The Mastering Guys Say... Har-bal sucks?

[NL5]

Dimebag Darrel with a shaved crotch? *shudder*

G.

I don't know, it would probably be better than Britney's snaglepuss.........

 

[flatfinger]

Once again , the myopia is zoomed in on the "curve stealing" aspect .

Voxegno's curve EQ does the same questionable Curve stealing amongst other things and doesn't get any of the bashing.

Like I said in an earlier post, ............. It's just become to much fun to Bash Narbal!! ( they DID pick a stupid name ; so easy to ridicule!)

It's the Federline of digital audio !!!

You M.E's stop worrying! (ya , right)

The ear is the final arbiter!

 

[The Audio Cave]

Soapbox Time

I'm amazed how people can dismiss a useful product without really trying it. I find Har-Bal to be a great tool... like many of the other tools available in the digital studio. It works. It's not (nor is anything else) a replacement for a real mastering job and I don't let it do any "automatic curve matching".

Note: I find the name right on target with what it tries to do. Har-Bal - harmonic balancing.

Sit down with a mix file and play with it. Ignore the "curve stealing" features, those are for people who just don't know what to do.

1. Read the manual / help files beyond the "curve stealing"
2. Try the tool that smooths over "peaks" in the bands/intervals.
3. Use it like an eq.
4. Play with it a little, pay attention to the intervals on the screen and try to relate what you hear to what you see when you play with it.

You might be surprised... I was. I tried the demo and it sounded good so I purchased a copy.

It can make mixes sound better when used correctly. This is a very unique and effective use of "eq techniques" with some other stuff thrown in, like a maximizer and spactial enhancer - "Air" -(which I don't use).

It's not a M.E. and never will be, nor will I. But given patience, skill and understanding it does actually work rather well.

Just another tool in the toolbox. I used it on this low budget "Idol" contest project CD track...

 

[masteringhouse]

2. Try the tool that smooths over "peaks" in the bands/intervals.
3. Use it like an eq.

I don't think that most would have as much of an issue with the product if it was promoted as a new type of EQ with a built-in spectrum analyzer . That's way different than the oxymoronic "World's First Visual Mastering System".

It's all in the presentation ...

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

I don't think that most would have as much of an issue with the product if it was promoted as a new type of EQ with a built-in spectrum analyzer . That's way different than the oxymoronic "World's First Visual Mastering System".

Exactly. All Har-Bal does - when you come right down to it - is EQ.

The fact that they use a lot of extremely dubious theories as justifications for how the EQ is applied not withstanding, it does change the character of the sound. As such, it's a valid tool for changing the sound of a track or tracks when that sound just so happens to be what's called for.

The bullsh*t behind Har-Bal is twofold:

1) The "harmonic balancing" theory behind it that carries the implication that that type of EQing is always "correct". It's no more correct than saying that every mix needs a death scoop or every mix needs an HPF. The fact is that "harmonic balancing" is a made-up theory used to justify the EQs existance. It's absolutely amazing how things in the real world have no need for a harmonic balancer, but somehow when you stick it to tape or disc it automatically does. Baloney.

2.) This is the big culprit: Har-Bal is one of those tools, like a finalizer or a maximizer, that is designed or marketed with the idea that mixes should be made during mastering instead of actually mixing it right during mixing. As such, it promotes bad mixing and in doing so actually decreases the overal quality of the production instead of making it better. Yeah it sometimes might bake a bad mix a little better, but a good mix mix without it will sound better than a bad mix with it.

G.

 

[The Audio Cave]

I agree with Glen that the marketing (you can master your songs!) is bullcrap. But that's what these "home mastering" tools do, market themselves to people who don't know better.

It is as you say, an eq with benefits. A very good one as digital eq's go, which is why users like me have been clamoring for a vst plugin version of it that could be applied to groups / tracks like others.

It's not forthcoming.

 

[flatfinger]

I didn't like how mars marketed the "snickers " bar during the super bowl. The lousy marketing doesn't stop me from snacking on said candy bar occasionally.

Maybe I should start a " snickers sucks" thread !!

Glitzy, overstated, truth stretching, attention grabbing advertisments are not rare. Their ( hairyballs) marketing is pretty much the rule ; not the exception





Anyways, back to your regularly scheduled audio forum patter..........



A Haribyall killed my cat!!!
A Haribyall killed my cat!!!
A Haribyall killed my cat!!!
A Haribyall killed my cat!!!

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

I didn't like how mars marketed the "snickers " bar during the super bowl. The lousy marketing doesn't stop me from snacking on said candy bar occasionally.

The difference is that Snickers doesn't advertise itself as anything but a candy bar. No matter how outrageous it's advertising, it doesn't claim to be a nutritional suppliment or a substitute for a well-balanced diet.

Har-Bal, OTOH, is little more than eye and ear candy that claims to be a "mastering tool" and promotes itself as quick fix that can replace proper engineering technique. It's the 21st century version of magic elixer. Sure, you drink the elixer and you may quench your thirst and maybe even fill yourself up a bit, but you sure won't cure the ailments that it claims to cure.

G.

 

[flatfinger]

Glitzy, overstated, truth stretching, attention grabbing advertisments are not rare. Their ( hairyballs) marketing is pretty much the rule ; not the exception

HARBAL SUUCCCKKKS already.

OUT!