The one constant in this thread is that everyone suggests a light touch on the master track. I had to bang my head against the wall with this stuff for months before I realized the same. I’m finally throwing my pre-master mix on in the car and not getting distortion all over the place or having certain track dominate the front while the back is muddied, etc.
Your mix should stand alone at -6 to -8 Db and the master is just little 1-2 DB nips and tucks here and there (using whatever methods sound best on the track). I think having either a really nice rig of outboard gear OR a variety of plugins (because some of my compressors and EQs sound terrible on one track but nice on another), or some combination of the two, is the ticket to results.
Or, pay someone else to do it that went to college for it or started asking these questions 20 years ago.
the only time you want to slam a master bus is if you are using some really nice analog outboard gear
overdriving digital levels (via software) is nasty, even if it is supposed to simulate harmonic distortion or whatever its never anywhere close to the kind of sound you get by just recording a really hot output from an avalon or neve pre-amp or something like that
but in general you have to do something
and yes, when using software compressors/limiters - the best bet is multiple instances of very light compression … shaving off peaks a little bit at a time… use low ratios with high thresholds (2:1 at -2db, etc) depending on the input level you are throwing at it
also its best to put a nice EQ in the chain before it hits the compressor… with a high pass or low shelf to get rid of (some or more or all of) the subsonic rumble (the low freqs you cant hear), because that will screw up the final results of compression in a big way
but yeh, if you can get a nice analog pre-amp, just run the master outs through it and drive up the input until its hot and saturated (peaking red meters) but before it actually distorts the overall sound… thats really the best kind of master bus “compression” you can get, by far - you dont lose nearly as much dynamics or movement, because you are just using natural harmonic distortion rather than “mechanical” envelopes and such
I’m similarly against overusing compression, limiters, etc. etc. - that said, I’ve found Ozone quite useful for its stereo imager which allows you to customize the frequency bands it’s applied to. The limiter or “maximizer” as they call it is also alright if the limiting is kept to a minimum.
The other features are admittedly fluff though. I’ve never found the compressor or harmonic exciter to be the least bit useful and the stock Ableton reverb is miles better.
i mastered a release once… hated every second of the process. after creating the tracks and mixing them i didn’t want to hear them anymore or make critical decisions… i’ll never do it again.
so, i use these folks here… all very good with lot’s of experience and reasonable prices… panic studios has mastered the bulk of the releases on my label as well.
I cut down and masted that long abomination I posted earlier this morning.
Just a few touches of dynamics processing/master compression with Vertigo VSC 2 from Plugin Alliance and -22db hi pass filter in Adobe Audition and some peak/amplitude limiting.
I think people will agree it makes a serious and important difference (and doesn’t require a professional studio environment and tens of thousands of dollars spent on gear- a professional engineer could obviously do a better job, but the same could be said about anything you do yourself =).
I’m proud of it, at least. That’s all that really matters
yes, mastering is a very complicated subject
“how do you do it” depends on a end-medium (cd, dvd/bluray, vinyl, radio/tv, mp3, dolby/movies…) and and source material (techno/dance, jazz, classical music, pop/rock… compilations from different artists are quite complicated)- its always very different and there are many details to consider… and of course there are VERY strange materials to master (like alva noto stuff just for an example)
so - go to the pro!!
but for folks who want to have tracks ready for soundcloud its not soooo complicated
Take care that your mix sounds good (most important)
EQ - very light, low-cut (30-50hz - most playback systems dont play under 50hz), take a good listen on 1500-3000 Hz - and it is usualy ±1-2 dbs - not HUGE eq-ing in mastering process
VERY LIGHT compression (just to level down some peaks and maybe add 1-2 db)
Limiter (usually on -0.3 db - CD redbook standard/ableton live limiter default) - on some systems signals that hit 0db will clip
check the master on as many as possible systems/speakers at different volumes !!
i find good loudness levels around -9db rms (with peaks at -0.3db) - for popular music - classic and jazz are round -15db rms, radio commercials go even to -4db (VERY LOUD)!!
Question though re light compression… What is the best application of attack and decay in context of light compression of a master track… Short vs long ?
And additionally, seems like a slightly related point to ask something I’ve been wondering…in the mixing stage what is a good starting point you guys find for setting levels relative to each other…ie kick peaking a certain db more/less than the bass? Assuming the mastering is to be more mild, I can imagine these key relative levels become much more critical. Any suggestions?
Question though re light compression… What is the best application of attack and decay in context of light compression of a master track… Short vs long ?
And additionally, seems like a slightly related point to ask something I’ve been wondering…in the mixing stage what is a good starting point you guys find for setting levels relative to each other…ie kick peaking a certain db more/less than the bass? Assuming the mastering is to be more mild, I can imagine these key relative levels become much more critical. Any suggestions?
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Your attack/release settings on a master comp are a high ratio (so long).
I don’t think there’s a blueprint for mixing your low end. Just EQ properly and set your levels so the mix sounds good at -6 DB (or less) on the master track.
Generally, I use long-ish attack and short release for bringing out the body of the track without killing the transients. I also usually use low ratios for this (1.5:1-3:1).
For more specific peak limiting, higher ratio(I don’t often go over 5:1) and faster attack with fast release is usually pretty transparent, just for grabbing the few excessive peaks in a track and reigning them in line with everything else. Using both these methods together should give your track good body and loudness without squashing the transients to death and you can use the brick wall limiter for the final few dB of loudness(try to get away with as little limiting as possible). Also important to note what others have said, it’s rare to cut or boost by more than a dB at the mastering or 2bus stage if the mix is good.
for me mastering is just about balancing and smoothing out.
much more important is the mix down.
yes, there are some eq setting you might want to apply, like cutting the bass around 40hz
but i do not compress my masterbus too much, if i hear the tracks “dancing” a little bit too much i do not use one compressor and gain for let’s say 5db of gain reduction.
i tend to use two compressors, both of them just reducing around 1db
for mastering there isn’t “the one” tool you have to buy…there are many good ways to go
but i came across this plugin from sample magic, called magic AB, and oh boy that helps me a lot.
you can basically insert it on your master bus, load up to 9 reference tracks and a-b it with your work…
