Ian Stewart

@flotownmastering.com

183 Followers 88 Following

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

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 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.
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.’
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
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.
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 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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
A screenshot of the Basslane Pro audio plugin from Tone Projects and Flotown Mastering
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 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.
A blue and white Triumph Daytona 675 SE
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.
A tent pitched next to an adventure motorcycle in a secluded woodland clearing