uw6

– Monitoring
– Mastering
– Surround (I mean immersive)
– Into the real-world

WORKING WITH A DAW

Documentation

– photos (Pictures of mics, settings, placements, etc)
– Screenshots (especially good for instrument plugin settings)

– Using colors as a guide
– Using grouped tracks (stems)
– Always save your MIDI tracks

talk about backup strategies

– three copies
– one copy off-site
– backup software (I haven’t found one that works for me on the pc)
– Share thoughts around the room

SPEAKERS

– When you and your ears “know enough” to make the call … spend your $$$ or wise-choices power here ($3k guitar or killer speakers)
– Symmetry in studio design
– LEDE studio design (a possible approach … meaning reducing reflections behind the speakers)
– American vs. British speaker design
– Alt speaker sets (2nd pair, portable “Bose”, earbuds, laptop … yes, laptop speakers)
– Monitor levels (monitoring at low levels)
– speaker level calibration

MASTERING

– talk about my experiences with mastering and mastering engineers
– mastering software

the professional mastering engineer

– Preparation for the process (important)
– Whose work do you most respect? (desert island records)
– Contact them and (if possible) get to know them a bit
– What do they need from you? (file preparation)
– Be present, not be there, skype or on-line (file transfer)

– Delivery (highest rate, -20 or so dB, no EQ or gain processing)
– Stems?
– The Gain Game (dynamics vs. volume)
– Timing (up to the artist/producer)
– Points of reference (the pro knows their room, professional detachment)

Doing it yourself

– The hard edge of being too-close (points of reference, difficulties with detachment)
– Preparation and allow extra time
– EQ
– Dynamics
– Mastering plug-ins (one click does all?)
– All-in-the-session vs. the 2-step process
– Song timings (intro/outro included in track)
– Advantages to in-session mastering
– Total recall for changes

SURROUND and EMMERSIVE

– Speakers and speaker setup

– UA articles
– Grammy P&E surround gudelines
– possible career in immersive

MANUFACTURE

– Manufacture? What medium? (Digital Download, streaming)
– Youtube (free marketing)
– distrokid (all of the major dist. outlets for 19.95, unlimited tracks)
– Bandcamp (commission, hi-def flac)
– www.cdbaby.com

RIGHTS AND RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS

– What does the US and North Korea have in common?
– Buma Sembra (Amsterdam)
– Ascap/BMI

GENERAL THOUGHTS AND IMPORTANT RECAPS

– motivation
– networking
– cost-effective mindset
– Don’t mortgage your house – DIY
– There are so many types of jobs out there … if it isn’t there, create it