Audio Post Production

Audio mixing is a general term that involves balancing the various audio levels, taking audio from multiple sources and combining them into one or more channels or stems. The process typically includes editing individual audio files and tracks, setting levels of all tracks, frequency content (EQ), dynamics, panning positions, and adding effects such as reverb, delay, echo, chorus, and other special effects. Audio post production is done within the context of the recorded material (e.g.: the genre of music) and youe intended distribution channel(s).

Mastering is the process of preparing audio—particularly music audio—for final distribution; whether that is CD, download, the various streaming services, vinyl, or whatever the medium and playback devices. It is the final stage of music production in which finishing touches are applied before your listeners, fans and potential fans hear it.

Mastering is the glue that brings a finished mix together, helping hold it all together. Levels are typically optimized for the perceived “loudness” but in a way that doesn’t kill off the dynamics of the music. If the project is more than one track, such as an EP or album. Mastering can help the different tracks of an album come together into one cohesive collection.

One vital outcome in audio mastering is helping the audio translate to various listening devices and systems to help it sound as good as it can no matter how it is heard: car audio, home stereo systems, televisions, earbuds, computer speakers, etc. One of the final steps of mastering is to ensure the music or dialogue is translatable for CDs, vinyl, broadcast, and the various algorithms used by the various online streaming services. This can often result in multiple master copies, depending on the intended platforms. Mastering is applied to honor the most up-to-date industry standards.

Having Dave handle your audio mastering gives you a set of impartial ears, in a studio calibrated for accurate sound reproduction, to evaluate and tweak your audio before it goes out to the world.

Dave utilizes cutting-edge technologies for post production audio repair like lav mic de-rustle, dialogue isolation, and intermittent low-end wind rumble removal. And he offers creative approaches to age-old music recording problems like microphone bleed, sibilance, mouth clicks, and breaths. He takes it to the next level of audio repair that once seemed impossible. Depending on the source material and its sonic makeup, it is possible to clean up or effectively reduce audio recording problems like microphone bumps, birds, sirens, location noises, even plosives and other ambient sounds—all while preserving audio quality.

Audio Repair Example

Below are two short audio clips. The “before” clip is the audio as it was received, containing excessive and annoying clicks and crackles that distract from the message. The “after” clip is the audio after it was repaired; the clicks have effectively been removed or reduced to an unintelligible level. (Only audio repair results are demonstrated here. No other processing was applied to this audio example.)