Mastering is about sounding great right now, everywhere ... and sounding great twenty years from now. It's about connecting with the largest possible audience emotionally (vibe), physically (moving air) and intellectually (vocal clarity). Its about the vision of the artist/producer being furthered ... never damaged. Music needs the best balance of harmonics, frequencies and transients. Needs to be right for the style. Needs to be right for this moment in the artists career.

Background

Brian Lucey is a guitarist, singer and pianist who became a tracking engineer, mixing engineer, producer ... and is now a Grammy-winning, multi platinum mastering engineer. Originally from Columbus, Ohio ... he currently lives in Los Angeles.

Equipment

Modified solid state and new old stock tube gear in a short analog path fill a single desk of remarkable power. Room and monitoring have been tweaked over the years but remain essentially the same concept. Speakers from an immensely clever German designer, made by Immedia in Berkeley, California.

Studio

Located on a street with artists of all genres in Atwater Village, the Los Angeles room is a new concept in mastering design. The freestanding walls treat mid and high frequencies, while the low end is allowed to escape into the three story, open floor plan, concrete structure. This provides great low end clarity, and gives a more human connection to the outside world. Mastering is about connection, and this design gives something to the work the "windowless cave" mastering room can not.

Instruments

Lounge

Desk

The Black Keys - Brothers "This one got me noticed. I knew it was timeless, but was pleased how it took off all over the world. Mark Neill Tracking, Tchad Blake Mixing."

The Black Keys - El Camino "The follow up to a timeless breakthrough record is never easy. This one is ten bangers, so a more aggressive mastering sound compliments the sound of the mixes, the nature of the material and that unique moment in the artists' career."

Dr John - Locked Down "The freshness and talent of all the artists involved shines through. Mac is a master and this record combines his real life stories with the sounds of the 60s era Gris-Gris and Babylon."

The Arctic Monkeys - AM "Tchad Blake again mixing here, AM has riffs from Josh Homme and a vibe from AM that is sure to do some damage in the coming year."

Beck - I Won't Be Long "Beck is not releasing a lot lately but it was cool to work on this track mixed by Cassidy Turbin"

Sigur Ros "I've pre-mastered the last two 12" singles for Sigur Ros, and Chris Bellman has cut them using the backwards groove technique. Painterly records of great texture."

Newsted - Heavy Metal Music "Was fun to do the new metal record from Jason Newsted and his new band. Honesty and integrity in a timeless style. The vinyl is super cool."