Best mastering plugins?
- Thread starter webstop
- Start date
jitteringjim
Insert Custom Title Here
I second Ozone, but Steinberg's Freefilter alone is worth the price of the mastering pack IMHO.
Seanmorse79
New member
Why does everybody say T-Racks is a toy? I've personally never used it, but I've heard a couple of awesome sounding tracks that it was used to create (maybe it was used sparingly?)
I've seen a bit of T-Racks bashing around here ...just curious.
I've seen a bit of T-Racks bashing around here ...just curious.
Newest User
New member
Seanmorse79 said:
In my opinion, mostly because it does't have alot of the functionality that a Mastering Engineer would need to do the job right. It doesn't have GUI wave editor for instance, you would need another editor like Sound Forge to do 98 percent of your post production editing. Great things can be done with it in the right hands, right monitoring and the right primary editor. Maybe that will change due to pressure from the user base.
Peace,
Dennis
knownuttin
New member
Just seconding Chess's question about the FreeFilter. Jim, or anybody. WTF, do you do widdit?
-kent
-kent
blinddogblues
New member
Free Filter-You use it to rip off somebody else's mix, that's what! You put in your favorite tune, it morphs the mix over to yours. In other words, it eq's your mix just like another one.
As far as the best mastering plug ins-how about Waves Gold Bundle....?
As far as the best mastering plug ins-how about Waves Gold Bundle....?
jitteringjim
Insert Custom Title Here
On Freefilter:
More or less what blinddogblues said. It's sort of a combo EQ and (auto, no settings to screw with) multiband compressor that learns source material & applies those settings to selected program material.
Here's how I use it:
I get my mix as close as I can to my reference. Load a sample of the reference material into Freefilter to be analyzed. Save the analysis as a preset. Apply the preset to my material.
It's not quite as easy as it sounds though, as you have a choice of morph value and gain. It takes a bit of practice to get it right, but I've had excellent results with it. I generally tweak the mix just a bit after the processing, but it's one of the most useful plugs I have.
Samplitude has a similar filtering process, but I'm still working on it.
On the Waves Mastering plugs:
These plugs assume that you know a bit about mastering. They aren't as straight forward or "automated" as T-Racks or Ozone. I like the L2, but the others have a bit of a learning curve; not unlike the mastering process itself.
T-Racks:
Has some cool features, and it's good at getting your mix to sound "warm," but I think it's time has passed. It doesn't hold a candle to Ozone as far as features go. I've used it for a final compressor a few times, but by the time I get my mix through my other processing there isn't alot T-Racks can do for me.
YMMV, of course.
More or less what blinddogblues said. It's sort of a combo EQ and (auto, no settings to screw with) multiband compressor that learns source material & applies those settings to selected program material.
Here's how I use it:
I get my mix as close as I can to my reference. Load a sample of the reference material into Freefilter to be analyzed. Save the analysis as a preset. Apply the preset to my material.
It's not quite as easy as it sounds though, as you have a choice of morph value and gain. It takes a bit of practice to get it right, but I've had excellent results with it. I generally tweak the mix just a bit after the processing, but it's one of the most useful plugs I have.
Samplitude has a similar filtering process, but I'm still working on it.
On the Waves Mastering plugs:
These plugs assume that you know a bit about mastering. They aren't as straight forward or "automated" as T-Racks or Ozone. I like the L2, but the others have a bit of a learning curve; not unlike the mastering process itself.
T-Racks:
Has some cool features, and it's good at getting your mix to sound "warm," but I think it's time has passed. It doesn't hold a candle to Ozone as far as features go. I've used it for a final compressor a few times, but by the time I get my mix through my other processing there isn't alot T-Racks can do for me.
YMMV, of course.
Last edited:
Seanmorse79
New member
Lots of great info in there. I definitely learned something.
Freefilter sounds like it may be worth looking into. I'm really curious how something like that could work. Does the instrumentation from the source material need to be very close to the material you're working on?
Freefilter sounds like it may be worth looking into. I'm really curious how something like that could work. Does the instrumentation from the source material need to be very close to the material you're working on?
knownuttin
New member
Thanks, I'll have to investigate. I mistook it for another eq and I favor Waves for that.
-kent
-kent
jitteringjim
Insert Custom Title Here
Yes, exactly. For example, I recently did some "mastering" work for a local "retro metal" band. The 2 track mix I was given on CD was really muddy. I asked to be given an example of what they wanted the mix to be comparable to, and the band's answer was "Mob Rules" by Black Sabbath. I used Freefilter to get the EQ and the multiband compression similar to the reference mix, and then used an Afro plug to tweak it a bit (ie: do some frequency specific slight delay to separate the kick drum and bass, which were stepping all over each other - and to bring out a few of the vox frequencies a bit more.) They were very happy with the results. Freefilter won't make your mix sound like the reference, but it's a great tool for getting you quite a bit closer.
I generally use one of the Black Crowes CDs as a reference on my own mixes, as the instrumentation is similar.
It pays to choose a good reference with a lot of dynamics, rather than a lot of the more modern "brick wall" mixes, as those will totally ruin you own mix.
tvaillan
New member
C4!
The use of the Waves C4 (even with the steinberg presets) in conjunction with freefilter, the simple to use TL EQ1 and ME Spectralizer is what does it for me. That and a loudness maximizer.
The main output chain:
1- TL EQ (basic eqing to get some roughness out of there)
2- freefilter (freeload a good mixed eq sound from an albumn)
3 -waves C4 (compression and eq tweaking)
4- Spectrlaizer (add some really mild shimmer. good on vocals)
5- L1 Maximizer (increase output db's and limit to -0.3 db's)
NOTE: use the TL EQ and Spectralizer with great care. Sometimes, neither of these are needed.
Now with my own material, i haven't even gotten to this step as i've remained mostly down in the trenches doing some mixing and re-recording. For a lady that's been recording some acoustic guitar and vocals in my little apartment room studio however, i've been getting some great results with this setup.
The use of the Waves C4 (even with the steinberg presets) in conjunction with freefilter, the simple to use TL EQ1 and ME Spectralizer is what does it for me. That and a loudness maximizer.
The main output chain:
1- TL EQ (basic eqing to get some roughness out of there)
2- freefilter (freeload a good mixed eq sound from an albumn)
3 -waves C4 (compression and eq tweaking)
4- Spectrlaizer (add some really mild shimmer. good on vocals)
5- L1 Maximizer (increase output db's and limit to -0.3 db's)
NOTE: use the TL EQ and Spectralizer with great care. Sometimes, neither of these are needed.
Now with my own material, i haven't even gotten to this step as i've remained mostly down in the trenches doing some mixing and re-recording. For a lady that's been recording some acoustic guitar and vocals in my little apartment room studio however, i've been getting some great results with this setup.
Last edited:
Teacher
New member
These are plugs that i used which i think give me real good results
PSP Vintage Warmer-to "warm up" tracks, compressem, and mess wit a lil bit of eq(fucking rocks)
PSP mixsaturator- warm up the track and more oommmph to my drums (if needed not necessary)
Steinberg Free Filter- everybody said it all (fucking rocks)
waves Ren Bass- to make the recording fuller at the lower end(fucking rocks)
PSP Stereo enhancer(if i feel the lower end needs to be wider)
TC Reverb( best native reverb...that are Timeworks ReverbX)
Waves L2(if used tastefully it ROCKS)
hear for ur self...be warned this is an mp3 so it isn't the greatest listening tool but good enuff me thinks...its just an instrumental no vocals..
http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/2491/2491706.html
http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/2521/2521988.html
PSP Vintage Warmer-to "warm up" tracks, compressem, and mess wit a lil bit of eq(fucking rocks)
PSP mixsaturator- warm up the track and more oommmph to my drums (if needed not necessary)
Steinberg Free Filter- everybody said it all (fucking rocks)
waves Ren Bass- to make the recording fuller at the lower end(fucking rocks)
PSP Stereo enhancer(if i feel the lower end needs to be wider)
TC Reverb( best native reverb...that are Timeworks ReverbX)
Waves L2(if used tastefully it ROCKS)
hear for ur self...be warned this is an mp3 so it isn't the greatest listening tool but good enuff me thinks...its just an instrumental no vocals..
http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/2491/2491706.html
http://artists.mp3s.com/artist_song/2521/2521988.html
tvaillan
New member
webstop...
freefilter works as such ...
Say you're in your audio software ...
step 1 - import a track of the band you want to sound like.
step 2- import your work (assuming that you did a mixdown of your stuff into a stereo track ..after all it's mastering time!)
step 3: mute your track and play the stuido quality one.
step 4: crack open freefilter (on your main) and click on 'learn'
step 5: once the sound wave in freefilter stops moving, mute the studio quality track and play yours. (freefilter has now learned the quality mix)
step 6: in free filter click on 'DEST'
step 7: once the wave in freefilter stops moving, click on 'MORPH' (freefilter has now 'learned' your track)
Now all you have to do is increase the 'mix' slider until your ears amaze you. Usually 40% to 80% is all you need.
It really works!
freefilter works as such ...
Say you're in your audio software ...
step 1 - import a track of the band you want to sound like.
step 2- import your work (assuming that you did a mixdown of your stuff into a stereo track ..after all it's mastering time!)
step 3: mute your track and play the stuido quality one.
step 4: crack open freefilter (on your main) and click on 'learn'
step 5: once the sound wave in freefilter stops moving, mute the studio quality track and play yours. (freefilter has now learned the quality mix)
step 6: in free filter click on 'DEST'
step 7: once the wave in freefilter stops moving, click on 'MORPH' (freefilter has now 'learned' your track)
Now all you have to do is increase the 'mix' slider until your ears amaze you. Usually 40% to 80% is all you need.
It really works!
tvaillan
New member
oh yeah ...
After you've done this, pick your favorite multi band compressor and do some fine tuning.
Then add a loudness maximizer and crank it.
Mixdown time baby!
(Ok so it's not so simple .. and that wasn't a good technical explanation of what freefilter does. sorry man. freefilter really does work however and you can get some awesome results. You'll always have to fine tune afterwards.)
After you've done this, pick your favorite multi band compressor and do some fine tuning.
Then add a loudness maximizer and crank it.
Mixdown time baby!
(Ok so it's not so simple .. and that wasn't a good technical explanation of what freefilter does. sorry man. freefilter really does work however and you can get some awesome results. You'll always have to fine tune afterwards.)
