Chapter 5
Step I
Objective Assessment
When you receive digital files for mastering, you must first verify and notate seven objective assessment parameters that reveal critical aspects of the audio file. This preliminary data will begin to inform your game plan or strategy to effectively master the project.
In this era of music production, the vast majority of mix files a Mastering Engineer receives are digital files. The stark reality remains that today, the number of clients who provide me with analog master tapes is negligible. And, although it represents an excellent format—with the appealing sound coloration of tape compression—the added cost and time have made mixing to tape nearly obsolete. Whereas objective assessment should also be ...
