Master this short demo for me. (before and after example)

  • Thread starter Thread starter homeuser
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homeuser

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Hello,

I'm sorry if this thread might have been better posted in the newbie section, but I thought the topic might get alot of techincal questions so I placed it here.

I'm very green about mixing and mastering. I did scan some of the previous posts about mastering and it appears mixing is basically mixing down to stereo and then mastering is what you do to the stereo mix.

For better or worse I'm a DYI musician. My goal is to create music that at least has a somewhat professional sound to it. Sure the songs may suck, but I at least want it to sound playable in a car or home stereo.

I've created a simple 18 second mix short demo. From what I've read on mastering, the mix is supposed to be 100% dry. Nothing was added to the stereo mix once it was created.

If possible I was wondering if anyone here would be interested in downloading the .wav file, mastering it to an mp3 file and then making it available for me (us) to listen to and if possible explain what you did to the mix to make it sound the way it does.

I'm interested in making it as loud, punchy as possible. I've read adding slight reverb (which kind??) during mastering can make it sound better but I've yet to have good results.

Thank you ahead of time for any examples of the "after" you can give me. :)

The demonstration wav just consists of 3 tracks, bass, guitar and drums.

Here's the before wav: (it's a little over 3 meg in size)

http://gserver.us/dave/sunsmall.wav
 
Hmm.. nobody wants to do this example for me? Was I out of line to ask this here? I've just never had anything mastered by anyone before and it would give me an example of what to expect in a mastered mix.

Anybody? Or at least tell me why you won't do it? :)
 
How much you gonna' pay me by the hour? I'm a busy man. :D

Are you anywheres near Chicago? I got some trash I suppose I could have you take out for me. I've always wanted to know what it would be like to have an endentured servant (since I've never had one and it would give me an example of what to expect).
 
I downloaded it.

Sounds pretty decent to me, except for the hihat. Kinda harsh.

I'm not a 'real' engineer but I tried playing around with some EQ. I couldn't improve the hats w/out screwing up the guitars.

Anyway... it's almost 2am....
 
For being posted today, you sure are expecting results pretty quickly. :D

I would give it a shot when I get home. So you'll have to wait til then.
 
chessrock - I get your drift. Feel free to place the username "homeuser" on your ignore list. :)

MrLip - Thanks for the comments. Thanks for taking a look at it.

DS_Sultan - Yah, I guess you're right. Sorry. It's a short little 18 second clip of sound. Do what you can with it, I would love to hear proper multiband compression, limiting (making it HOT), verb, exciters, whatever it is mastering people do to a mix to make it cd/radio ready. Even though I would love to learn how to master my own mixes, I will probably end up sending them to a pro if the time ever comes. :)
 
Hi chessrock,

Thanks for taking a look at it. I noticed that your master had a fuller stereo width and a slightly hotter mix. Overall I thought it sounded alot like the original which we may be a good thing. I would love to see it maxed out loudness wise and some serious kick/punch added to it. :) Thanks again for your take on it I appreciate it.
 
Hi Camn!

Thanks for the mastering! Again, not much difference in the before and after, hmmm... still doesn't have that hot, thumping sound I was hoping for. Perhaps I need to do this in the mix down and not in the mastering? I thought your mastering did sound good though. Thanks for doing it. :)
 
homeuser said:
I would love to see it maxed out loudness wise and some serious kick/punch added to it.
Click to expand...

When you max the loudness you usually lose kick/punch.
 
that's because you cut the dynamics of the transients and early sounds down by using the loudness maximizer.

think about this:

the strike of the pick against the guitar, the fingertips when you strike the bass, the sound of the beater against the kick drum are all cut down when you use that maximizer.

so you have to use it with care. but if you want a commercially viable product, you will have to use it.

Here's my shot:
CROS Master of sunsmall

I low cut that stuff below 40hz.

I put a C4 compressor on to get about -3db of compression with my splits at 120, 4k, 11k with a Q of .6 on the crossover.

Then I put on a L1 maximizer with the threshold set to -4db. I meant to set the release time on the L1 to 4 or 5, but I was watching the SB and the raiders looked like they were going to mount a comeback. The maximum attenuation was -4.83db.
 
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Hey crosstudio,

That mix sounded good! Thanks for doing it and more importantly explaining what you did as well. :) Looks like I'll end up leaving the mastering on important projects up to the experts. :)
 
It's my understanding that mastering is mostly for collections of songs. Making them fit together. And mastering would more, take away warmth and dynamics, not add them. Especially since part of mastering is balancing out frequencies, sound levels etc. Those are things that create a punch.

And the reason you have other people master your stuff is because, supposedly, you've tried to make it sound the best possible with your tools and skills. You let someone else master your stuff because they can add something new with their perspective. Remember, you (ideally) think that it's already perfect, so why would YOU want to try to improve it? YOU can't.
 
i love this place

where someone can drop a snipet, ( don't try it on some other forum) for a mastering attempt
and have all these people oblige
even chessrock felt bad enough for joking or was he, that he contributed to the learning opportunity for our friend

and crosstudio /as usual /educational

btw homeuser your mixdown is nice

:D :D :)

Guidance
 
Ok I tried this but i don't know how to insert links and stuff yet so do this email me with your email address and i'll send iit as an attatchment musisious144000 @ aol.com
 
darn!

well wish i could listen to it but up here at work there is an mp3 filter and at home i've got a poor dial-up connection. submit a wma or .zip it up and i'm in business! :) (they only filter out the .mp3 extension). I'm not a pro by any means but i always love tinkering!

dlv
 
I had to remove the file due to bandwidth use! ERR!!!! I'm trying to get more bandwidth so I can put other files up as well.

Thanks for all the feedback, and yes this forum does indeed rock!

By the way, I thought mastering was after you create a mixdown as I have done. And THEN you add stuff like stereo enhancers, compression, limiting, etc.
 
much like the term "producer" in hip-hop has come to mean more than it once did, "mastering" has become an individual piece of the artistic pie as well.

any post-mix stuff you do to the mix whether its readying that single for individual release, or putting together an EP or full length release is considered mastering.

having said that, i'd rather master my work myself rather than sending it out.
 
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