R.I.P. Tom Coyne

The great mastering engineer Tom Coyne, one of the historical mastering engineers of Sterling Sound, has passed away on 12 April 2017.

tom coyne

Coyne bought Sterling Sound in 1998, along with his friends and colleagues Ted Jensen, Greg Calbi, Murat Aktar. He has been a senior mastering engineer of the studio from the beginning to the end. Tom is dead at the age of 62 because of a multiple myeloma. Despite his illness, he has continued to release masterpieces till the end.

It is sufficient to read his discograohy on Allmusic or Discogs to realize which is the quantity and quality of its work. In the hip hop, pop and funky genres, he has literally created a distinctive sound, the Tom Coyne sound. A sound that is recognizable in many albums of artists like Erykah Badu, Jamiroquai, Adele, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Pharrell Williams...just to name few.

His "sonic signature" is characterized by a little scooped mid low frequencies, very powerful and full lows, well balanced mid highs and brilliant highs, with a light and pleasing pumping effect. I have always appreciated his style, the great impact of the kick transients, the punch, the balance of the mid high frequencies, the "sparkling" highs.

The first review that I have written is just about an album mastered by Coyne: Live (1997) by Erykah Badu, which I have loved since the first listening.

Goodbye Tom, and thanks for the great music.

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