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darknailblue
New member
all right... after you've got all your tracks recorded and what not what are the first steps to mastering? compression? eq? i dunno... and why use them in the first place?
mixmkr
we don't need rest!!
I see you asked 4 questions in your post... and MY answer to them would be:
1. finding the correct mastering facility
2. no...or maybe
3. maybe...or no
4. 'cause they can supposedly help your mixes.
1. finding the correct mastering facility
2. no...or maybe
3. maybe...or no
4. 'cause they can supposedly help your mixes.
Sennheiser
New member
The first step to mastering is a stereo mix-down.
Then find a mastering facility.
Then find a mastering facility.
Meshuggah
New member
hard limiting baby!!! just like the pro's do it!! 
I'd say the first step to mastering is listening a lot to the mixdown, and remix it as needed... When you can't make a better mix, it might be a good idea to play around with an eq, multiband compressing, and finally a limiter... does it improve your final mix? no? then don't do it.
I'd say the first step to mastering is listening a lot to the mixdown, and remix it as needed... When you can't make a better mix, it might be a good idea to play around with an eq, multiband compressing, and finally a limiter... does it improve your final mix? no? then don't do it.
fprod south
Member
Throw an eq and then a compressor on top of it. Fart around with it. If it sounds better, it's mastered. The way I look at it, if I've done a good enough job during mixdown, I shouldn't need to do a whole lot during "mastering", especially with eq.
If there's a lot at stake on how good your stuff sounds - sure, get it mastered professionally. But I find it rare that it's fine to record at home but you need to hire mastering out.
If there's a lot at stake on how good your stuff sounds - sure, get it mastered professionally. But I find it rare that it's fine to record at home but you need to hire mastering out.
Chris Shaeffer
Peavey ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you want to try your hand at home mastering, I'd say wait until you have all of the songs for your project completed. Don't try to master your songs individually.
When I master music for friends (who, believe me, are in absolutely no position to be sending their work to a mastering house) I load all of their songs into Wavelab and play them against each other. That way, the best sounding songs quickly rise to the top and tunes with sonic deficiencies stand out, too.
"whoa! That one's pretty muddy!" and "Boy, that sure is quiet..." are commonly heard.
Then, I try to make all the songs sonically similar to the best mix on the album using whatever tools it takes. Compression, leveling, stereo field manipulation (which should have been done in mixing, I know) and EQ are commonly used in very sparing amounts.
Its a balancing act. There is no real recipe as it completely depends on each individual mix and how they sound as a project.
I'd caution you, though, that mastering really is tricky business. If you don't have a really accurate monitoring system and a good listening environment, you will make changes to your material based on your speakers and room. It won't sound the same when you put it on a different system.
The way I see it, I love to play with my stereo mixs and see what I can do to them. I love helping poor friends get their demos sounding a bit nicer. When my own project is ready to be burned to 1000 CD's, though, I'm sending it to a mastering house.
Take care,
Chris
When I master music for friends (who, believe me, are in absolutely no position to be sending their work to a mastering house) I load all of their songs into Wavelab and play them against each other. That way, the best sounding songs quickly rise to the top and tunes with sonic deficiencies stand out, too.
"whoa! That one's pretty muddy!" and "Boy, that sure is quiet..." are commonly heard.
Then, I try to make all the songs sonically similar to the best mix on the album using whatever tools it takes. Compression, leveling, stereo field manipulation (which should have been done in mixing, I know) and EQ are commonly used in very sparing amounts.
Its a balancing act. There is no real recipe as it completely depends on each individual mix and how they sound as a project.
I'd caution you, though, that mastering really is tricky business. If you don't have a really accurate monitoring system and a good listening environment, you will make changes to your material based on your speakers and room. It won't sound the same when you put it on a different system.
The way I see it, I love to play with my stereo mixs and see what I can do to them. I love helping poor friends get their demos sounding a bit nicer. When my own project is ready to be burned to 1000 CD's, though, I'm sending it to a mastering house.
Take care,
Chris
E
ecs113
New member
darknailblue said:
After mixdown, I like to trim/fade the tracks, then apply eq, then compression, then limiting.
I suggest doing research on the finer aspects of mastering and why noone but the mastering wizards should master your projects. The internet is a great resource for learning.
Disclaimer:
demo > DIY
$$$$ > mastering house