DIYer's what are you using for mastering.

  • Thread starter Thread starter ShanPeyton
  • Start date Start date
DAW means Digital Audio Workstation. Basically, for a DAW to be called a DAW you have to have some way to get sounds onto it, be able to manipulated it, and be able to move off the DAW to another medium. That is... a computer with recording, editing and/or cd/dvd creating software on it. There is no required or standard hardware or software configuration for a computer to called a DAW. The only requirements are that recording software be installed, everything else is gravy.
 
Thanks for all the replies. A lot of people using a lot of varied tools. Thatsa good sign, there is hope for me yet. Out in the real world I have asked around and Izotope has come up frequently. My friend has it and seems to be quite pleased with it.
 
I like Izotope, it's easy to use and works good. It's easy to abuse too because of all the presets. Anymore, I just use the EQ, limiter and dithering sections. I stumbled upon a set of parameters that work good for me. They are starting points but because my songs are similar, I don't have to tweak much to get what I want.

A lot of people will say it's junk, mostly because of the presets. And it's true for the most part; no software engineer in a cube somewhere is going to know what values your songs are going to need. But if you use the tools for what they meant for, it's the right mastering tools in one little package.

WLE will make Redbook compliant CD's which a DAW like cubsae or reaper can't do. WLE can do PQ codes, ISRC, CD-Text, etc... If you want to send a master off for duplication, that is the stuff you want coded on it.

hth,
 
Chili said:
I like Izotope, it's easy to use and works good. It's easy to abuse too because of all the presets. Anymore, I just use the EQ, limiter and dithering sections. I stumbled upon a set of parameters that work good for me. They are starting points but because my songs are similar, I don't have to tweak much to get what I want.

A lot of people will say it's junk, mostly because of the presets. And it's true for the most part; no software engineer in a cube somewhere is going to know what values your songs are going to need. But if you use the tools for what they meant for, it's the right mastering tools in one little package.

WLE will make Redbook compliant CD's which a DAW like cubsae or reaper can't do. WLE can do PQ codes, ISRC, CD-Text, etc... If you want to send a master off for duplication, that is the stuff you want coded on it.

hth,
Click to expand...

In my past experience with Ozone 4, I found the same, inexperienced users would think that every tool that the program offered, was to be used. It just created mush. I can see now how the tools were overused. Not just by my own inexperience, but how the guys running the studio used the program inappropriately.

This was at a small studio that I worked at for a while. I never found the need to use it myself, after realizing that the sound of the source recordings, and mixing are more important, though, Ozone 5 is on my purchase list. I love to play with toys! :D
 
I know what a DAW is, but I was just wondering what sound forge and the ozone things actually are (a plugin?), how they are used and what they do.
 
ollie99 said:
I know what a DAW is, but I was just wondering what sound forge and the ozone things actually are (a plugin?), how they are used and what they do.
Click to expand...

Valid question. However i can't answer it. Mastering to me is like Latin to a 6 month old kitten.
 
ollie99 said:
I know what a DAW is, but I was just wondering what sound forge and the ozone things actually are (a plugin?), how they are used and what they do.
Click to expand...

Sound forge is a dedicated audio editor. Sound Forge Explained

Izotope's Ozone is a plugin that you can either run across your master buss in your DAW or just use on your final mixdown.

iZotope Ozone 5 Complete Mastering System


I recommend everyone try Vst plugin Maximus from Imageline ( the makers of FL studio ). It's clean presets are pristine and if you want to pimp your mix, that option is available too. Multiband exciters, stereo separation/combine, compressors etc. I actually prefer it to the expensive Ozone which I have demoed extensively. Ozone's presets give it a bad rep - they are huge overkill.

Anyone who snubbed Maximus because its cheap would also snub Reaper for the same reason.

Maximus

Maximus
 
Last edited:
CFox said:
Sound forge is a dedicated audio editor. Sound Forge Explained

Izotope's Ozone is a plugin that you can either run across your master buss in your DAW or just use on your final mixdown.

iZotope Ozone 5 Complete Mastering System


I recommend everyone try Vst plugin Maximus from Imageline ( the makers of FL studio ). It's clean presets are pristine and if you want to pimp your mix, that option is available too. Multiband exciters, stereo separation/combine, compressors etc. I actually prefer it to the expensive Ozone which I have demoed extensively. Ozone's presets give it a bad rep - they are huge overkill.

Anyone who snubbed Maximus because its cheap would also snub Reaper for the same reason.

Maximus

Maximus
Click to expand...

HaHa, I remember Fruity Loops. I still have a running version of 3.2 or 3.4 on my garbage computer. I went thru a weird trip hop phase in my life in like 2001 or something. Those tracks or freakin' horrid / hilarious.

Nice recommendation Cfox. I may demo that Maximus, the price savings is Fk'n huge and i am sort of familiar with the Image Line work flow. Well i used to be anyways.

Atom Bomb said:
Mastering to me is like Latin to a 6 month old kitten.
Click to expand...

Ha! Nice. I feel the same actually.
 
ShanPeyton said:
HaHa, I remember Fruity Loops. I still have a running version of 3.2 or 3.4 on my garbage computer. I went thru a weird trip hop phase in my life in like 2001 or something. Those tracks or freakin' horrid / hilarious.

Nice recommendation Cfox. I may demo that Maximus, the price savings is Fk'n huge and i am sort of familiar with the Image Line work flow. Well i used to be anyways.
Click to expand...

I abondoned FL because of their unconventional workflow. It doesnt come into play with the plugin. Just a very good vst mastering app. :)
 
Chili said:
Wavelab Essentials 6 with Ozone 3. But I'm not thrilled with WLE's cd burning capabilities. In fact it sucks, it seems they make their own list of drivers and it doesn't stay current. It's always a hassle to burn more than one cd. Everything else about WLE is great.
Click to expand...

This what I have, I might have Ozone 4 I'm not sure. But I know for a fact WLE 6 will NOT burn cd's.

Welcome to the world of Steinberg, which I very much hate. I think the office where the programmers work must be really close to Amsterdam, cuz those guys at Steinberg develop and document like they have an endless supply of killer hashish every day for lunch.
 
just checked my cyber receipt for the Maximus purchase. I paid only $50 for it during a famous imageline "yardsale". I recommend waiting for the next one - once a year I think. Whopping savings over the usual prices.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top