Eq, limiters, compressors, reverb? I'd like to hear more of the ways you do and is there some basic rule whats after what?
What do you stuff on masterchain?
- Thread starter ApeScaleConflict
- Start date
amarshism
Member
Ssl buscomp, clipper, pultec eq, multiband comp, clipper, ozone 4 using mid/side harmonic exciter, reverb, mid/side eq, limiter, tape saturation.
bryan_kilco
Member
I'm very interested in this as well. It's a general rule of thumb to only compress your Master bus about 1-3dB max reduction, correct?
amarshism
Member
No, it's really dependent on the material. Attack, and more importantly, release times play a big part here. Some of the big rock producers/mixers like cla and staub are allegedly pulling upto 8db gr on the master bus. For faster material it's probably not as desirable, but certainly on slower/rockier songs I like the glue and pump it can give. Ermz has been experimenting with this for a while with great results.
There are plenty of threads around here on mastering.
There are plenty of threads around here on mastering.
Yeah there is, kinda licked the cake before a proper search. Its funny that my recent mixes i had done prctically all wrong when it comes to mastering. Its nice to try if things will turn heavier now.
bryan_kilco
Member
So....sort of related to topic....
Let's say you have an entire album in one session, and you are applying your master comp. If you have a part of a song that, say, requires a slow release etc, but another part that's opposite....do you automate your Master comp? Or would you automate the individual instruments/comp in the mix?
Let's say you have an entire album in one session, and you are applying your master comp. If you have a part of a song that, say, requires a slow release etc, but another part that's opposite....do you automate your Master comp? Or would you automate the individual instruments/comp in the mix?
amarshism
Member
bryan_kilco
Member
Its odd that i used event horizon first and then comp and a clipper. And it sure sounded better than first comp, then clip and limiter. Do people do d separate "all drums" channel to their mix and limit it before the master? I have kick and snare on a separate bus that is limited and "all drums" that is also limited. Now that i speak i got the feeling that says to take the limitermania a bit fuck off whaddaya say? 
darthjujuu
Member
clipping the drum bus is pretty common, to reduce how much of the transient gets snipped off by the master bus limiter. this helps drums sit in a loud limited mix a little nicer.
i've never had great luck with loads of plugins on the 2bus... many of the greats will tell you not to try and mold the mix using mastering plugins, because the mix is just that.... in the mix. but one thing that remains consistent is limiting it super hard for loudness. the only "rule" i use with limiting is ... pop out elephant, which is almost always the last in my chain due to it's invaluable metering, and adjust the gain til i'm averaging around -8.0db RMS.
i use radically different chains everytime i finish a project. sometimes ozone, sometimes not. one of my best masters ever, in my opinion, was nothing but C4 > elephant. this is it: http://www.atomicballroomcalamity.com/bird/joey4.mp3
i've never had great luck with loads of plugins on the 2bus... many of the greats will tell you not to try and mold the mix using mastering plugins, because the mix is just that.... in the mix. but one thing that remains consistent is limiting it super hard for loudness. the only "rule" i use with limiting is ... pop out elephant, which is almost always the last in my chain due to it's invaluable metering, and adjust the gain til i'm averaging around -8.0db RMS.
i use radically different chains everytime i finish a project. sometimes ozone, sometimes not. one of my best masters ever, in my opinion, was nothing but C4 > elephant. this is it: http://www.atomicballroomcalamity.com/bird/joey4.mp3
I use a comp and saturation. I've changed the sat plugs around so many times that I don't know which is which anymore. That leads me to believe that they are all very similar.
Never use limiter or EQ on the 2bus. I leave that to the mastering guy with the golden ears/room and fresh perspective to deal with.
Never use limiter or EQ on the 2bus. I leave that to the mastering guy with the golden ears/room and fresh perspective to deal with.
I purchased Cytomic's "The Glue"
one of the best investments ever.
SSL based buss compressor. it has some extra controls that make it applicable to so much.
sounds great for buss compression & mastering compression alike.
try it out. if you're still searching for something of this nature.
as for everything else, I have a number of various situational stuff.
check out the Sonalksis Mastering Suite. it's my sound preference over most of the Waves mastering tools.
it includes a gorgeous Multiband Limiter.
I'm actually searching for a more dedicated EQ plug for mastering.
I have Ozone, but I haven't even used it yet. haha
one of the best investments ever.
SSL based buss compressor. it has some extra controls that make it applicable to so much.
sounds great for buss compression & mastering compression alike.
try it out. if you're still searching for something of this nature.
as for everything else, I have a number of various situational stuff.
check out the Sonalksis Mastering Suite. it's my sound preference over most of the Waves mastering tools.
it includes a gorgeous Multiband Limiter.
I'm actually searching for a more dedicated EQ plug for mastering.
I have Ozone, but I haven't even used it yet. haha
Sinister Mephisto
1337
- Sep 20, 2005
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Auto release is good, but it doesn't select the best the best release time for everything. If I was mixing a whole album in one session and two songs were significantly different feels I would absolutely automate the master compressor.
changed to ozone and did a lil' tape distortion. I seriously think ozone is quite a good limiter. Definetly better than event horizon
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7606286/teroantero12.mp3
theres' a clip if ya like. i personally gotta do another song cuz im getting tired to that one as i've tweaked it too much
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7606286/teroantero12.mp3
theres' a clip if ya like. i personally gotta do another song cuz im getting tired to that one as i've tweaked it too much
Emdprodukt
Member of Dude Castle 69
VCC
Wave Arts Tube Saturator (subtle settings)
FG-X (without comp, usually have the ssl on my mixbus)
that's it, at least when I'm mastering my own mixes. I always feel like it's better to fix the mix instead of trying to change something with multiband comp/eq in the mastering chain.
Wave Arts Tube Saturator (subtle settings)
FG-X (without comp, usually have the ssl on my mixbus)
that's it, at least when I'm mastering my own mixes. I always feel like it's better to fix the mix instead of trying to change something with multiband comp/eq in the mastering chain.
totally depends per project.
but usually, I'm using every slot on my master buss (in mix sessions, mind you. some of these are to benefit the mix and others are to get the 'glue' and loudness).
i'll have console emu, m/s EQ, buss comp, DSM and a finalizer.
also, THE GLUE by Cytomic absolutely shits on every other SSL Buss Comp plug out there.
'Nuff Said.
First plug will always be VCC from here on out.
but usually, I'm using every slot on my master buss (in mix sessions, mind you. some of these are to benefit the mix and others are to get the 'glue' and loudness).
i'll have console emu, m/s EQ, buss comp, DSM and a finalizer.
also, THE GLUE by Cytomic absolutely shits on every other SSL Buss Comp plug out there.
'Nuff Said.
First plug will always be VCC from here on out.
The StabbinCabin
Member
cyril_v
âª-â«-âª
- Feb 28, 2010
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