WCA #549 with Ian Shepherd – Mastering Democratized, AI, Physical or Virtual Gear, and Empty Nests

In this episode of Working Class Audio, Matt welcomes back mastering engineer and host of The Mastering Show, Ian Shepherd. They dive into the current state of mastering, AI’s growing role, work/life balance, and in-the-box vs. out-of-the-box mastering. Enjoy! In This Episode, We Discuss:Companion podcast episodeAdvances in mastering technologyThe rise of AI masteringShift toward releasing singlesImpact of social mediaMastering now democratizedLower barrier to entryAI lacks human contextAI results often bland/genericHumans provide taste and nuanceNetworking challenges in rural areasTechnology removes many practical limitsCareer hasn’t suffered despite changesFacing an empty nest soonFocus on intentional, joyful workKnown as the "loudness guy" Links and Show Notes:Ian's 100th episodeIan on WCA #132 Matt's Rant: Building ThingsCredits:Guest: Ian ShepherdHost/Engineer/Producer: Matt BoudreauWCA Theme Music: Cliff TruesdellThe Voice: Chuck Smith