for anyone that attempts to master on their own... what does your chain look like?

[Robert D]

Agreed!

I thought that I had mentioned this earlier.........

Yes, you did.... I just said it better. Ok, so I skimmed too fast. rorry raggy.

 

[chessrock]

If I was really serious at taking a stab at self-mastering, my setup might look something like this ...

I might start out with something like an Orban 622B stereo Equalizer, and use that to give a general shape to things ... boost a little of what needs to be boosted and cut what might need a little cutting.

From there, I might like an Aphex compellor, just to help even out some of the levels and act as a defacto gain-rider. I'd keep it pretty light. It's easy to get carried away with these things, because they're so trasparent. On the other hand, you might actually be looking for something you can hear working ... maybe something along the lines of an opto-comp. In which case, I'd probably want something like an ART Pro VLA in place of the compellor.

From there, I'd run that through an Aphex Dominator to do some basic limiting and taming of peaks. The output of which would be feeding some decent quality converters back in to my DAW, where I might apply some multiband compression if I deemed it necessary. And from there, I would do whatever edits were required, dither and rip the sucker.

This is the type of setup that could easily be assembled with used equipment off ebay. And it's all good enough to get professional, CD-level quality if used in the right hands. Certain things could easily be replaced with higher-level equipment if budget allowed ... and some of it could even be scaled back if budget were even tighter. For example, a poor person could substitute a Rane DC24 in place of the Dominator ... a Symetrix 421 Leveller in place of the Compellor, or one of those little Joemkeeks or a dual leveller in place of the Pro VLA, and something like a Lynx card, or even an ART DI/O in place of the quality converter if necessary. And one could still get perfectly satisfactory results if used well.

This is all assuming, of course, that one is using some good monitors in a well-treated accoustic space ... which is a whole nother subject that would take far too long to get in to in a message board post.
.

 

[RedStone]

Using that stuff in the "mastering" process is really not mastering but an extension of the mixing process. So in the home recordist's head they think they are "mastering" but in fact are really still mixing. There is a difference.

The other really *major* issue with home mastering is that the same person is doing the mastering on the same speakers as the mix. This is not insignificant. So the mastering really becomes more like what you would normally consider a final mix.

So for home studios, if the mix doesn't sound the way you want it to when you've "finished" the mix you are still mixing after that, not mastering. Mastering doesn't happen until *after* you are completely satisfied with the mix and can't hear anything else you want to do to it.

excactly exactly exactly exactly!

 

[s_amuel]

Do I want to dirty it up with a tape simulator (frequently for me, the answer is yes, but I need to join the Roland Space Echo 12-step program ). .

Hehe, the 12-step program...
How do you do that? Just put a plug on it or put the entire mix on something vintage and then back again to the computer? I´d really like to know how... Are there any free plugs or waves-tricks to get?

 

[tubedude]

Most of the time people are looing for a little top, the bottom evened out, and they want it loud. For a long time I would run a Waves L1 at the end to get the loudness up, but sometimes it still wouldnt get it all the way there without getting ugly.
So my typical chain (in the box, you BETTER have good speakers and a good room) is a Waves Linear phase EQ, Waves mastering multi-band (totally neccesary if you want that final say in loud) and the Waves L2.
Roll off everything below 50hz or so with the EQ, and adjust the overall bass so that its strong but not boomy. With the multi band, set it to elctro mastering and let the song play through completely without touching anything and see where your peaks were in each band. I have a bunch of things I do with this plug and if anyone is interested I'll pass it on, just remind me. Then, I use the L2 with the output at -0.2 and pull down the thresh until its shaving about 4-5db. The combo of the multiband cleaning up the bottom end and the L2 makes a rock recording SLAM.
The waves mastering plugs are incredible sounding plugs. They do what they do nice and clean and "right" The linear EQ has a great top to it. Very surgical, very easy to overdo.

 

[ecktronic]

It seems that the piano gets moved farther to the right when the mastering kicks in. It could be from all the distortion and compressor puming.
I couldn't tell if you did any stereo widening or not, but that will cause phase strangeness. Like I said, it could just be how the rest of the processing made the mix tilt to the right and the harshness of the high end that sounds like a phase problem.

When I listened to it last night, I had just finished an 8 hour session. This morning with fresh ears, I'm noticing how distorted it is.

Yeah I got a few folk saying it sounds distorted.
I really cant hear it. ONly thing I know that could distort it is the L2.
I dont know what to listen out for in the distrtion yous are talking about. Now im gonna be para about my mixes being distorted. :S

Eck

 

[Farview]

The distortion is in the midrange. You may need to look at your listening environment, it's plain as day over here.

 

[mshilarious]

Hehe, the 12-step program...
How do you do that? Just put a plug on it or put the entire mix on something vintage and then back again to the computer? I´d really like to know how... Are there any free plugs or waves-tricks to get?

OK, here is the mshilarious Roland Space Echo tape emulation

OK, the Space Echo is normally used for wild special effects, but one day I thought to myself at the heart of the thing is a tape emulation routine, used for the echo loop. Since I can't afford the HEDD (and I don't use TDM), I figured hey I've got a UAD so why not give it a shot?

OK, so set the thing on mode 1, repeat rate to taste. Full right will be more warbly, but with a less detectable echo.

Don't pan the echo, this is a mono effect anyway. Set intensity at 9:00, and echo volume at no more than 9:00.

Select a tape age that suits you (I almost always use "new"), and render.

Eh voila! Somewhat low-income man's tape emulator (with a slight hint of chorusing)!

Not something you will want to use on a stereo mixdown too often . . . well, OK, at least not EVERY song Cool on a track though.

 

[ecktronic]

The distortion is in the midrange. You may need to look at your listening environment, it's plain as day over here.

Thanks man. Great help.
Eck

 

[EndangeredFeces]

i need some input as i would like to be able to master demos myself rather than sending them off to a mastering house that frankly, is too expensive for the work being done. i was thinking something like...

para eq-frequency analysis-compressor-limiter

any input would be helpfull. thanks in advance.

-surf

There's no rules, but it usually goes...EQ, Compression, Limiting, Dither, Noise Shaping. I wouldn't rely on freq analyzers too much though. Use your ears not your eyes. Hope I helped.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

For constucting a chain for mastering, I would start backwards; room, then speakers, then everything else.

 

[masteringhouse]

For constucting a chain for mastering, I would start backwards; room, then speakers, then everything else.

YES!

I would just add one thing to the above. Ears, room, speakers, then everything else. The majority of questions that most seem to ask on this forum like which plug-in to use to magically master, use of frequency analizers (sp), etc. would much more obvious if more folks spent time honing their critical listening skills before attempting to master anything.

 

[demirateser]

Use visual tools. Exploit visual tools. Don't get rid of your freq. analyzer. Take advantage of an RTA. I would never bring my mix to a mastering engineer that says never use that stuff. Our ears are to be enjoyed, but not trusted. Don't ignore your other senses, they all contribute overall. One works best when coupled with another ( especially sight and sound ).

Would you ever bring equipment in for repair if they don't verify their work? I surely would not.

 

[Farview]

Use visual tools. Exploit visual tools. Don't get rid of your freq. analyzer. Take advantage of an RTA. I would never bring my mix to a mastering engineer that says never use that stuff. Our ears are to be enjoyed, but not trusted. Don't ignore your other senses, they all contribute overall. One works best when coupled with another ( especially sight and sound ).

Would you ever bring equipment in for repair if they don't verify their work? I surely would not.

You must be joking.

If not, please tell us what good sound looks like.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Our ears are to be enjoyed, but not trusted.

Oh, baby, are you in the wrong racket.

G.

 

[ecktronic]

IM definetly using the less is better aproach. Im going to make sure all the frequencies sound right in the mix before taking it to the mastering stage.

Thakns all.
Eck

 

[masteringhouse]

If your ears aren't very experienced, and your critical listening abilities haven't been honed, then yes I agree your ears can't be trusted.

In that case though you probably shouldn't be mixing or mastering your own material if you want it to sound good but seeking help elsewhere.

 

[jgld]

Use visual tools. Exploit visual tools. Don't get rid of your freq. analyzer. Take advantage of an RTA. I would never bring my mix to a mastering engineer that says never use that stuff. Our ears are to be enjoyed, but not trusted. .

pseudo science

j