Mastering Question - quick or slow release?

[evildonkeymaster]

Just curious as to what approach you guys are taking to mastering compression for metal.

Fast attck and fast release (ensuring no pumping occurs of course)

or...

Fast attack and slow slow release (more transparent but less "loud")

or...

some wacky combo of your own. Thanks.

 

[black sugar]

Your evildonkeyness,

Sent you a PM, but not sure if yer checkin'.


My current approach:

L3 Ultramaximizer: Fastest possible release 0.01?, no shaping or dither. Lower the threshold so that it barely attenuates the peaks, but with a fair amount of regularity -- ie snare hits. Output maxed then run that into...

L3 Multimaximizer: With the utmost subtlety, take advantage of the multi-band tonal shaping possibilities of the L3 Multi (Mulchie) if necessary. ARC mode, no shaping or dither, -0.5 to -1.5 threshold (depending on how squishy you want it), output at -0.03 into...

Ozone: Just use it for whatever the "maximizer" function is. Use the DC offset filter and Megabitmax dither. Fastest release (doesn't matter, though), prevent intersample clips, max out input and output thresholds (don't use 'em, basically), or output at -0.03 (shouldn't matter).


So to summarize, ever-so-slightly slam it with a fast release, then make yourself feel better about your RMS "loudness" with a long release. Your mileage (and dynamics) may vary.


Bryan

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

This is my method:

Waves LinMB into Waves L2... the LinMB on the "adaptive electro mastering" preset to compress it just a little, not too much... then the L2 on "Hi-Res Cd Master" to set a ceiling and prevent it from either skipping on older cd players of clipping and whatever else.

The release and attack vary depending on what I'm mastering, a nice quiet Rhodes piano instrumental ain't gonna be the same as some slammin' grindcore for example.

 

[vile_ator]

Hey. There is not a cookie cutter approach that you go with for every song you know. Sometimes you want a fast release and sometimes you want a slow one. It takes a long time to get to be able to hear how compression is changing your mix.

Most of the time for fast metal attack is somewhere around medium fast and release is between medium fast and slow. But this is different for every compressor. All I can say is try eq-comp-limit. If your mix is pretty good to start with you can comp-eq-limit.

Keep the compression ratio under 2:1 and squash by less than 4 db. Use the L2 and keep it under 6db if possible.

You might try sending a song to a pro, having them master it for you and then asking them what settings they used. Then try to emulate it yourself.

Good luck!!

Colin

 

[evildonkeymaster]

Hey. There is not a cookie cutter approach that you go with for every song you know. Sometimes you want a fast release and sometimes you want a slow one. It takes a long time to get to be able to hear how compression is changing your mix.

Most of the time for fast metal attack is somewhere around medium fast and release is between medium fast and slow. But this is different for every compressor. All I can say is try eq-comp-limit. If your mix is pretty good to start with you can comp-eq-limit.

Keep the compression ratio under 2:1 and squash by less than 4 db. Use the L2 and keep it under 6db if possible.

You might try sending a song to a pro, having them master it for you and then asking them what settings they used. Then try to emulate it yourself.

Good luck!!

Colin

Hey Colin
First off I got to say Vile kicks ass. The mp3 for the new stuff sounds well amazing. The cleanest and heavist sounding blast beats around. Makes the stuff easy to focus on the grooves and riffs and not the harsh noise or thin cluttered production that most bands that blast end up with!

On to the post, I agree there is no cookie cutter approach nor is there a magic peice of gear for mastering. I am having success mastering with both fas and slow relase times on a project. The attack is always pretty fast regardless. I just end up with a different tone. If I release quick the volume of the track is louder for sure. But we loose some of the snare dynamics and the guitars feel pressed. If I slow the relase it ends up perserving the mix dynamics but loosing the volume oomff. Both are loud enough for cd-dupe and relase. I was just wondering if anyone on the board had a prefrence for metal. I like you tips (dont have a hardware L2 though) I am running EQ-COMP-LIMIT as my chain right now.

One last question, do you ever adjust the stereo spread when you master? If so what do you use and where do you place it in the chain. Thanks again and finish that album so we can hear it.
Later
Ross

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

Vidna Obmana rules.

 

[blackcom]

Andy/James, when mastering do you go:

Multiband compression -> EQ -> Limiter

or

EQ -> Multiband compression -> Limiter?

Would be really cool to know how you guyes di'd that...

 

[James Murphy]

Hey Colin First off I got to say Vile kicks ass. The mp3 for the new stuff sounds well amazing. The cleanest and heavist sounding blast beats around.

could you please give me a link to this mp3 Colin or donkey?

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

James: http://www.vilestench.com/deafening.mp3

 

[evildonkeymaster]

James: http://www.vilestench.com/deafening.mp3

Thanks for the alley-oop Hopkins. Oh and yes Vidna Obmana does rule!

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

legacy is a fucking cool album, I love steve von till's intro speech-song thing.