2011

CD Mastering Options For Beginners

By Eric James


You would be forgiven for thinking that the mixing of separate audio tracks onto a CD is the final task needed for getting a CD ready for replication. The fact is that mastering the recording as a whole is actually the last step to producing top quality sound. The mastering process is the last chance you'll get for any creative input. When you finally have your master disc is when you will be able to print, replicate and then market it.

The process of mastering a CD actually involves several steps. Your songs or audio tracks need to be in the correct order. You next need to set the length of time between tracks and edit the songs. If you have secret or unlisted songs then these are added at this point as well.

There are several ways that you can go about mastering a CD. It's not the cheapest option but many choose to use professional CD mastering engineers which is what many professional musicians decide to do.

Mastering engineers will usually have their own facilities and require much less equipment than a full blown sound studio. Their gear is specifically designed to getting the most accurate playback of your mix so any errors can be detected and fixed.

Aside from mastering engineers, CDs can also be mastered at home using computer software. If you're an unsigned musician or are just starting out then this is probably your best option. Some skill and knowledge will be required as will quality software in order to get a professional sounding mix.

These days you can also go online to try online CD mastering services. This is a very convenient option which can easily be done from your home. Of course this will require a relatively high bandwidth Internet connection.

Free mastering is of course the cheapest way to go when you need to master a CD, Artists and musicians could choose to make use of free mastering software for demos and other earlier recordings to send to a major record label. It could be an excellent way of generating interest in their work.

The major differences with a professional CD and an amateur recording is normally found in the mastering. When you listen to a tune on a radio you can be sure that it has been mastered to sound better.

While you can master using free programs on your computer, a professional CD mastering engineer is normally the best way to do business if your band is looking to make a profit from your music.

For other ideas on packing CDs and DVDs check out the website at CD DVD packaging.




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