Ep.11 Mastering - part 1
Since episode one, we have seen Greg and Bryce create a perfectly crafted song, powerful arrangement, and energetic, artfully sculpted mix.
In part 1 of the conclusion to Greg Wells Start To Finish Series, Greg takes the final mix of Bryce Drew's "Lucky Number" to Magic Garden Mastering to work with world-renowned mastering engineer, Brian Lucey, to take the incredible mix he did on the console in Studio A of Sunset Sound to the next level.
Watch as Brian and Greg:
- Discuss the production and history of the song
- Break down their mastering workflow on productions they have worked on like The Greatest Showman, Cats, and many more.
- Explain Brian's mastering chain
- Uses Mid/Side compression to control peaks and open up the mix
- Show their technique for enhancing a mix done in the analog domain where recall is not possible, and they still want to enhance elements in the mix.
- Discuss the importance of musicality in engineers and producers to communicate in the production process and ultimately convey the artist's vision.
- Use mastering techniques to keep the energy building throughout the production
- Tweak the lead vocal sound, just from the stereo mix.
This is your chance to see what an attended mastering session looks like with two of the world's most highly regarded music creators, in real-time.
Watch the rest of the series here.
Hardware
- Mytek 8x192 DA
- Focusrite Blue 315 MkII
- Elysia Alpha
- Fairman TMEQ
- Pacific Microsonics AD
- Waves L2 Limiter
- Crane Song HEDD
- Bricasti M1
Software
- Sequoia
- Fab Filter Pro-C2
- Fab Filter Pro-Q2
The emotional landscape of Bryce Drew's music is brilliantly unsteady, with peaks and valleys ascending from emotive ballads into rhythmic pop anthems that carry the heartbeat of her Trinidadian-American roots. But in her soulful dexterity as an artist, and her innate ability to draw out complex emotions often hidden in the mundane, Bryce Drew shows she has all the elements of an icon in the making.