Grizzly Bear producer Chris Taylor:
“Speaking personally, the biggest benefit is not having to worry about it anymore,” Taylor says. “After I’ve recorded and produced the thing, and wrote the thing and played on the thing for 5 months, I don’t want to have to worry about mixing it, too.”
[...]
“It was also great to be able to focus on production and on the bigger picture stuff, and not to have to worry about 160hz here and there and get worn out on all that.”
This is a really great article/interview that explores the difference between mixing and producing. Of course, many people do both, but it’s very important to recognise that they’re different activities, which require very different mindsets.
Whoever wears the producer hat is concerned with creative direction and songwriting and communicating a message to listeners. Of course, it’s also about managing the people and the schedule and the budget and the resources and egos and the lunch money. The producer is the captain of the ship.
Whoever wears the engineer hat is concerned about making all the sounds work together. S/he is all about frequencies and ratios and reverb shapes and phase and transients. The engineer is in the engine room in the bowels of the ship operating all the machines. So that the captain doesn’t have to worry about operating the machines.
Know your strengths, and know what you want to focus on.
Are you a primarily a producer? Or an engineer? Or both?
-Kim.
I feel mastering is something an amateur should think twice about doing themselves. Even though I have a fairly strong understanding in the technical aspects of the recording process (and that my other two band mates are both audio engineers), mastering is a tricky process. If you don’t believe me, check out Bob Katz’ ‘Mastering Audio’. I made it through the first 1/3 of the book before I gave up.
The big issue that most of us musicians face is mastering for online streaming. Very different from CD mastering. How many people have buds in their ears listing to iPods? Professional mastering is not THAT expensive. Besides, if you really put your best work into your album or EP, make it sound the best you can.
Hi Tia,
For amateurs, it really depends on their career goals. Someone who wants to build a career primarily as a musician or artist is most likely better off getting professional help when they want professional results. On the other hand, someone who wants to develop their skills as an engineer should take every opportunity to practise those skills and improve them. Even if it means doing an amateur job of mastering their own music.
If you didn’t make it through Bob Katz’ ‘Mastering Audio’, then that’s a pretty good sign that you’d enjoy focussing on the creative aspects of songwriting and performing (on stage or in the studio).
-Kim.