I really didn’t know what to expect when I approached Broadjam about doing mastering for their clients. I hoped I’d get lots of music, make it sound great, and have people be thrilled with the results. After mastering dozens and dozens of tracks, thankfully, that’s exactly what’s happened.
But just in case, I also included a clause in my agreement with Broadjam that if I felt something was unmasterable, I’d have the right to reject it, and the person would get their money back – no harm, no foul. That way if the music really sucked, I’d be off the hook.
Well, I almost had to invoke that clause today, but not because the music sucked.
I start off all my mastering jobs by just listening to a song to get the “vibe.” But after about a minute, I had to stop: The subject matter was domestic violence, and it was so powerful I had to pause. We’re not talking cheap shots; the lyrics weren’t about graphic violence, and the music wasn’t abrasive. In fact, if you didn’t know English, you’d figure based on the music is was about some guy who was unhappy with his girlfriend or something.
However, I do know English – and the song’s emotional impact was undeniable, partially because it did avoid melodrama. I took a break, cleared my head, then went back to it. It was extremely difficult to keep listening to the song over and over again, as I made the various subtle adjustments that go into mastering. Eventually, I did finish the song, and I think I did a really good job – but I was an emotional basket case for hours afterward.
This isn’t the first time by any means I’ve felt a strong emotional connection to the music I’m being sent. Two songwriters submitted songs about losing their fathers, and I’m not ashamed to admit they both brought tears to my eyes (and they both managed to be poignant without wallowing in sentimentality, which is very hard to pull off). Another song was so exuberant that, despite a questionable mix, it put me in a great mood for the rest of the day. And I got one “breakup song” from a lady where by the end, I was really, really hoping she’d taken all the guy’s stuff out of her house, and dumped it on the curb. You go, girl!
So what’s the point of all this? In all my years of writing about music and technology, I’ve emphasized over and over again that technology doesn’t really mean that much: All that matters is the music’s emotional impact. When I listen to a lot of music these days, the technology is fabulous, but the emotional impact just isn’t there.
Well, you guys haven’t forgotten what music is all about. It’s an honor to work with your music, and while we all know that the odds of success is this business are about the same as getting struck by lightning, based on what I’m hearing I can only urge you all to keep following your muse. What you’re doing turns mastering from a job to a joy. Thank you!
I like the look of the controls. They look to be clear and simple to use.
I would use this for those guitar and bass tones that i can’t seem to dial in in my current studio. It would expand my home studio so much more. More options would mean further creativity.
I should win because I want to represent Amplitube as a home user and i think this piece of software will give my guitar and bass tones that sought after professional sound.