Audio Services
- Audio Mastering
- Analog to Digital conversion
- Audio editing and/or restoration
Audio Mastering
Prepare a new recording for mass replication. Update and breathe new life into an older recording for replication, personal use, or for an audio or video project. Ask for a quote.
Convert Analog Audio to Digital Audio
Convert your analog tapes and vinyl records and save them as high-resolution digital wave files which can be used in a number of ways:
- Assemble all of the unedited source wave files that were converted and create a master back up/archive disc.
- Restore, manipulate, or improve the wave files: noise reduction or removal, clean up ends, add fades where applicable, boost volume levels, compression, equalization, editing, effects and more (basic mastering).
- Create an audio CD – a single work or a compilation of various recordings.
- The restored/improved wave files can be written to an archive disc (digital master back up disc).
- Use the restored/improved audio files in a video or photo slideshow project.
Digital audio files can also be used in your project.
Formats
(for conversion to digital)
Analog Tape
- Standard cassette tape (Dolby B and C available)
- 2-track reel to reel – one direction or both directions (5”, 7” and 10.5” reels at 3.75, 7.5 and 15 IPS – DBX NR if encoded)
- 4-track cassette master tapes with DBX NR (for archiving or remixing)
Vinyl
- 33rpm and 45rpm records
- 78rpm records
Digital Tape
- DAT
My rate for basic audio services is $20 / hour (plus discs and sales tax). This includes digital conversion, editing, and basic enhancements like noise reduction and increasing sound levels.
Some audio tapes that have been stored for long periods of time will stick together and not play. I am equipped to bake these tapes and remove the stickiness at a cost of $5 per tape. Although temporary, this process will almost always make the tape playable for a period of time so that the conversion to digital may be completed. I will call and get customer approval before going ahead with this process.
Audio mastering is not included under ‘basic audio services’.
A disc containing the unedited source wave files (digital master) can be made for an additional charge. This is recommended if you want to be able to go back and listen to the original recordings, begin a future project with them, or simply archive the transfer you already paid for.
Additional information, including how to get started on your project, can be found on the FAQ page.
Audio Mastering Examples
Example 1 – Before
This is a short piece of a 1989 stereo recording captured from a cassette tape (no master tape available).
It is very bass-heavy, has a small amount of tape hiss, and originally had low level.
The volume level was raised so that the comparison between the ‘before’ and ‘after’ would be based on quality only.
Example 1 – Before
Example 1 – After
The ‘after’ version reveals a recording with a more even distribution of frequencies – cleaner and more defined on the low end.
The high end has more clarity and detail, the tape hiss has been reduced, and the level has been brought up.
Example 1 – After
Example 2 – Before
This is a 1967 mono recording captured from vinyl (no master tape available). This ‘before’ version shows it to be a bit muffled and without much definition. The volume level was also much lower, but it was raised to roughly match the level of the mastered ‘after’ version. The brain often prefers whichever version is louder, so this minimal amount of processing was done to take that element out of the comparison and make this a straight quality comparison.
Example 2 – Before
Example 2 – After
The ‘after’ version reveals some tightening of the low end. The bass guitar is clearer and the bass drum can be heard a little bit, although it was pretty low in the mix to begin with. The guitar, vocals and drums are clearer too. A little bit of cymbal work can be heard, although they were also very low in the original mix. The lead vocal sounds a bit thin in places, but there was a trade off in trying to get the snare to ‘snap’ and cymbals to surface a bit.
Example 2 – After