| Author
|
Mastering Tips!!!
|
Alex Roudos
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
33
Posts :
411
Posted : Sep 22, 2004 20:33
|
Hello everyone,
This is my first post to this forum and i'd like first to introduce myself in a few lines. I'm Greek but living in Amsterdam, and i'm producing music for the last 14 years, having quite a few releases in Greece. Currently i'm signed with an independent english record label and my first EP is already released.
I spent the last two days browsing this forum and i came up to a lot of topics regarding mastering. So i thought to share with all of you the mastering procedure i follow which is very effective according to the feedback of the labels i got regarding the quality of my masterings, the label i'm already signed(the released EP was mastered exactly by the procedure i'm gonna describe) and the clubs and bars i'm djing at.
Here it is :
1) After finishing the structure of your track, no matter which software you use, export the track as a wave file of course, but be sure the master level output not to exceed the -5db. You measure this level in the part of the track that everything is playing(all the drumloops, samples, melodies etc)
2) Open the track to Soundforge or Wavelab or any other sample editor you use that support vst and dx plug ins. Personally i use Wavelab 4.0.
3) First plugin in the chain i use is the PSP Vintage Warmer. The settings i apply(as default) are : Output = 0db, Knee = around 25%, Drive = around +2db, Low = 0db(and adjust it accordingly), High = 0db(and adjust it accordingly). After applying the values i listen to the track and make all the necessary adjustments in order the master level output to be to a maximum of -0.5 to -0.1db.
4) Second plug in the chain is the Stereo Expander which is integrated to Wavelab. The value here is 65%. This plug in is on at the same time with the PSP Vintage Warmer.
5) After checking the master level output as described on 3 i render the track.
6) Then i deactivate these two plug ins, and i use as third and final plug in the Nomad Blue Tubes LM2S Limiter. The gain is set to 6 and the peak reduction to 0.5.
7) Finally i normalize the track using wavelab's normalizing function.
It's important to say here that the track may does not sound the same after the above as it was sounding before. What i mean is that you may notice that the kick, the bass or other elements of your track sound louder or less louder than how they were sounding when you were listening to your track in your software sequencer. The reason for this is of course the use of the PSP Vintage Warmer mainly which adds lot of dynamics in the whole mix. In this case you will need to go back to your sequencer and adjust the volumes of the elements that need fixing. Maybe it's a painfull process but the reward in the end is great. And the most experienced and trained ears you have, in comparison with the studio monitors you use will minimize the need for going back and repeating the whole process from the beginning.
Just for the history my studio consists of the following :
1) Acer Laptop, Athlon 2400+, 512MB and 40GB internal HD.
2) Maxtor 200GB external firewire HD, full of music applications, plug ins, vsti's and samples.
3) Tascam US-122 USB Sound Card
4) Behringer Truth 2031 Studio Monitors
5) Emu Proteus PK6 Keyboard.
The main software i use is Cubase SX and Acid Pro 4.0
Sorry for the long post, but i hope it was helpfull.
If you have any questions which i can answer i would be glad to receive any posts here or PM's.
Thank you for reading this.
Alex Roudos.
PS : Let me know your thoughts if and when you use the above procedure regarding the sounding result. |
|
|
fuzzikitten
Annunaki
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
603
Posted : Sep 22, 2004 20:47
|
wow, thank you!
So great to see some tips for what this whole 'mastering' thing is - especially with suggested settings for the devices.
thank you Alex!
-Alex |
|
|
|
Pavel
Troll
Started Topics :
313
Posts :
8649
Posted : Sep 22, 2004 21:43
|
Thanx a bunch Alex, welcome to the forum and have a good time
BTW, where can we hear your music?
 Everyone in the world is doing something without me |
|
|
|
Alex Roudos
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
33
Posts :
411
Posted : Sep 22, 2004 22:11
|
Hi Pavel & Fuzzikitten and thanks for your nice words.
Firstly i must say that i'm not in the Psy scene for two reasons. I am a fun of the old school trance like it was 10 years before, and in today's psy trance i can't find something to inspire me enough. Secondly i want to start producing psy trance music but in order to do that i want to collaborate with someone that is really into this scene since my experience is limited to the today's psy trance music. So anyone who would be interested in working with me is welcomed 
About where you can listen my music you can visit the following link : www.trackitdown.net/artist/1392.html
There you can find short samples of the tracks that are included to my "A Few Years Back" EP. It's an uplifting chill melodic trance EP.
Give them a try cause i'd really appreciate any feedback you can give me, if possible, since the samples are really short.
Thanx again,
Alex. |
|
|
|
AvS
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
464
Posted : Sep 22, 2004 22:36
|
Man i disagree!
Why do you normalize after you use a limiter? Why not use a brickwall limiter to avoid the normalisaiton process?
And render the track as few times as possible. Very important! Why do you render you track after the Vintage Warmer en stereo enhancer???
And also remember dithering. When you run your track through these plugins the bitrate is set very high so dither down to 16bits.
And dont forget. Making a good mix in the first place is more important than mastering. |
|
|
|
Sektor666
Inactive User
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
439
Posted : Sep 22, 2004 23:25
|
i would not advice do any of these things at all ....
who do mastering ? you the silly guy near pc who think that understand someshit in sound design or guy that working years on compressing and eqing ...
guys produce music not sound ... sound producers are sound technicians so leave the job up to them ...
do correct mix as AvS mentioned and send your tracks trust me if your material is good mixed it will be accepted by label if they like you music ... so main is music and mix ...so do da best there not in sound design and "mastering"
mix is proper volume leveling , panning , compressing and naturality ...
what silly idea to use dynamics expander .... if some sound technician hear your mix and will hear not enough dynamics in the mix he will probaly do it much more pro than you do..if it's so easy by Alex's words
never saw proffecional band that master their music alone...... even Depeche Mode who are one of the best electronic music producers do not....
no offence Alex just Behringer monitors sucks imho ...how do you exacly hear your levels if monitor low's kick your ears ?
i bet everything sound kewl on such home teather system ... |
|
|
|
Alex Roudos
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
33
Posts :
411
Posted : Sep 23, 2004 00:16
|
As it seems my idea of sharing some information that helped me and probably could help others in any way, wasn't good at all.
Sorry for the disturbance guys. It seems that you know best.
Cheers,
and keep giving money to other guys to master your demos until you get a record deal(when you probably will have again to pay for the final mastering). |
|
|
|
jhanna
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
28
Posts :
178
Posted : Sep 23, 2004 02:13
|
|
hey alex thanks for sharing what has worked for you,... it seems to me that some people in this forum are more into taking their frustrations here and disqualify others than giving something useful to the community. keep the interesting posts... |
|
|
|
fuzzikitten
Annunaki
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
603
Posted : Sep 23, 2004 02:27
|
ahh, I see you've met Sektor!
Don't let him get to you, sometimes he comes off a little... gruff.
Rest assured, your comments are a welcome disturbance! (Especially to folks like me that like to learn about the whole process. ) |
|
|
|
EYB
Noized
Started Topics :
111
Posts :
2849
Posted : Sep 23, 2004 04:37
|
Welcome Alex
Nice tips, but i have to try first later
Maybe it is better to us the Vintage Warmer directly in the sequencer before exporting(?)
Anyway thanks, i will let u know the result 
peace
(jhanna r u just fucked up or what? be happy)
Signature |
|
|
|
Input
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
24
Posts :
456
Posted : Sep 23, 2004 09:08
|
|
Alex Roudos
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
33
Posts :
411
Posted : Sep 23, 2004 09:40
|
Thanx guys for the support. As you know it's really frustrating when you want to try something good and receive such a negative attitude like sektor's.
Anyway, what i want to make clear about my post is that i take for granted that before you export your tracks the proper mixing, panning, eqing and everything else have been done. Also i never said that i am a mastering engineer, i'm just a music producer who tries to get the best music production by himself, because on the other hand i beleive that all music producers SHOULD be able to master their own music. WHY? The answer is so simple. Because no mastering engineer in the world not even the best one would ever know and feel your music like the way you do when you were producing it.
EYB, of course you can use(and it's the best way) the PSP in your sequencer as Master Effect, since your Cpu power allows it regarding all the other effects and plug ins you may use.
And about my Behringer's and studio monitors in general.
They are very good for the price. Basically i beleive that all studio monitors are good when they are good to your ears. After that you start a passionate relationship with your monitors, because you need to spent time with them in order to know them. How they sound, how they respond and why. After that you can have sounding results that are almost equivalent to the guys who use the best and most expensive monitors around.
The only difference between expensive and not expensive monitors besides specs and price, is that with the very good and expensive monitors you don't really have to built that relationship because what you hear is what it is(and of course this the best). But when you can't afford it what alternatives you really have?
Thanx again guys. |
|
|
|
TuK
TuK
Started Topics :
41
Posts :
228
Posted : Sep 23, 2004 09:52
|
hey sektor666,
maybe you can share with us what you do after finishing a track.
do you eq,compress your final mix?
and when you send a track to a label dont you want it to sound the best it can?
then after they hear it you can send them the unmastered version so that they can do profesional mastering |
|
|
|
PRAECOX
Bigwigs
Started Topics :
33
Posts :
346
Posted : Sep 23, 2004 10:14
|
Quote:
|
On 2004-09-22 23:25, Sektor666 wrote:
i would not advice do any of these things at all ....
who do mastering ? you the silly guy near pc who think that understand someshit in sound design or guy that working years on compressing and eqing ...
guys produce music not sound ... sound producers are sound technicians so leave the job up to them ...
do correct mix as AvS mentioned and send your tracks trust me if your material is good mixed it will be accepted by label if they like you music ... so main is music and mix ...so do da best there not in sound design and "mastering"
mix is proper volume leveling , panning , compressing and naturality ...
what silly idea to use dynamics expander .... if some sound technician hear your mix and will hear not enough dynamics in the mix he will probaly do it much more pro than you do..if it's so easy by Alex's words
never saw proffecional band that master their music alone...... even Depeche Mode who are one of the best electronic music producers do not....
no offence Alex just Behringer monitors sucks imho ...how do you exacly hear your levels if monitor low's kick your ears ?
i bet everything sound kewl on such home teather system ...
|
|
100% agree!
sorry for that but what sektor tells it's true.
"they are very good for the price..." ok, hyundai coupe is also very good sport car for this price...but do what? the effects are similar to the price.
i wouldn tell that u can't do SOME things to make the track more dynamic and better sounding - with vintage warmer for ex.
but IT'S NOT THE MASTERING.
i think the producers SHOUDN"T master their own music. leave this job for the professionals who are not emotionaly involved in yo creation. they can look for the music from a good distance and catch some really important things.
also i wouldn't tell thet they CAN'T to do it.
good, high quality mastering should add the values wchich the producer can't add by himself. that why we need these guys:)
most of time it's all about REALLY big money and REALLY fresh sensitive ears...
(djs excluded!!!!:)))
j
"Soft as possible" - Morton Feldman
http://jurekprzezdziecki.net/ |
|
|
|
Sektor666
Inactive User
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
439
Posted : Sep 23, 2004 10:15
|
Dj tuk i do not compress final mix or EQ it i leave it up to guy who know to master and it is their work .. more things i will do i will harm more coz each proccess like warmer or pressor harm sound .......
my mix sound close of commercial CD mastering so "little" changes i leave to person who know job better and hear better
"little" coz alot of these little changes do my treack sound exacly like on CD
when i send music to label i want it to sound the best from musical point(coz i do send music) of view and mixed well ......
now
i say it because i teach two kids(our age kids) sound design and i see how they like new tools .... they call every new tool awesome becuase it's new ,...,,if i show them something aka settings for some storming kick they do the same and it kick ass ... they like everything ,,,,but when i say " create flat kick " they don't know how and start to play with PSP warmer (coz it sounds kewl) , 10 band EQ (when 2 band is enough) , compressor (which has nothing to do with that ) and again ......
so actualy ppl like new tools coz they think they kewl but they say to us "these tool sound awesome i feel it" sure you are ,,,,,, the point of all thi shit was that Alex probably know what he doing from his expirience , he knows how his mix sound and how he increase dynamic level.....but some of you maybe have enough of it to not use PSP with same settings as he ///
you say thank you for person who mistakes you ..
Alex don't feel bad about my words ...i just don't think is good idea to post settings for something even if it needed....I'm usre that you will help to community in other ways because you 14 years expirienced muscian ..
just explain more and why next time ? |
|
|
|
