25 replies to this topic

[StefanL]

I'm pretty new to mastering but I recently took a mastering class last year at uni. For mastering a rock type mix I usually put a Renaissance Compressor on first, compressing just the peaks of the wave, maybe a few dB, with a low ratio. Next I put a C4 multiband (I would use the MC 2000 MC4 but I dont have it) on the mix. I'm still getting used to multiband compressors so it's a bit of guess work but I just try to get a bit of stiffness in the track and make sure the bottom end is under control.

Next I might use a BluesTube EQ to put a Baxcandall Eq curve on the track (higher low and high end levels by 1.5 dB or so). Following this I use the Oxford Inflator and adjust the curve and effect to taste, this plug-in really seems to put a lot of life and grunt into the mix.

After that I usually put two L1+ Ultramaximisers over the mix and slam the level  bit (but not too much) and finally use the Paz Analyser just to make sure everythings level and there's not too much phase issues and the likes.

Of course every song should be done differently according to the song but that's my lazy man's mastering process when I master my own tracks.

Maybe it's not professional mastering but hey, it sounds o.k. to me...

[spazmatron]

wow that's pretty mega for "lazy man's mastering".    i usually get by with a single stereo compressor and limiter. everything else i try to do in the project. but i reallllllly am lazy, ask anyone who knows me...

[jude]

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wow that's pretty mega for "lazy man's mastering".  i usually get by with a single stereo compressor and limiter. everything else i try to do in the project. but i reallllllly am lazy, ask anyone who knows me...

nah, im too lazy to ask people that!

[jude]

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^Your masters always sound pretty good to me, Jude. It'd be nice if you shared some more tips

thought i might revive this thread!

so are we still using the same techniques?
i have changed to using a few of the antress plugins (if you dont have them, download them, there free and bloody awesome especially the emulation of the SSL Gseries mix buss comp and the manley vari-mu) followed by my desk eq (DDA interface then into a drawmer M500 (thanks Dopamine!) for final comression and limiting and fades at the end. I record thiss to a Tascam realtime CD burner and im liking the sound much better

especially mastering from stems

[jude]

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Ok, you can have a go at my last track.

Its in the tracks thread. Its called Fuertoventura. if your keen i will upload the wav for you to work with.

did you ever get around to sending me that track?

im keen to show the setup i use, i just need some decent unmastered stuff (ie, not my tracks!) to use

Jude

[opusinblue]

My only input as small it may be, is to have a High Pass filter set at 40hz on the master before i even start to do anything. I find it helps the speakers reproduce the audible frequencies better, rather than trying to reproduce freq you my not hear in most sound systems.

This goes against what spectrum says and this may be the case with dance music but for all the music i have done Rock, Jazz and Acoustic i found it is really effective.