Trillium Sound Mastering Studio Trillium Sound Audio Mastering Trillium Sound Audio Mastering

About Us


  • Richard Addison-Trillium Sound
  • Richard Addison-Trillium Sound

Richard Addison / Mastering Engineer

Richard Addison is the owner and Mastering Engineer of Trillium Sound Mastering. He has been a Montreal (Canada) based bass player and audio engineer for over 40 years. Having arranged and produced hundreds of recordings for many Canadian artists and groups, Richard decided to pursue his real passion : Audio Mastering. Since 2003, he has mastered over 4000 albums and several hundreds of singles for artists and producers from Europe, the United States and Canada.

Quality in our services: We aim to maintain the highest industry standards. Achieving the best sonic results from your recordings in ANY audio format desired. All Master CD's, DDP Masters, ADM files (formely Mastered For iTunes) are tested through a Quality Control. We know that personal taste and results are highly subjective, a good communication with our clients is the key of success.
Quality in sounds and details: Within a good monitoring environment and through the proper use of some processings such as state of the art frenquency equalizers, compressors/limiters and other tools, we are committed to achieve the best results. The sound of an album or specific project can be unified and polished. A good tonal balance for a great translation in any media, clean starts and endings, homogeinity of the overall project and a balanced levels between the songs. Mastering is the last step between your recordings and your listeners, let us help you put your music forward with the best "presentation" possible and give your audience a wonderful listening experience.
Ethics: Consistent, measured processes, honest communictaion in defining what is or what is not possible within mastering of your program material. A realistic view and respectful interaction with our clients is primordial regardless of their music styles or career status.
Objectivity: Fresh perspective and objectivity! For example, if an engineer works on every stage of a project, from the initial recording to the editing and mixing, some issues may be overlooked due to the engineer's closeness and familiarity with the project and working within the same monitoring environment. Allowing a fresh set of ears in on a project as well as a new listening environment can help provide some incredible insights and revealing important things you or the engineer might have missed along the way. At Trillium Sound, your project is handled by people with great ears and many years of experience in a truly professional an comfortable environment. The importance of proper mastering in today's industry can not be stressed enough.

Some Mastering credits

AllMusicGuide - Richard Addison

Discogs - Richard Addison

Discogs - Trillium Sound Mastering

Richard Addison / MUSO.IA

Trillium Sound Mastering / MUSO.IA

Note that that several entries are missing and we are struggling with AMG to add all of the missing credits, so please come back often.

Trillium Sound Mastering Studio Gear

Our Services

Mastering / Online Mastering

- Complete mastering services for unattended clients.
- Fast & secure Online file upload/download services for quick approvals and Masters download.
- FTP services available.
- Files uploads/downloads by Dropbox, WeTransfer and Hightail.
- Payments could be done with PayPal, Interac, Credit cards or Bank transfer.
- You are welcome to attend the session.

Online Free Trial / Demo

An Online Free Trial is offered, send us one of your mixes and we will be happy to make a Mastered sample from it at no charge. Please read our F.A.Q page before submitting your mix otherwise, we might not be able to make a sample and also not having any news from us. It only takes a few minutes to read. If you have any questions or need more information before submitting your mix, don't hesitate to contact us.
Try us

Mastering Packages

Apple Digital Masters
- Full length CD (LP) - Short length CD (EP) - Enhanced CD. - Individual song/track (Single).
- All Master CD's and DDP (Red Book and Blue Book) come with your ISRC and UPC codes inscribed as well as CD-TEXT. CD-TEXT may contains the album title, song titles, artist name, composer's name etc..
-DDP (Disc Description Protocol) Generic disc image file format commonly used for the transport of mastered audio CD data.
- Pre-mastering for vinyl pressing.

Consulting

We would like to hear your material before the session in order to give you our comments. Communication is one of the keys to getting a great master. Let's talk about your project, your musical tastes and vision so we can target your needs and expectations in a quick and effective way.

Programming & music arrangement

- For music programming and musical arrangements, please contact the guys at MidiMadness

Online Free Trial

    If you wish to try one of your songs for free of charge, we will be glad to master it and send you a sample.

    What you should know beforehand...
    If you wish to try one of your songs free of charge, we will be glad to master it and send you a sample of it. Note that we will master it for approximately 1 to 2 minutes in length. Please read the following, which are the requirements and upload instructions for the Free Trial. We also invite you to read our F.A.Q page for questions, tips and more!

    No .MP3, .WMA, .M4A ...
    MP3's and other low resolution audio compressed formats (.mp3, wma etc...) ARE NOT ACCEPTED and we will NOT make a free sample from these, sorry. Please provide at least the minimum required format (16bit/44.1 Stereo Wav or Aiff).

    The file SHOULD be in a stereo .wav or .aiff format. Before sending us your track, please make sure that no additional processing on the mix bus such as heavy compression and / or limiting for the sake of volume has been applied. We will take care of the volume, just make it sound great and the way you LIKE it without being worried about the volume level of your track/mix. Also, try to keep it at -3db peaks average. This way, we will be able to achieve the highest possible level of quality from the mastering process for your song/track. If compression and / or limiting have been used for volume level purpose, we won't be able to proceed properly so we will not Master it for a Free sample.

    What we would like to know from you
    Let us know a little about your tastes, your musical influences, favorite artists and CDs. This will be integral information in helping us target your goal. Communication is the key! You are now ready to proceed...

    IMPORTANT!
    Don't forget to send your email address within a text file along with your mix or contacting us with your email address HERE

    Send your file:

Our Works

Some albums covers or see our clients list here

Claudia Bouvette La Chicane Marie-Pierre Arthur ALIAS Matt Holubowski Valaire Florent Vollant Roxane Bruneau Fanny Bloom Assassin's Creed Eric Lapointe Alaclair Ensemble Elisapie Valaire MATEN La Voix 2023 Hunting Giants Lampion Ludovick Bourgeois Jay Scott Lydia Kepinski Marie-Annick Lepine Ariane Moffatt LOUD Jean-Michel Blais Les Louanges Jorane Star Academie 2022 Hubert Lenoir Eric Lapointe Elliot Maginot Ariane Moffatt Star Academie-Nos retrouvailles Roxane Bruneau LOST Sophia Bel FouKi Daniel Boucher La Voix chante (2020) RYMZ Daniel Belanger Klo Pelgag Mara Tremblay Diane Tell Tasha Angela Matt Holubowski Marie-Pierre Arthur Alex Nevsky Jean-Michel Blais LaF Yannick Rieu Harmonium Ebi Fred Fortin Tom Cochrane LOUD Tom Cochrane Assassin's Creed Odyssey David Marin Elisapie Hubert Lenoir Thus Owls Alaclair Ensemble Philippe Brach KLAUS Mystery Petula Clark Far Cry 5/Original Game Soundtrack Jean-Michel Blais Manu Katche Lee Aaron Galaxie Bon Cop Bad Cop 2 Genevieve Leclerc Desjardins Nikki Yanofsky La guerre des tuques 3D Charlotte Cardin Fred Fortin Steve Hill Bran Van 3000 Kevin Parent Sylvain Cossette Diane Dufresne Vincent Vallieres Alex Nevsky David Usher Roch Voisine Gros Mene  Eric Lapointe

    Our Clients list here

    1-2-3

    20some - 37Degres - 5Sang14

    -A-

    David A. - Lee Aaron - Actionmen - Admirals - After Alice - Shadmehr Aghili - Aitzetmuller - Alaclair Ensemble - Jason Albertini - Alex & Caro - Alfa Rococo - Alife - Mario Allard - Jamie Allen - Rick Allison - Allo Fantome - Alma - The Amazing Cropdusters - Amber Dawn - Anatole - Fabian Anderhub - Ange Akou - Tasha Angela - Angela Parker - Angels in Anarchy - Anna Valsk - AN_NA - Annie Dominique Quintet - Appalaches - Aramis - The Arbitrarys - Chantal Archambault - Ari Cui Cui - Ariel - Martin Arriola - Marie-Pierre Arthur - Jane Ashworth - AUB - Jim Audet - Maude Audet - Auklair - A.V.P

    -B-

    Babylones - Back Track Lane - Jason Bajada - Bajahreke - Chuck Baker - Frederick Baron - Tyler Bartfai - Carl Bastien - Be Astronaut - Beat Market - Beat Sexu - Greg Beaudin - Trio J r me Beaulieu - Abeille Beausoleil - Dany Bedar - Melissa Bedar - Cindy Bedard - Sophia Bel - Pier Beland - Daniel Belanger - Guy Belanger - Belisle - Bellboy Records - Bellflower - Belle Grand Fille - Bernadette - Eric Bernard - Bernhari - Pat Best - Beyries - Bibi Club - Big Bass - Big Wave - Veronique Bilodeau - Yvan Binette - Bob Bissonnette - Jean-Michel Blais - Carla Blanc - Fanny Bloom - Blou - Bolduc tout croche - Bombshelter - Bon Cop Bad Cop 2 - Bon Debarras - Betty Bonifassi - David Bontemps - Born From Lie - Gab Bouchard - Daniel Boucher - Simon Boudreau - Isabelle Boulay - Patrick Bourdon - Sarah Bourdon - Phil Bourg - Ludovick Bourgeois - Mathieu Bourret - Claudia Bouvette - Daniel Boyer - Philippe Brach - Bran Van 3000 - Dani Brazeau - Les Breastfeeders - LG Breton - Bright Ophidia - Brigitte M - Bronswick - The Brooks - Brown - Roxane Bruneau - Stephane Brunello - Ariane Brunet - Buda Funk Munk - BulkHead - Raphael Butler - John Byrnes - B.M.C

    -C-

    Caboose Band - Francis Cabrel - CALL - Caltar Bateau - Calvaire - Camaromance - James Camies - Canyon - Caracol - Charlotte Cardin - The Cardinal Dream - Catboot - Chelsea Carlton - Manu Carr - Cargo Culte - Valerie Carpentier - Cat and a Bird - Chris Catena - Chances - Chapeaumelon - Chris Chappell - Gregory Charles - Charlie and Hash - Charogne - Marc Chaunet - Les Chercheurs d'or - Cherry Cherie - Tom Chicoine - ChienVoler - Chocolat - Nathalie Choquette - Nicola Ciccone - Circle Four - Cirque Eloize - Cirque du Soleil - Citylake - Petula Clark - Marie Claudel - Luis Clavis - Mike Clay - Clay & Friends - Clermont - Cochise - Tom Cochrane - Coco Melies - CODE 18 - Cris Coleman - Colombe - Vincent Compagna - Complane - Copper Mountain Stringband - Corneille - Corridor - Sylvain Cossette - P.A. Cote - Chris Cowie - Les Croches - Cruzito - St phane Crytes - CTV Television Network - Daedalean Complex - Czeremszyna

    -D-

    Les Dales Hawerchuk - DaMention - France D'Amour - Paul Daraiche - Lola Dargenti - Dark Light - Darkwor - Dave Chose - Davodka - Dear Criminals - Deep Rivers - Brent DeLeo - DeNiro - Marie-Alice Depestre - Marc Dery - Mathieu Desy - D.JSoul - Martin Deschamps - Devium - Fr deric Delorme - Sara Diamond - Dimension X - Celine Dion - Olivier Dion - Karim Diouf - Dirty Penny - Douance - Doug & Jeff - The Downriders - Etienne Drapeau - Dreamcatcher - Drogue - DUBB - Annette Ducharme - Martin Duford - Sara Dufour - Diane Dufresne - Sammy Duke - Duke Squad - Fany Dumais - Dunni - Duo Beija-Flor - Marc Dupre - Andie Duquette - Angelique Duruisseau - Jeremy Dutcher - Dylarama

    -E-F-

    Ease - Ebi - Echo-X - Joseph Edgar - Edwar 7 - Carl Eichman - Ekphrasis - Elisapie - Eliza - El Motor - Empra - Endrick & The Sandwiches - Enfant Elefant - Eric B - Erimha - Erwan - Everen - Existence - Exit 245 - Eye Rhyme - The Fabs Habs - Antoine Fafard - Farfadet - Fariman - Farley - Felice - FELP - Jean-Pierre Ferland - Mark Finnie - Fixing Broken - Flaven - Flugzeug - Fobia - Fonkynson - Foreign Diplomats - Foret - Forever Gentlemen - Fred Fortin - Serge Fortin - FouKi - Les Freres a C'hval - Fuso - Fuudge - Tomas Furey

    -G-

    Gaele - Melanie Gagnon - Galaxie - Gammarays - Garash - Garbanzo - Gazoline - Mike Geraghty - Germa - Bernie German - Ghisdou - Ghostnaut - Marie-Anne Giannatos - Eric Giguere - Louis-Philippe Gingras - Glenn Miller Orchestra - Le Godemichet - Henri Godon - Robin Gorn - Gotta Lago - The Gourishankar - Polina Grace - GRAE - Grand Marquis - Grand Public - Felix Gray - The Great Novel - GreenWoodz - Jean-Michael Gregoire - Gerry Griffin - Julien Gris - Gros Men - Groupe Contact - mile Gruff - Guitartare - Gustafson

    -H-I-J-K-

    Amelie Hall - Georges Hamel - Pat Hamel - Hard Times - Harmonijkowy - Harmonium - Les Hay Babies - The Hazytones - Helvetia - Aaron Hendra - William Hennessey - Luc Herrmann Group - HEROIK - Herr Nox - Hey Sugar - The High Dials - Steve Hill - Matt Holubowski - Hotel Morphee - Les Hotesses D'Hillaire - Lizzy Hoyt - H'SAO - HUIS - Rick Hughes - Jimmy Hunt - Hunting Giants - Nate Husser - Kurt Hustle - Hymnosis - I, Alexander - IMA - Immune 2 Cobras - Inbalance - Inner Odyssey - Innerspace - Irem - ISOS - I Shot Samo - Izzo Blues Coalition - JAM - Maria Janice - Jean-Francois Janvier - Anik Jean - Jip Dalp - John Jed - Jiles Band - Andrew Johnston - Jorane - JordyBoy - Les Julian - Julyan - Florence K - KAIN - Kaos Moon - Karcius - Karfagen - Manu Katche - Kayta - Ian Kelly - Key OG - Nathalie Khoriaty - Lydia Kepinski - Price King - Kirouac & Kodakludo - Klatu - Klaus - Kleztory - Kl Pelgag - KNLO - Aidan Knight - Lisa Komlos - Koriass - Keith Kouna - Korum - KROY

    -L-

    Liz Labelle - Jordane Labrie - Chlo Lacasse - Simon-Pierre Lacasse - Antoine Lachance - La F - Gotta Lago - Jean La Haye - Valerie Lahaie - Vivien Lalu - L'Amalgame - Lampion - Mathieu Landry - Lanuit - Melina Laplante - Eric Lapointe - Stephanie Lapointe - Laraw - Lary Kidd - Laurence-Anne - Pierre Laurendeau - La Voix - Daniel Lavoie - Brea Lawrenson - Laurie LeBlanc - Genevi ve Leclerc - Le Couleur - D4vid Lee - Johanne Lefebvre - Jo leLegendre - Lemmiwinks - Lendemain de veille - Lenga a Salsa Brava - Hubert Lenoir - Marilyne Leonard - Simon Leoza - Marie-Annick Lepine - LeShark - Les soeurs Boulay - Maryse Letarte - Steven Levac - Francois Leveille - Celeste Levis - Life Story Records - Lila Dit Ca - L'Isle - Johnny Lima - Mathieu Lipp - Little Misty - Paul Lizzi - Martin Lizotte - The Lokondes - Lolas - Ducie Lorion - LOST - Los-Yegueros - Les Louanges - LOUD - Lova - Low-Key Hobby - lTeez - Lubalin - Lubik - Lucill - Lucky Uke - Luger - Lysandre

    -M-N-

    Mabi - Jesse Mac Cormack - Machines Geantes - Paul Maco - Mada Mada - Madiba King - Magilah - Elliot Maginot - Marie-Mai - Antoine Mainville - Maison Brume - Magillah - Matt Mallet - Les Malpris - Amelie Mandeville - Manhaus - Mantisse - Michel Marchildon - Marcie - Bruno Marcil - David Marin - Lucie Martel - Renee Martel - Etienne Mason - Julie Massicotte - MATEN - Matiu - Mauv - Mauves - Maziade - Reno McCarthy - The McDades - MMCircle - Medora - King Melrose - Lysandre Ménard - Maxime Menard - Dominica Merola - Mescal - Alex Meteor - Mic Life - Julia Migenes - MikeZup - Miko - MISC - Teddy Miller - Milk And Bone - Julien Mineau - Nicola Minotti - Miro - Misses Satchmo - Ariane Moffatt - Alicia Moffet - Matt Moln - Monastere - Les Monsieurs - Montreal Guitar Trio - Moribunda - Simon Morin - The Morph-Tet - Morthouse - Mort Rose - Hugo Mudie - Mukagee - Chris Mulligan Band - Michael-Daniel Murphy - Musicor - David Myles - Mystery - Nadja - Nation Ruckus - Laurence Nerbonne - NETFLIX - Neurone - Alex Nevsky - New Bleach - The Night Owls - NIL - Ninth9State - NIPO - Nocturnal Divinity - Caroline Noel - Noemie CK - Norvaiza - Nos For ts Chantees - Notta Comet - Not Without Johnson - NSC Records

    -O-P-Q-

    Offset - Oktoecho - Aur lia O'Leary - Omnikrom - Once Named Sam - ONY - Opale - Orloge Simard - Ormiston - Orson Wells - Oshy - OSTROV - Bernard Oudoul - Karim Ouellet - O'XL - Rick Pagano - Jonathan Painchaud - Charles Papasoff - Papillon - Marc Papillon - Marc Paquette - Tomy Pare - Kevin Parent - Pastel - Passwords - Nicolas Patterson - Paul Deslauriers Band - Paupiere - PEAKS Entertainment - Mario Pelchat - Fred Pellerin - Pepe Bahia - Perfect Nonsense - Peter Peter - Allyson Petrin - PG-13 - Pascale Picard - Pictorial Wand - Dany Placard - Plastic Utopia - Playdays - Plum Shark - Polska B - Thom Polychuck - PONI - PONTEIX - Valerie Poulin - Marshall Pott - Pres One - Romance Prieur - Prieur&Landry - Prince Koloni - Prohibisong - Prosad - Anic Proulx - Maxime Proulx - Mireille Pruneau - Qualite Motel - Quatuor des Moulins - QWAARN

    -R-

    Radiant Baby - Manu Ramesan - Rampage - Random Recipe - Randy - Vidjay Rangaya - Raton Lover - Rayannah - Red Pines - Vincent Rehel - Duo R sonance - Retroheads - Reuben War - Zachary Richard - Yannick Rieu - Joseph Robert - Robert Robert - Damien Robitaille - Leo Roche - Rock & Roll Television - Emily Rockarts - Rod le Stod - Dan Romer - Eli Rose - Nova Rose - Sacha Rose - Rosematter - Carlos Rotsen - Ariane Roy - Jesse Royal - Rust Eden - Ryan & the Lightning Stones - RYMZ

    -S-

    Salebarbes - Samito - Lea Sanacore - San James - Sant Ange - Sarah MK - Saratoga - Laura Sauvage - Caroline Savoie - Scan_Carriers - Jay Scott - Jeff Scott - Sergeant Dreamin - Serotonin Sages - Sea5on - SENS - Catherine Servedio - Sex Machine Octopus - Shadrane - Les Shirley - Les Shrimps - Shyre - Lwazo Sirois - SKA Banquet - Silver Pools - David Simard - Slater et fils - Slender - Smelly Pedros - Smotherbox - Social Dance - Angela Solo - Solid State - The Something Changes - The Sometime Favorites - Sonora - Sons of Arrakis - Sophomore - Soran - Soul & Sister - The Sound of EDDY - Spaced Out - The Spectors - Eric Speed - Splitting Lilith - Spoon Licker - SRC (Societe Radio-Canada) - SROD - Mario Saint-Amand - Star Acad mie - Pascal Stik - Martine St-Clair - Eric St-Laurent - Andy St-Louis - Karine Ste-Marie - Johnny Stoll - Stonemaker - SuddenFlames - Sugar Crush - Summersett Fred - SUNN - Supermassive Quazar - Super Plage - Surette - Sweetbriar - Molly Sweeney - Sweet Mother Logic - Swiss-Austria - Les Swompards de l'Est - Syrah - Syzzors - SZEPTUCHA

    -T-

    Manuel Tadros - Talkshop - Tako Tsubo - TAO - Damien Poupart-Taussat - Vasily Taranov - Task Managers - tbONE - Terrato - Alek Thellend - Linda Thalie - Julie Theriault - Paul-Andre Thibert - Vincenzo Thoma - Kevin Thompson - Those Trees - Thus Owls - Tilda - Tina-Eve - Tiny Cars - Tomorrow Ever After - Alice Tougas - Marie-Chantal Toupin - La Tournee du Bonheur - Tous Azimuts - Transcend - Tremblay - Mara Tremblay - Tribal Bus - Trio Acero - Le Trio BBQ - Trusted Waters - Fuat Tuac - Twenty-One Twenty - Brock Tyler

    -U-V-

    UBISOFT - ULC - Unicorn Records - Unwanted Noise - Urban Heat - David Usher - Van Tassel - Valence - Vincent Vallieres - Valery Vaughn - Vegas Soul - Amelie Veille - La Veilleux - Melanie Venditti - Vendou - Venture - Simon Vezina - Vice E roi - Victime - Vidal - Les vieux criss - Villainizer - Annie Villeneuve - Visrei - Vishten - Marco Volcy - Roch Voisine - Florent Vollant

    -W-X-Y-Z-

    Waahli - Andree Watters - Wave Brainers - Wavelength - We Are Wolves - We Once Were Trees - White-B - Wicked Tone - Wild Mercury - The Wild Palominos - Christine Williams - Le Winston Band - WISER008 - Wizaard - X-Cabs - Xinema - XULFI - Yael - Nikki Yanofsky - Yelo Molo - YNG LGNDZ - Yokofeu - Yuki Dreams Again - Yung Leo - YUYU - Patrick Zabe - Roman Zavada - Zen Bamboo - Ziban Nation - Ariane Zita - Zoo Baby - Zach Zoya

    OurGear


    Monitoring


    2 X LAVRY GOLD DA-N5 QUINTESSENCE
    QUESTED V3110A MKII Full Range Monitors
    GRACE DESIGN m905 Monitor Controller
    TRINNOV AUDIO ST2 PRO Digital Acoustic & Metering Processor
    AUDEZE LCD-X Headphones
    SOUND ANCHORS custom Stands
    EVP Isolators / Monitors decoupling

    Conversion


    1 X LAVRY GOLD AD-24-200 SAVITR
    2 X LAVRY GOLD DA-N5 QUINTESSENCE

    Digital Processing


    FLUX, HOFA, FabFilter, Izotope RX, WAVES and SONORIS plugins.

    Analog Processing


    SHADOW HILLS MASTERING COMPRESSOR Dual Mono Optical & VCA
    MASELEC MLA-3 Mastering Multi-Band Compressor
    BUZZ AUDIO REQ 2.2 Dual Mono Mastering Parametric Equalizer
    MANLEY BACKBONE Mastering Insert Switcher
    ELYSIA ALPHA Mastering Compressor
    MASELEC MPL-2 Stereo Peak Limiter & HF Limiter
    AVALON AD2055 (modified) Class A Dual Mono Parametric Equalizer

    DAW


    Magix SAMPLITUDE Professional PRO X8
    SONORIS DDP Creator 5
    HOFA CD Burn & DDP
    HOFA DDP Player & DDP Player Maker
    PLEXTOR Premium CD burner

    Playback


    All digital file formats
    SONY APR-5003 1/4 inch RTR 2 ch Mastering deck
    PRO-JECT Essential III Turntable / CAMBRIDGE Phono Preamp
    PHILIPS CD-471 CD player
    TASCAM DA-40 DAT

    Trillium Sound Mastering Studio Gear
    Trillium Sound Mastering Studio Gear
    Trillium Sound Mastering Studio Gear

    F.A.Q Page

    Q1: What is Audio Mastering?

    Mastering is the last step in making a recording into a final audio product. This includes assembling the tracks and using the best-available audio equipment such as equalizers, compressors, limiters etc, if needed. A great monitoring environment is a MUST for mastering. This includes the acoustics of the room as well as having exceptional audio monitoring equipment and years of experience.

    Q2: How does it change the sound of a track?

    Balance! The mastering process gives the recording whatever it is lacking. For example, if it's too bright, mastering can tame it down, if it's not punchy enough, mastering can make it thump! It can change the texture of a track by a little or a lot, depending on what is necessary and what the potential of the mix is. The mastering process also adjusts the overall volume and tonal balance of the entire CD project.

    Q3: What are the benefits of having an album professionally mastered?

    Presentation! Whether it's a single or an entire album, mastering makes the sound of the project more impressive and commercially competitive. If the CD is played on the radio, in a club, on TV or in your living room, it will sound as good as it possibly can. The goal of mastering is to bring the sound of the project to its highest possible level, provide a great presentation and to create a quality-controlled master CD that is ready for mass replication or duplication.

    Q4: What can you do to improve my music?

    Nothing! The music is what it is. The mastering process can only make the presentation "commercially ready", more accurate, impressive and sounding as good as possible.

    Q5: What is the best resolution and format for my stereo mix tracks to be at?

    The files should be sent in STEREO WAV or AIFF format with a minimum bit and sample-rate of 16/44.1kHz. The result will be even better if the final mix is printed at the same native resolution as the recordings. Do not use any dithering if the bit rate has not changed.

    Q6: What I should NOT do to my Mix to get it ready for mastering?

    Do not use any compression, limiting or maximizing on the final mix FOR THE SAKE OF VOLUME. This really limits the available mastering techniques and the dynamic range of the final product. In short, do not try to "pre-master" your mixes.

    Q7: What should I do to my mixes to get them ready for Mastering?

    Have it recorded and mixed at the highest affordable quality with the peak level hitting about + or -3db at the most. This will leave enough headroom to achieve the widest range of sonic possibilities and allow the engineer to manipulate the dynamic range of the song effectively. Make sure the audio does not clip (never hitting 0db) anywhere on any individual track or on the final mix. Do everything you can to make your mix sound its best WITHOUT worrying about the final volume.

    Q8: What about the volume?

    Do not have your mix too loud. Overall volume level or apparent loudness is always an issue with today's releases. This is commonly referred to as the "Loudness war". Louder audio material always seem better in comparison with softer material, but when comparing at equal apparent volume, the latter wins both sonically and dynamically. Unfortunately, it has now gotten to the point where many artists end up sacrificing sound quality for volume level. Therefore, if you still want LOUD, we certainly can take care of it. If an album is too loud, it has lost some of its dynamic range. This means that the quiet sections of a song are just as loud as the loudest sections. This creates a two dimensional sound that no longer represents the emotion that the artist originally intended. The creative impact of the moment is then lost for the listener. It's a fine line where volume is at its optimal level and where it begins to compromise the quality of your project. Let's talk about the final "levels" for your project before we get to mastering and we will find the best of both worlds for your music.

    Q9: How long is a Mastering session?

    It depends, it usually takes between 6 and 8 hours to complete a full-length project (10-12 songs or around 40 minutes of audio). More songs will take more time even if the total length of the project is the same. On average, an individual song can take anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes to complete, not including the time it takes to finalize the project/song alignment and order, fades, CD-Text, ISRC and UPC codes. Finally, the master must be listened to from beginning to end as a final quality control before it is sent for replication.

    Contact us

    Trillium Sound Mastering

    Saint Hippolyte, QC
    Canada

    tel: (438) 390-2236

    email: info[AT]trilliumsound[DOT]com

    Drop us a Line