Mastering techniques

Dear friends,

thank you for sharing your experiences. From the “in the box” solution I was very happy with UAD precision mastering tools…it needs hardware, but also there is one multiband compressor that I can recommend, it is called DSM (dynamic spectrum mapper), have anyone tried that? I agree that a good mix is crucial, but good mastering is also important. Having a reference track is also a crucial secret:)

eroservin said
Dear friends, thank you for sharing your experiences. From the “in the box” solution I was very happy with UAD precision mastering tools…it needs hardware, but also there is one multiband compressor that I can recommend, it is called DSM (dynamic spectrum mapper), have anyone tried that? I agree that a good mix is crucial, but good mastering is also important. Having a reference track is also a crucial secret:)

I think the UAD stuff is great ! .....yes expensive but good, i use the mastering series as well as the general plug ins, i also use alot of very good free plugs, cubase plugs, Korg, waves etc etc but i still feel if you get it right in the mix and you are happy with it, then that leaves very little work to do at the end…......and the last thing anyone want’s is an unbalanced mix to deal with.

Just my two pence worth

hi everybody. I’m a kind of new here. For these projects i use Ozone 4, but when i master the cds of my bands i push a little bit with L3. Then i listen to the whole cd in different systems and cars and correct after

To check on other systems I just unplug my macbook and start walking trough the house with a jack cable. Nearly every sound system in my house has aux inputs so i can just plug it in. The sound-card of my macbook is strong enough to run logic without an interface so I make my adjustments on the fly.

Pianojungle said
To check on other systems I just unplug my macbook and start walking trough the house with a jack cable. Nearly every sound system in my house has aux inputs so i can just plug it in. The sound-card of my macbook is strong enough to run logic without an interface so I make my adjustments on the fly.

That is an awesome idea.

Yeah UAD stuff I use on a track by track basis…mostly fairchild on drums, always optical LA2A on vocals and 1176 on Bass. I dont always compress guitars cause Im using amp simulators most of the time anyways. Funny, the more years I get in, the less I tweak stuff, and fuss more at the front end. Finding decent sounds initially that need little adjustment. But with mastering, I then tend to use Izotope 5. I used to use T racks and love the vintage delux settings….instant wam! Warm and loud and proud. But I find for me the big dials to refine ect..dont give me enough surgical prescision, They prob do, I just don’t know how to make the most of it compared to Izotop. What I like about Izotope is that its laid out great and visually you see whats going on on the spectral images ect…It also has mid side processing which alot don’t and its dither algrithims sound great. But if you want a more warm analoque sounding mix, then T Racks is the way to go for sure. Izotpe can be switched to analoque mode, but I mostly get what I need from the UAD one plug ins. So Izotope ends up being more notching to stuff and separation and some shine.

I use Loigic plug-ins only.

I use Izotope Ozone 5. It good program for electronic music.

If you make mastering by yourself, plugins – cheaper decision, but it doesn’t mean less quality. Especially if software is Waves, UAD , URS etc. I strongly believe that mastering with software is usable for big budget projects, if you know how to cope with this. I use Waves, URS , Sonnox software. And with every new track I notice that my music loses less and less in compare with “expensive” studio projects. All in your hands.

I recently completed a home study course in audio engineering, which was expensive to say the least but well worth. It was not entirely home study as I had to attend a college once a week for some real desk flying time. You can imagine the faces of the hairy men in the studio when a 55 year old woman turned up on the first day Anyway through trial and error and up until only a few weeks ago I was using T-racks. Now I use mostly Brainworx bx plugs. I especially love the vertigo comp, it’s fantastic. EQuing is a synch with the DynEQ and Digital EQ, while limiting is a snap with the XL plug. I’m comfortable with these, and have more fun messing around with the settings on the plugs than writing the music sometimes. I always generally start with a comp and EQ on the drums, and if the kick is a bit weedy I’ll use the bx_Boom plugin to krank up the kick a little. From there it’s just a case of Comping as necessary and EQuing out all those nasty resonant frequencies that make your ears bleed. When the mix stage is over, I’ll bounce to a stereo master and go over it with a fine tooth comb trying to refine it as much as possible, making it loud and wide. However, I’m still working on my listening skills, and sometimes I still get defeated by an awkward mix with muddy frequencies, but this is happening less and less, I’m happy to say.

@MagnetStudios – Awesome story