Favorite Insert chain

  • Thread starter Thread starter Vigo
  • Start date Start date
Vigo

Vigo

Member
Let's not talk about "favorites" but instead of the most used.

What's you general insert chain for mastering or do you cut the tracks in parts and work each one differently?

I found myself that what i use the most is

Wide EQ important freqs
Cut very low end
Comp to tighten up
Multi-band for specific freq-working
possible EQ if needed
Brick-Wall

what about you guys? It's the first time i've really wondered about this but it seems quite interesting
 
Vigo said:
What's you general insert chain for mastering
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No such thing. Every situation demands a different solution.

Wide EQ important freqs
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I'm not even sure what that means.

Cut very low end
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Why?

Multi-band for specific freq-working
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Everything I've read by real mastering engineers that I trust, like Massive Master, says that most mastering engineers do not use multi-bands. I personally don't even have one and have never found the use for one.

In my opinion, there is no "standard" or "go to" chain. You use what you think the song (or collection of songs) needs.
 
Mostly what I use is a good eq or two into a good mastering limiter.
 
Thanks for advices, im a total noob at mastering i had in mind to start with an insert chain but i'll try to figure out what's lacking instead

Thanks :)
 
Vigo said:
Thanks for advices, im a total noob at mastering i had in mind to start with an insert chain but i'll try to figure out what's lacking instead

Thanks :)
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Hey Vigo,

Most of us here are noobs when it comes to mastering, and most other things that have to do with recording in general. None of what you said was wrong. My point was that you shouldn't just automatically do anything. Everything that's done to a mix should be done for a reason, not because we think we SHOULD do it.

It's a never-ending learning process and the more I learn the less I know. :)
 
I tend not to have a set chain because work is always different - different styles, from different countries with different purposes. So I make whatever I do on a master specific to the client.

Having said that, I ALMOST always use the Sonnox EQ to cut any unflattering frequencies before I go on to do anything else.

Just have fun with mastering and play around with different things :)
 
I do tend to use a set chain. All my mixes sound awesome, so my 'two-buss' effects tend to be the same for every song on the album so it gels together.

Basically, I'm a Variety of Sound fanboy when it comes to this.

BaxterEQ -> M/S EQ
TesslaPro -> Awesomesauce
FerricTDS -> More Awesomesauce

That's it....
 
All I do with mastering is top and tail the tracks, then mess around with levels to get them consistent and credible in relation to each other.

I don't do any EQ on them. There's no point. I mixed them and got them to a stage where they sounded fine. What am I going to do? Say to myself, "your mixing is shit. Now I have to get rid of nasty frequencies"?

If the track doesn't sound right, I just back, address the problems and remix.

The only value in using EQ in mastering is if a third party is doing it for you, and they are using stuff that's going to reveal issues hidden to you on your gear.

*Edit* If I was real smart, I would send my tracks to Katie and she would have to deal with the quirks of my mixing
 
every track is different but i tend to work this way:

1. eq(cuts)
2. compressor
3. eq(boosts)
4. everything else track needs (for example widening etc.)
5. limiter/clipper
 
RAMI said:
Everything I've read by real mastering engineers that I trust, like Massive Master, says that most mastering engineers do not use multi-bands. I personally don't even have one and have never found the use for one.

In my opinion, there is no "standard" or "go to" chain. You use what you think the song (or collection of songs) needs.
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That's funny because my Waves L3 multiband gets tons of use at the track and mastering level. It's just 'easy' to use and since I'm not trying to engage in the loudness wars, perfect for home recording applications.

Like you said yourself, there's no standard.

Vigo, I'm mostly just EQ'ing and using multiband right now for masters. I've given up on brick walling, it usually pays penalties in fidelity and IMO isn't worth it at the home recording level. With the right tools it can be done nicely, very few us of can afford or have access to those tools though. Most recently I did 17 tracks for a prog band and ONLY used multiband for their masters, and a few volume tweaks. If you want a good product, less is more. Focus on the actual clarity of the mix and when mastering compress for the sake of having consistent levels. if you're using mastering as a tool to get your mix sounding better, IMO go back in and remix until it sounds right.

Our ears are our biggest tool. Use them.
 
there's simply no answer to this question, as every single track is different.

I tend to use EQ though more than anything else, and it's usually very subtle and minimal depending on how bad the mix is, elysia museq plug-in is great, and so is the RND portico one especially for boosting, I like to use MS EQ for reallly terrible sounding mixes that can't be re-mixed but it's not ideal and quite often takes a lot longer.
 
Pinky said:
That's funny because my Waves L3 multiband gets tons of use at the track and mastering level. It's just 'easy' to use and since I'm not trying to engage in the loudness wars, perfect for home recording applications.
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Has nothing to do with loudness wars. I was just saying I don't have much use for one. I've heard Massive Master saying on many occasions that mastering engineers don't use them. Not saying you shouldn't just because he said so, I was just repeating what I've read from someone that knows more about mastering than me and you put together.
 
RAMI said:
Has nothing to do with loudness wars. I was just saying I don't have much use for one. I've heard Massive Master saying on many occasions that mastering engineers don't use them. Not saying you shouldn't just because he said so, I was just repeating what I've read from someone that knows more about mastering than me and you put together.
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I've heard of lots of pros and semi pros that shun multiband compressors. It seems to be a band-aid tool for hacks and n00bs.
 
Greg_L said:
I've heard of lots of pros and semi pros that shun multiband compressors. It seems to be a band-aid tool for hacks and n00bs.
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Yeah, me too. I'm certainly not one to tell Pinky or anyone else what they should do based on what some "pro" said. If a multi-band works for him, then by all means, there's no reason why he shouldn't be using it. I was just saying that I've never found a use for one. What Massive or anyone else says was just a side note to my comment, not a concrete truth or anything like that.

I use the L3, too. But not the Multi-maximizer, just the regular Ultra-maximizer.
 
I once read on here that Multi-band Compressors in the wrong hands can be a bad thing.

I've got "Wrong Hands" so don't have or use one.
 
RAMI said:
Yeah, me too. I'm certainly not one to tell Pinky or anyone else what they should do based on what some "pro" said. If a multi-band works for him, then by all means, there's no reason why he shouldn't be using it. I was just saying that I've never found a use for one. What Massive or anyone else says was just a side note to my comment, not a concrete truth or anything like that.

I use the L3, too. But not the Multi-maximizer, just the regular Ultra-maximizer.
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Agreed. Folks can do whatever they want and I'm certainly not one to care what some "pro" thinks. It just seems to me that if one needs a multiband compressor, something has gone way wrong earlier in the process. I stay away from them.
 
Greg_L said:
Agreed. Folks can do whatever they want and I'm certainly not one to care what some "pro" thinks. It just seems to me that if one needs a multiband compressor, something has gone way wrong earlier in the process. I stay away from them.
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same here greg, I was pretty impressed with the fabfilter pro MB when I had it on trial, it's pretty much the only one I would ever use that doesn't sound weird.
 
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