Ten tips for improving your production/productivity

[§andalwooÐ]

I've got some down time and my studio is all in boxes so I thought I'd spend my normal production time doing this.

I'm prolly getting annoying by post-whoring the production section but it used to be way busier on the old board so I'm trying to rustle up some activity. :D

These are the top ten lessons I've learned that I still have trouble incorporating sometimes. Being disciplined can be very important.


1. File Naming/Backup: When you make your own sound or patch it comes in really handy later if you have a specific format for naming your files. Here's a couple of examples of how I (when I'm not lazy) name my files:

Bass-Massline-StillHere-MSMassline-134-Am-04.wav
Patch-Pad-Sweep-AstralFlight-AstralPad-Fm-174-06.nki

Where the first two entries are primary and secondary definitions of type of sound, (not counting 'Patch' which signifies patch instead of sample) the third is the name of the song, the fourth is the name of the sound, the fifth is the key signature, the sixth is the bpm, and the seventh is the specific id number. This makes searching for and organizing samples and patches a breeze, especially in Kontakt where you can tell the program what your naming system is and it will search/sort them accordingly automatically!!!! :eek:

Make at least 3 hard backups of every tune you couldn't stand losing. I've lost at least 50 tracks from hdd failure and believe me it's by far one of the worst things you can go through on this Earth. ;)


2. Listening Environment and Referencing : Obviously monitors are important, but even lacking those the room you work in can effect your mixes greatly. The quickest way around this is to reference (a/b to pro tracks) as often as possible. Basically just bring a clean, preferably purchased wav or 320 into your sequencer and solo/mute it next to your track as a reference point. Picking a song that is the same style as the one you're working on is probably the best way to go. Once I got monitors I actually started referencing much more often as I could hear the subtle differences in levels etc. I won't go further on this as I have yet to own a proper studio that I can acoustically treat...

3. Breaks (not drums but stepping away from the computer) : I think this is pretty obvious. If you get stuck on something, don't spend 4 hours trying the same things over and over. Try replacing the source sound, or just walk away or work on a different tune. I've wasted probably hundreds of hours trying to polish a turd. Also, taking a 3 or 4 day break from a track, or even production in general can really open your eyes. I try to take a week off of every track at least once during production because that first listen after a week is usually very surprising..you'll instantly hear what stands out positively, and what needs to go.

4. Know the Tools You Already Have : I've seen many people get so preoccupied with getting the 'coolest, latest' gear/software that they fail to utilize the powerful tools they already have. Think about all the sick sick music that was made in the early nineties. The technology back then was archaic by by today's standards, especially in the digital realm. If Prodigy can make his last entire album on Reason, you need to quit complaining about not having the right tools :p (his source sounds did come from hardware but you can find hella high quality samples if you look hard enough)

5. Dig Dig Dig : Lately I've developed an awesome habit. If I'm listening to ANY music, and I catch something playing by itself, I write down the artist-song in my little black book to sample later. I can't tell you how many awesome sounds I have that no one else does just because of this. Samples are everything. Sample old vinyl, sample new vinyl, sample pop music, sample jazz, sample fucking polka, sample EVERYTHING. There are plenty of free online resources and sample trading rings. Spend your week away from production just building your sample library. If you have 1,000 wavs, and you only use the best 10, chances are all 10 are going to be pretty fucking dope, and that track is going to sound good. Again, don't try to polish a turd, some samples may be dope in idea, but not in quality. I try not to waste my time with sub-amazing samples anymore.

7. Hone Your Ears : Instead of just 'liking' or 'disliking' a certain song, or sound, try to figure out what it is you like or more importantly DISLIKE about it. Pick everything apart. Try to isolate the different sounds in your mind and think about WHY it is you like or don't like them. For me I found that I liked some songs for their melodic content/composition but not their engineering/production and visa-versa. With mixing down your own track, this can be very important. Sometimes you will LIKE a sound but not LOVE it, and it could be something as simple as there's too much high-end etc., once you get used to listening for the dynamics in ALL sound, music or otherwise, you can start to theorize how certain sound could be synthesized, i.e., if you wanted to make the sound of a ceiling fan, you would have the wind (random high end ins and outs) the whine of the motor (fast repeating high mid loop) and the low rumble of the air (slow repeating loop)

lol sorry that's a shitty example but I think you know what I mean. :D


8. Take Your Time : You may be able to crack out a tune in 6 hours, but do you really want to? I mean, the ideas may come out that fast but if you want it to sound pro, you're going to need to take a little extra time making sure all the elements fit together, that the song makes sense as a whole, and that you don't just like it because you just made it. (I'm very guilty of this at times) Good tracks have to stand the test of time. If you automatically assume a track is good and finished just because the composition is done, you're selling yourself short on time that could be well spent polishing, automating, doing creative edits/fills, and generally fattening the sound etc. I've made tracks in one day that people loved, but when I listen to them now (i don't have the project files for a couple) I can't stop thinking how much better they'd be if I hadn't rushed them or stopped polishing them.


9. Study : I didn't just make all this shit up. LOL About 75% of what you're reading I've learned from various forums, books, and people. I've learned a little from self-experience but not as much as from other producers. Learning from each other is the most important tool we have imo. :D

10. Make What YOU Want to Make, Not What THEY Want to Hear!
If you like your tracks, rock on, HAVE FUN!!! Honestly, fuck what other people think. Unless you plan on doing this shit for a living which is REALLY REALLY hard to do...just have fun. Production is not only an awesome hobby, but it stimulates the mind and soul!

If you start taking yourself too seriously, you'll end up like the pro's that have too much ego and whose music is shit compared to what they did before they were so famous. ;p



Goddamn I need to get a life. :cool:

If any of this helps ANYONE I'll feel like it was worth it, for now I just feel like a yammering douche lolol
-Tom

[TonyD]

I've got some down time and my studio is all in boxes so I thought I'd spend my normal production time doing this.

I'm prolly getting annoying by post-whoring the production section but it used to be way busier on the old board so I'm trying to rustle up some activity. :D

These are the top ten lessons I've learned that I still have trouble incorporating sometimes. Being disciplined can be very important.


1. File Naming/Backup: When you make your own sound or patch it comes in really handy later if you have a specific format for naming your files. Here's a couple of examples of how I (when I'm not lazy) name my files:

Bass-Massline-StillHere-MSMassline-04-134-Am.wav
Patch-Pad-Sweep-AstralFlight-AstralPad-06-174-Fm.nki

Where the first two entries are primary and secondary definitions of type of sound, (not counting 'Patch' which signifies patch instead of sample) the third is the name of the song, the fourth is the name of the sound, the fifth is the specific id number, the sixth is the bpm, and the seventh is the key signature. This makes searching for and organizing samples and patches a breeze, especially in Kontakt where you can tell the program what your naming system is and it will search/sort them accordingly automatically!!!! :eek:

Make at least 3 hard backups of every tune you couldn't stand losing. I've lost at least 50 tracks from hdd failure and believe me it's by far one of the worst things you can go through on this Earth. ;)


2. Listening Environment and Referencing : Obviously monitors are important, but even lacking those the room you work in can effect your mixes greatly. The quickest way around this is to reference (a/b to pro tracks) as often as possible. Basically just bring a clean, preferably purchased wav or 320 into your sequencer and solo/mute it next to your track as a reference point. Picking a song that is the same style as the one you're working on is probably the best way to go. Once I got monitors I actually started referencing much more often as I could hear the subtle differences in levels etc. I won't go further on this as I have yet to own a proper studio that I can acoustically treat...

3. Breaks (not drums but stepping away from the computer) : I think this is pretty obvious. If you get stuck on something, don't spend 4 hours trying the same things over and over. Try replacing the source sound, or just walk away or work on a different tune. I've wasted probably hundreds of hours trying to polish a turd. Also, taking a 3 or 4 day break from a track, or even production in general can really open your eyes. I try to take a week off of every track at least once during production because that first listen after a week is usually very surprising..you'll instantly hear what stands out positively, and what needs to go.

4. Know the Tools You Already Have : I've seen many people get so preoccupied with getting the 'coolest, latest' gear/software that they fail to utilize the powerful tools they already have. Think about all the sick sick music that was made in the early nineties. The technology back then was archaic by by today's standards, especially in the digital realm. If Prodigy can make his last entire album on Reason, you need to quit complaining about not having the right tools :p (his source sounds did come from hardware but you can find hella high quality samples if you look hard enough)

5. Dig Dig Dig : Lately I've developed an awesome habit. If I'm listening to ANY music, and I catch something playing by itself, I write down the artist-song in my little black book to sample later. I can't tell you how many awesome sounds I have that no one else does just because of this. Samples are everything. Sample old vinyl, sample new vinyl, sample pop music, sample jazz, sample fucking polka, sample EVERYTHING. There are plenty of free online resources and sample trading rings. Spend your week away from production just building your sample library. If you have 1,000 wavs, and you only use the best 10, chances are all 10 are going to be pretty fucking dope, and that track is going to sound good. Again, don't try to polish a turd, some samples may be dope in idea, but not in quality. I try not to waste my time with sub-amazing samples anymore.

7. Hone Your Ears : Instead of just 'liking' or 'disliking' a certain song, or sound, try to figure out what it is you like or more importantly DISLIKE about it. Pick everything apart. Try to isolate the different sounds in your mind and think about WHY it is you like or don't like them. For me I found that I liked some songs for their melodic content/composition but not their engineering/production and visa-versa. With mixing down your own track, this can be very important. Sometimes you will LIKE a sound but not LOVE it, and it could be something as simple as there's too much high-end etc., once you get used to listening for the dynamics in ALL sound, music or otherwise, you can start to theorize how certain sound could be synthesized, i.e., if you wanted to make the sound of a ceiling fan, you would have the wind (random high end ins and outs) the whine of the motor (fast repeating high mid loop) and the low rumble of the air (slow repeating loop)

lol sorry that's a shitty example but I think you know what I mean. :D


8. Take Your Time : You may be able to crack out a tune in 6 hours, but do you really want to? I mean, the ideas may come out that fast but if you want it to sound pro, you're going to need to take a little extra time making sure all the elements fit together, that the song makes sense as a whole, and that you don't just like it because you just made it. (I'm very guilty of this at times) Good tracks have to stand the test of time. If you automatically assume a track is good and finished just because the composition is done, you're selling yourself short on time that could be well spent polishing, automating, doing creative edits/fills, and generally fattening the sound etc. I've made tracks in one day that people loved, but when I listen to them now (i don't have the project files for a couple) I can't stop thinking how much better they'd be if I hadn't rushed them or stopped polishing them.


9. Study : I didn't just make all this shit up. LOL About 75% of what you're reading I've learned from various forums, books, and people. I've learned a little from self-experience but not as much as from other producers. Learning from each other is the most important tool we have imo. :D

10. Make What YOU Want to Make, Not What THEY Want to Hear!
If you like your tracks, rock on, HAVE FUN!!! Honestly, fuck what other people think. Unless you plan on doing this shit for a living which is REALLY REALLY hard to do...just have fun. Production is not only an awesome hobby, but it stimulates the mind and soul!

If you start taking yourself too seriously, you'll end up like the pro's that have too much ego and whose music is shit compared to what they did before they were so famous. ;p



Goddamn I need to get a life. :cool:

If any of this helps ANYONE I'll feel like it was worth it, for now I just feel like a yammering douche lolol
-Tom

It's funny that some things aren't so common sense these days. They should be though. Bitch! how long in town for?

heh

[dilvie]

These are fantastic tips! I started producing in 1991, and I can say from experience, these ideas are spot-on.

[§andalwooÐ]

It's funny that some things aren't so common sense these days. They should be though. Bitch! how long in town for?

heh

Yeah, you'd be surprised how much of this doesn't occur automatically, it has to be learned over time after many wasted hours on my part lol.

I'll be back in the next 3 days tops (don't quote me on that i was supposed to be back 4 days ago) and I'll be in slc for 3 months then i'm leaving the country for 6 months...




These are fantastic tips! I started producing in 1991, and I can say from experience, these ideas are spot-on.


Cheers! Glad it wasn't a waste of time. ;)

[TonyD]

We need to get together and play some pool before you take off. Make sure to get a hold of me.

[§andalwooÐ]

will do =) god i miss pool i haven't played even ONCE out here! FAIL!

[TonyD]

wow. that's sad. what's kept you from playing pool? I was under the impression that you enjoyed playing pool.

[§andalwooÐ]

well honestly, i don't really hang out at bars at ALL here, whereas in utah thats my mainstay for social interaction... if that makes sense...

i been too busy working and producing to do any partying out here, yet another reason i'm looking forward to coming home! :D

[TonyD]

heh. You have been to busy producing, fuck no!. heh.

it's not like you have anything better to do!

[§andalwooÐ]

amen to that brother.

its time to get irresponsible again! :D

[wi$edirect]

Great info man!

Thank you!

[§andalwooÐ]

Great info man!

Thank you!

cheers joel, happy new year bruv! =)

[DJ Namaste]

Any tips on loudness and compression/limiting?

I keep going from my tracks to a professional track and there is a big difference. On mastered tracks, I notice that the wave form is all the way to the maximum at the loudest and at the lowest it does not drop very much after the kicks.

[§andalwooÐ]

There are a few different methods to achieve a flatter/louder sound. I have recently incorporated side chaining into a lot of different elements in my tracks. Sidechain ducking the sub to the kick is pretty standard practice, especially for house and trance. This is also how you achieve that 'sucking' effect. Try sidechaining your hi hats to your kick as well for extra suckage heh.

I also try to make sure that transients last only as long as they need to, and when one starts to fade, there should be another one to take its place immediately afterwards...

Also you want this plugin: http://bram.smartelectronix.com/plugins.php?id=4

it is called s(m)exoscope and it is brilliant for viewing your waveforms


Also, check out thsi compression 101 thread from dogsonacid, very useful:

http://www.dogsonacid.com/showthread.php?threadid=507671


Hope all that helps, if you want more details I can oblige =)

[Dave Sweeten]

Excellent thread! The producers of UTR are lucky to have you Tom! :D

[DJCode]

This is a great thread, these are all really good tips!

I am so bad at organization and file naming conventions, my shit ends up getting pretty disorganized and I bet you would freak if you saw what some of my project files look like... i'm trying to get better though! :)

[eepz]

nice post!:cheers:

[Rodan]

Make at least 3 hard backups of every tune you couldn't stand losing. I've lost at least 50 tracks from hdd failure and believe me it's by far one of the worst things you can go through on this Earth. ;)


I can whole heartedly agree with this haha . I have like awesometrack1,awesometrack2,awesometrack 3 haha sometimes i make it up to awesome track 20. And then I have 3 backups of all of them on seperate hard drives and then I have the best of them backed up to my thumb drive with mp3 versions. LOL It really really sucks when you lose a track.

Great article by the way. KEEP THEM COMING :)

[dilvie]

I can whole heartedly agree with this haha . I have like awesometrack1,awesometrack2,awesometrack 3 haha sometimes i make it up to awesome track 20. And then I have 3 backups of all of them on seperate hard drives and then I have the best of them backed up to my thumb drive with mp3 versions. LOL It really really sucks when you lose a track.

I know it's not manly to admit this, but losing a large archive of original music has very nearly brought me to tears. It's like losing a friend. Backups are good!

[djcoty]

nice thread sandalwood! it helped alot (:


what do you guys use to produce mainly? if there is alot of fruityloops people maybe we could all make a track together by just swapping the project file and adding what each person feels.

[§andalwooÐ]

funny you should say that, cuz digga just threw me a track he made in reason and i sequenced and mixed down in fruity, with other sounds n stuff, I don't have my pc setup yet so I'm on my lappy which is only 750mhz, but running FLstudio5 (FL3 is fucking sick too, the filters are a bit smoother and the AMP mod...FUCKING AAAAAAAHHH!!!)
I can run like 3 instances of absynth and like 20 waves plugs no problem, just use asio4all to buffer the fuck out of it...not possible at all with SX, shit I can't even run it on my lappy.....

I swear using tools you aren't used to spawns so much creativity!!

I'm way stoked with how its turning out, and really it would be totally different if I used SX instead of fruity...it's really hard to explain without hearing it but fruity adds this imperfect 'warmth' to your mixes...seriously it does...

around 200hz - 500 hz just seems to warm up a bunch in fruityloops and from 2000-5000 really comes out...if you don't believe me bring up a Spor track in your spectral analyzer...honestly he would sound TOTALLY different if he didn't use fruity imho

don't ask me...I guess the theory behind analogue 'warmth' is basically that we've all been listening to music that was mixed down on imperfect hardware and we are all used to the sonic artifacts that imperfect hardware adds to the sound...so basically digital mixes are COLD because they are 'perfect'

so now we get to deal with 'perfect' digital sound which does not have those imperfections/warmth and even tho the signal chain is potentially more pure, the end result is a sterile cold sound...

ehffing mindfuck there innit....

/me hugs my 1980 peavy mixer

imperfect is perfect! =) I really haven't mixed down on this beast yet, but I must say clipping the analogues gains on breaks and midbass is fucking smashing...GET A MIXER =)

but sorry to go off, i would totally be down to collab on a fruity file, send me a zipped loop package like nowish eh :D

[InnerjetiK]

*needs to learn to produce*

[§andalwooÐ]

*needs to learn to produce*

Honestly, like purely objectively, it's probably one of the most theraputic and intellectually stimulating passtimes one can take on....

:D

everyone likes music and in this day in age it's easier than ever to get those beats out of your head and onto a system!!! \m/

[InnerjetiK]

^yeah. i've used fruity loops before, but there are just so many ways to tweek a sound, and edm is so detailed. i have fun making basslines, but since i only have the demo version i haven't gone much further then that.

[§andalwooÐ]

Hey if you have fun doing it, fuck yeah!

=)

bottom line for me, it's fun

boo.yah.

[InnerjetiK]

Hey if you have fun doing it, fuck yeah!

=)

bottom line for me, it's fun

boo.yah.

thats the only reason i spin, and play the type of music i do.

[RS4]

mega -> \m/

[Uncle Touchy aka Killjoy]

from another thread-- "learn to play piano, learn music theory, don't get obsessed by what software is "best" just learn the one that you like the most/have got to the minutest detail."

i quit piano lessons when i was a kid. i really regret it now. but i'm seriously considering taking them again......better late than never.

[§andalwooÐ]

we all have regrets as far as music goes...

Honestly, I get the most satisfaction out of listening to stuff that no one else would touch with a thirty-foot-pole

i.e., the more isolated you feel the more potential you have to ignite a much needed spark in musical ingenuitity

[Walka]

we all have regrets as far as music goes...

Honestly, I get the most satisfaction out of listening to stuff that no one else would touch with a thirty-foot-pole

i.e., the more isolated you feel the more potential you have to ignite a much needed spark in musical ingenuitity

I can definitely agree with this statement, I recently moved from a crowded house to a 2bedroom with a roommate. The isolation has really helped spark my creativity, in whatever area. It's strange.

[DJ Namaste]

From http://www.digitalfishphones.com/main.php?item=3&subItem=1

Mixing and mastering
What to do and what better not to do...

I am frequently asked "how do I make loud tracks?", "how do I *master*?".
This little article might serve as a general brainstormer. It is just reflecting my personal opinion on that topic. Yours may be different ;)

Making powerful tracks begins with the writing of the song. You should check at least this:


Do my instruments and their specific sound deliver what I am looking for? Usually, most sythetic stuff comes with a rich and even tonal spectrum and might sit good in the mix from the start (as long as the sound is not too 'fat' like, for example, a lot of pads are). As opposed to acoustic instruments which have a unique sonic fingerprint with lots of resonances and interact with the room acoustics. Find out about peaks & dips in the spectrum and take things like delays and envelopes into account.

Does each one support the overall sound or is one (or more) affecting it in a way that it turns your mix into mud? Think of particular frequency regions and the masking effect. Play with your mixer's eq to find out about this. As a general recommendation: negative eq-ing is better most of the times, so whereever something sounds disturbing, set the eq right there and dig a hole. This generally sounds way better than boosting the region around it.

Volume is not punch. Free yourself from the common preconception that any CD has to be as loud as possible. I guess you are making music that's supposed to be played on conventional stereo systems. Well, each of them has a volume knob, really :) Plus, a potential radio station has compressors and limiters hot enough to boost your track. You won't win anything if your music is already squashed to death. Less is more.

Natural dynamics: There is a reason why instruments are actually played at different volumes. There is also a reason why our ear has such a tremendous dynamic range. Today's music electronics are good enough not to insist on constantly high volume levels. Noise shouldn't be an issue anymore. So let's consider dynamics as a friend, not an enemy.
Whenever I start mixing one of my songs I clean up the desk and unplug any inserts and fx, so that I only hear the plain instruments. That helps to decide if things are already fine. You've got to get the groove & punch at this time, otherwise think of re-arranging the song and choose different instruments. If the sound seems okay, go for dynamics and effects. Stop at the point where it starts to lose tightness and definition.

Think about transients. A lot of our perception happens just on the starting of an envelope and the signal's peaks. Don't just flatten them. If you do so, you are not only evening things out, you are also altering the waveform, thereby approaching a square wave which sound quite fatiguing in the end (because square waves consist of odd harmonics, with pretty high level).

Don't mix in the 'solo' mode. Those buttons should stay untouched in the mix. Try to tweak the sound with everything turned on one after the other. It does not help you that you know that this baseline sounds fat when soloed. Mixing is to make 'room' for every instrument. It's just like painting.

Don't plug any compressor in the sum bus during mixdown. Exciters/enhancers are a no-no, too. You'll betray yourself and won't be able to discover the true dynamics and frequency response.
The metering instruments on your recording equipment can greatly teach you how to keep levels under control. I am always using the meters on my DAT which have fast peak characteristics. After some time, I've gotten a tight grip to transfer the measurements to my perceived dynamic range and vice versa. I'm sure this applies to any metering instrument if it is halfway accurate and one gets used to it. Some are using VUs only for this purpose. It's a matter of taste.

If you work with compressors and limiters on finished mixdowns, try only to 'polish' things and make minor adjustments. Don't make it just louder, make it BETTER (noticed that there is no compressor or limiter with a knob labeled 'better'? :D)
While the industry is constantly telling us we should aim at loud levels, a lot of people are making the same mistake over and over (me included sometimes). The louder track is more convincing to our ears and sounds better in the beginning. You have to force yourself to listen closer and make comparisons to a quieter and less 'stressing' version.

Using heavy compression on the sum signal *can* sound nice or interesting, but it does not guarantee that it improves your recordings at every time. Furthermore, the better the mix and its tonal and dynamical balance, the less will it be demanding for overall compression or limiting.
When you feel that something's not properly balanced, the drums are sitting too much up front, the bass produces boominess or the singer ssssspits right in your face, consider re-mixing the song and use proper compression on the individual tracks.
Quite often a simple hard-knee compressor works good for drums, like the mda freeware (http://www.mda-vst.com/) stuff.

If you're using a (look-ahead) peak limiter, do only limit up to 3dB, not more. Sometimes, even 1dB is audible enough to introduce too much artifacts. You may replace limiting with tape-like saturation (like with the output stage of endorphin) if you perceive serious pumping or a general 'grainy' sound. But take care not to dial in too much 'heating'. Burnt offerings...

Don't mix with headphones. Use them only to monitor single sources or to detect noise, hiss, or rumble. Phones are often very misleading when it comes to the question if all instruments are well balanced. Vocals tend to be mixed too loud, while constant and 'wide' signals such as pads are often too low in volume.
Many headphones have big difficulties with transients: you might think the drums need some extra 'smack'. There's a chance that playing the mixdown back on your normal speakers will reveal too much of transient attack (which is prone to slew-rate distortion on most playback systems anyway).

Very often, mixing and editing tracks is a recursive operation; it might take you doing things over and over again. Don't get frustrated, and take your breaks as the ear is very easy to cheat and your perception is largely dependent on the state you're currently in.

Think about what is the weakest device in your chain. Quite often, it's the monitors, your room acoustics, cheap cables, inappropriate miking techniques, wrong microphones and that stuff. For quite a while I was thinking I couldn't mix until I found out it was my poor and noisy mixing desk and crappy monitors (which were even at the wrong place of the room). Garbage in, garbage out :)

Finally: It's always good to have a second pair of sane ears listening to your music during the process. That's one of the main reasons you should definitely think about hiring a professional mastering engineer whenever you plan to address a large amount of people (and have the money, but it should be worth it most of the times). The mastering process can't be done with just a box of software tools and the will to make things 'loud & fat'.
It takes

years of experience

an excellent listening environment (speakers & room acoustics have to be perfectly matched)

high-class equipment specialized for mastering purposes (the 'creative' process was long before...). You'll also need a certain variety of gear to choose which one is best for a particular job. None can serve all

some distance from the tracks (you've been involved in the process for too long to tell what's right or wrong)
There are a lot of sources on the net talking about mixing and mastering with a lot more tips for you at hand. For example, try out prorec.com (http://www.prorec.com/) (good articles & reviews plus a forum) or the fantastic site of mastering guru Bob Katz at digital domain (http://www.digido.com/). You can also take a look at John Westman's mastering pages at johnvestman.com (http://johnvestman.com/site_map.htm).

[psyonix]

Excellent post, Tom. I just wish I had the motivation, period.

[Niimo]

Don't forget to remember why you are doing what you're doing. Take time to enjoy where you are and breathe :)