What Is Audio Mastering?  Let Last Drop Mastering Show You Firsthand!


Mastering is the all-important last step in the song/album creation process, and unfortunately one that can often be overlooked.  Put plainly, your music will never be at a professional level if it is not mastered properly.  This is the stage where dull, listless songs come to brilliant life as one polished, “larger than life” EP or album.  They say you need an outside pair of ears on-board for this stage, and preferably one with hundreds (if not thousands) of projects behind them.   Even the best mastering engineers in the world send their own material off to another mastering specialist for processing.  This is to get a fresh pair of ears to finalize the project, rather than the ones that have been listening to every piece of every song over and over for weeks (if not months).

Due to advances in technology, suddenly there are “mastering engineers” everywhere.  These people provide often questionable services at ridiculously low prices, and sadly because of this, there is a lot of sub-par “mastered” music floating around out there - music that could have really shined if put in the right hands.  Mastering is definitely not something to just find the “cheapest price” for.  Your music will be your legacy, and will be around long after you are.  Spending a little extra to ensure that you use a true professional can make all the difference in the world. 

Ever wondered what the right professional mastering could do for your music?  Well the “tried and true” team at Last Drop Mastering has offered to show you firsthand - and at no cost!  Uploading your demo song is a piece of cake, just click below:

www.lastdropmastering.com/upload.html

(If you have a deadline for a project coming up and need your sample back right away,  contact and let us know.)

Artists, bands, and labels are all eligible.  One demo song per project, please.  For demo purposes, any file format will work - assuming the file quality is acceptable.  Via email you will receive a very effective before-and-after WAV sample of our work.



For best results, don’t use any plugins or compression on the master track to make your song louder…ideally the volume should be low (however, this doesn’t just mean turning it down). Boosting the volume is a small but important part of the mastering process. The audio you get us should look like the picture on top. The one on the bottom has already been compressed and mastered*.

*In some cases an already mastered recording can be remastered with good results.

  We stand by our work 100%, and have the reputation to prove it.  After your sample has been received and when your project is ready,  contact us with all details for a specific quote.  Multi-song and other seasonal discounts may be available.



We are an online mixing and mastering facility with clients around the world - most recently American idol star Jennifer Fuentes Hayward, Ex Cobra Starship member Elisa Schwartz, and #1 itunes Reggae star Stick Figure.

www.lastdropmastering.com  (Website)
www.lastdropmastering.com/clients  (Clients)
www.lastdropmastering.com/rates  (Rates)

Youtube promo video:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9u2kzW_CHY4&feature=player_embedded



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If you’ve ever seen a film or show in which a character has a birthday, you may have noticed that much of the time, characters sing a different tune instead of the famous “Happy Birthday To You” song. I’m sure some of you know why - to avoid royalties for using the song. But what you probably didn’t know is that in 2008, the royalties for “Happy Birthday To You” still amounted to about $2 million dollars. That’s pretty good for a song that’s nearly a century old!

Now more than ever, music licensing is increasingly popular in other forms of media. Movies, shows, commercials and video games have all used the work of both mainstream and independent artists to convey the right tone for the content they present. In doing so, artists are able to reach out to fans in ways they never could within the music industry. Old listeners are often pleasantly surprised to hear a familiar song in a different medium, while new listeners are introduced to what could be a new favorite artist.

So the question remains: How can you get that song to be YOURS? That journey begins with licensing your music. Find a licensing agency for your music to negotiate the terms of royalties if your music is licensed by another party. Depending on how much control you’d like or what the agency provides, you can include restrictions on the type of content you’d like your music used in. There is also the possibility of licensing your own music, but as is the case for many songs, several artists may take credit for its conception, which makes negotiating these royalties on your own more difficult. 

Once your music is licensed, you can begin making contact with potential licensees. Larger licensing agencies can aid you in this search, but those who would like more control of their music may also like to look on their own as well. Different forms of media are willing to pay different ranges of money for a song that fits their content, commercials being the most profitable. This makes sense, as there are more commercials being produced than any other media. When looking for contacts, it is extremely important that your songs are polished. This makes proper mixing and mastering a MUST, as licensees are looking for the best quality music for their work.

The benefits of licensing can be long lasting. Independent artists can increase their chances of being signed to record labels if there is proof of value in their music, and other licensees may find interest in using it as well. It may not be a “get rich quick scheme,” but it is certainly an avenue worth travelling for aspiring artists who want to gain the recognition they deserve.

 For more information on music licensing, check out the following links:

http://www.ascap.com/music-career/articles-advice/music-money/money-commercials.aspx

http://www.musicbizacademy.com/articles/gman_money.htm

http://zirconmusic.com/tutorials/text/how-to-make-money-from-music-licensing/

http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/04/advice-getting-your-music-into-video-games-.html 

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/becoming-nikki-lynette/2010/04/if-you-want-to-license-your-music-let-me-help-you.html

One of our most recent clients, Gia Go is the new project from Elisa Shwartz. Elisa was a member of the Fueled By Ramen group Cobra Starship.  Cobra Starship was featured in the movie “Snakes On a Plane”, on MTV’s NYE, Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O’Brien (as well as shows and tours with groups such as Fall Out Boy, Metro Station, and Gym Class Heroes).  Now with complete control, Elisa is ready to show the world what she can really do.  Her song “Carried Away” was featured on MTV’s “The Hills”, and “On Top Of The World” was featured in MTV’s “The City”.  Due to the stellar results, we’re excited to see where her current EP (with the Last Drop touch!) takes her.  Check out our interview with her below:

LD:  When did you first learn to play the keytar (guitar-shaped keyboard)? I’m assuming you learned piano first, was it hard to make the transition?

ES:  I have been playing piano since I was four. Keytar was an easy transition because playing it is much more simple. I didn’t even know what a keytar was until I saw one at Guitar Center 2 weeks after I joined Cobra Starship. I decided it would fit perfectly with the band’s 80s motif. 

 LD:  Since your departure from Cobra Starship, how has your attitude toward the music business changed?  Any advice for aspiring artists?

ES:  Well, my attitude now is that I’m going to stand behind what I think is right…whether it’s my musical style, or career choices in general.  My advice is to work on creating the best music that you possibly can, and hopefully from there the steps will be easy. Developing myself as an artist is really important to me. I’ve experimented with many styles of music but I like where I’m at now. Besides that, producing content like professional photos and videos is really important, so that fans can really see who they are listening to.

 LD:  As a solo artist you have plenty of room to experiment. What genres have you incorporated into your solo work?

ES:  I think I’ve mixed classical, rock and hip hop, all while being very emo…lol. I started playing classical music at a young age, so i think my chord progressions and melodies have always derived from that.

LD:  What artists have you considered most influential to your music career?

ES:  Portishead, Nirvana, The Beatles and Sade.

LD:  If you could have only one of your talents, would you choose singing, or the ability to play an instrument?

ES:  I think playing an instrument is really helpful because it allows me to write the whole song.  I feel like you have little control if you just sing. The music and chord structure is the most important part to me.  I’m very picky about the chords.  Also, nothing is more fun than playing piano.

 LD: Last Drop Mastering did your latest EP, what would you say to other artists who are considering Last Drop for mastering?

ES:  I’d say it was a great experience. Very fast, and it sounds great!

  LD:  Most importantly, where can we find your music?

Purevolume.com/GiaGo 

             Add me on twitter for updates:

            Twitter.com/GiaGoMusic

We hear how important audio mastering is, but why?

 For any artist or label looking to make a career out of music, mastering is essential. In short, it’s the final (and in many ways most crucial) step of music production…the stage where dull, lifeless tracks are transformed into polished masterpieces.

 Being a mastering engineer requires a special ear—one that can carefully analyze a recording and make delicate adjustments to bring it to its full potential. A skilled mastering engineer is the key to creating commercially successful recordings. On the other hand, a poor mastering engineer can be responsible for diminishing the work of a quality artist—for this reason working with a seasoned mastering specialist is a necessity.

Think of mastering like cutting diamonds. Until a diamond is cut into shape, all it has is potential, and lots of it.  The same is true for your music; until the right engineer polishes and finalizes your project, it’s only a fraction of what it could be.   

If your song’s not mastered, your song’s not finished.  Period.

 These days recording studios are doing quick “masters” for bands, or even worse, bands are trying to handle mastering themselves.  If you are serious about your music, you must look into your professional mastering options.  Make sure your recording engineer knows to leave any limiting and compression off the master track when bouncing out…basically anything that would boost the volume.Tell him or her that you need rough natural-dynamic mixes for mastering.  3 or 4dbs of headroom is ideal.  Then get a few samples done.  This is the beauty of the present-day mastering industry.  Options…and you can try before you buy.  Pay close attention to customer service and turnaround times as well.  

Of course, Last Drop is one of these options, but we do want what’s best for your music, and if for some reason your vision for your music doesn’t quite line up with ours, we’ll be happy knowing that you’ll be getting what’s best for you.