After all my years in this business, it surprises me that the majority of musicians are not thoroughly familiar with the term "Enhancement Mastering." Sorry to say, I have had clients who have had great records, and have spent thousands of dollars and countless hours in the studio, and when it comes to spending a few hundred dollars for "Enhancement Mastering," they will have no part of it. Most will say, "Well, it's not necessary - it's really not going to make that much of a difference." "I've never done it before, I don't see any reason to do it now." "Well, it sounds great - why mess with it?"

If anyone believes in the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it", it's me. However, enhancement mastering is an absolute must in today's music industry. The final phase of enhancement mastering, is not something that is done in the recording studio after the mix down. Many studios have "toys" with such names as "The Finalizer," "The Track Enhancer," "The Ultimizer," etc. While these do add a slight bit of enhancement to your final product, they in no way even touch upon the artistry that takes place in a bonafide, genuine world-class state-of-the-art mastering studio.

It is in these mastering labs that the real process of enhancement mastering takes place. The equipment is incredibly expensive, state-of-the-art, world class. Even though the engineer is surrounded by all of this equipment that will enhance your master, and make the difference between night and day, the two most important things in the room are the mastering engineer's ears. In addition to those two wonderful things we call ears, are racks and racks of highly sophisticated analog and digital equipment. Digital to analog converters - compressors - equalizers - limiters - reverb - echo - d-essers - stereo imagers - audio file speakers - power amps and dozens of other pieces of equipment are used by the mastering engineer to make your final product fatter, taller, more crisp, and with more definition and dynamics than it had after the mix-down at the studio.

Masterfonics, Nashville, Tennessee

I don't care how great it sounds in the studio! When it is enhanced properly by a world-class artistic engineer, the final result is as obvious as night and day. The spectrum is much wider. The base-line is more definitive. The peak is much higher. The record just sounds ten times bigger and this is an absolute must if you are going to compete with what is on the radio today.

I have been trying to convince my clients to use enhancement mastering for the last fifteen years. Many of them shy away, saying "it ain't worth the extra money." Well, I'm here to tell you it is worth the extra money! It is the final process - the final enhancement of your product. After all, you've spent thousands of dollars, countless hours in the studio, and you've given of yourself and your God-given talents --- doesn't that deserve to be taken to the ultimate level?

Trutone Mastering Labs, New York, New York

We work with three of the finest mastering labs in America. One on the West Coast, one on the East Coast, and one in the Midwest. The cost is not prohibitive. The average cost per track is between $100.00 and $175.00. Yes, there are mastering labs that charge $400 - $500 - $600 a track. Some even charge $10,000 to enhance a full album. The people who spend that kind of money are not buying the product... they are buying the name of the mastering engineer who has worked on hits for Barbra Streisand, the E-Street Band, The Boss, Garth Brooks, and the like. The people who have that kind of money to toss around are buying the name. They are buying the hype!

There are hundreds of fine mastering labs in the United States, and most of them do a wonderful job. If your project is finished, the mix-down is to your satisfaction, and you are ready for enhancement mastering, please give us a call. I guarantee you will be blown away by the final results after one of our fine mastering engineers takes your music to task.

Give us a call - 513-574-0610. You will be surprised. You will be thrilled at the final results.