Mastering Noob

[Seth Munson]

I am trying to get better at mastering.
to my ear, i cant hear any clipping but thats why im posting here.

Im trying to train my ear better for this.
so do you guys hear any clipping? if so where so i can hear what you are hearing
are some frequencies too harsh?
is the master too loud? according to my meters it says it sits around -9 and -8 RMS


About the songs, basically a 15 year old kid came into the studio and wanted to do generic deathcore/pissed hardcore/choppy stuff, so he recorded everything, drums, guitar, bass and vocals. he said his vocals werent that great so we put them back in the mix a little bit. We were going for really clear and loud for the mastering. We think that in comparison to bands like Impending Doom and Molotov Solution our mix and master is clearer (are we close or far off?)

and i know some of the stuff probably isnt humanly possible and sound fake (intro bits) but thats what we were going for.


Intro
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3319101/intro test 3.mp3

Song
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3319101/song test 3.mp3


im not trying to praise the kids song writing, or the mix or master cuz none of it is any good. simply trying to get better. so dont bash me, too hard...

 

[Seth Munson]

bump

no one has any words of advice for me? :/

 

[NSGUITAR]

bump

no one has any words of advice for me? :/

The guitar tone sounds a little bit muddy to me. Maybe boost some higher frequencies a little bit?


The bass sounds awesome! What are you using for it?

 

[amarshism]

sounds like all the transients on the guitar have been chopped off

 

[Seth Munson]

The guitar tone sounds a little bit muddy to me. Maybe boost some higher frequencies a little bit?


The bass sounds awesome! What are you using for it?

bass chain was just L1 -> UAD Preflex

i dont think there was any post EQ on it.

 

[Seth Munson]

sounds like all the transients on the guitar have been chopped off

hmm, any suggestions on how to restore them while still keeping it super choppy and almost robotic?

 

[Plankis]

yeah the guitars are definitely chopped a bit too early, sounds weird on some parts.

 

[Seth Munson]

Anyone have any comments on the mastering?

thats what im most worried about and trying to get better at.

 

[Nuno Filipe]

The snare it´s pretty smashed. It´s a thing that I really hate in mastering, but dont worry dude I am no better than you.

 

[shred101]

Dont know how you've edited/processed the guitar but it doesnt really sound much like a guitar anymore. Too overcompressed imho. What compression are you using?

 

[Seth Munson]

I guess i should really make it clear.

the guys in the band really wanted the guitar FUCKED UP, super choppy, robotic and to the point that it doesnt even sound like a guitar.
so, im actually glad that you guys see it that way cuz thats what we wanted for it.

Dont know how you've edited/processed the guitar but it doesnt really sound much like a guitar anymore. Too overcompressed imho. What compression are you using?

no compression on guitars, guitar chain was PODfarm and thats it.

The snare it´s pretty smashed.

see now im not sure if thats a good or bad thing. arent most modern masters pretty smashed?

or can someone explain how i can "un-smash" the snare but still have the master loud as shit?

 

[shogger]

I'm not sure what you're looking for. It's loud and it's clearer than the meantioned bands. No bad clipping heard here. If you want your mastering judged and not your mix/production you should post the mix. Then we could compare to the mastered version and tell you if your mastering is good. If the result of your production was the goal then it's all good?

Shogger

 

[Nauru]

I'd work on taming the lower mids some.

 

[smy1]

I like the track!

 

[Seth Munson]

I'd work on taming the lower mids some.

yea, i think the bass can get a little bit out of control from time to time.

 

[ChristopherJames99]

you said that the chain was pod farm only,
Was the only thing you did in the mix was use the diamond plate, threadplate with the condenser, tubes screamer, and just EQ is from the head.

I'm acutely working on a mix right now and that tone you got right there is pretty much what the band im working with is wanting, cant seem to get i right so far. just wondering how you got the tone like that.

 

[Sixstringmayhem]

I know this is a wicked old thread, but can you describe your process for you reverse snare reverb? sounds enormous. also for the guitars on the intro. to get that ridiculous fast riffing did you just do it in slower takes and then speed it up?

 

[Seth Munson]

No verb on the snares. I really REALLY hate verb and I usually dont have any verb ever, If I do it is for an effect versus being a tool.
Snares are just room and comp'd to have tons of the room to pull through.

And I dont ever slow things down for tracking, for this we wanted it to sound fake as shit. so the guitars are programmed.