Brandenburg Mastering

Algemene informatie

The engineer:

Back when Wouter first started releasing records, he did all the mastering himself. Soon after, musicians and labels got in contact to ask how he got his sound. This led to him being asked to master other people’s records, and so he asked himself "why not get further into it?"

After studying audio engineering more than a decade ago, he was particularly inspired by cutting vinyl. Seeing people with the dedication to that small spectrum of pressing and releasing records, he understood that it’s really a craft. From there he became dedicated to achieving the highest quality in audio and learned the necessary technical skills.

"I master for different formats":

Different audio formats like a vinyl record, CD, or the “new” digital formats (such as mp3 or youtube) require different masters. Some playback devices are mechanical, while others are digital, and this effects how the music is processed in the listening environment. It’s a bit like preparing a child to go out into the world and that sense of trust is something that’s very important me.

Restoration:

Through a custom-built and very pure pre-amplifier, audio can be taken from different formats and restored to its former glory. Restoration is the fine balance between getting rid of any unwanted noise and improving the audio quality, whether it’s the last live recording of Chet Baker, or a rare and mouldy record of Mali’s Orchestre Kanaga de Mopti.

"Mastering?"

Despite the many changes in audio technology and music formats, mastering is a technical craft that will never disappear. The critical listening of a mastering engineer has become more valuable in recent“To me mastering isn’t about changing the music, but making it sound as good as possible for the audience to listen to.”
times, as more and more people can make music without any prior knowledge of the requirements of audio formats and their manufacturing processes.

As recording and mixing tend to be more in the box (digital) and executed by one individual, the need to get an extra pair of trained ears with technical knowledge gets greater. This is where BM comes in and why I have carefully chosen top quality equipment to outfit my studio.