I have been composing and writing songs for years. In the past 10 years I have picked up bits and pieces of recording and in the last 2 have become serious about making professional level recordings.

My collaborator and I work with the new Digidesign003 Pro Tools 7.3 LE and have figured out how to make solid recordings with it. However, the last piece of the puzzle is to master our compositions for that finishing touch. Mastering... This is clearly our weakest link.

*We are writing for TV/Film markets and rarely record vocals right now.

For this subject I ask these questions:
-Discuss the ins and outs of Mastering...
-What is the purpose of Mastering?
-What are the best programs for Mastering in a project or intermediate set-up?
-What educational materials are there out there concerning mastering?
-What does the before and after of a mix sound like before mastering?
-How much time should be spent in general on Mastering? (percentage% of project)
-Is it necessary for song pitch demos?

Thanks for the discussion! Nate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aleDoNlSdCs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXE4LXl4_M0