"The mixes grew wider and deeper creating a more lush stereo image. You gotta hear it for yourself to believe it, but once you do you'll never go back to the 2-track." - Matt Bordon - Omen Room Studios, Orange County, California "I can't thank you enough for introducing us to the Separation process of mastering - it's absolutely amazing - we're blown away with the sound you brought out in our music." - Tony Barela, Orange County, California "Separations gave my album a 3-dimensional nature and sonic clarity that it didn't have before. We definitely heard more spatiality and focus on individual instruments." - Takesian - Recording Artist, Composer - Long Beach, California "Using Separations saved my album - it increased the overall quality and let us enhance the sound the way I wanted. I'll never go back to just stereo mixes." - Mansour - LA. California "I was truly amazed at how much clearer and defined the sound was by using Separations. It opened up the mix so every instrument was crystal clear. Thank you John!" - Cris Barber. Jazz artist, O.C. Music Award winner, California "Separation Mastering makes a lot of sense in today's music scene. [ It ] allows the mastering engineer to accurately rebalance aspects of a mix if necessary." - Grammy winning engineer, Erik Zobler "Separations gave our acoustic instruments the openness and space that was lost before in our recordings." - Chris Hatt - American Wake - contemporary Irish music "It's hard to believe these are the same songs that were recorded in my studio. Your 'Separations Magic' exceeded my expectations by delivering songs that are loud and musical with clarity and dimension! You even took time out of your busy schedule to offer me technical and marketing advice. That never happens in the music industry." - Eric DeLisle - Pasadena, Maryland        Using Separations gave our latest projects more dimension and fullness - particularly Mysteria and LornaLee, the sound really opened up.  We love the results." Intentcity Records - Orange County, California

Click here to see a chart of suggested Separation Layouts

Separation Mastering projects exhibit a more open and "airy" sound.  The small number of Separation tracks gives better width and depth than large numbers of tracks being mixed and summed digitally. We find that digital summing "in the box" seems to represses the transients and collapses the openness of the sound.  If nothing is changed and we're simply using Separations as your source for mastering, you have already achieved an improvement - sometimes as much as reclocking with a precision low-jitter clock. 

About the cost: The mastering cost factor can be the same as traditional mastering when pro's bring in commercially competitive mixes. Example: If the lead vocal needs de-essing, it's easier for us to de-ess the Separation than it is to de-ess the whole blended 2-track mix in the traditional fashion. It's better to de-ess the vocal Separation because we don't have to think about compromises when a de-esser can dull the cymbals, snare or other instruments in a locked-down 2-track mix. Example: If we need to roll low end off the kick drum, it's just as easy to apply a high-pass filter to the drum Separation as it is to do it to the whole mix, and the tone of the bass (if separated) and rhythm instruments won't be altered. We won't be spending time with compromises that can occur when you only have a 2-track source.

What if you want some optimizing of the mix balance?

As a part of our service, we can rebalance the mix for another level of improvement if the client requests it.  This can be as simple as a few tweaks, or it can be very creative and powerful - which can take time and can add to the cost.  Note that if you are in the beginning phases of your engineering career, a 20-to-30 year engineering veteran in the mastering room can work wonders on your project.  But we don't recommend that you mix with the intention of having us add your reverbs.  We prefer that you get your mixes the way you want them -- but yes, we can add high quality reverb (or even delays) or make creative edits if you request it.

Interesting: Some engineers, once they start making Separations, hear things they didn't hear previously while mixing.  It's tempting to tweak more when you hear the tracks separated from the others, but it's a mistake to change anything unless you go back and re-printing the Full Mix.  Example: Doing additional gating of drums or changing the levels or processing on the tracks upon hearing them separated!  Remember, every aspect of your mix must be there in the Separations. 

Key: If you change anything in your Separations, go back and remake your 2-track stereo mix.  Your stereo mix must be exactly the same.  Double-check!

More on cost: When we are asked to get into deeper sonic crafting, the cost is proportionate to the work.  Volume draws to create a more consistent vocal blend can take time.  Fine-tuning drums with eq and level correction can take time.  Edits and defect removal can take time.  But considering the time it takes to book more mixing time, A-List mixing engineer expenditures, scheduling, transportation and coordination issues.... Separations can leverage a proportionately short amount of time into a very large sonic advantage for you.  Just remember, your budget plan should match your product goals -- given the level of mixing experience and acoustic accuracy of your facility.

Even more advantages

Separations give you insurance against mix burnout as well. As Quincy Jones said (paraphrased), "We never finish our projects. We simply abandon them." Now when you're finished, you can rest easier knowing that the mastering session can resolve any final debates. Separations replace the need for cumbersome alternate mixes. It's a total package that gives a secure guideline for anyone who want A-List sound but doesn't have the time for trial-and-error projects.

New development: A response that we get more and more is that clients tell us "Now that I know what you can do in the mastering room, I'll mix my next project differently.  It will be easier because I don't have to be so obsessive over details that are better addressed in mastering."

This is cool because what they are saying is that they can do "less" in their mix and get "more" in the mastering room.  We've all heard the engineering phrase, "Less is more." which really means that "less" of one thing will leave space for "more" of something else (kinda like the teeter-totter principle).  Less pressure at mix time (due to Separations) can mean less of a tendency to over-process. Just remember to use your best judgment because you should love your mix when it leaves the recording studio and comes here.  Separations are re-defining and expanding the role of mastering -- as well as the results you can expect to achieve.

What if your mix is perfect without Separations?

Some projects are mixed so well that we simply leave the Separations set to unity gain and only apply standard outboard processing.  Sometimes Separations aren't preferred because the engineer has dialed in a sound that works better in stereo.  Different flavors of sound are not right or wrong -- any more than chocolate and vanilla are right or wrong. 

"A-List" engineers often utilize a large format console, exotic gear, or perhaps analog summing boxes and great D-A converters - all of which contributes to mixes that are amazing from the first note. Sometime a more dry, "glued-together" sound is preferred over a wider, more distinct stereophonic sound. Remember, the 2-track mix is included in the Separations format so you always have that option available at the push of a button.

But consider this: Most A-List engineers are already mixing with subgroups even when the 2-track mix down is the only intended source for mastering. Given the cost and difficulty involved in perfectly recreating a mix after everything's been dismantled and reset, archiving stems and Separations make perfect sense as a back up plan when BIG bucks are being spent.

KEY: If you are listening to the entire album during the mastering session, you'll be able to hear which songs if any need to have level adjustments possibly made. Before, you were stuck with what you had (er... unless you went back to remix)! 

If the client requests, we can still sum the Separations in the digital domain and use a particular digital stereo buss plug in. Separations also allows us to use our Discrete Class-A Commander analog summing mixer.  (Tip: want to have that exotic hardware stereo Fairchild on the stereo buss? Instead of buying one, rent it for the mastering session!) Plus we use D-A converters, audio interconnects and power cables that are all high-end audiophile for the best possible sound.

We encourage your questions!

Please email us for more answers to your questions. (Please put the word "Separations" in the subject line so we know it's not spam!)  Want to try out a song using this format? We'll send you a mastered edited version so you can hear exactly how it sounds with no obligation.  Use our convenient FTP site or send $20 bucks to cover postage and handling. Hold on to your seat!

Thank you!