We wanted to branch out from music producers and listen to others in creative, technical fields to understand their process. This time we're talking with a mastering engineer, those folks concerned with the fidelity of the sound, with the golden ears (and the expensive equipment) that make the music shine regardless of platform or system.
We had a chat with Chris Pavey, of CPM, based in Cambridge. We were put in touch with Chris by label boss Stefan over at Insight Music and we've used Chris' skills on several of our tracks. Below, Chris answers some of our questions.
What is it that compels you to work with music?
For me, what compels me to work in this industry, is searching for that emotive element in all the music I work on. I think that all music, even at a very simple level, has an emotional element to it no matter what the genre.
Name a piece of music that had a great impact on your life, and why.
I will never forget the day I first heard Led Zeppelin - my obsession with 60’s and 70’s rock began that day!
What's your favorite music-related success so far?
The first time I heard a master of mine played on BBC national radio here in the UK - a very strange/surreal experience. To hear something you were a part of being broadcast live... it is a memory I won’t forget!
What is the most worthwhile investment you made that has had the greatest impact on your craft?
As a mastering engineer, my room and my monitoring. I spent a long time (and a lot of money!) designing my room acoustically, then choosing the monitoring that worked for me and in that room. I am a big advocate of Bowers & Wilkins monitoring and that is what I use in my studio. They allow me to work well, and to be able to hear in extreme detail the music I am working on.
In the last five years, what new behavior has most improved your life?
I stopped drinking so much caffeinated coffee. I found that I had more energy, strangely enough! Just being more healthy in general as well. Working in a studio environment all day is not the healthiest of roles. We are sat for long periods and don’t tend to get enough sleep. So I have started to take a very serious look at how I treat my body and mind.
What common piece of advice should someone starting in the music industry ignore?
A common piece of advice to ignore is that you don’t have enough experience, gear, or knowledge. When you start out you do know very little, but so did everyone else. We all made mistakes but we then got better for making those errors! I see lots of producers asking so many questions, and so they should, but sometimes you have to just make a choice or a decision yourself. If you don’t you will always be second guessing your decisions, whether it be production, recording ideas or what gear to buy. You can get lost in internet forums with everyone giving their view, so sometimes you just need to use your ears and go for what sounds right for you. Yes it could be wrong but then you learn and you come back strengthened by that mistake.
When you feel unfocused or have lost your inspiration temporarily, what do you do?
Walk. Walking is the best way to clear the mind. Walking while listening to podcasts is my thing! You can lose yourself for 10-15mins, recharge yourself then head back to work with a new focus.
What music/projects are you excited about working on at the moment?
I have a wonderful client base, and have started to work with a very talented engineer/ studio owner in Australia, and am getting a lot of very interesting and talent filled music from him. We sometimes forget, but it just shows how awesome the internet is at connecting creatives around the globe!
You win a competition to write a sentence across the sky in lights that will light up at night all over the world, what would it say?
I feel like I should say that I would put a message of love or hope to the world… however I would be hard pressed not to just write a joke! (A clean one of course!) I would love the idea of making the entire world laugh at once. We need more laughter I think in the world today!
Amen to that last statement! Big thanks to Chris. You can find out more about him, his studio, and his services through the following links:
Email: Chris@chrispaveymastering.com
Instagram: chrispaveymastering
Twitter: @ChrisMastering
