Remapping Mastering: What the Masterdisk Relocation Means to Music Production
In approximately 4,000,000,000 years, the Milky Way galaxy we call home will collide with the Andromeda galaxy. No one will be injured in this slow-motion crash, but the interaction of all the spiral arms will fling every visible star hither and yon, transforming our night sky forever.
Masterdisk has moved to a new Manhattan home — and the implications loom large.
Too impatient to wait for this exciting phenomenon? Well, a parallel remapping has occurred recently in the mastering realm. It all began when the forces of New York real estate and music industry economics set a collision course with Manhattan’s globally respected Masterdisk.
Everything smashed together, scattering elite mastering engineers and their assistants across the country, with new rooms to call home.
Setting Things in Motion
It all began in January of 2014, when Scott Hull, the owner of Masterdisk, received some unwelcome news: Masterdisk’s lease would not be renewed, and the occupants of one of New York City’s most respected mastering facilities, located at 545 W. 45th Street for over two decades, would have 60 days to vacate.
Hull had already been seriously considering a move from the classic rooms of 545 for a while. Mastering has not been immune to the ongoing financial pressures facing the recording industry, and perhaps no link in the chain was more susceptible to a shakeout then a Manhattan multi-room mastering facility.
Now Masterdisk resides at 260 West 36th Street, Suite 801. It’s the latest of a few addresses in the company’s history, which dates back to 1973 when it launched as a spinoff of the recording, editing and mastering arm of Mercury Records.
The Latest Evolution
Hull had to move Masterdisk under a deadline, but according to the veteran mastering engineer – whose lengthy credits include Uncle Tupelo, Herbie Hancock, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Panic! At the Disco, John Zorn, Laurie Anderson, and The Book of Mormon: Original Broadway Cast Recording – the idea to relocate had already been brewing for months in his mind.
Scott Hull, Owner of Masterdisk
“It was in the middle of last year that I finally saw a new vision for Masterdisk that didn’t include a large group of engineers,” Hull says. “The business has changed and musicians are looking for a singular voice that aligns with their perspective. I came to believe I could serve them better on my own. Once I made that decision, the move was an obvious next step.”
Anyone who visited Masterdisk at the 545 W. 45th Street location, which featured multiple rooms designed by Fran Manzella, likely recalls a buzzing atmosphere where senior engineers, their assistants, and no shortage of major label and indie artists circulated constantly.
Over the years, countless thousands of albums – including hundreds of GRAMMY award-winning gold and platinum records — issued from the suites of star engineers that worked at the location including Greg Calbi, Bob Ludwig, Howie Weinberg and Leon Zervos.
Hull, who himself served as Ludwig’s assistant from 1984-1993, doubtless enjoyed the collegial atmosphere as much as anyone. But for the moment, Hull is choosing to work with a streamlined team at 260 W 36th Street, where he’s been in operation since mid-March.
There, he’s recently mastered projects for Tom Scholz (Boston), William Onyeabor, Anna Gastier (SNL), Joshua Redman and James Farm, Eric Harland Voyager – Vipassana, Bobby Previte’s SO PERCUSSION, and Dave Matthews – the latter two for vinyl and using his prized Neumann VMS-82 lathe.
“Right now it’s a single studio operation with a wonderful support staff,” Hull says. “I’m also constructing the perfect space for our lathe, a hugely important aspect of Masterdisk. Vinyl is part of the new frontier of mastering and we’re highly focused on cutting the best records in the world.
“My plan is for a three-room mastering studio, and I’m still looking for the right individuals to fill out the Masterdisk team,” Hull continues. “I’ve been in discussions with several high-quality mastering engineers. We are trying to work out the details.
“So – in the meantime – I am mastering some of my best work ever. Listen and see for yourself: Organic, live in the studio, direct-to-analog, and vinyl projects are what I’m finding the most satisfying.”
The Latest Locations of Masterdisk Engineers
This is certainly not the first time that a shakeup has redrawn the mastering lines in and around Manhattan. Mix magazine in 2008 called that year a “maelstrom of rearranging”, as multiple facilities shut down, were sold, and opened.
So it’s a little bit of history repeating itself now, as the constellation of elite mastering engineers that occupied 545 W. 45th Street at the time of, or within several months of, the move has scattered into a freshly distributed set of pros. As many as could be tracked down at the time of publication are listed below.
Tony Dawsey now operates Phantom Mastering in the hamlet of Mahopac, NY. The former Masterdisk Senior Mastering Engineer started there on Oct. 15th 1980, a journey launched in the mail room.
Tony Dawsey has launched Phantom Mastering in upstate NY.
In the decades that ensued, Dawsey built up a massive discography that includes Jay-Z, French Montana, Diddy, RZA, DMX, Moby, Prefuse 73, Nine Inch Nails, Guru, Al Green, and King’s X, to name just a very few. “I have been very busy lately,” reports Dawsey, who is booked by Peter Cho http://belikewaterproductions.com/. “I’ve completed work on The D.I.T.C. Remix Project for Slice of Spice, along with the SP1200 Project: A Re-AWakening for Lord Finesse also for Slice of Spice. I’m very excited about the project for Sean C & LV called Loud Dreams a compilation of many top Hip Hop artist.
“Wakeem Dean, founder of Ruff Ryders Records is putting out a mixtape on his son LiL Waah called Playtime Is Over hosted by Swizz Beats,” Dawsey continues. “I’m even more excited about Pilz4Jazz a very refreshing Jazz project for Al Mack.” Other notable recent credits for Dawsey include The Notorious B.I.G. Life After Death, Puff Daddy & Family No Way Out, Ratking’s “So It Goes” (mixed by Young Guru), and the debut album for Crown mixed by Dana Nielsen.
Roger Lian, a Senior Mastering Engineer at 545 W. 45th, is based out of the new Masterdisk. A veteran of the company since 1989, he was Bob Ludwig’s last digital editor before the latter headed north to Maine to launch Gateway Mastering. His lengthy credit list includes the likes of Rush, Paul Oakenfold, Violent Femmes, The Smashing Pumpkins, and New York Dolls.
New additions to Lian’s discography include Mushroomhead’s The Righteous & the Butterfly, Sleep from A Bad Think (which is former A Flock of Seagulls drummer/GRAMMY winner Michael Marquart), and the actor Leslie Odom Jr., set to release his first jazz solo album on Borderlight Entertainment in August.
Former Masterdisk Senior Mastering Engineer Vlado Meller went much further afield, relocating his practice to Truphonic studio in Charleston, South Carolina. Meller’s platinum-plated, 43-year career includes credits with the Beastie Boys, Andrea Bocelli, Johnny Cash, Celine Dion, Duran Duran, Julio Iglesias, Michael Jackson, Lil Wayne, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, Kanye West, Paul McCartney, Metallica, George Michael, Oasis, Pink Floyd, Public Enemy, Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Shakira, Barbra Streisand, System Of A Down, Weezer, and Jack White. His two-time GRAMMY-winning journey also included stays at Sony Music Studios and Universal Mastering Studios.
Vlado Meller is officially a Southerner, in South Carolina.
Most recently VLM has continued its run of high-level projects, including work for Universal recording artists Broods, Smokey Robinson, SBTRKT, and Rebirth Brass Band. Emerging Charleston artists he’s worked with include Dangermuffin and The Royal Tin Foil.
“Since I own my complete mastering studio, it was just a matter of physically relocating and reinstalling my gear in the new location,” explains Meller. “With the help of my former Sony friends, it became reality as of March 1st. I have a new assistant Jeremy Lubsey, formerly of Masterdisk, and Peter Cho continues to be my booking manager. It was a smooth transition with minimal interruption for my clients. 40 plus years in this business made my transition easy and seamless.
“I had a great two years at Masterdisk, filled with many great memories and really great people,” he continues. “I hope to build, and have many more memories in the future here in Charleston, SC.”
Lubsey was with Masterdisk for two years as a vinyl lacquer cutting assistant and engineer, and in addition to assisting Meller he is also a mastering engineer in his own right at Meller’s facility. He is booked by Peter Cho.
Meanwhile, Andy VanDette, former Chief Engineer at Masterdisk, has remained in Manhattan. The always upbeat VanDette can now be found at Engine Room Audio, bringing his 30+ years of mastering experience for CD, Vinyl, 5.1 Surround Mastering, and Mastered for iTunes to the Financial District facility.
Andy VanDette has stayed true to Manhattan in Engine Room.
VanDette’s discography runs deep, including Rush, Beastie Boys, David Bowie, Whitney Houston, Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Deep Purple, Uncle Kracker and Metric, among many others. Most recently, VanDette has mastered high-charting records that include Sevendust’s Time Travelers & Bonfires, and Framing Hanley The Sum of Who We Are.
For VanDette, who cut his teeth as a Masterdisk intern in 1984 before rising up the ladder to his Chief Engineer position in 2000, an ongoing NYC presence after his time at Masterdisk was a must.
“When looking for new options, I asked my clientele if I still needed a Manhattan studio,” he explains.“Overwhelmingly, they responded, YES. Howie Weinberg, Dan Millice, and Mike Tucci had so many good things to say about Engine Room’s owner Mark Christensen, and Studio Manager Scott Lee, that I had to check it out. I found a well-designed, acoustically treated space, with great gear and killer monitors.
“And more, I fell in love with the comfortable, laid-back vibe here,” adds VanDette.“It’s great to be part of a facility that creates, records, and masters music — all within walking distance to three major subway lines.”
Mastering Engineer Tim Boyce is now on point in Greenpoint, having opened up The Sound Design Mastering — ensconced in the space operated by Julian Silva’s On Air Mastering. As his business name implies, the multitalented Boyce is offering both sound design and mastering from his studio, the latter bolstered by a credit list including Jay-Z, The Great Gatsby Soundtrack, Kid Rock, Nico Jarr, and French Montana.
Of course, Boyce couldn’t resist talking tech in connection to his move. “I’m bringing lots of upgrades,” he comments. “These include new ULN8 and Sonic converters, Cedar hardware, Weiss EQ, and the Bettermaker EQ to match up with the Masterpiece there (at On Air). I’m also bringing upgrades to the infrastructure — computers, trapping — along with monitor upgrades via a Velodyne sub and multi-channel Bryston.”
Alex DeTurk has found a most intriguing landing spot. To transition away from the lathe work where he’s long excelled, he’s now doing digital mastering at the well-regarded Strangeweather in Brooklyn. “I’ve known Marc (Alan Goodman) and Daniel (Schlett) for a while, great people. These are completely new tools for me, which is a great deal of fun and inspiration right now.”
His impressive credits over the years include David Bowie, Townes Van Zandt, NAAM, Brendan Benson, Javelin, John McLaughlin, The Walkmen, and Teen Girl Scientist Monthly. Still, it proved a hectic pace to keep up.
“I needed a lifestyle change — I was getting pretty burned out,” he admits of his own wish for transition. “I want to re-focus my energies to provide the best service I can – to a small core group of people. And an effort to be more selective with the work I do take on — hopefully I’ll gain some time to explore other avenues of work, music or other.”
The mastering engineer Graham Goldman is continuing a five-year stint at Masterdisk, working on Hull’s rig at the 36th Street location. With CD, vinyl, and Mastering for iTunes all under his belt, his credits include Rabbits, The Go Set, Swarm of Arrows, and 16. Most recently he’s mastered for Idiots, Protection Patrol Pinkerton, Are We Serious, and Truest.
Randy Merrill is at Sterling Sound.
Randy Merrill was involved with Masterdisk for a little over 5 years, from July 2008 through October 2013. Today he’s at Sterling Sound, assisting Tom Coyne in their picturesque Chelsea Market studios. “I am doing my own sessions at night in his room,” says Merrill, whose credits include Bruce Hornsby, Franz Nicolay, Demander, Nectar, Alex Wong, and Kassini, “with many pieces custom designed and built in-house by the Sterling technical staff.”
Uptown, the stronghold known as the Mastering Palace just got extra strength from Mark Santangelo. An understudy of Meller’s when the pair were together at Sony Music Studios, his credit list includes Neon Trees, The Weeknd, and Neil Diamond. Most recent projects include Illangelo, The Maria Ahn EP- (mixed by Sean Yoo/Ryan Fagman), and Viking (Mixed by Jon Hildenstein).
“I’ve since joined Dave Kutch at The Mastering Palace,” he confirms. “My transition from Masterdisk to The Mastering Palace in the beginning of March was seamless. The room I’m working out of at The Mastering Palace has most of the software/hardware I was accustomed to at Masterdisk. They made some additions for me, including The Weiss DS1-MK 3, as well as the Mutec Work Clock — both sound incredible and I couldn’t be happier. I also got accustomed to the Focal SM9 and Electra Be speakers quite easily.”
Mark Santangelo has reconnected with Dave Kutch at the Mastering Palace.
Santangelo’s way-back relationship sealed the deal with Mastering Palace owner Kutch, whose own all-Solar System client list includes Alicia Keys, Lupe Fiasco, Bruno Mars, Jim Jones, John Legend, Natasha Bedingfield, and Marc Anthony. “Dave Kutch (owner) and I have had a great and longstanding relationship since we worked together at Sony Studios,” says Santangelo. “It was simply the right time in my career to make the transition over to his studio.
“The Mastering Palace staff already has an excellent reputation with all of my major label clients so the decision was easy. They’re also in the process of expanding and building new rooms, so it’s an exciting time.”
Also listed as an engineer on Masterdisk’s page is Jeff Reeves.
A Different Scale
No aspect of the music industry has been particularly predictable the last few years. It’s an atmosphere ripe for thrilling discoveries to some — necessitating swift reinvention for others.
Hull is upfront about the challenges that a dedicated mastering practice has in such an environment. “Like the music business as a whole, modern mastering facilities are being constantly challenged to redefine what it means to make great music,” observes Hull. “And, though DIY mastering is easier to come by than ever before, it’s consistently missing some important elements: years of experience, concierge service, and exposure to a musical community on whose shoulders we built some of history’s most influential artistic statements.”
Those changes explain the different architectural scale by which the new Masterdisk is constructed. “I don’t consider our space to be a ‘large’ facility,” he says. “On the contrary, it’s the perfect size for the personal feel I believe will be the hallmark of the new Masterdisk: Not too big, not too small.
“What I did want to ensure, however, was adequate space—and vibe—for a world-class vinyl production setup. Masterdisk has been very lucky to be such a big part of vinyl’s resurgence. Our lathe is a rare specimen, perfectly suited to high quality cutting, the kind you’d expect for projects coming from today’s music icons.”
Masterful Musings
Might new stellar nurseries of sound radiate from this updated scene? Maybe it will be like when we converge with our galactic neighbor a few billion years hence – an upheaval that creates something beautifully new in the process.
Mastering is a deeply personal business. Artists and labels have shown consistently that they’re most loyal to the mastering engineer, more so than the facility they work in. The magic of FTP means we can master on Mars, so it becomes the trust of an engineer’s following that counts – not the location, size or signal path of their facility.
“I’ll often Skype with a client, send and receive files electronically and master—either in digital or analog—without even seeing him or her in person,” says Scott Hull. “I find that most new artists prefer to avail themselves of the modern technology that can save us all so much time.”
—David Weiss
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