Another Newbie mastering quest....

[EclipseManiac]

Hello,
So i recorded some guitar stuff. Sounds good, but i see that the left and right channels are always jumping (in this audio activity bar), sometimes it left one is higher sometimes the right one.
So what to do?
I did used a compressor, didn't help (Also i still don't know how to use it).

And please consider that i am a newbie, Don't attack me

 

[WhiteStrat]

It's okay for those bars to be jumping. Those are "meters" and they're simply reflecting the volume of the sound. As the sound goes up and down, so do the meters.

The more importantant question is how does it sound?

 

[EclipseManiac]

It's okay for those bars to be jumping. Those are "meters" and they're simply reflecting the volume of the sound. As the sound goes up and down, so do the meters.

The more importantant question is how does it sound?

Well i know, But i mean that the left and right meters are always jumping (Sometimes left is higher and some times right (they are not equal)).
Also if its fine for the "meters" to jump, how can i set the master volume?
It can be clipping some times.

Again, im super a super newbie.

Thanks

 

[kcearl]

hi EM...the terminology you are looking for is mixing and not mastering...and your biggest friend when mixing is the volume fader..


on your master fader you'll have a meter in db's...when you mix youve got to keep those guitars down at around -14db with peaks hitting say -8db (this is just a general guide)

this gives you headroom...you dont worry about how loud your track is at this stage...once you've mixed your track you would bounce it down, or export it, to a stereo wave file then open it in another project but thats another process and not one you should worry about right now..

compression is often used on guitars, what amp they are through, effects, type of guitar will all effect whats settings you use

but maybe try these settings as a base and take it from there


attack 2-5ms
release 0.5ms
ratio 8:1
knee hard
gain 5-15db


adjust these settings one perimeter at a time and listen to what it does to your guitars sound and remember that EQ plays a large part as well, sometimes the problem is not a compression problem but an adjustment in frequencies


welcome aboard

 

[EclipseManiac]

hi EM...the terminology you are looking for is mixing and not mastering...and your biggest friend when mixing is the volume fader..


on your master fader you'll have a meter in db's...when you mix youve got to keep those guitars down at around -14db with peaks hitting say -8db (this is just a general guide)

this gives you headroom...you dont worry about how loud your track is at this stage...once you've mixed your track you would bounce it down, or export it, to a stereo wave file then open it in another project but thats another process and not one you should worry about right now..

compression is often used on guitars, what amp they are through, effects, type of guitar will all effect whats settings you use

but maybe try these settings as a base and take it from there


attack 2-5ms
release 0.5ms
ratio 8:1
knee hard
gain 5-15db


adjust these settings one perimeter at a time and listen to what it does to your guitars sound and remember that EQ plays a large part as well, sometimes the problem is not a compression problem but an adjustment in frequencies


welcome aboard

Thanks alot dude, that really helped.

 

[EclipseManiac]

And another stuff guys, Just if you got good tutorials for mixing/mastering you are welcome to post them here.

 

[nate_dennis]

Also, don't worry about what your meters LOOK like, worry about what your recordings SOUND LIKE. This is of utmost importance. So what if the volume on the left is a little louder than it is on the right? If it sounds good, then let it rock.

 

[Chibi Nappa]

but maybe try these settings as a base and take it from there


attack 2-5ms
release 0.5ms
ratio 8:1
knee hard
gain 5-15db

You can't recommend compressor settings when you don't even know the song's genre, let alone anything about the specific guitar track in question.

And a ratio that high with an attack and release that quick is boarderline brickwall limiting. It would be a very specific specialty track that would need settings like that. Certainly not some general case.

 

[Massive Master]

Another Newbie mastering quest....

And just for the record, this has nothing to do with mastering.

 

[nate_dennis]

And please consider that i am a newbie

Again, im super a super newbie.

hi EM...the terminology you are looking for is mixing and not mastering...and your biggest friend when mixing is the volume fader

And just for the record, this has nothing to do with mastering.

You're right, it doesn't, but I think he knows that now. He clearly read through KCs post. Give the kid a break.

 

[Massive Master]

You're right, it doesn't, but I think he knows that now. He clearly read through KCs post. Give the kid a break.

Sorry - Missed that part (me a break too?)

 

[kcearl]

You can't recommend compressor settings when you don't even know the song's genre, let alone anything about the specific guitar track in question.

And a ratio that high with an attack and release that quick is boarderline brickwall limiting. It would be a very specific specialty track that would need settings like that. Certainly not some general case.

i didnt say it was a recommended setting, i said start here and then get moving those knobs one by one and see how it influences your guitar sound

i couldve said set everything as 0, but these are settings i start on


read what i posted dude, not what you skimmed

 

[kcearl]

cant wait for the new pro forum

 

[nate_dennis]

Sorry - Missed that part (me a break too?)

of course.