Is mixing a part of mastering?

[Drafhk]

I guess this is a pretty standalone question. Is mixing a part of the mastering process? An answer to this would REALLY help clarify in my mind the role and function of mastering.

[whomper]

Originally Posted by Drafhk

I guess this is a pretty standalone question. Is mixing a part of the mastering process? An answer to this would REALLY help clarify in my mind the role and function of mastering.

no
they are quite separate technically
although related artistically


mixing is the prelude to mastering
get the tracks right

mastering takes the mixes and makes them sound good as a whole

• consistent levels
• same sound
• sequencing of tracks is harmonious and logical

and makes sure it is ready for production

you fix it in the mix
not the mastering step

[garageband]

Originally Posted by Drafhk

I guess this is a pretty standalone question. Is mixing a part of the mastering process? An answer to this would REALLY help clarify in my mind the role and function of mastering.

That's a real head-scratcher. I'm going to have to think about it for a bit. My first impulse is "yes". The question's a bit oddly phrased. Is the converse true? Why? Is one proposition true but not the other? Why not? Anyway...

I'm going to have to say yes, inasmuch as you should mix knowing that mastering is going to follow. It's important to understanding mastering well enough to know the impact of mastering on the finished product. If you have a good understanding of each of the processes that will occur during the mastering phase, you can "steer into the skid", so to speak.

I heard a well-produced before and after the other day. There were unintended consequences that were forseeable. So sometimes you can do a little better than "get the best mix and hope for the best". As war criminal Sec. Rumsfeld pointed out, there are knowable unknowns and unknowable unknowns. I think the mixing/mastering stuff falls into the former.

[TonyB]

Yes and no.

There:

1 - At-Home/Box Mastering ("pretend" as Brandon calls it; "little m" as I call it)

2 - External Mastering ("Big M mastering) -professional, independent/objective ears, acoustic environment designed for mastering, first-rate outboard/hardware gear, etc.

The Difference? A professional mastering house can do much more to mixes than can typically be done with "pretend ITB, at-home mastering."
The pro can catch clocking errors, pops, and clicks and many times fix them on the spot (things that you thought you caught).

When Should You Do Your Own Mastering (in a sense then Mixing is a part of Mastering? If being done for personal consumption or to post on MySpace, then you can use your software plugins (i.e., compressor, limiter, etc) to "master." If the song is needed for sales or the radios, then it would be better to send it off for professional mastering (Big M) (if you have the $$$$).

[Drafhk]

So would it be fair to say that mixing is, essentially, mastering the individual tracks and sounds as "pieces," while "mastering" refers to messing with everything once it's already put together?

[TonyB]

Originally Posted by Drafhk

So would it be fair to say that mixing is, essentially, mastering the individual tracks and sounds as "pieces," while "mastering" refers to messing with everything once it's already put together?

In simple terms, yeah, pretty much, but in mixing you're not "mastering the individual tracks." In mixing, you're "mixing the individual tracks" into the way you want it to be. You're making the instruments fit together. When done, you mix down those individual tracks into a stereo 2-track.

That stereo 2-track is then mastered.

[whomper]

Originally Posted by Drafhk

So would it be fair to say that mixing is, essentially, mastering the individual tracks and sounds as "pieces," while "mastering" refers to messing with everything once it's already put together?

depends on your perspective
but
mixing does a track
if you have a one track album that was also the mastering
although mastering is usually considered for a larger work
such as
for a COMPLETE ALBUM with MANY TRACKS
mastering takes a SET of the RIGHT TRACKS
for that album - from all the possible tracks that are available
puts them in the BEST SEQUENCE for listening
(for an opera the overture is always first for example,
for pop music maybe the tracks tell a story ,
or can be placed in a sequence matching the mood, etc)
and
then makes ALL the tracks HARMONIOUS AND COMPATIBLE
by making the sound of ALL OF THEM the same
making ALL THE LEVELS compatible and consistent
etc.

mastering could clean up little mistakes taht got by mixing
but that is not the goal of mastering
you should catch the track specific problems with the mixing

[fortyseven]

In my opinion, mixing and mastering are two seperate stages.

Read this: audio mastering
audio mixing

[garageband]

Originally Posted by fortyseven

In my opinion, mixing and mastering are two separate stages.

The point I was trying to make and maybe (I dunno) answers the question, is while separate, they are not independent.

Different chapters of the same book and all that.

[Husky Band]

OK, so MIXING is taking all the tracks from a song (drums, guitars, keys, vocals, etc.) and mixing them down to a final mix. and MASTERING is taking the final 2-track mix downs and touching up the EQ and COMPRESSION, editing out any pops and ticks and making sure the mix-downs have the same basic levels etc. RIGHT