Ian Stewart
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flotownmastering.com
Ian Stewart
@flotownmastering.com
180 followers 88 following 160 posts
Owner/operator at Flotown Mastering, Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music, co-developer of Basslane Pro plugin by Tone Projects, independent contributor for the iZotope blog.

More at www.flotownmastering.com
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flotownmastering.com
New EQ, who dis?
A wooden rack-mounted mastering setup with meters, three pieces of analog audio gear, and an insert switcher. From top to bottom: Dorrough 40A meters, a Buzz Audio SOC-M stereo optical compressor, a Maselec MLA-3 stereo triband compressor, a GML 9500 EQ equalizer, and a DuTCH Audio custom 1 RU insert switcher. Behind the rack is a monitor displaying an aerial landscape image and a speaker on a stand. Some acoustic foam blocks are placed on top of the rack. A Stream Deck device is visible on the lower right. A close-up of the right side of a GML Model 9500 Mastering Equalizer, showing several rotary frequency knobs labeled in kilohertz and a white control panel below with buttons labeled “bypass” and “active gain.” A large black gain knob is marked from -5.5 to +5.5 dB. The logo “DuTCH” is printed in a hand-drawn style on the bottom right. The unit is mounted in a wooden rack with visible black screws.
April 25, 2025 at 5:45 PM
flotownmastering.com
I’m not normally one to complain about cold or snow, but starting your day at 6AM with 2.5 hrs of snowblowing (kinda more like iceblowing) in -7° F weather is enough to change a guy’s mind…
A close-up selfie of a bearded man with snow and ice clinging to his facial hair. He is wearing a black beanie, blue ski goggles pushed up onto his forehead, and a heavy winter jacket. His eyes are wide open, and he has an intense expression with gritted teeth.
February 17, 2025 at 1:53 PM
flotownmastering.com
As long as we’re making things up:
A digital map of the Boston area and the surrounding Massachusetts coastline, including Gloucester, Plymouth, and Cape Cod Bay. The Gulf of Maine label has been partially crossed out and replaced with ‘Boston’ in red handwriting, and Cape Cod Bay has been similarly altered to read ‘Bruins.’
February 15, 2025 at 9:04 PM
flotownmastering.com
A good reminder.
First they came for the Communists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Communist Then they came for the Socialists And I did not speak out Because I was not a Socialist Then they came for the trade unionists And I did not speak out Because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for the Jews And I did not speak out Because I was not a Jew Then they came for me And there was no one left To speak out for me - M. Niemöller
February 2, 2025 at 4:02 AM
flotownmastering.com
Inducted the kid into the astronomy club last night. On the coldest night of the year (-12 F/-24.5 C), we went outside, at her urging, to look at the planetary alignment.

#spacesky #astronomysky
A small telescope mounted on a tripod sits in the snow at night, positioned in front of a tan-colored garage with white trim. The scene is dimly lit, with dark trees visible in the background. Hunched over, a child dressed all in black peers into the telescope.
January 22, 2025 at 9:21 PM
flotownmastering.com
‘‘’Twas the day before Xmas (and Hanukkah), and all through the house not a creature was stirring… except Fizz, who stared into your soul with demon eyes, ready to unleash pandemonium.”

#happyholidays #dogsky #catsky
A cozy Christmas scene with two dogs sleeping on a dark gray couch - one dark-colored and one light-colored dog snuggled under a plush brown blanket. In the background, a decorated Christmas tree with silver ornaments and white lights stands near a window, and three Christmas stockings hang on the wall - one plaid, one patterned, and one black with fur trim. A close-up of a Christmas tree decorated with silver glitter ornaments and festive decorations, including a Grinch ornament wearing a Santa hat and several Rhode Island specific ornaments. A black and white cat with bright eyes peeks out from within the tree branches, and a gift bag with a tree design is visible in the corner.
December 24, 2024 at 5:08 PM
flotownmastering.com
A very special birthday donut for a very special birthday dog! Happy 11th, Stella!!
A small white dog with perked ears and an eager expression sits on a light wood kitchen floor, looking up at a plate being held in the foreground. The plate is a green ceramic dish holding a homemade dog treat, shaped like a donut with a light-colored glaze. In the background, there are food and water bowls on the floor, two large plastic water jugs, and two partially visible doorways.
December 15, 2024 at 12:36 AM
flotownmastering.com
It’s true. In the Dunning-Kruger graph for mid/side, the peak of Mt. Stupid is exceptionally high, the Valley of Despair rivals the Mariana Trench, and the Slope of Enlightenment is exceptionally long and gradual.
This diagram humorously represents the Dunning-Kruger effect, a cognitive bias where individuals with limited knowledge or experience initially have high confidence (the “Peak of Mt. Stupid”). As they gain more knowledge, confidence drops into the “Valley of Despair,” before gradually climbing the “Slope of Enlightenment” and reaching the “Plateau of Sustainability,” where expertise and wisdom balance confidence (not adjusted for mid/side).
December 10, 2024 at 7:47 PM
flotownmastering.com
Happy Saturday, Bsky. How’s your morning going? So far mine has consisted of shoveling snow, totally not eating $h!t on the icy driveway, a latte, and an origami frog.
A festive ceramic mug adorned with a cheerful penguin wearing a red-and-white striped hat, sitting on a wooden table. In the foreground lies a small origami frog, while the blurred background features a glowing Christmas tree with soft yellow and blue lights, evoking a cozy holiday atmosphere.
December 7, 2024 at 4:35 PM
flotownmastering.com
🥁 🥁🥁
A colorful Star Wars-themed mug resting on a rustic wooden table, featuring a grid of iconic characters like Darth Vader, Yoda, Chewbacca, and Boba Fett in a vibrant comic-book style. The background shows a softly blurred kitchen scene with various objects.
December 6, 2024 at 3:30 PM
flotownmastering.com
It’s, uh… it’s a lot of heavy equipment to move.
An audio mastering studio setup featuring two large PMC IB2 studio monitors positioned on stands with red acoustic panels behind them. In the center is a monitor displaying software settings, flanked by racks of audio mastering equipment with knobs and meters. Small figurines, including a “Baby Yoda” and a toy car, decorate the monitor and speakers. An oscilloscope and a coffee cup sit nearby, adding a touch of technical and personal flair to the workspace.
December 6, 2024 at 2:27 PM
flotownmastering.com
This is the way (sorry, sorry)
A close-up selfie of a man sitting indoors with a serious expression, accompanied by a large gray dog with a white patch on its nose. The dog is resting its head near the camera, giving an endearing and calm presence. The background features framed pictures on a wall and a window with a closed blind.
December 2, 2024 at 11:48 PM
flotownmastering.com
Oh hai. I have a Daytona 675, a GSA, did my first multi-day moto camping trip earlier this year, have a reasonable vinyl collection, and also am a mastering engineer who masters for vinyl from time to time. 👋🏻
December 2, 2024 at 10:55 PM
flotownmastering.com
Last day to grab Basslane Pro, or any other plugins in the Tone Projects suite for 40% off!

#audiosky #production #mixing #mastering #plugindeals
A screenshot of the Basslane Pro audio plugin from Tone Projects and Flotown Mastering
December 2, 2024 at 6:25 PM
flotownmastering.com
Tree acquired (and approved)!
A man in a rural Christmas tree farm carrying a large, freshly cut evergreen tree on his shoulder. The scene is surrounded by rows of trees and golden-brown grass under a clear, sunny sky with a backdrop of rolling hills. A festive indoor scene featuring a decorated Christmas tree adorned with lights and ornaments, topped with a glowing star. A small, light-colored dog stands in front of the tree on a wooden floor, next to several dog toys, giving a cozy holiday atmosphere.
December 2, 2024 at 1:05 AM
flotownmastering.com
Oh lawdy, take me back!
A scenic view featuring a BMW R1250 GSA motorcycle parked on the side of a remote paved road in the Scottish highlands with a mountainous backdrop under a cloudy, dramatic sky. The bike is equipped with side panniers and luggage for touring. The surrounding landscape includes lush greenery, a small body of water, and rugged hills, evoking a remote and serene atmosphere.
December 1, 2024 at 3:27 PM
flotownmastering.com
Truly. It was my dream bike before I even had my license, and now that I have one I don’t think I’ll ever let it go. The GSA see more high-mileage days of late, but boy is the 675 a beaut…
A blue and white Triumph Daytona 675 SE
November 30, 2024 at 11:11 PM
flotownmastering.com
Helloooo. I was a sport bike rider until I rented a GSA for a trip around the Scottish highlands, after which I promptly went out and got an R1200GSA 😂 I still have my Daytona 675 too, but it doesn’t see as many mile these days.

Where are you at and what do you ride?
A BMW R1250 GSA, parked at the top of the Bealach na Bá (or Applecross Pass) in Scotland. Mountains flank the motorcycle, with a large pool of water shimmering in the foreground and dynamic skies and clouds in the background.
November 30, 2024 at 2:40 PM
flotownmastering.com
Heya Bluesky 👋🏻

What’s good here? I’m an audio nerd, coffee nerd, lover of hiking, motorcycling, and the outdoors, and astrophysics/cosmology enthusiast.

#audiomastering #coffee #hiking #motorcycles #cosmology
A tent pitched next to an adventure motorcycle in a secluded woodland clearing
November 30, 2024 at 3:57 AM