Steve PMHIndependent musicians are following the path of recording and distributing their own music rather than signing with a label. They feel that this allows them to maintain control over their music and their profits. What people want to know is how much it costs to master their own music.
Continue reading to learn about the costs associated with music mastering.
How Much Does Music Mastering Cost?
The cost of music mastering can vary depending on who does it and where you live. In general, you can expect to pay between $50 and $200 for each song if you want to receive a quality end product. When you master an album, 10 tracks will run between $500 and $2,000.
If you need to mix and master the track, you will spend between $150 and $700 for a good quality song. The cost can be significantly higher if you use a top level producer, but you can get a radio-worthy product in this range. Mixing and mastering an album with 10 tracks will cost between $1,500 and $7,000.
Factors in the Cost of Mixing and Mastering
It can be difficult to find a general answer to how much mixing and mastering a song costs because there are different variables that will impact the cost. The better route is to understand what those factors are so that you have a good idea of what to expect.
One important factor is the level of complexity of your song. When you have more instruments and sounds in the song, it will take longer for the sound engineer to mix and master it. This will cost more money.
Generally, one song can be mixed in two to eight hours, and then it can go to be mastered.
It doesn’t take as long to master a song as it does to mix it. They can master the song in stereos or in stems, and stereos are faster. Which one the mastering engineer uses will affect the cost.
Mixing and Mastering Service Options
There are different options that are available with mixing and mastering services. You can get them to do any of the following:
- Digital noise reduction: around $5 per channel
- Editing: around $1 per track for each edit
- Importing new tracks: $20 to $30 and $5 for each additional track
- Conversion MP3 files: $5 per track
Mastering services often offer these other services so that you can get everything taken care of at the same place. The prices will vary with different mastering engineers, so it is important to find out what is included and what is extra when you hire one.
Why Is Mastering Important?
Mastering is important because it ensures that your song sounds professional when you go to market it. You want your song to sound like the other songs on streaming channels or on the radio so that people will add it to their playlists. The idea is to make sure that it fits in.
Another reason that mastering is important is that you get an objective second opinion. When you write and make music, you listen to it over and over again, and you become close to the song. A mastering engineer will be completely objective and listen to the song to analyze how it compares to other quality songs.
Mastering engineers spend years perfecting their skills, and they learn how to make music fit in and stand out at the same time. They can catch any mistakes in your track, and they know how to make the necessary adjustments.
Is it Difficult to Master Music?
Mastering music is a developed skill, and it is difficult if you don’t know what you are doing. If you are trying to master your own music it can be challenging to remove yourself and be impartial in your analysis.
People often make small mistakes that limit the quality of their songs, and it is a good idea to learn how to master from a professional if you plan to do it yourself. The most challenging thing about doing it yourself is being objective about your own tracks.
Mastering engineers have years of experience, a trained ear for music, and expensive equipment that helps them get the job done. They are able to be impartial, and they know what to do. It takes time to develop this skill, and the more experience they have, the more they get paid for doing it.
What Can Mastering Fix in a Track?
The primary objective of mastering is to make sure that the sound is professional and optimized for playback on different platforms. The tools that people use include equalization, compression, limiting, and stereo enhancement.
People play songs on their smartphones, on club systems, on streaming services, and more, and they can be transferred to different formats such as CDs or vinyl. The songs should sound optimized across all of these formats.
Mastering can eliminate clicks and other small mistakes, and it can make sure that different tracks on one album have a consistent sound. When you have a song, it needs to sound good on many different platforms today.
People play music on so many different devices, and a properly mastered song will have a good quality sound on all of them. It will ensure that there aren’t any odd sounds, hisses, or noises in the track that shouldn’t be there.
How Long Does It Take to Master a Song?
The length of time it takes to master a track varies depending on your level of experience. Someone who has experience mastering music can master a song in as little as 10 or 20 minutes.
However, a beginner might take as long as an hour. When someone has a trained ear for sound along with good technical knowledge about sound, they can master a song more quickly.
When you have an entire album mastered, mastering engineers can have a turn around of a few days up to a week. The time frame will vary between different mastering engineers, so it is best to ask the one you choose what their policy is.
Is Music Mastering Necessary?
As technology becomes more advanced and more accessible, musicians are finding that they can produce their own music and master it at home. The reality is that if your song is already the perfect volume with the perfect blend of sounds and EQ is consistent, you may not need to have it mastered.
However, it is rarely a good idea to forgo the mastering process. In addition to the experience and knowledge you get from a mastering engineer, they are able to listen to your song objectively. They will not have heard it before, so they will not be too close to it.
In addition, it is important to make sure that your tracks are going to sound good across different platforms.
It is worth the investment to make sure that your song is mastered and ready for play across different platforms. The average cost is between $50 and $200 per song, which is worthwhile as a mistake can hurt your ability to get people to listen to it.
Should You Master a Beat Before Doing the Vocals?
If you have already mastered the beat and you add the vocals, it will not sound as clean and cohesive as it would if you mastered the track one time with everything added in.
The ideal situation is to record the entire track. Then, you should have it mixed. Once it is mixed properly, you will want to master it.
It is best to master it one time once it is complete.
Is Professional Mastering Worth the Cost?
Some people say that if your sound doesn’t need to be modified, then you don’t necessarily need to have it mastered. However, this is rarely the case. Not only that, but it is hard for someone who created a song to get the necessary impartiality to determine whether or not the song needs to be tweaked.
Professionals do more than make adjustments and add effects to your song. They have an ear for it, and they know how to make sure that your track is good enough quality.
In addition, music is played on many different devices today. When you have your song mastered, it will be changed so that it sounds great on all of these devices. It sounds more professional and is higher quality.
Whether or not you absolutely need professional mastering, it is a good idea because once you release a song that is lower quality, it is difficult to get people to listen to it and play it. It is far better to make sure that it sounds as good as possible and that it fits in with the other songs that people are streaming before you make it available.
Why Does the Cost of Mastering Music Vary?
When you start looking for a mastering engineer, you will find that different places charge different fees for each song or album. This is no different from other industries, where you will find all different levels of quality in mastering engineers.
The most expensive mastering engineers will charge $200 or more per song. Normally these companies have an excellent reputation, and you will not have to worry about the quality of their work. You should be able to check their references, and you may know some of the tracks they have mastered.
When you get into the mid-level prices, you have a mix of medium to high quality mastering. The best way to check their work is to get references and listen to tracks they have done. You should also make sure that they have worked within your genre before.
If you find inexpensive mastering, the engineer may just be starting out. This doesn’t mean that they can’t do a good job, but you need to make sure that it is worth your money. It is especially important to make sure that an inexpensive mastering engineer understands and has worked with your type of music, and you should listen to samples of tracks that they have mastered before you hire them.
The most expensive mastering engineers have experience and an incredible ear for music. They also have a lot of very expensive equipment that they use to master your music. That is why they charge more money.
You will get the highest quality from them, but you have to decide if you need that level of service.
Do Mastering Engineers Get Paid Royalties?
Mastering engineers do not get paid royalties. They earn a fee for mastering the music. You don’t lose any control over your music when you hire a professional for these services.
Once they complete the job, you can pay them their fee, and the song is yours to do with as you please.
1 comment
Great article, very informative.