Recall Notes
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This is a blog written by a mastering engineer about mastering, but it is not a “how to master” blog. There are other places on the internet for that.
Mastering music has been my full time occupation for over 20 years, and during that time I’ve noticed some of the same ideas and conversations coming up repeatedly. At some point I decided to keep an informal journal of some of these ruminations, sometimes to clarify my thinking about them, and sometimes just because they wouldn’t go away until written down!
Each entry is like a little note-to-self. Things to remember or build upon as the months and years have passed.
And though I didn’t originally intend to make any of these notes public, I decided to share them here because I personally really like reading what other professionals have to say about their craft. So if you’re a mastering engineer or mixer, please write and publish your version of this blog - I would read that!
- J. LaPointe (August 2025)
How do people talk about music?
“You have to hear this song, the bass is HUGE!”
“That song FEELS SO GOOD”
Or:
“That song translates so well.”
“I love how it sounds just like everything else.”
Are you working with people and processes that seek to make your music stand out, or fit in? Do they know where the edges are?
Lots
Lots of albums for lots of people for lots of years = LOTS of data.
I didn’t necessarily set out to be an archivist (despite the studio name, that’s another story), but I’m realizing that might actually be my most important role in all of this for the long term. Shepherding all this music through time and technological changes means it will still be there for the next listener.
This stuff matters! Perhaps now more than ever. Every little drop in the ocean of our (counter) culture influences ideas, change, and the collective consciousness for the better. Even one song changing one person’s outlook for a day (or life – it happens!) has ripple effects that make all the effort worthwhile, independent of any idea of commerce or streams or notion of success. Your music matters, perhaps much more than you think.
Stand Out or Get Out
100k new songs were released today. And yesterday. And tomorrow, and everyday after that.
We don’t need any more “radio ready” masters that “translate”.
Allergic to Analog
An interesting trend - younger music makers (and listeners) may actually be averse to the sound of the classic analog equipment slightly older users revere - hearing it as muddy, distorted, lacking transient impact, and generally more lo-fi sounding than the digital tools they have grown up with.
Limits Trigger New Skills
master with digital eq only for a while
master with analog eq only for a while
master in the box for a while
master with no limiter for a while
Then incorporate all you’ve learned into your regular workflow and enjoy the gains in your arsenal of solutions.
Comfort noise
In the world of radio and wireless communications, comfort noise is the term used to describe a subtle background noise intentionally added to modern digital systems. Turns out listeners don’t like it when systems go completely silent in between program material.
When I had my first recording experiences on 4-track as a teenager in the early 90s, hiss (and sometimes lots of it) was unavoidable, and it became part of how I experienced music and the recording process. The hiss that preceded the music was like an invitation into the world of that recording. The day I made my first digital multitrack recordings I was astounded to hear guitars and drums roar at full volume out of utter silence, and yes, it made me a little uncomfortable.
I never forgot that experience, and many years later (and also somehow many years ago) I made a recording of the tape hiss from all 16 tracks of a 2” machine, my own comfort noise to add as a bed to multitrack projects that were feeling a little too clean.
I shared these files around a bit, and even made up a little doc full of flowery blather describing how to use them:
What is it?
A stereo mix of all 16 channels from a pristine 2" 16-track analog tape machine. The tape has been recorded with no input (blank - just ultrasonic bias), under the exact same conditions as tracking to the tape itself. The 16 tracks have their volume and panning set to simulate a typical 16 channel analog mix.
How do I use it?
Add the hiss track as a separate stereo track in your DAW mix. Start with the existing level, then adjust to taste relative to the mix. You'll hear it when the level is right.
What does it do, and why does it work so well?
The hiss does not change your mix itself, but it does change the way the ear interprets and reacts to it.
The 16 tracks have their volume and panning set to simulate a typical 16 channel analog mix. This panning reveals subtle frequency dependent phase shifts from channel to channel (which is normal with tape but non-existent in the DAW), lending an increased sense of width and depth.
The hiss provides a fixed foreground for the recording, allowing the instruments to fall into perspective relative to this, resulting in an enhanced sense of front to back depth.
The high frequency content in the hiss is like bias for the ears, and it enhances the perception of the high frequencies in the recording, allowing you to achieve a smooth, warm, yet clear high end without needing as much high frequency eq as with an all digital recording.
Low frequency modulation noise causes subtle L/R phase differences in the low frequencies, resulting in a wider sounding low end.
Enjoy!
Funny stuff. But sometimes a little comfort noise is exactly what you need.
A Re-occurring Theme
Ballpark the level. Set the eq if / as needed (hint - this is also a form of setting the level). Fine tune the level. 95% of the time that’s really all there is to it!
Then Put It Away Till Tomorrow
Close the door and leave your work in the studio. Don’t listen in the car on the way home. Don’t check it out on headphones that evening. Don’t talk with family and friends about what you’re working on. Leave it all behind, have a life outside of the studio, and come back fresh and rejuvenated the next day.
Stop When You’re Tired
This should be obvious, but being tired leads to mistakes. When you feel your focus waning, give yourself permission to call it a day.