Basic fundamentals of mastering for noobs

[DeshevldMusic]

is there a basic 1 2 3 4 step process to follow when attempting a final master?
Like eq first then compression and maybe limiter?

how do i get that studio commercial sound?

that larger than life full sound?

thanks
andy

 

[mattr]

is there a basic 1 2 3 4 step process to follow when attempting a final master?

No.

Like eq first then compression and maybe limiter?

No.

how do i get that studio commercial sound?

In a commercial studio? No joke.

Well, with good technique, technical understanding, lots of experience... the abilities of a "commercial studio" engineer needed to create a good mix...

...and then a good mastering engineer to send it to once you've finished mixing

High-end gear can also help, but isn't always a necessity.

that larger than life full sound?

As above. Skills. Experience. Gear.



I can guess that will be of no help to you, but unfortunately there is no 'easy way' or simple step by step guide to making a professional-sounding final product. Hence the word professional.

 

[DeshevldMusic]

...

ok then let me rephrase...

are there any rules of thumb or general rules to live by when attempting to master. or is it basically just that every mastering experience is different and you just tweak till it sounds less shitty?

I'm sure there is a very general process people follow when mastering their work. It can't just be freestyle improv every time

 

[RAMI]

...

just tweak till it sounds less shitty?

It can't just be freestyle improv every time

While I know you said "less shitty" sort of tongue-in-cheek (I hope), I feel obligated to say that a mastered song shouldn't sound that much different than the final mix before mastering. Mastering shouldn't be depended on to save a shitty mix, or even a pretty good mix. Mastering shouldn't even be thought about until the mix is as good as it can be. But I'm sure you knew all that, I just had to say it.

As far as "freestyle improv"...in a way, I guess you could call it that. But it's really "doing...or not doing....what the song calls for". So, yes, it could be different every time. Some songs (or groups of songs) might need nothing but a little bit of EQ. Another song (or group of songs) might not need anything at all, though rare. Sometimes it might need compression, limiting, and EQ. Or only Eq and limiting, etc....

That's why good mastering engineers charge what they charge for their services. If there was a template, anyone would be able to do it (anyone CAN do it, but not necesarilly well). But there isn't an "easy way" other than developing your ears and making decisions based on trusting your ears.

 

[Massive Master]

...ok then let me rephrase...

are there any rules of thumb or general rules to live by when attempting to master. or is it basically just that every mastering experience is different and you just tweak till it sounds less shitty?

You listen, you do.

You *know* -- You don't "guess" -- You don't "tweak till it sounds less shitty" -- If you know your tools and have a modicum of listening skills on a reasonable system in a reasonable space, the mix will tell you what it needs. If you aren't hearing what the mix is telling you, find someone else.

This could very obviously and to a slightly lesser extent be said about the mixing phase also, but I would hope that's obvious to everyone and I apologize for digressing in such a manner...

I'm sure there is a very general process people follow when mastering their work. It can't just be freestyle improv every time

The actual creation of the production master is a relatively consistent (if not painstakingly precise) operation. The audio processing of individual mixes starts with a blank slate for each mix. Objectivity being the most useful tool.

if you're incredibly lucky, every mix on a project may utilize the same chain -- Actually starting with the same settings or some sort of "universal starting preset" only happens in Fantasyland.

 

[DeshevldMusic]

Ok I guess as a newbie I was mistaking the mastering process as being that definative "final audio glaze" sound. But it seems to me that what everyone is saying is that that sound is attained through the mixing process reaching its truest mix as well as utilizing the proper mics and preamps to achieve the best possible tones. Perhaps this is how I can end up with better mixes.

I've only been using my shure beta 58 for all mic recordings and my UX2 interface and the gearbox plugins for guitar tones. Haven't miked an actual amp yet.

So more research to do on mics and such. I appreciate the advice.

 

[DeshevldMusic]

I'll openly admit what I've been doing and how unbelievably wrong it has been...

I'll track everything in reaper.

And even before I'm done recording all the tracks. I'll slap an OZONE 4 preset on the master and then work from there, adjusting levels as I go.

How wrong is this?
Please be gentle. Also I can't imagine, from what I've learned here, that anyone actually uses these presets because of how different every song can be... so why the presets? Seems like an oxymoron to me. Maybe just for people looking for an easy out? The "basic 1 2 3 4 process" i was naively searching for?


Being in a band, we've always rushed to slap out a demo because we just wanted to get it done, but over the years it has become my silent obsession. I spend hours a day sometimes, writing, recording, and mixing( albeit mixing poorly) It's a thrill and a rush.. and I have gotten some tunes to sound amazing, but I have no idea what I've been doing. This Forum is a godsend.
LET THE LEARNING BEGIN!

 

[kcearl]

for one...you master a mixed audio wave in a separate project, not by slapping a preset on your master bus


keep your mixed tracks well below 0dbs, say -14 or therabouts...then bounce the mix down to an audio file...


listen to the track for any obvious frequency peaks (or troughs)

using a analyser can help (voxengo have a great free one) but your ears are your best tool...if its something that gentle EQing cant fix then go back to the mix and find out what track is causing the problems and EQ it there..

gentle compression and a limiter can hep you bring up the loudness of the track, but shouldnt effect the overall sound (unless thats what you are looking for)

there are plent of effects to add "sheen", stereo tool, enhancers, exciters etc etc...but really you should be able to inject this sheen in at the mix level (though i do use stereo tools myself...its like an addiction lol)

Ozone has some great tools...but for someone slapping it on a master bus with a preset its way too much for yourself at the moment (did you actually buy this?)...I know multiband dynamics are just something Im beginning to try to learn now and I spent money on tutorials for that

Ideally mastering would take a group of songs and bring their loudness and overall sound to a similar level so that they mesh/sound coherent....on a song by song level it can add a little sheen and bring the loundess up...on our level you do it because you are interested and/or want to learn...its not really needed if the mix is good


now Ill take cover in case Ive said something wrong again

 

[DeshevldMusic]

oh my god. I love you. You just made a lot of things clearer.

so when the mastering stage finally comes...its done in a separate project as a single wav file?. so when you master you dont individually hit each track? that's done in the mixing stage?

Wow. I really really wish I had money to go back to school for this stuff.

 

[kcearl]

oh my god. I love you. You just made a lot of things clearer.

so when the mastering stage finally comes...its done in a separate project as a single wav file?. so when you master you dont individually hit each track? that's done in the mixing stage?

Wow. I really really wish I had money to go back to school for this stuff.

you mix the song...you bounce it down to a stereo audio wave file...you open up a new project and import that file, then any mastering would be done within this separate project...

If you are truly keen on learning Ozone and how it can be used id suggest spending $$ on some tutorials...Steamworks audio have some pretty easy to understand videos....but really you'll just be flying blind if you dont invest some time in it...

 

[moresound]

Or KC can give you a weekly class through e-mail for only $750. a week.
Well worth the investment if you ask me. You'll more than double your money back.

 

[kcearl]

yeah if he wants to learn how to fuck them up because every project has to have every plug in you own on it


plus Im now in counselling for my Delay addiction!

 

[moresound]

yeah if he wants to learn how to fuck them up because every project has to have every plug in you own on it


plus Im now in counselling for my Delay addiction! addiction! addiction! addiction!

Fixed that for ya.

 

[Gizzmo0815]

I think you should try and forget you ever heard the term "mastering" at this point. It's a part of the audio engineering process has become extremely misunderstood, and a phrase that is often misused (usually used to reference techniques and processes that are ACTUALLY mixing).

Don't even THINK about mastering yet. Put Ozone away and don't take it out until you're 100% happy with the sound of your song(s), until you're absolutely sure that you can't make them any better by using the best playing/singing technique, using the best recording practices, and mixing to the best of your ability.

At this point I usually put my song(s) away for a while. Don't listen to them, don't tweak them or play with them at all. Once I'm happy with the mix I try to forget about what the song sounds like (basically try to erase any opinion you have of the song, which is probably impossible, but it's worth a try).

Then I sit down with the rendered .wav file and just listen to it in my car, in my house, on my iPod, in my garage when I'm working on my car and take notes about what can and can't be changed, keeping in mind how different it sounds on all of those systems. Also, if I have more than one song, I try and think about what order they should go in, how loud they are when compared to each other. That's for my own stuff.

If I'm using someone else's material it's a lot easier to be subjective about how it sounds. I care less about how much time went into creating it so cutting things out, changing how something sounds or outright recommending that something be re-recorded, or taken out of the song isn't an issue.

By and large I don't really consider any of this to be mastering. It's really just an extension of the mixing process. If I want to master something I will bring it to someone who I know is more experienced than I am and who has better equipment and space than I do.

 

[kcearl]

Fixed that for ya.

I think you should try and forget you ever heard the term "mastering" at this point. It's a part of the audio engineering process has become extremely misunderstood, and a phrase that is often misused (usually used to reference techniques and processes that are ACTUALLY mixing).

Don't even THINK about mastering yet. Put Ozone away and don't take it out until you're 100% happy with the sound of your song(s), until you're absolutely sure that you can't make them any better by using the best playing/singing technique, using the best recording practices, and mixing to the best of your ability.

At this point I usually put my song(s) away for a while. Don't listen to them, don't tweak them or play with them at all. Once I'm happy with the mix I try to forget about what the song sounds like (basically try to erase any opinion you have of the song, which is probably impossible, but it's worth a try).

Then I sit down with the rendered .wav file and just listen to it in my car, in my house, on my iPod, in my garage when I'm working on my car and take notes about what can and can't be changed, keeping in mind how different it sounds on all of those systems. Also, if I have more than one song, I try and think about what order they should go in, how loud they are when compared to each other. That's for my own stuff.

If I'm using someone else's material it's a lot easier to be subjective about how it sounds. I care less about how much time went into creating it so cutting things out, changing how something sounds or outright recommending that something be re-recorded, or taken out of the song isn't an issue.

By and large I don't really consider any of this to be mastering. It's really just an extension of the mixing process. If I want to master something I will bring it to someone who I know is more experienced than I am and who has better equipment and space than I do.

^^^^^^^this^^^^^^^