Decent Mastering software

dj seizure · Post by **dj seizure** » Sun Jul 19, 2009 10:35 pm

After a full day of being in the studio I think I'd be a fool to think I could do mastering properly.

Learnt about using limiters and what not and have eq'd in the best way I could but when I'm doing proper proper tunes that I think are even worth mastering I'll get them done properly.

Littlefoot · Post by **Littlefoot** » Mon Jul 20, 2009 9:24 pm

Dj Seizure wrote:It is. I got it from the izotope website and I've just worked it out!

Now it's running.. I have no idea where to start, so I'm going to hit the youtube tutorials!

thats cool, was just trying to defend you from banning on the forum mate just incase!

Ozone has the best interface I have ever used on a plug-in, my demo ran out a while ago and I am slowly finding MUCH better sounding processors that do the same modern ITB mastering functions in a similar style/functionality.

If you could mount different VSTs into the Ozone interface that would be brilliant! the mid side / stereo options are SO handy!

I find the EQ on the Ozone really displeasing after a while, when I demo-d it I applied it to a few tracks I was working on at the time as alt versions and when I listen back they have a subtle but very annoying when you notice it, distortion where I applied shelf EQs particulary!

I heavily reccomend the PSP Neon HR for a similar style EQ, has flexibility and one of the cleanest cuts I have ever heard!

Sharmaji · Post by **Sharmaji** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:05 am

everyone keep in mind that a happy mastering engineer is one who worked on a tune for an hour and did absolutely nothing to it. it's rare that this happens, but...

no one, not even the a-list guys, will tell you that these black sciences of mastering HAVE to be done to a track. if you've gotten the sonics of your tune great from the get-go, and know enough from experience to build your tunes so that they fit w/ the desired end result... it can happen.

abZ · Post by **abZ** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:17 am

TeReKeTe wrote:everyone keep in mind that a happy mastering engineer is one who worked on a tune for an hour and did absolutely nothing to it. it's rare that this happens, but...

no one, not even the a-list guys, will tell you that these black sciences of mastering HAVE to be done to a track. if you've gotten the sonics of your tune great from the get-go, and know enough from experience to build your tunes so that they fit w/ the desired end result... it can happen.

Absolutely correct. The masters that have turned out the best on my label are the ones that sound almost the same as the pre-masters plus a few dbs.

FSTZ1 · Post by **FSTZ1** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 2:36 pm

I have been running some soft compression on my mixdowns through the powercore CL and it seems to get the job done for just making a "playable" tune.

anything that gets released receives a proper mastering job from a pro

Littlefoot · Post by **Littlefoot** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 9:54 pm

TeReKeTe wrote:everyone keep in mind that a happy mastering engineer is one who worked on a tune for an hour and did absolutely nothing to it. it's rare that this happens, but...

no one, not even the a-list guys, will tell you that these black sciences of mastering HAVE to be done to a track. if you've gotten the sonics of your tune great from the get-go, and know enough from experience to build your tunes so that they fit w/ the desired end result... it can happen.

yep, this is when your average bloke with a limiter falls down, it's way easier to make something sound worse than better.

r · Post by r » Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:44 pm

push it to the limit without destroying dynamics too much.
proper compression and eqing

rdubz · Post by **rdubz** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:20 pm

LewisR wrote:t racks

Littlefoot · Post by **Littlefoot** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:30 pm

rdubz wrote:
LewisR wrote:t racks

heard pretty much nothing but bad things from the pros

never tried though.

Although I find it worrying the amount of time spent on making it look good/real and the amount of time it takes to make a real mastering quality processor for that price

chewie · Post by **chewie** » Tue Jul 21, 2009 11:32 pm

Been using the uad precision series for 'mastering' but you really need an ME if that shits getting a release. Mastering your own tunes is like cutting your own hair - you sure as hell don't want your tunes looking like this:

macc · Post by **macc** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 12:48 am

Joe C wrote: Although I find it worrying the amount of time spent on making it look good/real and the amount of time it takes to make a real mastering quality processor for that price

T-racks has been around so long, they have had plenty of time to make it look good...

I'm interested whether it actually sounds any good these days, they have put a big revision in lately. The compressor used to suck all the drums out of everything like nothing I have ever heard. I remember liking the 3 band limiter though. But then, I was busy going 'WOW it's so analogue WTFZOMG look at teh knobz'

Jeebus, just realised that was TEN fucking years ago!!

abZ · Post by **abZ** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:00 am

Macc wrote:
Joe C wrote: Although I find it worrying the amount of time spent on making it look good/real and the amount of time it takes to make a real mastering quality processor for that price
T-racks has been around so long, they have had plenty of time to make it look good...

I'm interested whether it actually sounds any good these days, they have put a big revision in lately. The compressor used to suck all the drums out of everything like nothing I have ever heard. I remember liking the 3 band limiter though. But then, I was busy going 'WOW it's so analogue WTFZOMG look at teh knobz'

Jeebus, just realised that was TEN fucking years ago!!

Did any VST sound good 10 years ago? I remember that shit though it was pretty sweet looking compared to most plug ins back then. I am sure it is much better these days but to be quite honest I don't know anyone that uses it.

paradigm_x · Post by **paradigm_x** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 9:01 am

I always hated TRacks, my mate loved it. Ugh. Was well into Ozone for a while but then stopped using it.

Dunno about this whole concept of mastering "all in ones" either TBH, stick on 'Phat Hip Hop Master 1' preset and it sounds better (louder ?!) ... or does it?? Ozone sticks on all 6 modules by default... multiband comp on everything by default ? Stereo Widening on by default ? ugh

Mastering software is the best sounding Eq, comp, limiter, whatever else you need/have + Wavelab/Wavosoar/Audacity ?

Littlefoot · Post by **Littlefoot** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:23 pm

Macc wrote:
Joe C wrote: Although I find it worrying the amount of time spent on making it look good/real and the amount of time it takes to make a real mastering quality processor for that price
T-racks has been around so long, they have had plenty of time to make it look good...

I'm interested whether it actually sounds any good these days, they have put a big revision in lately. The compressor used to suck all the drums out of everything like nothing I have ever heard. I remember liking the 3 band limiter though. But then, I was busy going 'WOW it's so analogue WTFZOMG look at teh knobz'

Jeebus, just realised that was TEN fucking years ago!!

ten years ago I was 12, I was probably just about checking out Cubasis or somethinglolz!

Littlefoot · Post by **Littlefoot** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:23 pm

Chewie wrote:Been using the uad precision series for 'mastering' but you really need an ME if that shits getting a release. Mastering your own tunes is like cutting your own hair - you sure as hell don't want your tunes looking like this:

oh man that analogy is so good!

Sharmaji · Post by **Sharmaji** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:36 pm

Bamenda wrote: - Gentle multiband stereo imaging (Ozone3)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

stop the madness!

A tune's gotta have some serious balance problems if you have to reach for multiband processing and/or stereo imaging--snare way brighter than the hats and vocals, etc. if a tune sounds good and balanced (or funkily unbalanced), multiband processing is only gonna hurt it.

if you've got problems w/ the stereo spread, best to go back to the mix.

Littlefoot · Post by **Littlefoot** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 4:58 pm

TeReKeTe wrote:
Bamenda wrote: - Gentle multiband stereo imaging (Ozone3)
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

stop the madness!

A tune's gotta have some serious balance problems if you have to reach for multiband processing and/or stereo imaging--snare way brighter than the hats and vocals, etc. if a tune sounds good and balanced (or funkily unbalanced), multiband processing is only gonna hurt it.

if you've got problems w/ the stereo spread, best to go back to the mix.

I agree, what's wrong with opening your mixdown session and repanning?

__________ · Post by **__________** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:39 pm

Chewie wrote:Been using the uad precision series for 'mastering' but you really need an ME if that shits getting a release. Mastering your own tunes is like cutting your own hair - you sure as hell don't want your tunes looking like this:

genuine LOL at that

but what about shaving your own hair? I do that. number 1'd (shortest) myself the other day because I don't see the point in paying someone to do that for me.

same as a lot of the tunes I make. at the moment I'm on a silly 8-bit-weed-smoking-fuck-the-mixdown-make-a-silly-track tip so I master some of my stuff with the CMT bitcrusher on 4x downsample and +4db gain. it gets the exact sound I'm looking for: properly simplified and in your face crunchy. yeah maybe an ME wouldn't approve, but I don't care. they probably cut their own hair badly.

relik · Post by **relik** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 8:14 pm

For playing tunes out, my master chain looks like this:

-FL PEQ2 (usually only adjust the highs if I have to)
-Antress VFME Compressor (free, but might be hard to find these days)
-Waves L2 Limiter

I usually don't compress more than 1-3db and limit 0.5-1.5db (just crank it up until there is slight attenuation and then turn back down a bit). works well for most of my times.

Decent Mastering software

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