Basic, basic mastering....

[Lee123]

Have any of you used Wavelab 5?. I have just got a copy (yet to use it though) and I thought about using it for mastering.
Em, mastering probably isn't the right word. All I really need to do is to slightly compress the final track and then bring the track up to a decent level. The tracks are just demos so they will not need much.

I guess I'm asking what is the best way to use Wavelabs to bring the db of a track to a decent level and what/how to compress it.
Any ideas....
Thanks
Lee123

P.s. - Just has to be a basic thing.....

 

[Massive Master]

I haven't seen the manual for 5, but the manual for 4 had a lot of basic information like that in it. Check there first, especially if you're using WaveLab's built in plugs.

 

[HangDawg]

Waves MB compressor and L2 make a good combination to get yer tracks slammin a bit harder.

 

[Rockerbob]

Waves MB compressor and L2 make a good combination to get yer tracks slammin a bit harder.

I will second that. It's not cheap, but the Waves stuff is very good. L3 just came out.

 

[ryanlikestorock]

By definition, compressors and limiters make signals quieter and make them "slam" less. Increasing gain will obviously make things louder, but I don't think that should be the basis of your mastering plan.

With an EQ like the UAD Pultec and a more specific parametic EQ for sharp cuts and boosts, you'll have much better luck than if you rely on a compressor and a limiter. In my experience (which truthfully isn't THAT much), 80-90% of mastering is EQ and knowing what you're listening for. A touch of compression and using a limiter for makeup gain and a safety at -.3db is fine, but if I had to master a record with only one tool, it would be an EQ.

 

[Lee123]

Kewl...thanks guys
The main reason for me doing this is, when I export the final mixdown from Cubase SX, the overall level is pretty low. I really don't have the experience to say I need this or that type/amount of eq but I do know that I need to get the volume up a little. I guess by using some Comp/Limiter will help me gain the overall level. I had heard some good things about Wavelabs so thought it might be better than using Cubase to 'master'....figuratively speaking of course...
So should I be aiming at -3db for an overall level?
Thanks
Lee123

 

[xfinsterx]

if I had to master a record with only one tool, it would be an EQ.

Tch! duh Ryan.
EVERYBODY knows you need a Flanger to make a pro master.

 

[ryanlikestorock]

Ha! I guess I just wanted to even out some of the compressor lust around here.

 

[xfinsterx]

Ha! I guess I just wanted to even out some of the compressor lust around here.

Yeah!
I hear yeah brother.
Another thing that is never glorified around these parts is the use ofheavy digital delay in the mastering process.

But why???!!

It sounds really trippy!!

 

[lanterns]

Mastering with EQ:

Can you expand on this? What would be an affordable way of accomplishing this, i.e. as cheap as possible. This is for a lo-fi recording.

 

[volltreffer]

Play back your sound on a ghetto blaster use the 'tone' knob and rerecord...

That's real lo-fi



Sorry, couldn't resist...

aXel

 

[ryanlikestorock]

Mastering with EQ:

Can you expand on this? What would be an affordable way of accomplishing this, i.e. as cheap as possible. This is for a lo-fi recording.

I guess I was misunderstood. I'm not suggesting everyone try and master their records with only EQ. I'm simply saying that I feel there is too much emphasis placed on the importance of multiband compression in project studio mastering.

I'm not sure any options are "cheap or lo-fi" when it comes to mastering a record. And, I'm not sure I could tell you how to use an EQ to master your recording on a message board. You could just play around with an EQ for a while and see what you come up with.

 

[lanterns]

mastering cheaply

hehe
You're right. I'm new to the game and still forget that Mastering is performed best by "masters". haha. not cheap.

 

[ryanlikestorock]

hehe
You're right. I'm new to the game and still forget that Mastering is performed best by "masters". haha. not cheap.

I'm not telling you that you can't improve your mixes by applying some effects to the stereo signal... I just wouldn't expect great results until you know what you're doing. I've been working on this stuff for the past 3 years, about 4-5 hours every day and I still don't think I'm doing the best job possible. The first year was a disaster. The 2nd year was better, but still horrible. Just now am I at all confident in my abilities as a mastering engineer, but I still wouldn't feel comfortable working on a major label release.

It's a skill, not unlike recording, mixing, playing guitar, singing properly... and it takes years to get it right. I mean, I could add cello to your album and it would probably sound pretty cool sometimes, but I wouldn't call myself a cellist.