Finalizing the mix

[warble]

I've read about some gear that performs multiple functions for mastering. One unit was made by T.C. Electronics called "Finalizer." I would like to attempt to master the recording myself. Has anyone successfully accomplised this? I know most will tell you have a pro master it, but with a little trial and error I hope to achieve a decent final product.

Anyone that would like to share ideas on this one, please do so. It it possible to get a good master using a compressor/limiter, tube pre-amps, etc.?

 

[SilentSound]

The best mastering tools besided your ears are a multiband compressor and parametric eq. I use a tube preamp to mixdown through instead of a compressor, then leave mastering for comression.

 

[rj]

Mastering. Dragon has a killer link somewhere aroud here that will tell you a lot!
Can you successfully master your own music?
Well, I would bet that if you engineered/played/wrote it you can probably master it.
My point is this. You could NOT master a metallica record since your mastering skills are not to par with the performance of the players/quality of equipment used to record/experience of the engineer to make it sound right. If you are a MASTER engineer and a CHAMPION musician with KILLER Mic's,pre amps, sound rooms, etc.. Then you probably want to send it out so the mastering will match the recording.
Why send out a home recording to have it mastered? Its like renting a telefunkin Mic to record your kids singing twinkle twinkle.
Its like putting a 2000$ paint job on a 500$ car.
I bet the finalizer would be a great addition to your studio and help you finish your projects.
Do you have a computer? There are MASTERING TOOLS that probably do a lot more with more flexibility for less money.(Assuming you already have a computer)
An Engineer once defined "true" mastering for me and I dont think either of us qualify.
"You get a guy with REALLY GOOD EARS in a REALLY GOOD ROOM who can listen to the mix and say things like "I think we gotta cut 750hz 2db"
and thats just the eq. Not mentioning where to place the multiband compression and which reverb to add if any and how much.
Good luck.

 

[warble]

Thanks for the couple replies thus far. RJ is agree - why spend lots of bucks for pro-mastering for a home recording. I just want to try to get a good mix, and add a little "sparkle" during the mastering process. I just purchased a dbx Digital Dynamics Processor - nice little unit. I think with a little experimentation it should produce help me produce what I need. It has some nice preset programs also - one called "finalizer" that puts the finishing touches on the mix.

 

[William Fleischer]

I agree with RJ; no matter how much cool, affordable stuff you upgrade to, you'll never get the mix up to the quality of a professional studio (although as technology improves as it has, and becomes more affordable we may get closer. So it still doesn't make sence to get something from a lay-person studio professionally mastered; it may help, but it is kind of overkill for something that isn't up to par in the first place.

However, if you record to a PC, you can apply all kinds of mastering tricks to your mix yourself. I just started using Sound Forge 4.5 to master my mix-downs. For example, I apply a compression over the whole mix(one of the generic pre-sets in the software), graphic eq. to taste, Smooth/enhance effect (when necessary), De-essing effect so you're not sliced by the vocals 's'es. Also, using Cool Edit 96, you can get rid of noise like tape hiss or machine hiss if you have it. The result is a quality recording that most people don't believe came out of your bedroom.

So I guess a good thing for home mastering is to do it on a computer...other kinds of external hardware may be good, but not as flexable; and will not give you as much control as far as I'm concerned.

Good luck...

 

[Slackmaster2K]

What I wonder is how much the fancy equiment, balanced rooms, and perfect ears really matter? If the average listener isn't going to tell the difference when you drop some frequency by 2db, does it matter?

I wonder if it isn't more obvious than it seems. I've heard a lot of bands that record albums in various locations that don't quite resemble a 20 million dollar facility. In fact I just read an article about The Band which is still recording in a souped up barn.

If you have a firm grasp on how to mix various sounds together, which many of us don't (well I don't), then would your audience know that you used a $100 microphone and not some 20 zillion dollar mic from hell?

I'm not saying that this is the case. I'm just wondering (and getting to be redundant). From my limited experience I have the attitude that my cheapo equiment isn't what's holding me back...it's my lack of experience and knowledge. I dunno.

Slackmaster 2000

 

[RockIt Recorder]

I provided input on mastering a couple of months back that may help:

https://homerecording.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000081.html

(By the way, I'm not dead... just currently on the road! I do check this bbs periodically from some hotel room and always like what I find here... THANKS DRAGON! I see you're still doing great here!)

[This message has been edited by RockIt Recorder (edited 10-31-1999).]

 

[rj]

Oh, I have no doubt that most of us here suck at recording. Thats why we ask questions.
I Also believe that a pro could use 1/2 of my studio to make a quality album and I would just get lost over in thier 24 track pro studio. I bet a pro could use my sm57 and get a finished vocal better than I could with my 1000$ blueberry.
You are right. Its not your gear. But accepting your inexperience is the first step. Now go, my son, and learn....

 

[cwillu]

Okay, quick response here, off the original topic, but oh well.

Several people have said that it's their lack of experience that keeps them from getting better results, so why worry about the better equipment.

My response: I'm not great at any of this myself, no better then any of you (believe me, I can do midi, not much more ). However, you'll never be able to learn how to improve if you can't tell what's wrong and what's right with your mix because of your equipment. Extreme example: A beginner won't learn what not to do with mic technique when recording to a hi-fi stereo. Not because he (or she) has no technique (that's a given!), but they can't tell the difference of when they get it wrong to when they get it right (or at least closer). I'm not saying that everyone should have 500,000$ studios in their houses (but that would be nice, wouldn't it? ), but learn as much as you can with what you have, if you're not learning anything, do what you can to improve it, be it time, attitude, equipment. Don't go overboard, it has to be somewhere around you're proficiency level, but keep advancing, keep pushing yourself!

 

[Buck62]

Good equipment is very important, but experimentation is the key... if you have the time and the patience. Frustration and rushing it leads to poor or mediocre recordings. I'm finishing up the 7th song from a 10-song CD of original music, and I've already re-done one song 3 times, another song 2 times, and remixed all of them about 50 times each. My persistence has paid off in totally pro-sounding recordings. I was clueless when I first started. Now I've got other musicians (who have heard my material) asking ME to produce music for THEM! That is the best compliment of all!!!

 

[The Forever Unreal]

i'm trying to do a 10 song cd too. actually already did one last year...already gotten 5 times as good just by taking a break and thinking about technique. so i guess this reply is just encouragement for the songwriter above me. keep it up, kid! what kind of music do you do?

 

[jthomas]

Just checking out all the replies here, thought I'd tell you my think. For a long time (5+ years) I recorded stuff with the little 'ol Tascam 4-track cassette multi and piled up a lot of stuff. I upgraded (slightly) to a Korg D8 recently and am having a wonderful time, but find I still face the same gnarly decisions on mixes. A guy I know who's released x-teen cd's done on his Roland VS whatever heard my 4-track tapes, mixed in blood, and said: "damn, can't believe what a good sound you got out of just a 4-track!". These are mixes with zero compression (really!) just done raw out of the deck itself (I fed the instruments into the deck via an old Tangent mixer, anyone remember Tangent?). My modus operandi anymore is: a) mix a tune as long as you can stand it b) stop and don't listen to it again for 1-2 days c) listen again and remix as necessary.
I've also decided, after jerking around with the Korg now for some months, that I'm just going to get the tracks down then take them to someone with a bit more gear who can really help "finalize" the whole thing into something that sounds pro and that might hear the mix a different way than I do. I like this BBS! Great input. jthomasj@yahoo.com

 

[Buck62]

Forever Unreal: We're a 2-man project that's doing straight Rock n'Roll, a little Country, Rock ballads, contemporary, and some Alternative. We do our own writing, playing, producing, and mixing. I play guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and do both lead and background vocals. My partner plays guitar, bass, and also does vocals. We have a friend who is a killer jazz sax player who did a few tunes with us, and a female singer who belted out a Power-Rock ballad on one of our songs. All the songs have great hooks. We're hoping to be finished by late February and release the CD in March.