Coastal Mastering Studios

12/21/2023

More great news about The Michael Dunn Project!

Well Christmas certainly came early for me! 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼 just announced their editorial choice for Top 1𝟶𝟶 albums of 2𝟶23 and 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 made the list (at 90). When you consider something like 40,000 new songs get released every day, this is something I absolutely was not expecting. Feeling very grateful. Thank you, 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼 and thank you to the amazing players and engineers that made this album possible!

12/17/2023

Here's an article I posted a while back explaining my history with the Recordable Compact Disc in Canada. Thanks Sean Passmore for asking about this!

~ The Recordable CD makes its debut in 1991 ~

I thought I would share a little piece of back history about the Recordable Compact Disc and what we did with it at Coastal Mastering/Sonrise Audio Duplication.

In 1991, Studer released one of the very first CD recorders, the D740 to the studio & broadcast markets. It was a companion piece to the same era Studer D780 DAT recorder of which we had one of each, and the only set in Canada at the time.

Back then, the CD-R was brand new and individual blanks were $35 apiece, yup, a box of ten for $350.00. No one in the city was burning these discs except us and we burned through a lot of them to learn the correct methods to do it well.

Radio stations ate them up as did retail clothing stores because it now allowed for custom playlists to be created for various purposes. I even had a local fashion designer commision a number of discs for Runway music.

Spotify did not launch until 2008 and I was doing this 17 years before that. I charged good money for each custom disc and within 18 months we grossed over $60,000.00 creating custom discs. This was the front of an enormous wave and it was me that did all of this.

Further to that, I was one of, if not THE first Canadian mastering engineer to utilize the CD-R as a mastering format for CD replication, and it became so popular that in time it replaced the standard of the day, the Sony 1630 3/4" Umatic video tape cartridge.

12/17/2023

Many thanks to composer Dwayne Ford for his kind words! The latest album I mastered for him 'World On Fire' has received rave reviews!

www.dwaynefordmusic.com

12/14/2023

I wanted to show you, my friends, the original mastering studio we had in the 80's in Richmond, BC.

This was within the facilities of Sonrise Audio Duplication where I was the house mastering engineer for many years.

I really miss this wrapped console with the extra racks for the three Revox tape decks but the crown jewel of the studio was our custom-made Studer A820 1/2" 1/4 track Slow Speed Master Recorder I'm sitting at. (It even had Sapphire tape guides...)

I created thousands of Bin-Loop masters for cassette replication on it and I was the only engineer in Western Canada that held such a position, it was an amazing period of my life!

12/13/2023

A little levity for us all! Today I celebrate the 2nd anniversary of my last heart attack on December 13, 2021.

My son-in-law Brad Carss put this little photo together to remind me that my time wasn't up yet.

I've faced death four times in my life but I guess Jesus doesn't need me quite yet so I'll continue to do what I do and remain grateful for every day that I rise from my bed. ❤🙏🏻

12/09/2023

~ Bringing 'Analog Vibe' to a Digital World ~

Since the very beginning of my mastering career in the mid 80's, this Custom VU Meterbridge & Switcher has been in constant use.

It was made for our original mastering studio in Richmond, BC and has been used on virtually every album, every single, every CD and Bin-Loop master I've ever created was monitored through this panel and it's in current use even today.

I estimate the volume of work this panel has witnessed exceeds 10,000 full titles including albums, instructional programs, forensics, archiving, any and all custom assembly work I've done over the years was with this panel.

It's my reference, it's my way of keeping one foot in the real gold and you can see it in the old studio pic by my head.

Did I mention I love vintage gear? 🤣

12/03/2023

A sad day in Canadian music history. RIP Myles and thanks for the soundtrack of my youth. ❤🙏🏻

RIP Myles Goodwyn.
All of us in the Streetheart family wish to convey our sincere condolences to Myles' family and loved ones at this difficult time. We also want to send out our condolences to the entire April Wine family and all their loyal friends and fans across Canada and around the world.
We were lucky enough to tour with Myles and April Wine in the 80's and they always treated us with class and respect.
This is a huge huge loss for the Canadian music community.
Myles was without a doubt one of Canada's most successful pop singer/songwriters of his time and his music and his legacy with April Wine will remain as an integral part of the Canadian and international music scene.
Godspeed Myles.
You will be missed but never forgotten.
💜🎶🙏

12/02/2023

Happy Saturday to my friends in the Edmonton area!

My name is Bud Bremner. Some of you may know that I'm a veteran Canadian mastering engineer based in Vancouver, and I'm excited to announce that Coastal Mastering Studios will be relocating to Edmonton in the Spring/Summer of '24!

I have mastered many, many albums from Alberta over the years including award winners for legendary Edmonton producer Barry Allen from Homestead Recorders/Passion Music Group.

My goal is to bring my 'A' game to your releases so that you can take Your 'A' game to the world! I'd love to meet you all to learn about your music and goals, I know I can help!

Please feel free to connect with me here, or by text or email and I look forward to meeting you all soon!

Bud Bremner
Coastal Mastering Studios

778.837.6472
[email protected].

11/30/2023

More great news from The Michael Dunn Project!!

PFR120.COM @ 7pm EST!!
Tonight's show will include songs from...
The Michael Dunn Project
Zen Orchestra
CHOIR OF BABBLE
Tension Splash
Xskull8
Confined
LEXI LAYNE
Last Dayz
Breakout aka Intensified Chaos
The Cycle

By All Means
Die Tired
Red Light Blue Light
3 Bravo
2nd Brightest Object
The Black Vultures Band
FAST FOOD for Mutants
Moonlight Eclipse
The Foam Heads
The Love§trange
The Summit
🚨On The Air Tonight With Brandon and Dave🚨 ←EVENT LINK
Everyone

11/29/2023

Hey friends, the album I recently mastered for The Michael Dunn Project has been receiving amazing reviews and if you haven't yet purchased a copy, do yourself a solid and pick one up for yourself and one for a friend!

One of the best things for me in this strange world of progressive rock is the emergence over the past few years of folks who have revisited their musical dreams and have released their music to th…

06/26/2023

I'm very proud to have been involved with this deeply moving piece from Danny Floyd Cole. Please click through here! ⤵️

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=690268483111931&id=100063863573512&mibextid=Nif5oz

Stream and Pre-save LIttle One - Distributed by DistroKid

03/29/2023

What an amazing ride out to the Hope Slide today!

Great weather made the ride that much better so if you ride too, get out here!!

08/14/2021

Hanging out at Rob Begg's Marpole Recording with two of my favorite people, amazing producer/engineers both of them, Edmonton's Lane Allen & Vancouver's Rob Begg!

Lane is the son of legendary Canadian producer/singer/guitarist Barry Allen and heir to the Homestead Recorders studio, one of the only studios in Alberta with a 2" Sony 24 track analog recorder in regular use today!

Whether you're in Alberta or BC these boys will take you to levels you didn't know were there so get in touch with them and get going!

Looking forward to doing more great work with both of these gentlemen!

https://www.facebook.com/110120363861568/

https://www.facebook.com/rob.begg.7

08/13/2021

I had the pleasure of mastering the new EP for Vancouver's own The BlueVoodoo, let's show them some love as their great new material climbs the charts!

Be sure to check it out and get your Voodoo Love!

Ted Tosoff

Voodoo Love #14 top 50 Roots Music Report

08/09/2021

I thought I'd repost this in homage to the great audio engineers in Vancouver's music history who like me, were fortunate to have worked our trades firmly entrenched in the world of analog equipment and magnetic tape recording & mastering.

07/30/2021

More progress for Mad Symphony!!

Not a Win but THE NEXT DOOR VIDEO made it to the Finals

01/24/2021

We want to shout out to all our Family, Friends, fellow Musicians, Music Lovers 🎶♥️🎶 and all members Coastal Mastering Studios today. This Pandemic has been really hard on everyone in all walks of life especially our Health Care Workers who deserve a Medal 👏 and people in Performing Arts. All our Musician Brothers & Sisters that depend on performing Music live to support themselves are suffering. Also our Sound Tech friends and many others that work on the crew's for live Music Shows and Tours. This Petition is closing soon on Feb 23rd so please follow the link below and sign your name to the petition to help out some of our Musical Friends Steve Sainas, Marc Gladstone, and Cherelle Jardine. Steve Sainas created the Canadian Musicians' Coalition Canadian Musicians' Coalition and they have been working tirelessly day and night to Keep Music Alive in Canada! Fighting hard to "Create a Sustainable Living Wage For All Professional Musicians" in Canada from "Music Creation & Performances for the Public to Enjoy". We are all going through this horrible stressful time together let's do what we can and stay safe 🙏 and lend a helping hand.! 🎶🎙🎶🎸🎹🇨🇦
https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-2995

12/17/2020

I want to share a beautiful song written and performed by Singer/Songwriter Patricia Burnett recently recorded by Rob Begg at "Marpole Recording".

A note from Patricia..

The song 'Dear Michaels' was written in the wake of the arrest of Huawei Executive Meng Wanzhou two years ago at Vancouver Airport on Dec.10th 2018, and then the timely detainment of two Canadians in China, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, I was immediately drawn to their story. 😎🎶🎙🇨🇦
https://www.coastalmastering.com/portfolio/patricia-burnett-dear-michaels/

"Dear Michaels" a tribute to the two Michaels jailed unjustly in China. In the wake of the arrest of Huawei Executive, Meng Wanzhou, 2 years ago at Vancouver Airport on December 10th 2018 and then the timely detainment of two Canadians in China, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, I was immediatel

12/11/2020

https://www.loudersound.com/news/jimmy-page-demands-fair-pay-for-musicians-from-streaming-companies

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page asks streaming companies to re-examine the royalty rates paid to musicians

10/19/2020

Hello friends! I am very proud to share the latest single I've mastered for my long time client Brad Hampton from Kamloops. I know you'll love it so please have a listen and give Brad some Likes on the track ok? Thanks!

Bud

https://youtu.be/lAVtkdhOAto

Recorded and mixed with Waves Plugins at Silohuette Studios by Brad Hampton in October of 2020 Mastered by Bud Bremner at Coastal Mastering - www.coastalmast...

08/29/2020

Hey friends! I was going through some studio papers and found this picture (or blend of two pics) of my original studio in Richmond within Sonrise Audio Duplication.

I was absolutely spoiled being surrounded by all of these amazing Studer & Revox tape decks, Studer CD Recorder & DAT Recorder, two more DAT's by Sony & Panasonic, Manley and Summit tube gear, two sets of Tannoy studio monitors, OMG, I think I'm going to cry now, sorry.

08/22/2020

Wow just hit 600 Likes. Thanks so much for supporting Coastal Mastering Studios!!

08/21/2020

It has been very exciting to Master some new tunes written by my old friend George Leger III. George is a multi-talented musician, arranger, producer, mastering engineer, tech-guru and has been involved in the recording industry since 1983.

George started his music career in Vancouver where he worked with many well known local Canadian Recording Artists. He mastered the Mathew Good Band `Last Of The Ghetto Astronauts` album, the biggest selling Indie record in Canadian History, Nickelback's "Curb" Album, Strange Advances' ``Worlds Away and Back`` and 5440's first digital re-mastered Compilation Albums.😎🎶🔊🎙🎹🎵🔊🎸🥁🇨🇦🎶🍁

Currently located in Las Vegas Nevada USA, 🇺🇲 George also spent 20 years in LA where he worked with a number of up-and-coming and well-known artists; served as a tutor or technician to clients like Donny Osmond, Rhonda Smith, Sheila E., Kat Dyson, and Paula Abdul to name a few...

During that time George worked on 5 Barry Manilow records with two that were Grammy Nominated for best pop male vocals. 🎶🎙😮

Here is a link to one of the songs I just mastered for George on my CMS Website called `Full Moon Funky`. A fun song written, engineered, and produced by George Leger III.

Bud Bremner - Mastering
George Leger III: Vocals/Drums/Keys/Bass
Anthony Cinquini: Lead Guitar
Craig Zurba: Moog Synth
https://www.coastalmastering.com/portfolio/full-moon-funky/

08/10/2020

I want to mention a good friend from India today "Jolly Mukherjee". I had the pleasure of Mastering his track "Charu Avenue" from the Indian Pop EP released in August 2019. Jolly who is known as India’s “King of Strings” specializes in the music of Bollywood, for the Indian film industry. The 14 minute track had a diverse combination of Indian and Western instruments, and it was very challenging bringing together this fusion of harmonies, and excellent output. 😎🎶🔊🎻🎵🎻

Jolly Mukherjee– renowned Indian Composer, Arranger, and Bollywood Singer https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jolly_Mukherjee

08/07/2020

I was thinking about the start of my mastering career and the following things did not yet exist..

Cell Phones
GPS
Email
Google
Fax Machines
Facebook
Digital Recording
The Internet
Music Streaming
Bluetooth
Compact Discs
Personal Computers
Mp3's

Any idea how old this makes me feel? Lol! Maybe when someone asks me how long I've been mastering, I'll show them this list and say that I was here first! Lol!

07/30/2020

Great to see another "Coastal Mastering Studios" friend and Client doing well. This is from my friend Dwayne Ford! His music is Epic! It was a lot of fun mastering "10 Years On The Inside" and "Follow The Buffalo" from the "Another Way To Fly" Album in 1996
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAyJumhJycI&fbclid=IwAR2idRkqMYvNkH9XntssKMoNU0XU88VlU8TI8OsORcA-Fhr1k7ESUpRGg3Y

*I DO NOT OWN the copyrighted contents of this video. this is strictly FAN-MADE and is NOT intended for monetary gain nor commercial use. Message me in the c...

07/29/2020

"Coastal Mastering Studios" Featured Artist "Jeffrey Morris"

Award winning recording artist Jeffrey Morris is a purveyor of pure pop. Morris has internationally released and toured two critically acclaimed albums afterglow, and Far Away, while sharing the stage with Bryan Adams, Steve Earle, Tom Cochrane, and Randy Bachman.

Jeff first worked with Bud Bremner at Coastal Mastering Studios in the early 2000's for the 'Afterglow' album project. Produced by Kelly Becker at Vancouver's The Factory Studios, 'Afterglow' was a radio friendly, analog recorded power pop record.

Upon first listen, showing his good ears, Bud quickly identified what was needed during mastering to really make the tracks punch and shine. The communication was easy during the project and I've heard nothing but great reports from Canadian commercial radio stations, and fans about the mastering work and sound of the album ever since.

Jeffrey Morris
https://www.jeffreymorrismusic.com

https://www.facebook.com/JeffMorrisSongs

07/23/2020

I would like to take a moment to thank a few Clients and Colleagues for providing me with some great Testimonials for the new "Coastal Mastering Studios" Website.

It's a fantastic feeling getting back into mastering after such a long hiatus, and feels really good to be endorsed by so many different friends, Recording Studios, Producers, Musical Artists that I am working with currently or in the past showing their appreciation for my work.

Thank you very much and it is an honor to work with you all..., Kevin Williams Producer @ "Sessionwire & Music Mentor Group", Vance Dylan Producer, Gabriel Maga, Barry Allen "Homestead Records", Doug Johnson "Loverboy", Ted Tosoff "Mad Symphony - Blue Voodoo", Dan Hare, Jolly Mukherjee in India, Adriaan Mol, Tom Harrison "Province Music Writer - Bruno Gerussi’s Medallion", George Leger Producer "Utopia Parkway Music", R. Harlan Smith President "Royalty Records", Julie Wilde, Louis Semak, and Toby Hulse - and the Retrograde Band. 😎🎼🎸🎙🎶🔊🎹🎼🇨🇦🎼🇨🇦☮https://www.coastalmastering.com/client-testimonials/

07/22/2020

'Vintage Analog Recording Stuns Modern Recording Students'

Back in the early 2000's when Kevin Williams and I taught our respective courses at The Trebas Institute here in Vancouver, one particular day stands out in my mind...

I had already mastered a number of albums for The Dal Richards Orchestra but on this day Mr. Richards came to my studio with some masters I'd not seen yet.

It was a pair of 1/4" AGFA tapes at 15 ips using no noise reduction. They were recorded I believe in the 50's at the original Mushroom Studios when it was called Aragon Recorders by veteran Vancouver engineer Al Rousch. (please correct me if the spelling is incorrect).

I had asked Dal about the way his band was recorded such as physical placement, mic placement, how the drums were mic'd etc. (3 mics, Kick, Snare and one Overhead) The horn players were lined up in two rows facing each other with several mics on each row.

These tapes were a textbook example on mic placement and incredible recorded dynamic range. Imagine hearing 'Mack The Knife', 'In the Mood' and many other Big Band classics as if you were right in the studio with them.

All the time leading up to this day the students were all over how great digital 'everything' was and I'm like 'yeah ok'...rolling my eyes...

I lined up my students, turned down the lights, hit play on my Studer and waited... Well, you should have seen the look on their faces! I had to pick up all their jaws from the floor! Its as if they had some Spiritual experience!

They had trouble understanding how this simple kick drum was crushing their chests. I told them three things: real musicians, real engineering and no plugins.

Anyway, that day made such an impact on them that I began to teach more analog recording and editing on my four Studer recorders in the studio. They were now absolute die hard analog fans!

07/17/2020

Wow just hit 500 Likes thanks so much for all your Support. Lets Keep Music Alive!!

07/14/2020

I often get asked about what I do with material sent in for mastering. Being a former college instructor for a Critical Listening & Mastering course that I wrote and taught from 2000-2005, I don't mind sharing my process and why I do what I do. I hope you like the read!

Bud Bremner

https://www.coastalmastering.com/audio-production/so-what-is-really-done-in-a-mastering-studio/

Lots actually! The first step is to have a listen to the mix in question to see what we have to work with. I look at overall volume levels and examine the bandwidth of the mix, in other words…, how is the blend of frequencies from Low, to Mid to High? We look for any phase issues from one channel ...

07/13/2020

-The Recordable CD makes its debut in 1991-

I thought I would share a little piece of back history about the Recordable Compact Disc and what we did with it at Coastal Mastering/Sonrise Audio Duplication.

In 1991, Studer released one of the very first CD recorders, the D740 to the studio & broadcast markets. It was a companion piece to the same era Studer D780 DAT recorder of which we had one of each.

Back then, the CD-R was brand new and individual blanks were $35 apiece, yup, a box of ten for $350.00. No one in the city was burning these discs except us and we burned through a lot of them to learn the correct methods to do it well.

Radio stations ate them up as did retail clothing stores because it now allowed for custom playlists to be created for various purposes. I even had a local fashion designer commision a number of discs for Runway music.

Spotify did not launch until 2008 and I was doing this 17 years before that. I charged good money for each custom disc and within 18 months we grossed over $60,000.00 creating custom discs. This was the front of an enormous wave and it was me that did all of this.

Further to that, I was one of, if not THE first Canadian mastering engineer to utilize the CD-R as a mastering format for CD replication and it became so popular that in time it replaced the standard of the day, the Sony 1630 3/4" Umatic video tape cartridge.

07/09/2020

I'm really thrilled to be working closely with Kevin Williams on some exciting new projects. In 2009 Kevin partnered with legendary Canadian Music Producer Bob Ezrin, (Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Peter Gabriel) to co-found "Nimbus School of Recording Arts", then in 2015 Kevin became co-founder and partner of Sessionwire Communications Inc. Just recently Kevin has started a new project called the Music Mentor Group that I will be working with. The MMG was formed to provide an unprecedented opportunity for musicians, artists, producers, studios and business owners to access the “Specialized Knowledge” of experienced music industry veterans.

Fortunately I have enough experience in Mastering to be one of the Mentors and am very excited to be working with the Music Mentor Group.😎🎶🔊

Interesting picture of Kevin from November 2012 attending"The Mentor Sessions" at Nimbus with Drummer Chad Smith (Red Hot Chilli Peppers/Chickenfoot), Alice Cooper, and Bob Ezrin. A cool Event where local Vancouver musicians got tips from legends and "Mentors". Bremner 😎🎶🔊🎵🎙🎶🎸🎵🎹🎶🥁🇨🇦🦅🇨🇦

07/08/2020

Please have a listen to my friend and client Jeff Morris! I have had the pleasure of mastering some of his work (including Cellophane Girl) and his work is amongst the favourites of my catalog.

Bud Bremner

Stream and Pre-save Cellophane Girl - Distributed by DistroKid

07/07/2020

This is the band that my amazing webmaster Dave Skinner was a huge part of back in the 70's!

Zingo - 1st Version Frank Dato, James Grant, Dave Skinner, Vince Nardulli, Marc Herstein. The Promo Shot was taken during a break at "Black Barts" Nightclub in Burnaby on Kingsway hence the "Stagecoach Mural" on back wall 🤠🐴🤣Sound & Lights Mark Chambers & Ryan Scott 😎🎼🎸🎵🎙🎸 RIP Vince Nardulli 🎼🎶🥁🎙🦅🎶🤘🙏🎙🙏🦅

07/07/2020

I cannot imagine Mastering Audio without the great Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain. Love it!! 😎🎶🔊🎶🎙🎶🎸🎶🇨🇦

The distinct solid-state transistor-based sound of the TG12410 has proven itself over many decades. Whether it's used for mastering as a complete console, or for mixing with only select modules, the TG brings nothing less than magic heard on albums like Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, Nirvana's In Utero, Radiohead's OK Computer and Ed Sheeran's "+". Thanks to this Waves/Abbey Road collaboration, you can now bring the very same magic to your own productions.

07/06/2020

So sad, what a great player!

Charlie Daniels, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame best known for "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," has died at age 83.

07/06/2020

I am excited about an upcoming album that I will eventually master but the cool part is that I will be serving producer Kevin Williams as bassist for this project to bring the thunder with an ass kicking house band!

Keep your eyes on Eder Lobo!

07/05/2020

Wow... we just hit over 400 Likes in a week. Thanks so much to all our new friends we are overwhelmed by your support!!

07/03/2020

Over the years I've been asked what I'm looking for in how a client's master should be prepared for mastering. Additionally, I've been asked what I actually do in the mastering studio so I wrote two complimentary articles to outline their responsibilities and also mine.

Have a read of them in this order and I hope that maybe you glean something from them. Cheers!

Bud

https://www.coastalmastering.com/audio-production/getting-started-mix-preparation-dos-donts-here-id-like-to-share-some-practices-for-bringing-your-best-mix-forward-for-mastering/

https://www.coastalmastering.com/audio-production/so-what-is-really-done-in-a-mastering-studio/

I’d like to share some practices for bringing your best mix forward for mastering. A Sensible Overall Recording Level When I’ve received 24-bit masters for Trailer Music for example, they typically arrive with a Peak level of -6dBFS. Yes, they look low in level on the screen and sit about half w...