Mastering
I like putting lots and lots of stuff out and mastering is a process standing between me and my ability to do that effectively. And between records and projects with lots of different stuff in them, I don’t do it. So I forget how critical it is. But Joe is done mastering the new record and listening to these beautiful songs I remember how important the process is.
It’s like an image. Lots of closely bundled parallel lines. Those lines are all the different voices and tracks and instruments. Before you master, the sound is all bundled together like a tightly wound rope. Smushed, to put it indelicately.
But then what you do with mastering is somehow you create space where it didn’t seem like any was possible. So although Joe doesn’t mess with the overall mix and can’t influence individual tracks, you can hear all the little bits and pieces more precisely and with greater clarity than before. Like there’s a little enging in the middle of the coiled rope that is pushing apart the different pieces so you can get ahold of them.
Or like a trap door below the sound that opens up into a room of more sound where you didn’t think there was any room at all. It’s like that.
I remember thinking the same thing when the first Lipstik record was mastered (also by Joe). It had never sounded so good. Now, truthfully, it sounds a bit dated and I can hear the imperfections in some of the playing. But, in general, it opened up the sound completely on that record and the magician has done it again with this one.
Separately, it’s amazing and scary to think that I finished the first Lipstik record in July of 2006, over two years ago. I need to speed up the pace a little over here and put out some more finished music. I think I’ve got the unfinished thing taken care of. As I’m typing I’m listening to “Stay Where You Are” by Ambulance, in case you’re wondering. And there are flourescent lights on. And emails in the inbox. And it’s cold outside in New York.
