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The Mother of all Mastering thread
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Kane
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
23
Posts :
1772
Posted : Nov 7, 2008 15:00
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+1 for the Variable Mu...Prism MLA-2 is also realllly nice 
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Upavas
Upavas
Started Topics :
150
Posts :
3315
Posted : Dec 28, 2008 13:19
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How would you guys apply a stereoizer for the mastering process. I find it does enhance but is very easily overused. It seems to help clearing up the overall mix and making the components clearer...
I have been experimenting with the Aire thingy in PT8.
^^
Any advice on this ???
Upavas - Here And Now (Sangoma Rec.) new EP out Oct.29th, get it here:
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http://upavas.com
http://soundcloud.com/upavas-1/ |
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exkor
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
14
Posts :
98
Posted : Jul 4, 2009 11:21
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The most important thing is to break your channels into frequency groups and that's it. There is no magic tool that will clear your audio and make your mixdowns crystal clear. Even hardware won't do it for you. You need to set your mind for mastering from the first second you start working on your track and that is knowing what channel will go to what frequency group. That being said, when you divide it that way you will already hear each sound in it's place before you export your mix for mastering. If your mixdown is not clean at some point before you master your are doing something wrong and your mastered piece will sound like crap. Have a clear idea of what sounds go where otherwise you will never have a good finish to your work.
If you want a track to put as a role model infront of yourself try any Infected track from Viscous Delicious, now THAT is MASTERING. If your mastered track does not get to the same volume while being crisp and clean as clear water go work on it more...
a small note on bit depth:
never convert your mixdown from 16bit to 24bit, your are not gaining anything at all, and actually will generate noise if the "conversion" process not good enough. It's a simple computer science / engineering detail, don't listen to idiots who advice you to do so.
Why?
With 16bit calculation/depth you have a set of 16bit long arrays to store 16bit long numbers (amplitude points of a wave) which represent a wave file (such as your mixdown when you export it). If you "convert" it to 24bit you are adding 8 extra bits to each array but the data to fill those 8 extra bits doesn't come from air and there is no magic process to generate this data. So the software, when coverting, will either duplicate existing data or will fill the 8 bits with zeros, so essentially you are not gaining anything at all, in fact you are increasing the processing time, taking up disk space and CPU recourses. In the end you will need to put this all on a CD or covert to an MP3 which will end up as a 16bit file anyways.
If you record external audio (A2D) in 24bit (such as vocals or guitar) then work in 24bit all the way.
Also, recording in 24bit will only be a good idea when you have drastic jumps in amplitude in the recorded analog sound/wave. That being said when you need VERY loud or REALLY high pitch drastic squeaky sounds present in your recording go for 24bits, otherwise there is no point.
my share of experience and knowledge...
good luck! |
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Medea
Aedem/Medea
Started Topics :
127
Posts :
1132
Posted : Sep 17, 2009 02:59
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Colin OOOD
Moderator
Started Topics :
95
Posts :
5380
Posted : Sep 17, 2009 14:07
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jizy
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
90
Posts :
1493
Posted : Sep 18, 2009 01:04
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Quote:
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On 2009-09-17 14:07, Colin OOOD wrote:
After a couple of mixing + mastering requests I'm now offering a mixing service as well as mastering. Anything from kick/bass/everything else, to 8 stems, to full multitrack mixing. It's an additional cost to a basic mastering job but depending on the track
(ie. on your own level of production) it can make a huge difference.
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hey colin how about if I just send u a raw kick and bass loop track ..say 8 bars, for like a couple of qid , send em back to me with a list of powerful instructions to what u did... Hmmm it il save me another year or so in experiance eheheh yeh mate?
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jizy
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
90
Posts :
1493
Posted : Sep 18, 2009 01:08
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Quote:
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On 2009-09-17 02:59, Medea wrote:
It may sound stupid, but BLT EQ from URS can do wonders! Just boost a little bass and treble and enjoy 
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i prefer the sonic maximizer to blt, for bass and treble
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Freeflow
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
60
Posts :
3709
Posted : Sep 18, 2009 01:49
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like you say mixing and mastering is connected, but sometimes a track can gain from not cutting too much bass f,ex in the mixing stage and instead cut in the mastering stage, sometimes its just easier to get a good balance this way...
still its easy to do premasters(well not easy but easier) than doing a mastering job for a whole album where each track has different rms and other level changes... this also has a lot to do with track order...
Nowdays i really like T-racks 3 and i notice it takes more job in the mixing stage to get a good premaster, also i really struggle not to do too hot masters cause what is most important is the mix.. its sometimes hard to remember that... at least for me, and i really lack in mixing smooth...
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jizy
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
90
Posts :
1493
Posted : Sep 18, 2009 03:59
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Quote:
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On 2009-09-18 01:49, Freeflow wrote:
like you say mixing and mastering is connected, but sometimes a track can gain from not cutting too much bass f,ex in the mixing stage and instead cut in the mastering stage, sometimes its just easier to get a good balance this way...
still its easy to do premasters(well not easy but easier) than doing a mastering job for a whole album where each track has different rms and other level changes... this also has a lot to do with track order...
Nowdays i really like T-racks 3 and i notice it takes more job in the mixing stage to get a good premaster, also i really struggle not to do too hot masters cause what is most important is the mix.. its sometimes hard to remember that... at least for me, and i really lack in mixing smooth...
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it's one of those things where your just gotta trust your ears and sonic instincts
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Freeflow
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
60
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3709
Posted : Sep 18, 2009 05:33
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yeah, true! and also take time to really listen, and imagine what you want to hear...
like i love that smooth round kick and bass sound that some progressive and even fullon artist achieve but i have a hard time getting it my self... i often mix the bass and kick too loud.... i think i am going to spend more time with mixing and really listen to the sounds these days...
cheers
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jizy
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
90
Posts :
1493
Posted : Sep 18, 2009 11:31
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Do what u want with the bass...I'm using voxengos PHA at the mo...find a nice phase shift then use a mono maker and cut below certain points eg all frees below 300hz in mono and narrow the overall bass lines image...pure mono bass lines bore me,, so I maybe use elavtya's Widerboy pro...great this is especially fuking with the pivot point..I always use brainworx bcontrol at the end of the chain to check correlation...aslong as everything below 300hz in mono (not exacly) do what u want to make your kick and bass interesting but keeping the image fairly narrow.
Like in a previouse post freeflow I mention tweaking the phase of the baseline really rounds of the edges as for the kick spend about half anhour tweaking n tuning tail to bass envelopes (filtr & amp) tight and punchy!! compression on kick - 500hz dip (roundness) use URS A10 series Eq
sidechain on bass - I use URS N12 350hz tweaked (mud removal)
main channel - sonic maximizer
not rules I know...but a workflow of ideas at least... This is mixing also but hope this helps freeflow
The result is a round kick a fat wide bassline
before any of that fancy processing and rule braking bass widener tools... tweak to the best u posably can.. I notice turning the phase to certain degrees can give the fullon flowing baseline (no click)
Mod matrix velocity volume cutoff filter envelopes amp envelopes....freeflow spend a couple of solid months of just tweaking,, practice is the only way mate
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Freeflow
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
60
Posts :
3709
Posted : Sep 18, 2009 14:21
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Hey jizy! Nice pointers.. Thanks a lot
Im going to experiment with it...
Cheers m8
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orgytime
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
120
Posts :
1703
Posted : Jan 11, 2010 23:10
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Hey guys, i need some intrested ears
please check this track and tell me how i can inprove my mastering techniques.
0,5mb mp3:
1st part original
2nd part mastered
http://www.filefront.com/15337653/mastering%20vergleich.mp3
im amazed by the added clearness/air, but i think i need some warmness.
i got voxengo-warmifier and psp-vintagewarmer, but dont know how to use it/hear it... , any ideas?
ah, and i forgot... a little bit more loudness would be nice... my problem is, that the sound gets distorted if i limit/compress more than in this example.
cheers
www.soundcloud.com/orgytime |
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
162
Posts :
8087
Posted : Jan 12, 2010 00:43
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the master is louder and sound maybe cleaner but you should fix that in the mix not at the master ,is it a psytrance track?if yes if you could upload a sample with the beat.
if it get distorded try a longueur release on what you use but you may loose punch the more you add some,it s always about compromise... it s reason why it s good to master your own tracks imo to make your mix better with the experience , to go loud with the less distortion too,when you stick at mixing only , you have no clue about all that,getting the track loud and clean (these 2 words dont go well together, i think everyhting that make things louder add distortion ) |
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orgytime
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
120
Posts :
1703
Posted : Jan 12, 2010 01:15
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hey PoM!
no, its not psytrance... a little film-music project im working on, but its my first mastering experience^^
i know what you want to say, if im learning to master a little bit, i can understand how to mix right.
but i dont get, how to receive this clearness only with mixing?
so... to prevent distortion, i cant try to mix better? how?
maybe i sould tell you what i did (mastering).
- low-cut @ 30Hz, High-cut @ 20kHz
-multicompressor
- 10band EQ (formant-lowering/notching) very big difference...
-harmonic exciter
-stereo management/antiphase...
-limiter
thanks for listening!
cheers
www.soundcloud.com/orgytime |
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