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Mastered Here

Mastered Here: Ben Wells – Country That Rocks

There’s something happening here.  What it is ain’t exactly clear.  I’ve been doing country records.  Cool ones.  I used to do two country records a year, and now I’ve done five in two months.  Apparently I’m good at it.  The really cool bit?  Most of them are out of towners.  Not the Nashville set.  (Not sure I’m fancy enough for those cats.  They’ll know soon enough.)

Ben Wells is one of those out of towners.  Georgia baby.  Land of my smokin’ hot wife and my new fandom of UGA football.  (I think I’m supposed to make a woofing noise now.  Not doing it.  I’m from Indiana and I’m stubborn.)  The south of the south.  This goodness was mixed by my long time long distance producer/engineer buddy Lee Dyess at Earthsound Recording in Valdosta, GA.  Lee’s got serious rock, punk and hardcore skills, and his heavy pedigree mixed with Ben’s rockin’ country songs has made something very, very cool.  The new single, “Get Down” is getting some serious love from That’s Music To Me blog.  Read the review here.  The single is out on September 11.

I’ll totally tell you all about it then too.  Howyalikemenow?

Ben Wells Facebook

 

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Mastered Here Out Today

Out Today: Robinson – That acoustic thing I loved so much, and a free song!

Remember a couple weeks ago I was all emo about this acoustic act that barely even existed yet?  Well they exist now, and you can hear what I was all gushy over.  I still like it.  The guys are very nice.  They’re called Robinson and they’ve released their EP, “Fits & Starts” on iTunes.  They’ve also told me that I can link a song here for you to check out, so by all means.  Click the triangle.  Be careful.  It’s full of dynamic range and not all compressed to your mom’s house and back.  You’ll be fine.

 

Robinson – “I’ll Be Fine”

@wearerobinson on the Twitter

listentorobinson.com on the…everything else.

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Mastered Here

Out Today: Karyn Williams “Only You”

Karyn’s awesome voice is coming at ya!  The new album is out today, and it’s a good one. She’s already climbing up the radio charts.  You’ll surely be hearing plenty from her.  Great sounds, great production.  Just great all around.  I’m glad to be a part of it.  From my friends at inpop records.  Always a happy to work with them.  Lots of cool music in their house.

Categories
Charting Tunes

Never shout “Charts!” at the beach. New chart entries this week!

Hi there everybody.  My computer is currently thinking on some rendering, so how about a little chart rundown, hmm?

Two new chart entries this week.  First up, Holly Starr’s single, “Dont Have Love”  What a great voice and mellow vibe.  She’s popped up on the Radio & Records CHR Chart.  She’ll surely be there for a while.  The single is available on iTunes right HERE

 

Also, Newworldson has a new entry in the R&R AC chart.  “Today” has started the climb.  Let’s hope for high placement.  I always do.  You can check out the whole thick and rich sounding album here on iTunes – “Rebel Transmission”

So.  16 chart positions as I can find.  That’ll do for this week methinks.

Christian AC National Airplay

  • BIG DADDY WEAVE “Redeemed” – FERVENT/WORD-CURB
  • JASON GRAY “Good To Be Alive” – CENTRICITY
  • FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI “Angel By Your Side” – FERVENT/WORD-CURB
  • PETER FURLER “I’m Alive” – SPARROW/EMI CMG
  • MEREDITH ANDREWS “Not For A Moment (After All)” – WORD-CURB
  • NEWWORLDSON “Today” – PLATINUM POP

On the Christian Rock National Airplay Chart

  • MIKE MAINS & THE BRANCHES “Miracle” – PLATINUM POP
  • ASHES REMAIN “Unbroken” – FAIR TRADE
  • LOVE & DEATH “Chemicals” – HEADDOG
  • WORTH DYING FOR “You’re Alive” – AMMUNITION

 Christian CHR National Airplay

  • STEPHANIE SMITH “Letting Go” – GOTEE
  • REMEDY DRIVE “Better Than Life” – CENTRICITY (There are a few versions out there, and I did one of ’em)
  • PETER FURLER “I’m Alive” – SPARROW/EMI CMG
  • HOLLY STARR “Don’t Have Love” – ARTIST GARDEN

On the christianrock.net top 30 chart,

  • MATT MOORE “Fading” – clocking in at #2 this week!  Way to go Matt!
  • ASHES REMAIN “Unbroken” – FAIR TRADE
  • LOVE & DEATH “Chemicals” – HEADDOG

Also, Big Daddy Weave’s “Redeemed” is hanging out at #5 on the iTunes Christian Singles chart.

Categories
What's Going On...

Expanded Dynamics & Progress Bars

I’m going to be looking at a lot of progress bars today – I’m rendering XD Masters (Expanded Dynamics) files for the songs that to be the radio singles for Francesca’s amazing Christmas album.  Yes, I’ve mentioned the amazing Christmas album once or twice.  It’s good.  You’ll know when she’s blowing up the charts this fall.

For the last couple years, I’ve been doing this thing, as I’m sure other mastering dudes have, of sending specially treated versions of mastering for radio play.  I call them XD Masters, and they’re cool.

We know that “radio” does stuff to the music we send out.  They’ve got a tough spot.  Radio audio guys have a particular challenge when it comes to dynamic processing for FM broadcast.  They have to try to get songs from 1984 where there was no loudness war, no monster digital limiting, no actual concern for how loud a song was  recorded to sound as good as they did then while being parked next to some seriously loudly mixed/mastered current day tunes.  We can save the debate on how loud is too loud.  That’s client to client – although I don’t crust (whoops.  awesome typo.  thanks Reid.) the life out of stuff, FYI.  ANYwho.  The only people who really have a say in that are the people making the music and paying me for quality louderization.  (New word.  All mine.)

So I’m sending out versions of the songs for radio intent with the louderizering backed off.  It sounds better on the radio because their compressors aren’t re-compressing down to broadcast-happy level – essentially undoing what was done in mastering.  Radio gets more dynamic, not so hot mixes, their broadcast compression doesn’t have to work so hard, thus, it sounds better.

That’s fun, right?

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What's Going On...

Mastered for iTunes – Doing It Here

I just finished the Mastered for iTunes version of Francesca Battistelli’s new (and AMAZING) Christmas album.  I can do it for you records too.  You’re going to want this one.  You’ll play it for years.  I’m playing it now, and it’s 90 degrees outside.

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Mastered Here

Jason Aaron Coons – “Best Friend” – So good. So good.

Ya know, some days it’s just easy.  When a song is this good, and it’s engineered as well as this stuff was, it’s hard to go wrong.  This record got a little more of a push in mastering than many…it’s just one of those that loved having the lights doing flashy things, and the meters doing wavy things.  All while not being crushed.

The album comes out this week.  It’s worth picking up.  The whole thing is killer.

 

The video is gorgeous.  I think it catches the vibe and sentiment of the song perfectly.  Sit back and have a listen.  Maybe turn that volume knob clockwise just a bit.  Enjoy the dynamics.  It’s good for ya.

Oh yeah.  Made in Indiana.  Like me!

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Uncategorized

Light The Night – Help Fund Research for Leukemia & Lymphoma

Want to help some people?  Join us.  My awesome wife, Meg, the unending energy source behind Meg Shike Fitness, and I are on a team to help raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  It’s called The Light The Night Walk.  We’re part of a team of people raising funds in memory of Hayden Weaver.  Hayden’s brother, Izzy, has inspired us to pitch in.  We love Izzy and his endlessly upbeat attitude toward everyone and everything.  So we’re supporting him and working to raise enough money to reach our team goal of $10,000.  We’re half way there.

If you’d like to help raise money and walk with us, contact me and we can get it sorted.  It’s an easy two-mile walk in a laid back atmosphere in downtown Nashville.  There may possibly be a beverage at a local…beverage place before the stroll begins.  There will be patients, families, supporters…survivors…kids in wagons…I hope to be pulling some of them to use of the Meg Shike Fitness Power that I’ve gained over the last two years.

If you’d like to make a cash donation, tax-deductible, of course, you can go to Meg’s Light The Night Page right HERE

Blood cancer research is expensive.  Many other cancer treatments end up benefiting from the research of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Foundation, which is nice.  The LLF also give real cash money to people who are stricken with this often surprise of a disease to help with bills, food, and maybe just taking a deep breath, knowing that there are people who care that will help.

There will also be balloons.  With helium in them!  I’m going to leave some voice mails!

Ohhhh….one other thing.  There is a silent auction going on that will get the buyer quite a deal on a bit of mastering.  Might be interesting if you’re a music type.  Just a thought.

Categories
Charting Tunes

Hi. It’s that chart thing I do once a week or so. Curious?

At the risk of being boring…all these songs just stay on the charts.  All the time.  Some are creeping up, some a ticking down just a bit…but they just stay there.  Guess that’s what happens when your good songs sound good.  Good songs…good engineering…good mastering….makes for radio hits that last.  Dig that good stuff.

On the Christian Rock National Airplay Chart

  • MIKE MAINS & THE BRANCHES “Miracle” – PLATINUM POP
  • ASHES REMAIN “Unbroken” – FAIR TRADE
  • LOVE & DEATH “Chemicals” – HEADDOG
  • WORTH DYING FOR “You’re Alive” – AMMUNITION

Christian AC National Airplay

  • BIG DADDY WEAVE “Redeemed” – FERVENT/WORD-CURB
  • JASON GRAY “Good To Be Alive” – CENTRICITY
  • FRANCESCA BATTISTELLI “Angel By Your Side” – FERVENT/WORD-CURB
  • PETER FURLER “I’m Alive” – SPARROW/EMI CMG
  • MEREDITH ANDREWS “Not For A Moment (After All)” – WORD-CURB

 Christian CHR National Airplay

  • STEPHANIE SMITH “Letting Go” – GOTEE
  • REMEDY DRIVE “Better Than Life” – CENTRICITY (There are a few versions out there, and I did one of ’em)
  • PETER FURLER “I’m Alive” – SPARROW/EMI CMG

On the christianrock.net top 30 chart,

  • ASHES REMAIN “Unbroken” – FAIR TRADE
  • MATT MOORE “Fading”
  • LOVE & DEATH “Chemicals” – HEADDOG
  • WORTH DYING FOR “You’re Alive” – AMMUNITION

 

Categories
What's Going On...

A Little Room Tuning Anyone?

I went over to my man Sean Moffitt’s studio today.  He’s had a bit of a subwoofer casualty, like ya do, and his KRK has become DED.  Well.  Dead.  Whatever.  Time for an upgrade!  He headed out and grabbed a couple new tasty subs and I headed over with my trusty room measurement gadgets to line ’em up and get the crossover set right and all that good stuff.  Easy job as those things go since he already had a setup rockin’ pretty well with the old sub.  Now he’s got them off to the sides, symmetrical like, and we tweaked the crossover to get a little more chest thumpy goodness out of ’em.  Having two now is much better.  Bollocks to whatever anyone else says, you can hear a sub off to one side of a stereo pair.  Having a sub on each side of the speaker setup makes for a more solid center image.  So there.  They can be a little more complicated to set up, but I think it’s worth it.  Honorable mention to having one sub right in the middle.  That’ kinda causes another problem to deal with though.  It all depends on the stuff that depends.  No two rooms and speaker setups get the same treatment.

Time to hang with the wife.  Saturday and football.  Beer:30 methinks.