Do I really need a mastering engineer?

A common question I hear from students is, “Do I need to hire a mastering engineer?” The answer is, it really depends; it depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re just making some homemade CDs to pass out to friends or sell at your gig, you don’t need to spend the money on a mastering engineer.

Should you mix and master your own music?

Most music professionals will tell you that you should never mix and master your own music. I believe that under certain circumstances, it’s perfectly fine to mix and master your own songs. Yes, even if I make a living as a mixing and mastering engineer.

Can you master while mixing?

The great myth about mastering is that it is a magical process that will make your mixes better. The truth is, mastering is a simple process that can’t do much for crappy mixes. If your mixes are good, then you won’t need mastering to improve them.

How long does it take to mix and master a song?

An experienced mastering engineer can master a song within 10-20 minutes whereas a beginner or someone just starting may take an hour or more to master a song completely. As you continue learning and gaining more understanding, you will begin to spend less time, using like 30-20 minutes or even less.

How important is mastering a song?

Mastering is a crucial step in the audio production process. For example: Modern mastering ensures your music will sound the best it can across streaming platforms, media formats, devices, and speaker systems. Mastering also ensures the tracks on an album or EP have consistent volume levels.

Should you hire a mixing engineer?

Unless you’re willing to spend time learning both crafts, there’s really no reason to not send it to at least one professional. That’s not to discourage learning the craft for yourself. Perhaps you’ve got mixing to a level in which you’re proud of it and it only needs to go to a mastering engineer for that final shine.

Why do you need a mixing engineer?

Mixing makes a huge difference to the outcome of a song. More so than whether you recorded that layer of that guitar or background vocal, more than which microphone you used or whether you changed strings, more than mastering. A good mixing engineer can make a song sound like it pops out of the speakers.

Should I master my tracks?

Will my music sound better if I master it? Mastering will make your final mix sound better, but only if the mix is already good, and only if the mastering engineer is judicious during the mastering process. The golden rule of audio mastering is: mastering won’t save a bad mix, but it sure can ruin a good one.

Should I engineer my own music?

High quality studio monitors and acoustical treatment make a huge difference in helping you accurately hear what you are doing so you can make the best mix decisions. There is certainly nothing wrong with trying to mix your own music, if you don’t have high expectations for it, or can’t afford to hire a professional.