Autechre Why does Autechre hire a sound engineer for each release?

Their music is always mastered by somebody, unlike most of other producers who don't ask for an engineer. Are they unable to master their music by themselves or what? Is this for an improved sound quality that requires a professional, I dunno? I know this question is stupid, it has been haunting my mind for a few years. :confused:

to engineer sound.

duh

afaik most big names use engineers...their job is to polish mediocre mixes or make the good ones better...why not use that if you can.

are we talking an engineer, or a mastering engineer?

Big difference.

The former actually helps in the process of making tracks.

A mastering engineer just makes subtle tweaks to final mixes, and makes them overall the same loudness, and quality.

Almost everyone uses a mastering engineer. Hardly anyone masters their own stuff as it is pretty hard to do.

  Kcinsu said:

are we talking an engineer, or a mastering engineer?

 

Big difference.

 

The former is someone who is trained or professionally engaged in a branch of engineering.

fix't (see dictionary)

remember when there was that 'ask autechre a question' contest thing through some british website?

one of the questions i asked was about the person they choose to master the record and what difference they thought it made. they chose not to answer it. :(

i did really want to know.

sorry "Studio Engineer" or "Audio Engineer" although I think that was implied. jeez...

And just for clarification, I don't mean they necessarily have any role in the creative process (as in decision making, or creative input per se), but they help with the technical aspects.

ie, if you're in a studio, it's the (studio) engineer that sets up the mics, and recording equipment, and patches everything etc.

  encey said:

remember when there was that 'ask autechre a question' contest thing through some british website?

 

one of the questions i asked was about the person they choose to master the record and what difference they thought it made. they chose not to answer it. :(

 

i did really want to know.

I could be mistaken, but I thought warp had a go to mastering engineer? I have no source for that, I just recall hearing that.

didnt bola do their mastering?

It's possible. I know Richard Devine does his own, as well.

frank arkwright

Most people use a Mastering Engineer. It's not that the artists themselves aren't capable of refining the mixes to that final level- but sometimes they might not have the proper equipment to do so.

Also, it is usually good to have a fresh set of ears at that last stage. By that point the artist has been so immersed in it that they aren't 100% objective and have lost a bit of their reference point. Even if the premasters are very very good, that last bit of subtle mastering can make all the difference in the world (especially in how the tracks relate to each other in volume, brightness, etc).

  rocky_pathwalker said:

frank arkwright

125 pounds per track, according to his website.

Fuck me... 10 track cd, roughly 3000 USD.

they use a mastering engineer mainly to cut the vinyl, and also cos hes got a really tasty noiseshaping box for the final dither applied when they transfer from their 24bit master to the 16bit glass master for the cd.

all artists that produce vinyl or that mass-produce cds have to send their tracks off to be transferred, even the ones that claim to master their own material.

if you dont produce vinyl the need is reduced, but hearing material on the kind of setup found in a good cutting room is revealing at least, and should the need for any corrections become apparent, they have a perfect setup for doing just that.

well thats that than.

  Enter a new display name said:

Their music is always mastered by somebody, unlike most of other producers who don't ask for an engineer. Are they unable to master their music by themselves or what? Is this for an improved sound quality that requires a professional, I dunno? I know this question is stupid, it has been haunting my mind for a few years. :confused:

an engineer and a mastering engineer are two entirely different things. Almost every warp release that i know of is mastered by someone who works for Warp, its usually a requirement, i dont even think theyll letyou master it yourself. however im pretty sure autechre didnt have a traditional engineer sitting shotgun with them while they mixed the album, they just had someone master the final product. Who are these 'most' producers that master their own stuff? I cant think of a single one off the top of my head.

  firefunker4 said:

Most people use a Mastering Engineer. It's not that the artists themselves aren't capable of refining the mixes to that final level- but sometimes they might not have the proper equipment to do so.

 

Also, it is usually good to have a fresh set of ears at that last stage. By that point the artist has been so immersed in it that they aren't 100% objective and have lost a bit of their reference point. Even if the premasters are very very good, that last bit of subtle mastering can make all the difference in the world (especially in how the tracks relate to each other in volume, brightness, etc).

couldn't have said it better

  AWATDOD said:

they use a mastering engineer mainly to cut the vinyl, and also cos hes got a really tasty noiseshaping box for the final dither applied when they transfer from their 24bit master to the 16bit glass master for the cd.

This is interesting; AE is working in 24 bit? I remember some interview from around Draft 7.30 where they said they were still doing 16 bit since that's what it be on CD.

edit: Well actually I think they might have been talking about still using a 44.1k sample rate for recording. Anyone have any info on this?

  On 1/16/2008 at 1:50 PM, James Cagney said:

This is interesting; AE is working in 24 bit? I remember some interview from around Draft 7.30 where they said they were still doing 16 bit since that's what it be on CD.

Oversteps and Move Of Ten were released in 24-bit. So presumably Ae are working in 24-bit (either that, or we're getting totally ripped off by Bleep).

  On 12/17/2007 at 8:09 AM, Kcinsu said:

QUOTE (rocky_pathwalker @ Dec 17 2007, 02:37 AM)

frank arkwright

 

 

125 pounds per track, according to his website.

 

Fuck me... 10 track cd, roughly 3000 USD.

That is actually on the lower end pricewise for a professional mastering engineer and their studio time.

Bull Wallet will be mastered by Guy at The Exchange.

  On 11/13/2012 at 4:32 AM, encey said:

Bull Wallet will be mastered by Guy Ritchie.

  On 11/13/2012 at 4:32 AM, encey said:

Bull Wallet will be monstered by Guy Smiley.

  On 11/13/2012 at 4:32 AM, encey said:

Bull Wallet will be mastered by Guy Fawkes.

  On 11/13/2012 at 4:32 AM, encey said:

Bull Wallet will be mastered by Guy Pearce.

  On 11/13/2012 at 4:32 AM, encey said:

Bull Wallet will be mastered by Hannibal Lecter.