Total Sonic Media

Total Sonic Media Professional digital and analog audio mastering made affordable to independent artists and labels. Mastering studio

"Back in the day" Christmas records would get mastered in July and August in order to have time to get CD's pressed and ...
12/17/2024

"Back in the day" Christmas records would get mastered in July and August in order to have time to get CD's pressed and out into the stores by November, which kind of led to some surreal feels in the studio, with blazing temps outside while tunes about roasting chestnuts on the open fire played out of the speakers. But now I get a mix popped in my inbox earlier in the week, and its streaming across the globe in a few days. In this case a really incredible track, from the genius of a fellow Steve (Mallorca) that is behind the "Sulu & Excelsior" project, for whom I've had the privilege of mastering 3 excellent albums over the years. This tune hits all the perfect notes for the Holiday season - a hybrid of Nat King Cole great American songbook, with some old school hip-hop blended into the production. Check it!

https://suluandexcelsior.bandcamp.com/album/picture-card-single

10/03/2024

This keeps coming up on mixing and mastering forums, so figure I would copy and paste my reply here.
Q: is it better to use a clipper than a limiter, or maybe a clipper plus limiter on the 2-bus?
My Answer: Clipped masters always distort more when processed through lossy codecs or when transferred into the analog realm. Given that the two most common delivery formats are streaming through lossy codecs and vinyl records, and given that the loudness normalization routines most streaming services default to also negates a good bit of prior reasoning for "loudness war" smashed high average levels, and also given "intelligent" brickwall limiters have improved in recent times - frankly it has been years since I was last compelled to put a clipper on a master. As always, ommv.

For Your Grammy(TM) Consideration in the category of "Best Progressive R&B Album" ->legendary keyboardist Bernie Worrel...
10/02/2024

For Your Grammy(TM) Consideration in the category of "Best Progressive R&B Album" ->

legendary keyboardist Bernie Worrell's final album
"Wave From The WOOniverse"

Bernie Worrell, best known for his work with Parliament/Funkadelic for which his synth lines and keyboard beds laid a foundation for hits such as "Flashlight" and "Give Up the Funk", went on to perform live and in the studio with the likes of Talking Heads, Mtume, Les Claypool, Bill Laswell, Foday Musa Suso, Ginger Baker, Buckethead and numerous others, as well as with a number of his own bands and solo projects.

After Bernie's too early passing due to brain cancer in 2016, Judie Worrell had unfinished works Bernie had tracked on 2" tape transferred to digital, and gave them to producer/multi-instrumentalist Evan Taylor (who had worked and performed with Bernie for years as drummer and musicial director of the Bernie Worrell Orchestra), who then enlisted an all-star cast to complete them in 2024.

This album includes both vocal cuts reminiscent of the joyful funk Bernie pioneered with P-Funk, along with an instrumental side which highlights the improvisational funk, tinged with jazz, progressive and world music, which Bernie's focused on later in his career.

Selected tracks for your listening:
What Have They Done To My Funk (featuring Bootsy Collins & Buckethead)
https://orgmusiclabel.bandcamp.com/track/what-have-they-done-to-my-funk-feat-bootsy-collins-michael-moon-reuben-ouiwey-collins-buckethead

Wave From The WOOniverse (featuring Miho Hatori) -
https://orgmusiclabel.bandcamp.com/track/wave-from-the-wooniverse-feat-miho-hatori

Distant Start (featuring Jerry Harrison) -
https://orgmusiclabel.bandcamp.com/track/distant-star-feat-jerry-harrison

Greenpoint (featuring Steve Bernstein) - https://orgmusiclabel.bandcamp.com/track/greenpoint-feat-steve-bernstein

Re-Enter Black Light (featuring Sean Ono Lennon)
https://orgmusiclabel.bandcamp.com/track/re-enter-black-light-phase-ii-feat-sean-ono-lennon

When The Rain Subsides (featuring Will Calhoun)
https://orgmusiclabel.bandcamp.com/track/when-the-rain-subsides-feat-will-calhoun

Pedro WOO (featuring Mike Watt)
https://orgmusiclabel.bandcamp.com/track/pedro-woo-feat-mike-watt

Transcendence (featuring Marc Ribot, Norwood Fisher)
https://orgmusiclabel.bandcamp.com/track/transcendence-feat-marc-ribot-norwood-fisher

Mastered by:
Steven Berson @ Total Sonic Media - for digital streaming, downloads and CD
Dave Gardner @ DSG Mastering, and Phillip S Rodriguez @ Elysian Masters - for vinyl records

Thank you for your consideration!

Honored and privileged to have mastered the 10th anniversary reissue of an amazing album of biting and poignant american...
09/12/2024

Honored and privileged to have mastered the 10th anniversary reissue of an amazing album of biting and poignant americana from the excellent singer/songwriter Grant Peeples. This was produced by Austin's own local legend Gurf Morlix, known for his work with the likes of Lucinda Williams and Blaze Foley. Check it! (Links to hear it in comments)

Honored and privileged to have gotten to master "Dirty Boxing" - yet another album for the excellent cross-genre cellist...
07/25/2024

Honored and privileged to have gotten to master "Dirty Boxing" - yet another album for the excellent cross-genre cellist Erik Friedlander - this one featuring melodic avant-jazz explorations with a sublime ensemble of pianist Uri Caine, bassist Mark Helias, and drummer Ches Smith. Given this one was recorded and mixed by the always dependable Scott Solter, my part was easy in this. Highly recommended! (check comments for links to hear it)

Incredibly honored and privileged to have gotten to master the digital & CD version of "Wave From The WOOniverse" - the ...
07/24/2024

Incredibly honored and privileged to have gotten to master the digital & CD version of "Wave From The WOOniverse" - the first posthumous album for the late great iconic keyboardist Bernie Worrell (Parliament, Funkadelic, Talking Heads, Material, BWO, etc.).
Featuring guest appearances from the likes of Bootsy Collins, Sean Ono Lennon, Fred Wesley, Jerry Harrison, Steve Scales, Fred Schneider, Steve Bernstein, Buckethead, Leo Nocentelli, Mike Watt, Norwood Fischer, Will Calhoun, Miho Hatori, and my friends Scott Hogan, Evan Taylor and Janet LaBelle among many others. This one covers both the deep funk territory that Worrell pioneered with Parliament/Funkadelic, as well as the more abstract groove&jazz works he did later across his career.
The tracks mostly come from unfinished works on 2" tapes that Bernie had started in the 1990's to the 2000's, which his widow Judie, determined to preserve Bernie's incredible legacy, had gotten transferred to digital. Also included is a previously unreleased live jam from a late 1970's version of Funkadelic that shows them in ferocious form.
Producer /multi-instrumentalist Evan Taylor (who had worked with Bernie for a number of years as both producer and drummer for the Bernie Worrell Orchestra) was then enlisted to complete these with an all-star cast that includes many of Bernie's collaborators from across his career.
Tracking and mixing was done in numerous studios, including work by the awesome engineers Tony Maimone and Spencer Guerra.
This album was originally released exclusively as a double LP for this past April's Record Store Day, pre-mastered by Dave Garner with lacquers cut by Phillip Rodrigues - but I was brought in by Evan Taylor to do a completely fresh take on the mastering for the digital and CD versions. I had gotten to do a 100% analog master for the "Standards" album for Bernie back in 2011, as well as the "Prequel" EP and a couple of the last singles that he put out just prior to his too early passing from cancer in 2016 - so I am extremely grateful to Evan and Judie Worrell for the opportunity to continue my connection to such an amazing and ground breaking musician. Rest In Power Maestro Bernie Worrell! And definitely a very highly recommended album - check it!!
(links to hear it in comments)

Honored and privileged to have gotten to master the latest album from brilliant composer/keyboardist Michael Montes, in ...
06/20/2024

Honored and privileged to have gotten to master the latest album from brilliant composer/keyboardist Michael Montes, in this case a compilation of various pieces from numerous recent film soundtracks he scored, that show off both his brilliance and his versatility. Highly recommended! Link to stream in comments.

Honored and privileged to have mastered the audio for a truly excellent album by the one and only Brian Rise. I've know...
05/15/2024

Honored and privileged to have mastered the audio for a truly excellent album by the one and only Brian Rise. I've known Brian for 35 years now, from back in the day in the late 80's/early 90's Baltimore underground music scene, when he led the amazing groove-core band Monkeyspank, and to now, where he beat me to a move to Austin by a good number of years. He's put out a fantastic record showing off his versatility on all manner of stringed instruments and performing as a vocalist as well, genre jumping all forms of americana and great-American-song-book, and penning some of the best songs contained in this collection. Highly recommended! - check links in comments for ways to hear it.

The RIAA's 2023 sales report is in, and it's pretty good news across the board, minus some standing still due to inflati...
03/27/2024

The RIAA's 2023 sales report is in, and it's pretty good news across the board, minus some standing still due to inflation. The big question remains though: how can we get a bigger portion of these revenues into the pockets of the actual music creators, rather than just channeled to the services which live off of them?

K I S S is usually the best approach to start from, when it comes to audio, for sure.
03/26/2024

K I S S is usually the best approach to start from, when it comes to audio, for sure.

Awww shucks.This was an interesting job, because the client wanted only analog processing applied, but giant trip-hop ki...
03/26/2024

Awww shucks.

This was an interesting job, because the client wanted only analog processing applied, but giant trip-hop kicks, so I got the "loudness" via some major make up gain on my Vintage Design CL1mk2 comp (based on the Neve 2254, with some sweet Carnhill transformers inside), and the high pass filter on the sidechain cranked up - worked great for some saturated warm goodness, with low end punch left intact.

Honored and privileged to have gotten to master "Nha Rikeza", the second album by Portugal's amazing afro-beat / heavy ...
03/22/2024

Honored and privileged to have gotten to master "Nha Rikeza", the second album by Portugal's amazing afro-beat / heavy groove rock ensemble, Fogo Fogo - now streaming on your dial. Links in the comments - check it!

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