Mastering Techniques
- Thread starter AlexWadeWC
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AlexWadeWC
Well-Known Member
Are you saying it will phase when it's monoed? or just easier to hear the phase? Doesn't seem like it would be a concern because if I was bouncing a mono master that'd be a whole other problem haha. I don't hear any phasing right now, it's just a slight spread
It basically does the fake doubletracking trick. Maybe a bit more subtle but that's it. You can get the same spread by going back to the mix and eq a bit differently.
And strangely enough all good sounding productions sounds just as good in mono.
It's a good way of checking if there are any fighting frequencies, instrument levels and more. I think my mixes has gotten a lot better since I started checking in mono.
And strangely enough all good sounding productions sounds just as good in mono.
It's a good way of checking if there are any fighting frequencies, instrument levels and more. I think my mixes has gotten a lot better since I started checking in mono.
AlexWadeWC
Well-Known Member
Hmmm i'll have to try the mono trick then!
AlexWadeWC
Well-Known Member
yeah I just read up more on it and everyone is pretty much saying it's a big no no... that if you want your master bigger and wider to pan your instruments that way in the mix. But my question is like, my guitars are hard left and hard right, and before I used the stereo spread i never noticed anything wrong but then when I used it it felt like the guitars slid out left and right farther and made the vocals a lot more clear because they weren't in the way, so how would i get the same effect without the stereo spread because i can't pan the guitars anymore left and right in the mixer hahaha.
And it also made the drums sound huge too.... so i dunno, the mastering gurus act like it's satans spawn of plug-ins but i think it sounds awesome
? then again what do i know hahahaha. 
And it also made the drums sound huge too.... so i dunno, the mastering gurus act like it's satans spawn of plug-ins but i think it sounds awesome
? then again what do i know hahahaha. yeah I just read up more on it and everyone is pretty much saying it's a big no no... that if you want your master bigger and wider to pan your instruments that way in the mix. But my question is like, my guitars are hard left and hard right, and before I used the stereo spread i never noticed anything wrong but then when I used it it felt like the guitars slid out left and right farther and made the vocals a lot more clear because they weren't in the way, so how would i get the same effect without the stereo spread because i can't pan the guitars anymore left and right in the mixer hahaha.
And it also made the drums sound huge too.... so i dunno, the mastering gurus act like it's satans spawn of plug-ins but i think it sounds awesome
as for vocals sitting and guitars try cutting a very small amount around 1k-2.5k on guitars this will carve a a pocket for vocals to sit better also hi passing higher then you are used will make your bass fill in and make your guitars sound bigger and the same goes for bass and drums. i rarley use any frequency under 60hz as its just adds noise and flub, your punch lies in the 60hz-250hz range.
you may know all this but it will make your mastering job easier!
hope im not feeding info you already know.
Cheers
GinoBambino54
Well-Known Member
what i normally do is mix with my mastering chain running aswell, so that way theres no suprised when it hits the final stage,
best advice is to use a bus compressor on the mix, ssl works nicely but any compressor could work, get a 2:1 ratio goin, 10ms attack with auto release, 4-6 dec. gain reduction
then use ozone to master it, i only use the limiter nothing else, slight eq maybe in the mids area to clean up the mix, and of course using high and low pass/filters where appropriate is allways helpful
your mix should be pretty damn awesome, mastering should really only get you the loudness and nothing else.
best advice is to use a bus compressor on the mix, ssl works nicely but any compressor could work, get a 2:1 ratio goin, 10ms attack with auto release, 4-6 dec. gain reduction
then use ozone to master it, i only use the limiter nothing else, slight eq maybe in the mids area to clean up the mix, and of course using high and low pass/filters where appropriate is allways helpful
your mix should be pretty damn awesome, mastering should really only get you the loudness and nothing else.
illimmigrant
A Different Logic
This might sound a bit retarded, but I have to ask because I am not used to the recording "lingo" and English is my second language, as undoubtedly hinted at by my user name ...
What do you mean by "bus" compressor? If I understand correctly, what you're saying is, you can "stream" a combination of all of your tracks through just one audio track (or "bus" I'm guessing), put a compressor on it and then, as you playback your recording, you can tweak your individual tracks and hear the difference in the compressed bus without having to do a mixdown of you tracks first???
Is this making sense? If it is what I think, then it sounds like a really good idea, as you do eliminate the surprises.
Also, which DAW do you use? I only have Cubase 5, no external vst's or any other mixing or mastering software, but i assume putting a compressor and a limiter in Cubase is no different from a comressor and a limiter in Ozone... they are what they are, right?
Kurkkuviipale
Another Sinking ....
Ozone is a VST used for mastering purposes.
The bussing is called "A Group Channel" in Cubase.
The difference between Cubases compressor and Ozones compressor is that Ozones compressor is made for mastering purposes, Cubases inbuilt compressor is made for general use.
Master bus (press F3 in Cubase and check channel named "stereo out") is a bus channel that sums all your individual tracks together. It's basically the thing that you hear out of your speakers. You may add your whole mastering chain to the master bus, but unfortunately you can't use Cubases inbuilt EQ (in the master bus track) as it comes after the chain and not before it. Remember to add a limiter to the last piece in the chain to eliminate clipping and to make the mix go loud.
IMO you should never actually mix with your master chain applied. You can check things, like if the drum transients are going wild or something, but never make changes with the mastering chain applied. Always go back to mix and fix the source.
The bussing is called "A Group Channel" in Cubase.
The difference between Cubases compressor and Ozones compressor is that Ozones compressor is made for mastering purposes, Cubases inbuilt compressor is made for general use.
Master bus (press F3 in Cubase and check channel named "stereo out") is a bus channel that sums all your individual tracks together. It's basically the thing that you hear out of your speakers. You may add your whole mastering chain to the master bus, but unfortunately you can't use Cubases inbuilt EQ (in the master bus track) as it comes after the chain and not before it. Remember to add a limiter to the last piece in the chain to eliminate clipping and to make the mix go loud.
IMO you should never actually mix with your master chain applied. You can check things, like if the drum transients are going wild or something, but never make changes with the mastering chain applied. Always go back to mix and fix the source.
TreWatson
A HUGE FREAKING WEEABOO
i agree completely.
i mix with NOTHING on my master chain, and send my mix out to a blank project, where i add ozone
also, dont send a mp3 to master. bad idea.
Kurkkuviipale
Another Sinking ....
Yep. You're gonna end up with double loss on the data. That's a bad thing 'eh?
illimmigrant
A Different Logic
got it! thanks.
I usually import a wav file of my mix, which is at a pretty low volume into another project as mentioned, and then apply the compressing and limiting there before making the mp3.
Ozone really sounds like it's worth getting, from what I read.
I usually import a wav file of my mix, which is at a pretty low volume into another project as mentioned, and then apply the compressing and limiting there before making the mp3.
Ozone really sounds like it's worth getting, from what I read.
Kurkkuviipale
Another Sinking ....
Well yea that's what I do when I'm doing kind of a "final master" to a song. Like someone else mentioned in this thread, it's nice to kinda see that your waveform is healthy before applying anything to it.
Fast mixes can go with the usual mastering chain... (Bombardier->Ozone with the settings that Taylor mentioned)
Fast mixes can go with the usual mastering chain... (Bombardier->Ozone with the settings that Taylor mentioned)
Ozone is a fantastic plugin. Very powerful.
When I am mastering, I only use Ozone, I don't need anything else.
For anyone who is going to become more serious, regardless if it is professional or not, Ozone is a great tool to have.
When I am mastering, I only use Ozone, I don't need anything else.
For anyone who is going to become more serious, regardless if it is professional or not, Ozone is a great tool to have.
Kurkkuviipale
Another Sinking ....
Yep, I could definitely go only Ozone, but Bombardier is just a handy compressor and adds a freaking metal punch to the sound.
yeah I just read up more on it and everyone is pretty much saying it's a big no no... that if you want your master bigger and wider to pan your instruments that way in the mix. But my question is like, my guitars are hard left and hard right, and before I used the stereo spread i never noticed anything wrong but then when I used it it felt like the guitars slid out left and right farther and made the vocals a lot more clear because they weren't in the way, so how would i get the same effect without the stereo spread because i can't pan the guitars anymore left and right in the mixer hahaha.
And it also made the drums sound huge too.... so i dunno, the mastering gurus act like it's satans spawn of plug-ins but i think it sounds awesome
Apply the stereo spreader to the rhythm guitar bus and you'll be fine. Do check in mono though, as Plankis says.
As far tips, this is an amazing tool:
Bombardier | Stillwell Audio - It's About The Sound
A couple of instances of that with some well-chosen RMS values and you'll smooth your transients very naturally so your limiter can do a nice and transparent job of expanding. Reading the manual is an absolute must to understand how to use it effectively though.
Splees
splees
You're on Logic, right?
Get yourself some airwindows plugs. More specifically NC17. I used ozone before and it always seemed kind of plasticy. If you want loudness, nc17 will most definitely help you get there the cleanest/cheapest way possible. You can even use it on busses. works great on drums. I haven't tried guitars yet.
You'll be golden as long as you have a good mix.
Get yourself some airwindows plugs. More specifically NC17. I used ozone before and it always seemed kind of plasticy. If you want loudness, nc17 will most definitely help you get there the cleanest/cheapest way possible. You can even use it on busses. works great on drums. I haven't tried guitars yet.
You'll be golden as long as you have a good mix.
Scar Symmetry
Ex Whiny Bitch
...and now I love this thread even more.
