Jim-san, et alia-san,
I tried to let that neologism for "mastering" "work" for me, as a
definition, too, but, then I realized that they might still take the digital
file touted as a "master" and actually make a pressing, if download sales
were good, or whatever. So, then it was clear that the digital file is
always a pre-mastering artifact - even the transfer to "digital" from a
pressing, since that transfer has not yet been metalized!
The word, mastering, is from Galvanizing, and, not Audio. Audio
borrowed it for lacquer cutting and photoresist burning, since the cut/burnt
part is metalized by people who say, "metal master." It's true that master
tapes are sent, normally, to be cut, or burnt, to disc. But the
premastering session should no sooner call itself the mastering one than the
mixing session should which results in the mix master tape (aka production
master).
Still, Master? As I have pointed out, this blank disc, she is a
"lacquer mistress," or a "glass mistress," because the first-metalized part
is its sexual opposite, the master, aka the matrix, aka, the father (masters
make mothers, and mothers, sons - fathers must, therefore, be made by a
female). To call her a master is gauche. Also, since it has a noticable
forensic sequence of siring - unlike a digital file which is either a clone
or it isn't and, can't play the "telephone game," could therefore be its own
Grandpa! - the metal working part is generationally related as well.
Therefore, the cutter is "grandmothering." So, the premastering clerk is
"great-grandfathering," yes?
There, you have it. Bob Katz, myself, et all of you with a mouse and a
sound card are actually great grandfathering clerks. (Some might actually
be qualified, certified engineers and/or technicians, but you can still be a
clerk. This is the right word, so as to preclude S. Nob.-ery.)
Cheers,
Laars and Drew
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Sam" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 23, 2012 2:39 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Acetate vs. Lacquer and The State of Recorded Sound
Research
> For the semantics throwing match, in the digital file world, the
> "mastering engineer" is in fact back to mastering as s/he was in the
> days of vinyl cutting a lacquer, but had moved to premastering in the
> days of cassette and CD.
>
>
> On Mon, Jul 23, 2012 at 11:35 AM, ahamilton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> Gear Preslutz, if you please. 0:
>>
>> Andrew
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "D. Allen" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Monday, July 23, 2012 2:28 PM
>>
>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Acetate vs. Lacquer and The State of Recorded
>> Sound
>> Research
>>
>>
>> gee, gearslutz here?
>>
>> Dale Francis
>>
>> On Jul 23, 2012, at 14:21, ahamilton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Lou, et alia,
>>>
>>>
>>> "----- Original Message ----- From: "Lou Judson" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Monday, July 23, 2012 12:09 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Acetate vs. Lacquer and The State of Recorded
>>> Sound Research"
>>>
>>>
>>> "We may be word quibbling here, but I beg to differ. Mastering as *I*
>>> know
>>> it refers to altering the AUDIO in preparation for duplication, whatever
>>> the
>>> medium might be. Nothing sudden about that!"
>>>
>>> Actually, you just described perfectly, premastering. There is no
>>> need
>>> to call
>>> premastering, mastering, if you are not working with a master format
>>> (such as glass, for injection
>>> moulded CD, or lacquer, for pvc pressings).
>>> Ask Gear, SonicStudio, or Sonoris, if you don't believe me.
>>>
>>> "The process you describe here does create the master pieces of hardware
>>> that are replicated to make CDs, but they should not alter the audio,
>>> thus
>>> "making the master" is different from "mastering audio" (see Bob Katz's
>>> book). Prematering is done by the mix engineer, prior to sending the
>>> audio
>>> to the mastering engineer."
>>>
>>> If you re-read Bob Katz' book, see Chapter 1 (page 17 - first
>>> edition).
>>> Clearly, although the clerk calls himself a "Mastering Engineer," he
>>> is doing what Bob calls
>>> Premastering, This is the session in which the tape, file, or disc
>>> premaster is rolled/struck/made. The
>>> mix engineer does MIXING only. If he applies pluginz or whatever to
>>> the stereo fader, it's still just
>>> mixing, since the premastering clerk has to work from that...
>>> Common misconception among digi-noobs who are eager to sound
>>> masterful
>>> in their own minds.
>>> The mastering takes place in the Clean Room... Just because they are
>>> asked to make a clone of the
>>> data on the CD-R premaster doesn't mean they will! Sometimes lbr's
>>> make mistakes. Sometimes it's
>>> even operator error at the plant! So, this is where the mastering is
>>> actually happening.
>>>
>>> Again, in a sane world, it's only called, mastering, because a master
>>> medium is recorded onto.
>>> The DDP 1.0 and also 2.0 versions are premaster formats. SonicStudio
>>> only recently dropped selling
>>> their entry-level product, Premaster CD. This was poorly named,
>>> since
>>> only professionals with a solid
>>> understanding of what they were doing would realize that this is the
>>> product for them, and not mix
>>> dudes who want to make a "master" (hehe) on the cheap.
>>> Mastering is also taking place in the lacquer cutting room when the
>>> grandmother is cut, of course, since
>>> the medium of recording is a "lacquer master."
>>>
>>> "I have mastered (and remastered, a secondary procedure) for radio,
>>> cassettes, DATs, tapes, and mastered for CD and for lossy compression
>>> media."
>>>
>>>
>>> Oh, you mean you have _pre_mastered. *L* (All the media, above,
>>> are
>>> pre-mastering formats.)
>>>
>>> "Origins of English terms and the ulltmate evolution of the word usage
>>> and
>>> definitions are fluid, no matter how purist we wish it were..."
>>>
>>> You mean people mis-speak, so get used to it? But this is the very
>>> conclusion of my post to Uncle
>>> Dave - "praxis supersedes theory."
>>>
>>>
>>> "For example, in my day a DJ played records on the radio, or at parties.
>>> Now "DJ" is a term for a non-musician who spouts words over "beats"
>>> which in
>>> itself is another fluid word... Wrong usage as that is to me, I don't
>>> argue
>>> with the creatures who use it that way!"
>>>
>>> Actually, the term DJ has not changed. The word for Rapper, is MC.
>>> This stands for Master of
>>> Ceremony. Young MC is a popular vintage Rapper. Where's my DJ? is
>>> what the raper asks the
>>> audience. Just saying. Oh, and in case you think it's easy to do,
>>> try "spouting" to the rhythm,
>>> yourself, and see who listens... *L* It's remarkably
>>> talent-demanding.
>>>
>>> No. People call premastering, mastering, because they are afraid of
>>> doing ze premature ejaculation.
>>> This is the sad state of American mentality. We are living amongst
>>> superstitious savages who are
>>> posing as something that isn't even that cool to begin with. When I
>>> see an occasion to avoid saying the
>>> politically and sexually and historically ugly word, Master, I make
>>> use
>>> of it. (:
>>>
>>> "Living languages are moving targets."
>>>
>>> And webmail is a sitting duck!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Andrew Hamilton
>>> Serif Sound CD Premasteing
>>> www.serifsound.com
>>> Dingbat Lacquer Sound Disc
>>> www.dingbatlsd.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> <L>
>>> Lou Judson
>>> Intuitive Audio
>>> 415-883-2689
>>>
>>> On Jul 23, 2012, at 5:50 AM, ahamilton wrote:
>>>
>>>> When it comes to digital audio processing of mixes to make a CD-R, to
>>>> call this, "mastering," is sudden. The reason for calling the session,
>>>> mastering, is that a master medium is recorded to (Such as when a clerk
>>>> cuts
>>>> a side on a "lacquer master"). But, in compact disc-, or online-,
>>>> target
>>>> sessions, the actual process going on is premastering. The glass
>>>> master is
>>>> recorded in a Class 100 Clean Room and the engineers wear anti-static
>>>> booties over their shoes. A complete transfer to computer and
>>>> subsequent
>>>> writing of a new disc by laser etching is required in order to make the
>>>> CD.
>>>> So, no one made the actual master before hand. They only pre-made it,
>>>> at
>>>> best. In the case of online download-only releases, there still has
>>>> been no
>>>> master part yet made. Only a premastering is required, nowadays.
>>>> That's
>>>> when the sound is "mastered." But it might be said that it has been
>>>> "mistressed," no? Nothing wrong with the feminine touch. No one wants
>>>> to
>>>> say, premastering, however, since it sounds unfinished and even a bit
>>>> taboo.
>>>> But this is a primitive reaction and yet calling it "mastering" doesn't
>>>> make
>>>> the erstwhile session one in which a master was struck.
>>>> So, there are a lot of words being thrown around in audio that are
>>>> incorrect. Nevertheless, as I think you're saying, below, praxis
>>>> supersedes theory. (Avoid bombast and tergidity.)
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