Passing of the Guard
Just perusing the Web as I’m referencing a disc, and I noticed that The Mastering Lab is closing its Hollywood location.
Wow!
For those of you who don’t know, TML was probably the first third-party mastering facility in the world…or at least the first one that really did it right. Prior to them (and the “modern” era [...]
Modern Conveniences
To look at the flip side of an earlier post, one of the really great things about technological advances in audio is that just about anyone can afford to put together a home-based recording system. Which means that if you do know what you’re doing, you can really put out an excellent product. I’ve received [...]
Two Sides to Every Weak Dollar
I was contacted by a musician from France a few days ago. Ironically, he was visiting his uncle in Poway (a San Diego suburb where ZenMastering is located…and not exactly a metropolitan center) and wanted to get his band’s disc mastered while he was in America. He’d been referred to me by a local musician.
We [...]
There’s Progress…and Then There’s Progress
To follow-up on yesterday’s post about the Weavers’ recording I told you about…it made me realize that recording was done in 1963. And it holds up well against ANYTHING you can find today: studio or live. So why (in 45 years!) hasn’t the quality of recordings improved more?
My short answer/theory is that it’s because we’ve [...]
Rarities
I was in India over this past Christmas holiday (2007/2008) with my wife, visiting her relatives. She has a cousin who is an audiophile, and I got a chance to spend an afternoon at his house listening to some of his favorite recordings on his home system.
Then he wanted to take me to a local [...]
Skill and Dedication Don’t Come in a Box
Yesterday I spent some time at a printing press, doing what’s called a “press check.” It’s when the final print files are set up on the press and the colors are adjusted for the last time. Then “pulls” are made (printed sample sheets) to show the client what the final product will look like. It’s [...]
Not What, But Who…
A few weeks ago a local musician contacted me about getting together to talk shop. We finally met yesterday over coffee and chatted about how he could break in as an engineer at a local studio.
I gave him some advice, but what sticks with me from the conversation is something I also made reference to [...]
Then Physics Kicked In…
So, to continue w/ my little rant on acoustic foam…
When you’re talking music, you’re talking sound. And when you’re talking sound you’re talking soundwaves. AND, when you’re talking sounwaves you’re talking physics.
I belong to an online mastering Webboard. One of the best things I ever heard there was, “…and then physics kicked in.”
Here’s the short [...]
The Age of Enlightenment…and onward
Through the years I’ve seen just about every home recording space I walk in filled with foamy acoustic treatment. I’m not going to come right out and say this stuff is useless, but it’s less useful than people would hope for.
And I think that’s the thing…people want to hope that they can buy some “professional [...]
Another Non-Scientific Opinion
Music is not science. There are many scientific laws that apply to music and sound, as well as how we perceive it. But there’s no accounting for taste, and this is as important as any of the opinions that I present in my blog.
Peets makes great coffee. Some people think it’s the best you can [...]
About This Blog
From Ohm to Om reflects the opinions of mastering engineer Paul Abbott, owner of San Diego's ZenMastering.
We welcome comments from readers...pro or con!
