My project at home has been transferring vinyl records into Mp3 format for use on my iPod. It's been fun and I've been enjoying listening to old records. Old friends really.

And what has stood out to me is how well some of those old records were mastered. In another thread I was talking about Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Symphonion Dream. Whether or not you hate or love that band (or even that genre), that particular album is really mastered well. Using a 1975 computerized mastering system, the album has a great sound overall.

Which got me to thinking about the old Masters of Mastering and how some of that knowledge is being lost. Useful information.

I wish I understand the old school type of mastering better. Only so it could help me in the recording and mixing process.

Those Mastering people back when ... they knew what the hell they were doing !

I just wish the industry would get over this ridiculous "volume quest" so we could go back to making recordings sound nice instead of "really loud."

Strange, but just 10-15 years ago, the focus was "the power is in the contrast" not only in the percived volume..

Hey, I have a question that one of you may be able to help me with. I have recorded a CD. All overdubs of live instruments. To me it sounds pretty live. The mix does use Realverb and Boombfactory Classic Compressors plugins, though sparimgly. I really like the sound of the BF La2a plugin and I used it, though by no means slamming it, On the full mix track. I am planning to have this CD mastered profesionaly. Should I take out the Boombfactory on the full mix track and rerecord the mixes before sending the project for mastering? Thanks in advance. Hank

If it's light buss compression that serves the mix, it's generally fine. If it's buss compression to increase the overall volume of the mix, take it off.

this obsession with loudness is indeed really a step backwards.Especially i find in the world of electronic music .It reminds me of a'pumped up ' body builder with an iq of about 6 when i hear a typical ' loud' mix.

"All brawn, no brain" - Interesting analogy...

It just plain doesn't sound as good - heavy limiting and compression these days, it's hard on the ears. Your eardrums don't get a chance to breathe or resonate when the music has no dynamics. It's like there's absolute constant pressure on em......that's my little ear fatigue theory anyway.

i grew up listening to vinyl, maximum of 30 db of dynamics. who needs 90db? i mastered a project recently that really does kind of sound like vinyl. check it out at www.myspace.com/thebooze

crazy, listen to riot girl.