How do I master my songs?

[Spin Doctor]

How do I do mastering? Is there some software I can get? I'm using Cool Edit Pro right now.

 

[peritus]

Try googling for "mastering tutorials"... Or just look around the site... I'm sure you'll find good info....

 

[Thunder33]

How do I do mastering? Is there some software I can get? I'm using Cool Edit Pro right now.

That is not a lot different than popping onto a medical forum and ask how to do brain surgury. Mastering is not something that you will just find some tips on and figure out.

 

[Spin Doctor]

I just figured it out. Thanks for the responses.

 

[peritus]

That is not a lot different than popping onto a medical forum and ask how to do brain surgury. Mastering is not something that you will just find some tips on and figure out.

Good analogy... But the figuring it out part is possible I think. Though, it will most likely take years to master mastering...

 

[Thunder33]

Good analogy... But the figuring it out part is possible I think. Though, it will most likely take years to master mastering...

I am sure I could "figure out" brain surgury as well. But it may or may not be right. That's all I am really saying. You can attempt to master all day long thought because the only head you will be fucking up is your own!

 

[Massive Master]

I just figured it out. Thanks for the responses.

Well, that takes care of that.

NEXT!

 

[Thunder33]

Well, that takes care of that.

NEXT!

Damn, I just figured out cloning. Anyone need another self?

 

[peritus]

Not to be rude.... but...

How do you propose that anyone attains these skills? Please baptize me in your omniscence....

But really.. On the level, how did you learn? You do know how to master, right?

 

[Thunder33]

Not to be rude.... but...

How do you propose that anyone attains these skills? Please baptize me in your omniscence....

But really.. On the level, how did you learn? You do know how to master, right?

Well, the name of it is "Master". How do you become a Master? Not overnight. I am not a mastering house. I know a bit. I would say that I am possibly at the apprentice level all though I am not studying under anyone. I have worked in studios though. Aside from all of that, it is a skill that takes many years to learn and much nicer equipment than most home studios would have to do it right. My best advice......track and mix to the best of your abilities and then find a mastering house to work with who will give you feedback on what you send them.

 

[peritus]

Well, the name of it is "Master". How do you become a Master? Not overnight. I am not a mastering house. I know a bit. I would say that I am possibly at the apprentice level all though I am not studying under anyone. I have worked in studios though. Aside from all of that, it is a skill that takes many years to learn and much nicer equipment than most home studios would have to do it right. My best advice......track and mix to the best of your abilities and then find a mastering house to work with who will give you feedback on what you send them.

Cool.. Based on that reply, we feel the same way... I was losing you for a second... It was almost as if you were saying I had to go to college for this or somethin... lol (not that it wouldn't hurt to go though)

Props for the "mastering house" tip...

Now... First step is identifying the scalpel and forceps for this procedure... .. hmm.... I think I have a few ideas...

 

[Thunder33]

Cool.. Based on that reply, we feel the same way... I was losing you for a second... It was almost as if you were saying I had to go to college for this or somethin... lol (not that it wouldn't hurt to go though)

Props for the "mastering house" tip...

Now... First step is identifying the scalpel and forceps for this procedure... .. hmm.... I think I have a few ideas...

I am sure there are reputable classes out there. But it is more about having the right tools and knowing exactly what to do with them. One takes time, one takes money and both take patience. The upside is that you can use a tool like Soundforge with some practice, you could probably make it sound better than most of the home recordings that float around these days.

 

[jkokura]

Please understand that this is my opinion only... I would say that the money you'll invest in the equipment and learning of mastering can be very substantial. I've found that as much as I love to record and I'd love to master, I can't do both because my budget only allows for one (mastering or tracking). I get great results on my meager budget when I'm tracking, and I'd rather put all of my effort and coin to do that the best! If you start with crap, you'll only be polishing that crap in the mastering process! Mastering is so different than recording that most places I know of that master only do mastering... For a few hundered bucks you'll get pretty good mastering done if you know exactly what you want and do it right the first time. For a few hundered bucks there's no way you can get the results by yourself that would equate to the results you'll get by sending it to a mastering house. There are adds for good places that'll deal with you over the internet at this site and at gearslutz. Look for massive mastering - I heard that they're pretty good for working with (don't quote me on that, I only heard it...Someone correct me if I'm wrong). Also I'd like to apologize for my ranting, I might have gone off on something other than the original question.

Jacob

 

[Massive Master]

Now... First step is identifying the scalpel and forceps for this procedure...

Not trying to sound discouraging or "mysterious" of "Zen" or anything here, but that's NOT the first step.

The first step is to be able to listen with blank objectivity - This is why I (and basically every M.E. I know) never master my own mixes - It's totally self-defeating.

On the other hand, I don't expect the M.E. to have to do much when I send the mixes in.

The first step is knowing what you're listening for and knowing why it is OR isn't sounding the way you want. If you don't *KNOW* your own mixes have been worked to the best of your abilities, why would you think anything would change? And if they HAVE been done to the best of your abilities, why would you want to change it?

The point is that when the M.E. hears you mixes for the first time, he (or she) will almost immediately assess the potential of the mix, and have a pretty good idea of what it will take to get it there. EQ adjustments, how many, what frequencies, how wide to cut or boost, how much. How much of and what type of compression, a general idea of the attack and release times and amount of gain reduction, how much (if any) limiting it might take to get the mix to an "acceptable commercial volume" and such. Plus any anomalies that may have gotten past previous phases such as hum or video whine and the likes.

You've already heard your mixes. If you didn't assess those points during the mix, opening it in some other program isn't going to change anything.

And don't think that it isn't important to develop those skills anyway - You're going to need them for each individual instrument you record and for every track you add to a mix. You need to get the most out of every core sound to get the most out of every recorded track to get the most out of every subgroup to get the most out of every mix to get the most out of the final production master.

Which brings me to another point - If the original post is about the actual *ESSENCE* of mastering in its most basic form - The actual assembly and creation of a compliant production master - then forget everything I said, and buy a copy of CD Architect.

The creation of the production master is the basis for everything else. The rest is just icing on the cake.

 

[peritus]

Gotcha... Great post by the way (to the Nth degree)!!!!!

Anyone got any mixes they need some work done on? If I understand what was said in the previous post, learning to master requires third party input... So I'm all for that! And...Just to further the whole analogy... The doctor really does use the stethescope before the scalpel (And I stand willingly in correction).... Thanks

 

[Ford Van]

Bull shit!

God, I hate the fucking tone here about mastering. It is made out to be a MUCH bigger deal than it really is.

There are FAR more things to learn about tracking and mixing than mastering.

The hardest thing about mastering is knowing when enough is enough! After that, IF you can hear the effects of eq and compression, it is going to be trial and error.

Get some plugins and go to town! Ask some questions based upon your observations and remember what setting did what to the sound.

Indeed, to be at the top of the game, you need some pretty spendy gear, and some good experience with it, along with a listening environment that is nuetral.

But, that is NO DIFFERENT than quality tracking, and quality mixing!!!

Everybody here tracks with some horrendous gear, mixes on crappy digital stuff, but is expected to send it out to some high dollar mastering place! GET FUCKING REAL GUYS!

Home mastering will be about on par with home recording and home mixing!

A typical mastering chain would be:

1 - A way to adjust the left and right channel volumes independently.
2 - A parametric EQ. The more "bands" the better, but at least a low and high shelf and 3 parametric bands.
3 - A compressor
4 - A limiter.

You can possibly have the eq AFTER the compressor, or even have a eq before AND after the compressor.

You may even want to play around with a stereo enhancer.

If you want to have some real fun, start playing around with multiband compressors! I know what Massive is going to say about that, but he is JUST one voice that doesn't like them. I have mastered CD's released on smaller labels using MB's, and nobody was coming back complaining! They work well. They can be abused, but so can eq, and compression, and limiting.

You will REALLY want to practice until you can actually HEAR what light compression will do on a mix. It is a lot harder to hear at first than you think! Expect it to take about maybe 500 hours of playing around with it before you can REALLY hear it well. That isn't even a very conservative amount. That is assuming you learn fast!

You will learn a lot about how to mix better by attempting mastering. You will find out that:

GIGO

Garbage in, garbage out.

 

[peritus]

I respect your opinion as well.. Thanks a mil

Do you agree on the "not being able to master your own recordings" theory?

 

[Thunder33]

Bull shit!

God, I hate the fucking tone here about mastering. It is made out to be a MUCH bigger deal than it really is.

There are FAR more things to learn about tracking and mixing than mastering.

The hardest thing about mastering is knowing when enough is enough! After that, IF you can hear the effects of eq and compression, it is going to be trial and error.

Get some plugins and go to town! Ask some questions based upon your observations and remember what setting did what to the sound.

Indeed, to be at the top of the game, you need some pretty spendy gear, and some good experience with it, along with a listening environment that is nuetral.

But, that is NO DIFFERENT than quality tracking, and quality mixing!!!

Everybody here tracks with some horrendous gear, mixes on crappy digital stuff, but is expected to send it out to some high dollar mastering place! GET FUCKING REAL GUYS!

Home mastering will be about on par with home recording and home mixing!

A typical mastering chain would be:

1 - A way to adjust the left and right channel volumes independently.
2 - A parametric EQ. The more "bands" the better, but at least a low and high shelf and 3 parametric bands.
3 - A compressor
4 - A limiter.

You can possibly have the eq AFTER the compressor, or even have a eq before AND after the compressor.

You may even want to play around with a stereo enhancer.

If you want to have some real fun, start playing around with multiband compressors! I know what Massive is going to say about that, but he is JUST one voice that doesn't like them. I have mastered CD's released on smaller labels using MB's, and nobody was coming back complaining! They work well. They can be abused, but so can eq, and compression, and limiting.

You will REALLY want to practice until you can actually HEAR what light compression will do on a mix. It is a lot harder to hear at first than you think! Expect it to take about maybe 500 hours of playing around with it before you can REALLY hear it well. That isn't even a very conservative amount. That is assuming you learn fast!

You will learn a lot about how to mix better by attempting mastering. You will find out that:

GIGO

Garbage in, garbage out.

yup. You are right. we are wrong. You big. We small. Years of experience obviously mean dick. The cat asked for advice. We gave it. But Ford Van says that since you record at home it will suck either way. So that is the law.

 

[peritus]

I wonder what Barry Gordy would say?

 

[true-eurt]

eD BEHAVE !!!