Kevin Nix owner of L. Nix Mastering has had 30 years of experience working on every style of music imaginable.
L. Nix Mastering was born out of the heart and soul of Memphis music.
His family background is really an A to Z of all the Grammy winning classic albums and artists of the past 60 years.
Kevins father is Larry Nix and was the mastering engineer at Stax from 1966-70 -mastering albums for Al Green, Isaac Hayes, and The Staple Singers amongst others- before moving to Ardent Studios in 1970 and establishing his own facility.
Don Nix the acclaimed producer, songwriter, musician -who worked with George Harrison ,John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers - and so many others ,is Kevins uncle.
Kevin followed in the family music traditions and now runs L. Nix Mastering the facility established by his father.
Audio mastering of the album mixes can really make or break the sound quality- and is the final creative step before submitting digital files for distribution or preparing lacquers for vinyl pressing.
It is an art and it takes years of experience and expertise to handle audio frequencies , transients, levels, sibilance and everything that can get in the way of making a fantastic sounding record.
In a way it’s like an artist painting with sound.
So to break it down I asked Kevin to explain:
Why is mastering so important?
"Audio mastering is an essential step in the music production process for several reasons:
Consistency: Mastering ensures that all tracks on an album or EP have a similar sound and volume level. This provides a cohesive listening experience for the listener.
Volume Levels: Mastering adjusts the volume levels of individual tracks to ensure that they are balanced and that no single track overpowers others. This is crucial for creating a consistent listening experience.
Enhancement: Mastering can enhance the sound quality by applying equalization, compression, limiting, and other effects to make the music sound more polished and professional.
Preparation for Distribution: Mastering prepares the audio for distribution across various platforms. It ensures that the music will sound good on a variety of devices and systems, including headphones, speakers, and streaming platforms.
Quality Control: Mastering involves a final quality check of the audio. This ensures that there are no technical errors or issues like clicks, pops, or distortion that would detract from the listener's experience.
Marketing and Branding: Mastering can also be used to create a distinct sound for an artist or band. This can help in marketing and branding efforts, as listeners may come to associate a certain sound with a particular artist.
In summary, audio mastering is important because it ensures a high-quality, consistent, and engaging listening experience for the audience."
His creative process involves using the best vintage analog equipment (Neve, Neumann etc) providing warmth with equalization and compression /limiting.
This in turn adds depth to the sound.
Digital Plug-ins are also employed and can add more precision in sculpting the sound in certain situations - however the best choice depends on the specific requirements of the project.
Discussing new trends and the influence of AI (artificial intelligence) Kevin comments:
"Why should you use my services instead of an automated/AI mastering service?
Creativity and Artistic Sensibility: AI can analyze and adjust audio based on predefined algorithms, but it lacks the creative and artistic sensibility that humans possess. This sensibility allows humans to make subtle adjustments and enhancements that can drastically improve the quality of the audio.
Context Awareness: Humans are better at understanding context and the intended mood or feeling of a piece of music. They can make adjustments accordingly, which AI might not be able to do due to its lack of context understanding.
Emotional Connection: Music often evokes emotions, and humans can understand and adjust the audio to enhance this emotional connection. AI, while it can process data and adjust audio based on predefined parameters, doesn't have the ability to understand or enhance emotional resonance.
Experience and Training: Audio engineers and mastering professionals have years of experience and training. They can quickly recognize and fix issues that an AI might not be able to identify."
These days vinyl releases are enjoying a resurgence and I asked Kevin to layout the different approaches when mastering for digital versus vinyl release.
"We offer mastering for digital and vinyl. These are 2 different processes and there aren't many mastering engineers that offer both.
Audio mastering for vinyl and digital formats have some differences due to the inherent characteristics of each medium. Here are some key differences:
Frequency Response: Vinyl has a limited frequency response as compared to digital. Vinyl can't handle extremely high frequencies and very low frequencies as well as digital can. So, during mastering for vinyl, the frequencies are often adjusted to ensure they fall within the vinyl's frequency range.
Dynamic Range: Vinyl has a lower dynamic range than digital. This means that the difference between the loudest and quietest parts of the audio is less on vinyl. Therefore, in vinyl mastering, the dynamic range is often reduced to fit within the vinyl's limit.
Stereo Image: Vinyl has a narrower stereo image than digital. This means that the sound appears to come from a more focused source on vinyl. In contrast, digital can provide a wider stereo image.
Sound Quality: While some people prefer the "warm" sound of vinyl, others might prefer the clarity and precision of digital audio. It's largely a matter of personal preference.
These are some of the key differences between mastering for vinyl and digital formats. It's important to note that the best mastering approach can depend on the specific goals and constraints of a project.
We are proud to master both!"
Check out client testimonials here:
https://lnixmastering.com/testimonials/
To use Kevin’s services, simply go to www.SendNixYourMix.com, fill out the form and upload your mixes!
“I always offer quality work and fast turnaround time.”
My thanks to Kevin for laying it all out for us musicians.
Mastering can truly make or break an album!
Further info here: