Hardly any other topic is characterized by so many misunderstandings and misinformation as mastering. Contrary to the "F" manuals on the Internet, which reduce mastering to a few effect-seeking edits and aim for maximum loudness, a mastering engineer actually has an extremely delicate and at the same time very technical task.
It requires, on the one hand, a high level of competence in terms of the tools to be used (software and hardware), a very good ear (whose subjective characteristics one knows well), the ability to communicate with the client and to pick up the exact needs and, most importantly, a high level of musical empathy. In other words, the ability to feel the piece of music, to understand its message and atmosphere, in order to be able to polish it according to the raw material. Just as one works a diamond differently than a ruby.
Thom Wettstein combines all these skills in such a skillful way that I am really flabbergasted every time I get the results.
And this is where the last important quality comes into play. Trust. A mastering engineer who receives musical works of art must always be aware that the artists entrust them with these works.
Thom Wettstein always goes about his work with a respectful inner attitude. Listens to the music first and grinds only on the "places" (frequencies/dynamics/monocompatibility/etc) that need to be ground. And for each of these places, he knows exactly why he will work on what with which tool.
And that's why I trust him with my songs. No matter if electronic productions or purely acoustic ones. I always know that he responds to the music and knows exactly what he's doing and why.
And afterwards it sounds like the roof has been lifted off and the soundscape stretches to the sky. You just have to experience it on your own tracks.
Long story short: Absolute recommendation on my part!
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