I started my Mastering career in 1969.  My initial training ground was IBC Studios in London, one of the finest places to record in the 1950's and 60's.  I started to cut records in the same room the legendary Joe Meek used when he worked for the studio.  I later moved on to, amongst others, Polygram, RCA, Tape One, The Master Room, Porky's and Nimbus, where I was fortunate enough to have hands-on experience making the metal masters and  pressing records; nothing like doing these things yourself!

Compact Disc arrived during the early 1980's and the studio I then worked for wisely invested in this new format. Almost overnight we had a whole new set of standards to get used to. I soon began mastering for the new digital medium, but like cutting, it takes years of experience to get the best out of your equipment and the format. By the early 1990's I had given up lacquer cutting and concentrated solely on the CD format.

In 1996 I set up my own facility at home in Surrey England.  After 27 years of normal studio conditions, Country Masters had a room with daylight and very pleasant views from two windows.  Clients enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere away from the pressures that normally surrounded them.

2002 brought a big change; I moved to the Isle of Skye, changing the name Skye Mastering as it suited the new location.  Being so far away from most people means my work is now sent to me, so being off the north west coast of Scotland isn't a problem; the post here is very good, my clients trust me to do the best I can, and the location is a beautiful place to master their music.  The photo here shows me outside the mastering room, with wonderful views of the Outer Hebrides in the distance.  Clean air, peace, quiet, and a lovely pace of life.

Technology rapidly moves on, analogue and digital equipment is improving all the time, I am fortunate to have some of the finest right here.  It's been a long and fascinating road from the mono cutting room I started in, to the amazing computerised world we have today. Mastering is a never ending learning curve and I am proud to be a part of it.

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