Be watching for the software program I'm putting the finishing touches on now. It's called "Master by Colors." Sort of a variation on the old "Paint by Numbers" books. With it, you can actually master without even turning on the speakers. You just run audio into it, then visually monitor the resulting output from your recording chain. The lows are represented by Reds (with subsonic information showing InfraRed), continuing up the visible spectrum until you get to the HighFreqs at the other end with Violet (and hopefully with 96k sampling rates, we'll begin to see more UltraViolet content). You just adjust the parameters until you have the spectral color balance that you want. Then you're done. Cool, huh?

I've decided not to fight the technological revolution, but try to make some money with it instead. For a long time, you needed lots of expensive gear to do mastering. Then all it took was just a single box. Now, it seems all you need is a computer and some software. But all of these methods have one very MAJOR drawback. You still have to be able to HEAR. Which leaves out a large part of the potential market.

With this system, I have finally eliminated that final pesky requirement. Now, not only do you NOT need a high-fidelity reproduction system, you don't even need to listen. The computer screen, and your own talent at interpreting colors of course, are the only requirements. I think I'm going to make a mint.

Be watching for Version 2 of the software. This will include another revolutionary concept, the "Vibrating Tablet" tm. This 10" x 14" tablet, similar to a computer drawing tablet, will have hundreds of miniature extended-range drivers embedded in it's surface, that will drive the tablet like an echo plate. The surface will be like a frequency plot, with 20 Hz at the left and 20 kHz at the right, and the volume graph will go from bottom to top. By placing your hands on this tablet, you will be able to "feel" the frequency content of your mastered version. This will enable us to topple the only obstacle left in "Master by Colors," the requirement of seeing. With the Version 2 release, we will empower not only the color-blind, but more inportantly, the deaf AND blind will be able to master their music without having to hear OR see. We believe both these products will have a revolutionary impact on the future of not only mastering, but also music making as a whole.

Watch for the demo version, that will be available by Q2, 2001.