05 Nov 09 The Most Impressive Layback Mixing and Mastering for Musicians

Something called CD mastering is one of the best secrets of top studios today. Since most everything is mixed in the digital realm, top producers will do what’s called layback mastering. This is where the digital version is put back to an analog version in order to be mastered through analog processors, though many times it is also recorded to an two-track system in order to get the warmth that analog tape gives to the project. It also takes the harshness away from digital recordings, and can round out the bottom end giving the bass frequencies that signature analog sound.

Though Layback mastering will often cost a bit more than traditional all digital mastering, since it takes additional time and there are additional costs for the analog tape, but for important projects, it can be the final step in achieving the best sound quality for the album. Since digital recordings can feel more brittle to many listeners because regardless of how loud the sound gets, digital gives you purely digital reproduction. Analog tape, however, saturates as the volume increases in level, so peaks are smoothed over instead of clipping, which translates as a warm, fat signal as the harmonics are smoothed over. To the audience, this is more appealing. In addition, a hotter input sound will result in a more exaggerated difference. Since the top ranges soften up first, this transilates that as the signal increases, the highs naturally smooth out, creating a less brittle, and much better sound. This is the magic of layback mastering.

There are several mastering studios around the world that have the tools to do layback mastering, however, it also requires you have a solid professional with the track record to get the best end product possible with the studio. I have sampled a few mastering houses and one of the most impressive is www.stevethomasmastering.com. He is a top analog CD mastering engineer, yet he also has done 1000s of albums as a mixing engineer as well. On top of that, his quality is similar to some of the most expensive mastering houses in the country. If you already have someone you are working with that’s great. But, I would definitely to give him a call.