Hey SonusMan....

[tubedude]

Hey man,
I starting reading the posts backwards from a year ago (yes, I'm bored tonight) and came across something you wrote about mastering that caught my attention. You were using Wavelab, and the Steinberg mastering edition and some Waves stuff (most of which I have available). Heres my question, and it may be a lengthy and thought out answer on your end, so if you dont want to fool with it, just say so. It will require a good bit of explaining, for sure, and may generate even more questions.
1st... what about FreeFilter? What do you think? Use it? Any good results? Seems an easy way to even out a "peaky" recording.
2nd, and the kicker.... What methods do you use when mastering with this stuff? Wavelab, then what processors, in what order, and why? Do you use the ME Spectrograph and the ME phasescope? If so, any ideas on using them? Like em, hate em, etc? I haven't a clue on those two, really, at all... so if you know how to use them, and they are worth using, explain a little. What about the Spectralizer, that adds the 2nd and 3rd harmonic? I'll assume you dither last, but what are you using? I'll also assume you dither with the Waves algorhythm, but I may be wrong, but if you do, which waves setting? I guess I'm kinda asking you to write a book through the whole process with the whys and hows of it all, and I apologize... like I said, if its too much trouble, just say so. There may be a few people interested though, and if you dont want to do it, maybe someone else will put in, or even make a group project out of it. For some of us, this type of mastering might be our ONLY mastering.
Thanks for any offerings....
Paul

 

[sonusman]

Soon enough I will have some articles, or something on this very technical subject. For now, I will pass on answering.

Ed

 

[tubedude]

Thanks...

Damn, you're quick to answer... I actually didn't realize who you were until about 10 minutes after that post when I looked at your web site... I've read your stuff elsewhere also...
Thats cool, I look forward to what you post on this mastering stuff. I think alot of us are clueless on what entails and exactly how to do this and work these "odd" devices that we normally don't mess with.
Anyone else have any opinions/ideas/pointers/rants on this stuff?

Paul

 

[sonusman]

I choose not to have my presence on the site be known in my user options. Something I learned from owning cats....

Mastering is very technical. I know of no way to explain WHY I make certain decisions. I can explain what I did, but it is always a case by case deal.

I didn't learn any of this recording stuff by reading much about it, I just got in and started doing it. You will find that is the only way you will learn it. Tips and tricks are all fine and good, but in the end, you do what is right for the song, not what Roger N, or Bob C, or SonusMan (that isn't how it is capitalized by the way...in fact, the is NO capitals in my user name thank you....) says to do.

Start playing around with it. I can tell you this though, if you cannot hear little tweeks of eq and compression while mixing, you surely will overdo it while mastering. And for the record, I pretty much hate that these are the only tools I can afford for mastering. I feel I could do a much better job with high end analog gear, and MAYBE using some digital stuff here and there. For the money, the Wavelab/Waves stuff can work out decent enough IF you have really good mixes to start with. But if your mixes don't sound pretty darn good, these tools are not going to save your bacon. I suppose that analog processing won't either, but with the analog processing you seem to get a more smooth result.

Anyway.....just rambling...

Ed