Back on the newbie forums...

  • Thread starter Thread starter ElegyOfficial
  • Start date Start date
ElegyOfficial

ElegyOfficial

New member
Yeah, back on here haha.

I've been hearing lately about how you would use 2 different softwares one for mixing and one for mastering. Pro tools would be for mixing (for example) and another software would be for mastering.

I think i should know the difference between mixing and mastering first, i kind of got a good idea a while ago...but can someone clarify this for me?

Also, if this is true (with the whole having 2 different softwares 1 for mixing another for mastering) I have Pro Tools, what is a good mastering software (or a good mixing software idk..or if there is even one)

Thank you guys for reading my post and helping me in my time of need
:)
 
Mixing is creating a coherent whole from the sum of the parts to a stereo master.

Mastering is adjusting and improving upon the final stereo mix for a finished product. Akin to icing on the cake.
 
Mixing is creating a coherent whole from the sum of the parts to a stereo master.

Mastering is adjusting and improving upon the final stereo mix for a finished product. Akin to icing on the cake.

Well put...

As for programs, there are stand alone programs designed specifically for mastering. Stienberg's WaveLabs is one but I personally think it's a a cumbersome program and a little complicated for such a small portion of the recording process. When you mix, you should mix as if mastering is not an option. While mastering is the icing on the cake, it's not a substitute for all the ingredients that go into making a cake. Get it sounding like you want it during the mixing process.

What I do is record and mix until I'm happy with the song, I'll mix it down to a single track, then run that single track in the same DAW that I used to record and mix in. At this point you can use EQs, compressors, reverb, whatever you want to add that icing. I use a plugin from IK Multimedia called T Racks to master. This basically has all your EQs, compressors and the like packaged together in a single plug in. Keep in mind though that, as I said, the song should already be sounding close to what you want it before you start mastering. Don't rely on mastering to "do the job" for you. There is no making up for shitty recordings and shitty mixing.

I would just stick with your DAW and invest in good plug ins instead of a separate mastering program.
 
Well put...

As for programs, there are stand alone programs designed specifically for mastering. Stienberg's WaveLabs is one but I personally think it's a a cumbersome program and a little complicated for such a small portion of the recording process. When you mix, you should mix as if mastering is not an option. While mastering is the icing on the cake, it's not a substitute for all the ingredients that go into making a cake. Get it sounding like you want it during the mixing process.

What I do is record and mix until I'm happy with the song, I'll mix it down to a single track, then run that single track in the same DAW that I used to record and mix in. At this point you can use EQs, compressors, reverb, whatever you want to add that icing. I use a plugin from IK Multimedia called T Racks to master. This basically has all your EQs, compressors and the like packaged together in a single plug in. Keep in mind though that, as I said, the song should already be sounding close to what you want it before you start mastering. Don't rely on mastering to "do the job" for you. There is no making up for shitty recordings and shitty mixing.

I would just stick with your DAW and invest in good plug ins instead of a separate mastering program.

Okay cool thank you :)
I'm going to seriously check out T-Racks because i do NOT wanna buy a whole other program haha. So lets get this straight.... cause i still am kind of confused... Mixing is pretty much recording but editing it and mastering is adding effects? idk, i dont understand this icing on the cake thing. Anyway thanks for telling me about t-racks i might use that, because since we both record the same type stuff i'm pretty sure if it works for you it works for me haha
 
Mastering is all the technical stuff necessary for constructing a master CD for replication, regardless of whether any audio is processed. That would include setting up PQs, generating track lists, setting up hidden or bonus tracks and identifying errors. It may or may not include finalizing the audio with fades, compression, limiting, eq etc.
 
What I do is record and mix until I'm happy with the song, I'll mix it down to a single track, then run that single track in the same DAW that I used to record and mix in. At this point you can use EQs, compressors, reverb, whatever you want to add that icing.

Hopefully you're "mastering" on the highest resolution 2-track file your software can produce, and only going to 16/44.1 at the very end.

When I'm happy with my mix I just put any desired "mastering" processor on the main bus, avoiding any losses from going to 2-track first.
 
Hopefully you're "mastering" on the highest resolution 2-track file your software can produce, and only going to 16/44.1 at the very end.

When I'm happy with my mix I just put any desired "mastering" processor on the main bus, avoiding any losses from going to 2-track first.

I do... I've tried adding to the master control but sometimes it acts up depending on how much I've already got going on. T Racks is a fairly intensive plugin to run on top of everything else sometimes... Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't... ;)

It's best to look at music production in three categories (well, that's how I look at it anyways...) recording, mixing, and mastering. All three are different aspect of producing a piece of music. You can add effects and EQ and all that jazz during the mixing process to individual tracks. Mastering is adding anything to "final" product. If you've recorded and mixed properly, you shouldn't need to do much and mastering should be relatively straight forward.
 
I do... I've tried adding to the master control but sometimes it acts up depending on how much I've already got going on. T Racks is a fairly intensive plugin to run on top of everything else sometimes... Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't... ;)

It's best to look at music production in three categories (well, that's how I look at it anyways...) recording, mixing, and mastering. All three are different aspect of producing a piece of music. You can add effects and EQ and all that jazz during the mixing process to individual tracks. Mastering is adding anything to "final" product. If you've recorded and mixed properly, you shouldn't need to do much and mastering should be relatively straight forward.

Hey FP who are the west Memphis three?



:cool:
 
Hey FP who are the west Memphis three?



:cool:

Taken from The West Memphis Three website:

Shortly after three eight-year-old boys were found mutilated and murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas, local newspapers stated the killers had been caught. The police assured the public that the three teenagers in custody were definitely responsible for these horrible crimes. Evidence?

The same police officers coerced an error-filled "confession" from Jessie Misskelley Jr., who is mentally handicapped. They subjected him to hours of questioning without counsel or parental consent, audio-taping only two fragments totaling 46 minutes. Jessie recanted it that evening, but it was too late— Misskelley, Jason Baldwin and Damien Echols were all arrested on June 3, 1993, and convicted of murder in early 1994.

Although there was no physical evidence, murder weapon, motive, or connection to the victims, the prosecution pathetically resorted to presenting black hair and clothing, heavy metal t-shirts, and Stephen King novels as proof that the boys were sacrificed in a satanic cult ritual. Unfathomably, Echols was sentenced to death, Baldwin received life without parole, and Misskelley got life plus 40.

In the years since the convictions of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley for a crime they did not commit, their cause has gained support from all over the world, and these men have become known as the West Memphis Three. The story of the injustice they have endured at the hands of the state of Arkansas has never lost momentum, and in recent months, the evidence in their favor has grown to the point where it's nearly impossible to view this case as anything other than a miscarriage of justice.

If you really want to know more, I suggest starting with the Wikipedia entry and then the actual website which has an overwhelming amount of information. Also watch two documentaries: Paradise Lost: The Child Murders At Robin Hood Hills and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations. The first one is a document of the first trials and really gives a clear picture of everything surrounding the case at the time. I would also strongly suggest reading a book by Mara Leveritt called The Devil's Knot that examines every aspect of the case including evidence court transcripts and interviews with "witnesses".

I stumbled across the case about a year ago for a research project in one of my classes and by the time I was done with my research I was literally sick to my stomach.

Also check out a song by a band called Zao called Free The Three... the music might now be for everyone but the interlude in the middle has some spoken word that has an accurate, straightforward synopsis of the case.
 
Cool thanks FP interesting stuff. This happens every day around the world and many years pass before the truth is found out.
I will follow up and read more.



:cool:
 
I do... I've tried adding to the master control but sometimes it acts up depending on how much I've already got going on. T Racks is a fairly intensive plugin to run on top of everything else sometimes... Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't... ;)

I would say that if you need that much heavy processing on your mix then it's not done yet. The only thing I use is a single dynamics plugin to get the track from the -12dB or so peak level I mix at to something like -16dB RMS.

It's best to look at music production in three categories (well, that's how I look at it anyways...) recording, mixing, and mastering. All three are different aspect of producing a piece of music. You can add effects and EQ and all that jazz during the mixing process to individual tracks. Mastering is adding anything to "final" product. If you've recorded and mixed properly, you shouldn't need to do much and mastering should be relatively straight forward.

We have somewhat different definitions for mastering. Mine is everything necessary to get audio onto a professionally replicated CD. Yours, common among home recordists, includes the last stage of what I call mixing. When my mix is done it needs absolutely no audio processing. If some mastering engineer put reverb on one of my mixes I'd raise holy hell. Being your own "mastering engineer" you don't have that problem.

Back when I mixed by hand to DAT we didn't have enough (or good enough) processing in the rack, so mastering was necessary to even out the levels and tonal balances to get the songs to work together on a CD. But when mixing a multi-song project on a DAW you can go back and fix things so the songs work together. I think all this mastering software is a vestige of the old days and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

I definitely agree with your last sentence. Always try to get things right as early in the process as possible. Good songs are easier to arrange, it's easier to pick tones with good arrangements, it's easier to track with good tones, good sounding tracks are easier to mix and a great mix needs minimal final processing.
 
I would say that if you need that much heavy processing on your mix then it's not done yet. The only thing I use is a single dynamics plugin to get the track from the -12dB or so peak level I mix at to something like -16dB RMS.

It's not I need heavy processing on the master it's that I've typically got a lot going on in the mix alone. For example I usually have any where from four to six guitar tracks... I use Amplitube plug in for guitar modeling, which again in fairly resource intensive, on four to six tracks, on top of anything I add to vocals in terms of compression, exciter, etc then drum tracks, bass tracks, etc... I'm only running off of a laptop so I do have limitations... I need to upgrade to a full blown desktop is what I need to do! :D

We have somewhat different definitions for mastering. Mine is everything necessary to get audio onto a professionally replicated CD. Yours, common among home recordists, includes the last stage of what I call mixing. When my mix is done it needs absolutely no audio processing. If some mastering engineer put reverb on one of my mixes I'd raise holy hell. Being your own "mastering engineer" you don't have that problem.

Back when I mixed by hand to DAT we didn't have enough (or good enough) processing in the rack, so mastering was necessary to even out the levels and tonal balances to get the songs to work together on a CD. But when mixing a multi-song project on a DAW you can go back and fix things so the songs work together. I think all this mastering software is a vestige of the old days and should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.

I definitely agree with your last sentence. Always try to get things right as early in the process as possible. Good songs are easier to arrange, it's easier to pick tones with good arrangements, it's easier to track with good tones, good sounding tracks are easier to mix and a great mix needs minimal final processing.

Which is why i say that the "mastering" process should be relatively simple and straight forward. Typically all I do add some slight compression to even out the entire mix a little, adjust the volume (as I typically mix quiet), and I usually end up adding a little more low ends. I'm not sure why but I'm always afraid of low ends in the mixing phase and always decide to add more... it's like an OCD tick or something that I can't help...:confused:
 

Similar threads

K
Replies
0
Views
279
K-dub
K
David W. Pontius
Replies
21
Views
2K
rob aylestone
rob aylestone
David W. Pontius
Replies
9
Views
584
David W. Pontius
David W. Pontius
Back
Top