I'm absolutely terrible at mastering...

[SonnyFnD]

I've tried so many tutorials out there, but I can't seem to get anywhere. I spend a shitload of time mastering, but I clip, or it's too quiet, or loud. It just never sounds right. Any tips? Also, I'm an fl user.

[ehbes]

send to a mastering house

[dickman69]

i dont ever get whats so hard

just change shit till it sounds good

[wormcode]

Are you talking about mastering, or mixing here? If actual mastering, well that's an art form in itself and takes just as long as mixing to master, or longer. I wouldn't worry too much about it, unless your goal is to be a mastering engineer. If you're talking mixing down your tracks, it takes a long time to learn as well but for that you can focus on just making it sound good, the best you can. Listen back on multiple speakers, then when the mix is the best you can possibly do, have it mastered by a professional to get an idea of what it will sound like. Then you can use that as a reference, and try to replicate it yourself. Mastering engineers are usually happy to share tips and pointers with you, after all it makes their job easier.

[Huts]

i dont ever get whats so hard

just change shit till it sounds good

this is kind of how i've felt about mixing for a while now. granted I can go back and listen to some older stuff I made and see my mistakes, but for the most part I don't get what all the fuss is about. Listen to enough music on your system so you know what your stuff should sound like, then mimic it. If you're actually talking about mastering, I wouldn't worry. A good mix can be enough to play your tunes out

[wewuk]

clipping? how about turn everytinh down a bit? and go check the forum for the mixdown thread, it's golden!

[elyhess]

compression and eq

[Ficticious]

Monitoring h-e-a-d-p-h-o-n-e-s.

They help.

[sunny_b_uk]

Monitoring h-e-a-d-p-h-o-n-e-s.

They help.

definitely, most peoples bedrooms arent sufficient enough for monitor speakers & im always more able to pick out more detail with good headphones + successfully pan things better.
at the same time there are guidelines to follow when mixing down and the OP is obviously unaware, your sig song is clipping like hell.
perhaps read the moneyshot sticky thread at the top?

[Terpit]

Go and see a mastering master to master for you

[Ficticious]

Monitoring h-e-a-d-p-h-o-n-e-s.

They help.

definitely, most peoples bedrooms arent sufficient enough for monitor speakers & im always more able to pick out more detail with good headphones + successfully pan things better.
at the same time there are guidelines to follow when mixing down and the OP is obviously unaware, your sig song is clipping like hell.
perhaps read the moneyshot sticky thread at the top?

For a second I thought you meant mine..I was like, How canz a piano that's already half dulled down and non-realistic clip?

[travis_baker]

I've tried so many tutorials out there, but I can't seem to get anywhere. I spend a shitload of time mastering, but I clip, or it's too quiet, or loud. It just never sounds right. Any tips? Also, I'm an fl user.

dont do it

[SonnyFnD]

Are you talking about mastering, or mixing here? If actual mastering, well that's an art form in itself and takes just as long as mixing to master, or longer. I wouldn't worry too much about it, unless your goal is to be a mastering engineer. If you're talking mixing down your tracks, it takes a long time to learn as well but for that you can focus on just making it sound good, the best you can. Listen back on multiple speakers, then when the mix is the best you can possibly do, have it mastered by a professional to get an idea of what it will sound like. Then you can use that as a reference, and try to replicate it yourself. Mastering engineers are usually happy to share tips and pointers with you, after all it makes their job easier.

Sorry, I meant mixing. -_- My bad.

[5-0-what]

if you give me an flp file i will give it a go and send it back with how i do things so you can see

[deadly_habit]

http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-Audio-S ... 420&sr=8-1

[ghostofme]

I'd say: unless you're looking to become a professional mastering engineer and you're planning to also help other artists with their mastering needs, just leave it to the pros. It will cost you a bit of money, but the incentive for you is that you'll get to spend more time creating/composing/producing other pieces as opposed to spending too much time fiddling with the one. Although mastering would be an amazing talent to have, stick to what is most important: creativity.

Don't be a jack of all trades- be a master of one (or a few).

Cheers!

[deadly_habit]

i'd say the opposite, if you want to make money in music beyond production learn recording, mixdowns and mastering. having a full arsenal is great, especially when you have a bunch of mics a mediocre board and can record a band and mix em down. so much more money in it and more knowledge. lemme put it this way, ive made so much more doing production tutorial vids for one synth than all gigs and releases combined. and recording bands and mixing em is just icing on the cake, and it's so fun if you like the content.
ie: i have a released tune that demonstrates what i talk about in a session about say filters or modulation, i make more teaching people how to use em.

[OfficialDAPT]

i'd say the opposite, if you want to make money in music beyond production learn recording, mixdowns and mastering. having a full arsenal is great, especially when you have a bunch of mics a mediocre board and can record a band and mix em down. so much more money in it and more knowledge. lemme put it this way, ive made so much more doing production tutorial vids for one synth than all gigs and releases combined. and recording bands and mixing em is just icing on the cake, and it's so fun if you like the content.
ie: i have a released tune that demonstrates what i talk about in a session about say filters or modulation, i make more teaching people how to use em.

Where are said production tutorials about said synth?

[AxeD]

Mastering computer music is bogus imo.
80% of the stuff you'd learn about mastering or even mixing doesn't fully apply when the music is sample based / digital.

Mix your stuff down well and maybe put a limiter on the master. Unless it's going to be cut to vinyl of course.

[subfect]

Forget about mastering, learn to get your mixdowns fucking ACE! An amazing mixdown doesn't need a master, pure and simple. It's always good to have a second set of ears (aka, the mastering engineer) but there are some producers where the mastering engineer basically just turns it up, that's how good their mixdown is.

Learn to mixdown, not master.