MASTERING

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Paya$o Lokz NJE559

Sicc OG
#1
Mar 11, 2004
488
0
0
34
#1
We are almost finished with the album and its the first time we gunna get it mastered... i was wondering what to send in? the .Wav file of the ProTools Session? and do any1 have any reccomendations?

im also lookin for reccomendations for a printer.. we only printin a small amount (we will re-print once we see how fast they go)
 
B-San

B-San

Sicc OG
#2
Apr 7, 2006
2,328
173
63
46
#2
Send in the bounced-out 24 bit wav file from your session...

...also make sure nothing is clipping!!!... this happens a lot, especially when a limiter or other plug-ins are placed on the master bus...

Typically, a decent mix need only to be half the volume of the mastered version... so don't worry about loudness - let the mix breathe...
 
J

Jack Tracks

Sicc OG
#3
Jan 6, 2004
4,656
44
0
38
www.myspace.com
#3
B-San said:
Typically, a decent mix need only to be half the volume of the mastered version... so don't worry about loudness - let the mix breathe...
Click to expand...
as a mix engineer I dont agree with this statement at all... Your right about letting the mix breathe and definately no clipping (that should be a no brainer) but 1/2 the volume? You want the mix to be hot, obviously lower than the matered product but if its that low its not gonna sound right. That is alot of making up to do Limiters.. Any antenuation (sp?, im loaded lol) over 4 or 5 decibels is clearly audible...


To the poster - u still need mastering?
 
DJ_JG

DJ_JG

Sicc OG
#4
Apr 5, 2008
241
2
0
114
#4
Yeah thats true. I used to leave hella room and make it up with the limiter. You can do that, but just turn it up as loud as possible without clipping before you use the limiter to squash it.
 
Monstaville Music

Monstaville Music

Sicc OG
#5
Oct 8, 2002
1,817
165
0
49
www.408inc.com
#5
Jack Tracks said:
as a mix engineer I dont agree with this statement at all... Your right about letting the mix breathe and definately no clipping (that should be a no brainer) but 1/2 the volume? You want the mix to be hot, obviously lower than the matered product but if its that low its not gonna sound right. That is alot of making up to do Limiters.. Any antenuation (sp?, im loaded lol) over 4 or 5 decibels is clearly audible...


To the poster - u still need mastering?
Click to expand...
Sorry ur wrong and hes right..
 
SuiPSYedKing

SuiPSYedKing

Sicc OG
#6
Jul 15, 2002
2,051
1,837
113
www.dankmobb.com
#6
Justin Weis @ www.trakworx.com does a great job.

http://www.trakworx.com/services.ivnu



BE PREPARED FOR MASTERING! Here are 4 important things you should know before you come in for mastering:


1. PLEASE WATCH YOUR MIX LEVELS. It is normal and preferable for songs to sound about 1/2 as loud before mastering. It is the job of the mastering engineer to bring the levels up in the best possible way, using the proper equipment. Before mastering, louder is not necessarily better. When audio files are mixed too loud, the sound waves get clipped, causing the highs to sound harsh, and the low's to lose "bounce". This is the most common problem people face when coming for mastering, especially if they mixed their songs in a digital audio workstation like Pro Tools, Digital Performer, Logic, Cubase, Nuendo, Etc. It is best to have a master fader in your mixing session, and watch the master fader's meter. Do not allow the master meter to hit the very top. If you look at the waveform of the mixed stereo file, it should not look flat - like a brick. It should look wavy. Please do not put any limiters, maximizers, or mastering plug-ins on the master fader (you will only be tying the hands of your mastering engineer by doing his job before him with - no offense - inferior equipment). Following this advice will result in a better, more professional sounding final product for you and your listeners.

2. YOU CAN BRING data files on CDR, DVD-R, or Mac compatible hard drive (data files are better than audio CDs if you have high resolution files - 24 bit, 96 kHz, etc.) . You can bring audio CDs. You can bring 1/2" analog tape, 1/4" analog tape, or DAT. Please NO MP3s or AAC files - the audio quality of MP3s and AACs is inferior (see #3 below).

3. BEWARE of MP3! itunes and many operating systems/media players have a nasty habit of automatically converting every song to AAC or MP3 when you import it, without you even knowing it. Even though you burn it onto an audio CD, it is still an MP3 QUALITY file; the damage has been done and cannot be undone. Any song that has been converted to MP3 or AAC at any point before burning to CD is data-compressed and not the best quality for mastering. This also applies to 2-track beats that are used to record vocals over; they should NEVER be MP3 or AAC.

4. PLEASE BE ORGANIZED. It is much better for the mastering engineer to be focused on enhancing your songs rather than on finding them. Know your song order and titles. If you're bringing audio CDs, it helps to have the songs in order on 1 CD. If you're bringing data files, please have all songs properly labeled and in 1 folder.

Thanks!

​
 
B-San

B-San

Sicc OG
#7
Apr 7, 2006
2,328
173
63
46
#7
Jack Tracks said:
as a mix engineer I dont agree with this statement at all... Your right about letting the mix breathe and definately no clipping (that should be a no brainer) but 1/2 the volume? You want the mix to be hot, obviously lower than the matered product but if its that low its not gonna sound right. That is alot of making up to do Limiters.. Any antenuation (sp?, im loaded lol) over 4 or 5 decibels is clearly audible...


To the poster - u still need mastering?
Click to expand...
For the average guy with a home studio - 9 times outta 10 he gonna do irreparable damage trying to make the mix hot as possible.... by saying that a mix only need be 1/2 the volume of it's mastered version, I am pointing out that loudness is not the goal one should focus on when mixing...

For the average guy at home mixing with only plug-ins, it is best to give the Mastering Engineer plenty of headroom to work with...

As a mixing engineer it should be common knowledge that when working with 24-bit audio, the noise floor is so low (beyond the scope of the human ear) - that it would take a significant amount of attenuation to adversely affect the sound quality in a negative manner - unless the mix is too hot... then 4 or 5db of attenuation would be a great thing (the definition of attenuation means a 'decrease in level' btw lol)...

Lastly, to rely solely on a limiter to turn up the level of a song in the mastering stage would be negligent of the other tools a Mastering Engineer should have at his disposal...

DJ_JG said:
Yeah thats true. I used to leave hella room and make it up with the limiter. You can do that, but just turn it up as loud as possible without clipping before you use the limiter to squash it.
Click to expand...
If you feel the need to 'squash' ur mix, I would suggest giving the Mastering Engineer the before & after version - so that they could choose which one to work with... then evrybody is happy!! :cool:
 
J

Jack Tracks

Sicc OG
#8
Jan 6, 2004
4,656
44
0
38
www.myspace.com
#8
B-San said:
For the average guy with a home studio - 9 times outta 10 he gonna do irreparable damage trying to make the mix hot as possible.... by saying that a mix only need be 1/2 the volume of it's mastered version, I am pointing out that loudness is not the goal one should focus on when mixing...

For the average guy at home mixing with only plug-ins, it is best to give the Mastering Engineer plenty of headroom to work with...

As a mixing engineer it should be common knowledge that when working with 24-bit audio, the noise floor is so low (beyond the scope of the human ear) - that it would take a significant amount of attenuation to adversely affect the sound quality in a negative manner - unless the mix is too hot... then 4 or 5db of attenuation would be a great thing (the definition of attenuation means a 'decrease in level' btw lol)...

Lastly, to rely solely on a limiter to turn up the level of a song in the mastering stage would be negligent of the other tools a Mastering Engineer should have at his disposal...



If you feel the need to 'squash' ur mix, I would suggest giving the Mastering Engineer the before & after version - so that they could choose which one to work with... then evrybody is happy!! :cool:
Click to expand...

I definately agree with what your saying the only problem I had was the idea of half the volume.... And your 100% right most home studios and artists think mastering = LOUDNESS.. which is far from the truth... I can definately hear attenuation passed 6 db's... I was loaded last night too when I posted which didnt help, LOL..
 
B-San

B-San

Sicc OG
#9
Apr 7, 2006
2,328
173
63
46
#9
Jack Tracks said:
I definately agree with what your saying the only problem I had was the idea of half the volume.... And your 100% right most home studios and artists think mastering = LOUDNESS.. which is far from the truth... I can definately hear attenuation passed 6 db's... I was loaded last night too when I posted which didnt help, LOL..
Click to expand...
All good pimp lol
 
DJ_JG

DJ_JG

Sicc OG
#10
Apr 5, 2008
241
2
0
114
#10
B-San said:
If you feel the need to 'squash' ur mix, I would suggest giving the Mastering Engineer the before & after version - so that they could choose which one to work with... then evrybody is happy!! :cool:
Click to expand...
Oh yeah, I wouldnt do that if I was getting my album mastered, I just meant for people doing the "quick master" at home. But yeah you're right most people record way too hot and make things clip. I try to tell people, if you want it louder just turn up the monitors and turn other tracks down instead of turning one up, cuz you can always just turn everything up later. Its hard to get the point across to some people lol.
 
HERESY

HERESY

THE HIDDEN HAND...
#11
Apr 25, 2002
18,326
11,459
113
www.godscalamity.com
www.godscalamity.com
#11
Paya$o Lokz NJE559 said:
We are almost finished with the album and its the first time we gunna get it mastered... i was wondering what to send in? the .Wav file of the ProTools Session? and do any1 have any reccomendations?

im also lookin for reccomendations for a printer.. we only printin a small amount (we will re-print once we see how fast they go)
Click to expand...
You shouldn't send anything in. You should actually attend the mastering session, and if he or she says you can't find another ME. Some ME's want .wav or .aiff files ONLY, but some want those but will actually take "stems" and master from those. Stems are basically bounced/submixed sections of the song. Before you give the engineer anything make sure you take any plugins off the master fader and set the master fader to 0db.

From here you want to control + click the fader value in PT (the fader value is the number that should read 0.0 since you set it to 0db.) You click this once and it will show a 0. This is the value of latency caused by plugins on the master fader. Control + click the fader value one more time and you'll get the level where your song peaks. Double click it to reset it to the infinity symbol and replay your track. Watch this number because it will change constantly due to the peaks in the song. You want to be somewhere between -3db to -6db. Do not go as close to zero as possible because the song may still clip even though the meters don't show it. If your song is somewhere in between there you're good, but if it's lower you simply pull up the master fader, and if it's higher, you pull it down. Double check your sample rates, bounce to 24 bit, do NOT fade the tracks out and repeat for each song.
 
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