LONG-DISTANCE RELATIONSHIPS

Feb 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jason Scott Alexander

MASTER IT

UK-based eMasters (www.emasters.co.uk) is the online division of The Soundmasters International, one of the world's leading mastering studios. Co-founded by veteran mastering engineer Kevin Metcalfe (Oasis, Bowie, U2, the Who, Sex Pistols, Orbital, Duran Duran and more) and Streaky (OutKast, A Tribe Called Quest, Erasure, Depeche Mode, Fatboy Slim, the Stone Roses, Groove Armada and more), the two have more than 50 years of major-label experience between them.

In 2004, the duo launched the online mastering service aimed at independent producers, musicians and labels, with Streaky as chief mastering engineer. This was the first time a leading mastering studio in Europe provided a fully online approach to professional mastering, and the client base stretches across 60 countries.

Online mastering works simply and can save you tons of money compared with attending sessions. Upon free registration, you receive 1 GB of secure server space (£5 per month or £50 [approx. $98] per year for each GB thereafter) to upload AIFF, WAV, MP3 or SD2 files. You can upload any file to the library, in case you want to back up album artwork or other important digital files online. eMasters accepts any audio between 44.1 and 192 kHz in either 16- or 24-bit (the company's Pro Tools platform isn't 32-bit compatible). Select the tracks you want to be mastered from the My Library area, choose the medium you want them mastered to and fill in your payment details.

After placing an order, a blue light appears in your library next to the pending tracks, and you get an e-mail when the mastering is finished. Within five working days, you get them back by download or regular mail (if your online connection isn't fast enough).

Of course, mastering should always be a highly communicative process between the artist and the engineer. That's why eMasters scores big points for its willingness to go back and forth with the customer. From the time you submit, the site includes dialogs where you can leave detailed, song-by-song instructions for the engineer, who responds promptly to your comments and suggestions as many times as it takes to make sure things progress as expected.

The fee for this mastering service is extremely reasonable at £65 (approx. $127) per track, and eMasters can supply you with CDs (as many as 200 copies; £2 each), vinyl lacquers (£75 per side) and an acetate/dubplate (£50).

RELEASE IT

Schmoozing is a huge part of the music industry. Whether you're a songwriter, recording artist, DJ/producer or mixer/remixer, your talent and craft will never be heard or reach its fullest potential if you don't promote and sell yourself. That is where the true power of online networking can come in handy on sites such as Nextcat (www.nextcat.com). This brand-new community's slogan, “It's all about who you know,” underscores the importance of reaching out and finding the right people to help propel your career, whether it's with someone in your home town, a town you're going to hit on tour or a foreign country. Nextcat provides the missing link between the creative, business and grunt-work aspects of what we do as independent musicians trying to make a living.

Connecting everyone related to the entertainment industry helps people in specialized career niches network with entertainment professionals. From music, film, television, stage and modeling to fine arts and literature, Nextcat offers editorial and forum-based assistance for newbie and experienced industry folk alike. Fans and enthusiasts in the public can also view profiles, take part in special forums and search out talent based on their tastes.

For musicians, Nextcat acts like a big press kit complete with bio, photo gallery, song jukebox, professional and personal info and user comments. There's nothing outlandishly innovative about these provisions — MySpace would probably send more eyeballs to your page — but Nextcat's bet for success hedges on its all-encompassing talent pool and one-stop-shop for industry insiders to hook up and do business. Need dancers for a video? They're there. Need a director of photography? Check. Want to hire a live-sound guy in Iceland? Well, give it some time.

There are a number of ways to see how your profile is being received. Networking indicators beside each profile — dots that spoke outward from the center hub (you) — indicate how many friends, colleagues and general admirers you have in your camp. In general, the more there are, the better the artist is — though it obviously depends on the age of the profile as well.

You can request to become a “featured talent” and receive higher profile rotation, or link to your Nextcat profile from your own site using precoded banners. As early in the beta stages as the site may be, the currently registered talent in all categories is highly experienced, and the site looks and feels very professional. Joining and using Nextcat is free, though you'll have to put up with “annoying” (the owner's description, not mine) ads that offset the costs involved with running the site.

The future of online music collaboration is so bright, you may have to wear virtual-reality goggles. But even at the present time, you can already work with top-flight talent without leaving your home.

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