MY FIRST REAL MIX/MASTER FROM SCRATCH (METALCORE/HARDCORE/DEATHCORE)

[SirKnucklesmd]

So I've been working on a metalcore project of mine for a couple months now and this is my first attempt at REAL audio production. I took my mixes to a local mastering "whiz" a few weeks back to have the finishing touches put on them. He did his "stem mastering" thing and I got the reference cd back and he turned my music to shit. You could not distinguish a goddamn thing, he did a great job of royally f***ing up my work. I won't do it here but needless to say I will be writing a lengthy review on what I think of his work and "innovative" stem-mastering approach which cost me $500. He wanted to charge me the full price again to do the revision so I gave him the middle and cut my losses and attempted to master it myself.

Anyways, I used Ozone because I heard that is the simplest way to achieve good results for the less experienced M.E. There is an Unmastered version and a Mastered version of the song. Any suggestions you guys have would be greatly appreciated, something you hear I could alter on my master or suggestions you have on the mix that would better effect the final mastered sound. Thanks to all in advance!


Mastered: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20963810/Frailty MASTER.mp3

Unmastered: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/20963810/Frailty UNMASTER.mp3

 

[SirKnucklesmd]

Holy shit! that mp3 was clipping everywhere. Hold on let me EDIT and get a better one up...


EDIT: yea idk why but the mp3's are clipping something fierce on my end and it definitely isn't because of my levels. I left -3db headroom on my unmastered and it too sounds like its being pumped...

 

[SirKnucklesmd]

Holy shit! that mp3 was clipping everywhere. Hold on let me EDIT and get a better one up...


EDIT: yea idk why but the mp3's are clipping something fierce on my end and it definitely isn't because of my levels. I left -3db headroom on my unmastered and it too sounds like its being pumped...

EDIT: yea nvm, it was the player. It seems to play fine in iTunes, sooo... yea. Listen and give me feedback!

 

[dani]

the vocals aren't that clear to begin with, and the kick isn't that defined..

guitars sound a tad over-edited..

the mastered version is dominated by that lead part though.. is there no way to get him to do another version? it doesn't sound like he's spent that long on it..

thanks,

 

[SirKnucklesmd]

the vocals aren't that clear to begin with, and the kick isn't that defined..

guitars sound a tad over-edited..

the mastered version is dominated by that lead part though.. is there no way to get him to do another version? it doesn't sound like he's spent that long on it..

thanks,

yea man, there's a way to do another version. I just need to do it... haha don't know who you're referring to as he, I had to do it myself cuz "he" fucked it up royally. It was unlistenable. It's why i'm looking for help on here, i'm not a mastering engineer... and i'm not made of money so I can't afford another $500 out of pocket for some old timer to do a hack job and put it through the wash cuz the music hurts his ears or whatever his excuse is to not spend anymore than 5 minutes a song on my project.