new to mastering.

[timislegend]

yo!

i am kind of new to mastering... i already understand most principals like multiband compression / limiting / dither etc.

also, i'm curious about izotope ozone 4. i'm thinking about buying it. i tried the demo and liked it however is there a real practical use for it in the mastering world or should i just keep taking our stuff to a mastering house?


ps. are there any good tips for mastering anyone could let out? most people just give really vague advise rather than actual "real world" examples.

also... i think it would be nice to give examples of good loudness maximizing software... i realise this touchy for some people so if it offends you (i don't care) ...simply don't answer my question, but foremost don't belittle me because i would like to maximize the sustain of the overall mix by use common (current) methods.

 

[arv_foh]

the loudness maximizer in ozone rocks. I use it to "master" my stuff and so do a lot of other people on the board

 

[TheDriller]

My usual pseudo-mastering chain is :

-Linear Phase EQ (very small adjustments, usually just a highpass at 30hz or so)
-IK T-Racks Opto Compresor (gentle fat-ness)
-T-Racks Clipper ( set to pretty hard)
-T-Racks Clipper ( much softer clipping, and shaving off a bit less)

I've almost completely gone off using Limiters, can never seem to find one that doesn't completely ruin the sound when it's being made to work a bit.

 

[timislegend]

I've almost completely gone off using Limiters, can never seem to find one that doesn't completely ruin the sound when it's being made to work a bit.

for limiting i have used massey's L2007:

i am however currently looking for an algorithm that will improve a bigger output.

(and by bigger... yes i do mean louder) :Smug:

 

[TheDriller]

for limiting i have used massey's L2007:

i am however currently looking for an algorithm that will improve a bigger output.

(and by bigger... yes i do mean louder) :Smug:

Try doing what i do and just run two Clippers in series,

I find you can get more loudness without it completely shitting-out.

 

[Plec]

Mastering sucks!
Do it yourself, it's the only way.

Going for loudness... +1 on Driller. The answer is SPREAD YOUR LOAD!
And I don't mean that in a weird way... uke:

 

[gabriel g.]

well balanced mix and slate digital fg-x.

problem solved.
it is just stupid how easy you can master your stuff and get industry levels with this plugin.

desert-island plugin!!!

 

[timislegend]

well balanced mix and slate digital fg-x.

problem solved.
it is just stupid how easy you can master your stuff and get industry levels with this plugin.

desert-island plugin!!!

really? i have tried this plugin at my school and it makes the mix sound brittle to me... i haven't found a limiter yet.

it seems that there is a limiter out there for me.


thanks for the advice!

 

[waltz mastering]

i haven't found a limiter yet.

it seems that there is a limiter out there for me.

It's good to have a few different limiters and clippers to choose from... and ways to use them depending on what your dealing with.

It looks like by how the Massey is set, that your trying to have it do to much work by itself. I don't think I've gone over a dB and a half or two dB's of gain reduction on a limiter in a while.

What's happening before it should be doing most of the heavy lifting ime, That's where an analog chain helps, but you can get half decent results itb as well if you gain stage stuff in a manor that's beneficial to getting the final level with clean gain and where you want.

 

[timislegend]

It looks like by how the Massey is set, that your trying to have it do to much work by itself.

oop!

sorry this image is just from the massey website ... it's not a sceenshot.


it sounds like i have been getting a lot of the same answers... apparently my problem for loudness isn't my limiter... it's a "clipper"

are there any other brands of clippers? or settings in waves i could use to simulate the clipper algorithm?

btw... thank you so much for all of your help!

 

[Virgil.]

Are there any free plugins for MAC for mastering that anyone knows of? gclip is for PC, and all of the ones I've found that are MAC compatible are very pricey and my broke-ass can't afford them. lol. Thanks!

 

[Slate]

really? i have tried this plugin at my school and it makes the mix sound brittle to me... i haven't found a limiter yet.

it seems that there is a limiter out there for me.


thanks for the advice!

The FG-X doesn't affect frequency balance unless you really set it wrong. I'd try it again, and just mess with the Dynamic knob and gain.

There is a new review coming out in Computer Magazine where they put the FG-X against Ozone 4 and a dozen other limiters and declared it the "hands down winner"..

Mess with it! :Spin:

Alex

 

[timislegend]

maybe brittle is a harsh word...

i got a chance to mess with both algorithms and i feel like both of them don't really "glue" the master together.

the recording/editing/mixing equipment i use is quality stuff... ie. manley/chandler/neve/lavry... it just seems like there is something i am doing wrong.

maybe it's a technique i am missing but it would help to know where to start as far as slapping on a limiter and twisting a couple of knobs.


i have had a chance to mess with fg-x... i used it on three different mixes and maximized to the point of distortion (then pulled back)... the fact is, it just doesn't get that loud before it distorts. like i said maybe i am doing something wrong, that is something i am willing to admit! i just haven't heard a single professional mix that used a software limiter on the mastering chain that was worth writing home about.

someone please prove me wrong!

 

[Slate]

I can promise you that the FG-X gets plenty loud before any distortion. We have the top guys at Sterling using it along with a few thousand engineers who are raving about it.. Post your mix so we can help you!

Alex

 

[waltz mastering]

Are there any free plugins for MAC for mastering that anyone knows of? gclip is for PC, and all of the ones I've found that are MAC compatible are very pricey and my broke-ass can't afford them. lol. Thanks!

http://www.masseyplugins.com/ The L2007 is one of the better BWL's for mac... has a free no expiration demo.. just doesn't save the setting with the session...$89 when you decide to buy.

 

[muckypup1]

Would a free clipper like G-Clip work for bring the volume? My "masters" just aren't loud enough!

 

[Virgil.]

http://www.masseyplugins.com/ The L2007 is one of the better BWL's for mac... has a free no expiration demo.. just doesn't save the setting with the session...$89 when you decide to buy.

Thanks!

 

[Seth Munson]

defiantly give Slate another try.
its now my goto plug for loudness

 

[timislegend]

defiantly give Slate another try.
its now my goto plug for loudness

it's actually great... i had a mix in my friend's studio and he showed me some cool tricks with it.

i could get the loudness i was looking for. the key was clipping it with expensive converters then limiting it with the slate plugin ...then adding another brickwall on top of that.

end result = supreme loud!

i am in the market for a hardware limiter though, probably manley slam!


previous statment retracted... :Spin:

 

[guitarguru777]

God I wish I could afford another Slate plugin right now ... but I just bought my self a Rev jr ... So Ozone will have to do for now