The hoons, mastered at On Air Mastering. 

Fucking BARONESS, man. 

People who populate the music business. Who are we to listen to? 

If you leave everything in, soon you have nothing.

Scarceness is a virtue many have to understand and master, because more and more are thinking “more is more”, which, as we all know, is not true and it doesn’t work.

Think of every activity you do. Now overdo it. 

How you think you would feel? Even if you love coffee, 10 cups a day will make the above statement true. 

Now try to find balance. 

When musicians compete for quality, everyone wins.

Because it’s a healthy competition, that benefits fans’ experience with music.

As a technician, it has been my role, lately more and more, to show musicians coming for mastering that “loud” does not mean “better than”, that you just have to be yourself out there, in the infinite possibilities you have to show your music and be content with it. 

You shouldn’t even worry about the radio or iPods. Make a good record, chances are people will listen to it for a long, long time. Quality is timeless. 

Simple is not simplistic.

Should not be. 

A one-note guitar riff can be more powerful than many riffs that use more.

And a melody you thought was good can be boring as the day is long. 

Simplistic for me is a melody or a riff that doesn’t go anywhere, doesn’t resolve or take you somewhere. Then repeats. 

Simple for me is… something that takes you somewhere, no matter how many notes are used. 

You can spill beer on a fiddle.

I asked my client last night what was the difference between a Violin player and a Fiddle player.

That’s what he answered.

This is how formulas work.

Just do the same thing every time, and see the cash flowing. 

Just kidding, this is a good listening exercise.

I made this silly video in response to “Why do you wear Metal shirts?” Like that.

You are not the only one who knows what’s good. You need perspective.

That’s what I do. 

I stand outside the field and watch you play. Making decisions. Cutting and pasting, duplicating, recording over.

Sending mixes for consideration. 

“Is it ready for mastering?” “What do you think I should do?”

I’m your priest, your editor. 

If you let me. 

Do what your pocket tells you to. Or not.

Musicians these days want deals, and I don’t blame them, I want deals too. 

The one thing I get the most at the mastering stage is: “Could you give us a discount?” I say yes most of the time, but the thing is the little money you got can only get you so far. 

Then I also have the people that want discounts and then print 1000 CDs and can never get rid of them. In my mind, I would have invested that money in an open bar party to launch it, invite bloggers and get that digital-only release card for people to just download the work, but that’s just me. 

Oh, the frontiers bands would cross if they listened to me! :)

Drink to pleasure, not to seizure.

Same with making, mixing, mastering, singing, writing music.

Keep the buzz and avoid ending up in an alley, passed out and throwing up.