NOTE: This is a Zoom only meeting, and is a live, real-time in-person panel discussion in a room that is too small to hold people beyond the production staff. You will be able to ask questions and receive answers in real-time. Eventbrite RSVP required.

Mastering a recording for release in the 21st century is a combination of art, engineering, love of music and understanding technology. Ed Brooks and Rachel Field will provide an overview of mastering to set the stage and then will discuss, along with Tom Hall, Chris Rahm, and Trevor Spencer, common challenges encountered in the mastering studio and hints to optimize mixes for mastering.

n.b. The music business being what it is caused a scheduling conflict for Reed Ruddy who was originally scheduled. Veteran Engineer and Producer, Tom Hall, will appear in his stead.

Our Presenters

Rachel works to support her community as much as she can by serving on the elected board of governors of the Recording Academy PNW Chapter, mentoring for Grammy U, and advocating for women and non-binary people in the industry. She has volunteered with a local homeless support organization to provide professional recording and mastering services to musicians living outside. She also spearheads fundraisers to support community members in need.

Ed Brooks is a mastering engineer and owner of Resonant Mastering in Seattle. Ed started out in recording studios in the mid 80's as an engineer and maintenance technician. After 15 years as a freelance engineer Ed started working as a mastering engineer at RFI mastering. Mastering turned out to be a good fit for his engineering aesthetics and has now spent 24 years mastering records. His credits include Fleet Foxes, Death Cab For Cutie, The Head and The Heart, Pearl Jam, Minus the Bear & The Dip.

Ed plays the Pedal Steel guitar with several local artists including Amanda Winterhalter, Pineola, and Peter Donovan & the Secret Orchestra. He also does session work on the Pedal Steel and has contributed steel parts to releases from Cumulus, Alec Shaw, Silver Torches, Zach Fleury and Alex Blum and the Roadside Quartet.

Tom Hall started recording local groups as a teenager... fascinated by the magic of music and technology. After graduating from Eastern Washington University, (time spent mostly in the University recording studio), he started his professional career in 1982 at Triad Studios in Redmond, where he was a staff engineer for 15 years. He was also involved in the design and construction of a number of studios including the legendary London Bridge Studios. Tom has worked with such diverse artists as Queensryche, Randy Meisner, Heir Apparent, UB40, Kenny G, Tingstad and Rumbel, Live on KEXP, Paul Buckmaster, and The Bob James Trio.

Chris Rahm is an integral part of the recording scene in the Seattle area. Chris frequently works at Robert Lang Studios, Studio X, Temple of the Trees, Studio Litho and many other studios around the Northwest and has engineered releases from Natalie Merchant, Allen Stone, Brothers of the Sonic Cloth, Biohazard, Soundgarden and others.

Trevor Spencer owns and operates Way Out, a studio just outside of Seattle and engineers and produces artists as diverse as Beach House, Father John Misty, Valley Maker, Mary Lattimore, Kyle Craft and others.

Eventbrite link

THIS EVENT IS FREE, OPEN TO ALL, AND AES MEMBERSHIP IS NOT REQUIRED

Dan Mortensen
AES PNW 2022-2025 Section Chair

n.b. The material presented at our meetings is the opinion of the presenter and not necessarily that of the Society. You are encouraged to conduct your own research and to form your own opinions before adopting the presented material as Truth.

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