DVD Authoring/Encoding Services - DVD/CD/VHS Replication & Packaging

CD Audio Mastering

Alpha Group Pro Audio Mastering provides CD mastering for independent artists at affordable rates. Mastering or properly referred to as Pre mastering (pre glass mastering), is the process of preparing your mix down master for commercial release. Every audio file that goes out to the public needs mastering. This is a crucial step to making your tracks sound as good as what people buy in the stores-even if you're not going to sell your music at record stores. Professional studios spend hundreds-even thousands-on a record to get it mastered. This is because they know that without mastering their products won't be competitive in the market.

The Mastering Process

The art of mastering is just that. The first fundamental element of mastering is experience, and we have have been in the music business for over twenty-five years. The second element is having the professional tools to do the job. A trained mastering professional will listen to your track and compare it objectively to other commercially available records. Secondly, if you're not experienced in the art of mastering, you could actually be hurting your music instead of helping it. Overly-processed recordings are taxing on the ears and many A&R reps and reviewers know the difference when they hear it.

We use Apogee’s UV22HR unique technology for reducing the word-length of a high-resolution digital signal to 16 bits for the Internet and CD mastering, or 20-bit for DVD-Video. UV22 has been the industry standard for CD mastering since 1993: now the latest version, UV22HR ("High Resolution") is also being employed to produce dramatically improved Internet and computer audio without increasing file sizes or data rates. Fixed or floating point implementation.

The Bottom Line

Even the most experienced recording studios rely on mastering engineers to put the finishing touch on their products. The reason for this is twofold. First of all, mastering engineers only focus on mastering. Therefore, they are able to dedicate their time to making the final mix sound as good as it can and are not concerned with mixing each individual element. Secondly-and perhaps more important-it is absolutely imperative that someone other than the artist do the mastering because they aren't as close to the project as the artist and/or recording engineer. The mastering engineer will be able to listen to your track with a fresh set of ears and will be able to process your track objectively, making sure your finished product is competitive with other commercial releases.

Start with a Good Mix

Although the mastering process can be definitely make a track sound much better, it cannot compensate for poor mixing techniques. For this reason, it is important to start with a well mixed final version. Additionally, minimal (but preferably no) final mix compression and processing should be used before mastering. Final mix compression should only be done at the mastering stage and left to a professional.

Current Mastering Rates*

1 - 4 Tracks $300.00

5 - 12 Tracks $400.00

13 - 16 Tracks $500.00

17 - 20 Tracks $600.00

20+ Tracks Call for quote

*Deduct $100.00 if your are purchasing one of our Retail Ready CD Packages.

Quality Assurance

If you're not 100% satisfied with our services, we'll redo it to your specifications once without incurring additional charges. If, after a redo, you are still not satisfied, we will work out a discounted rate with you to make sure you get what you're looking for.

1990 Northwest Area Music Association for Technical Achievement