Really good mastering guide

[benjam]

http://tarekith.com/assets/mastering.html

Must read stuff imo

[NinjaEdit]

I like that he said do as little as possible and "Why do you have to master? You don't!"

I use a compressor rather than a limiter, though.

[mixedbyLUSH]

Why do you say use a compressor rather than a limiter?

[SMOR3S]

Why do you say use a compressor rather than a limiter?

Honestly it wouldn't matter really, cause if you put a compressor up to 10:1 ratio, it's a limiter... I guess it's preference... I like using my L316 limiter for some tracks, and some I use Ozone 5... I got a friend that uses a C1 as a limiter, and it works fine... I like using Ozone 5, cause I have been using it for mastering since Ozone 4, and I like the Izotope series.. I do some times master with individual plugins, but mostly I just use Ozone, cause I know it really well...

[NinjaEdit]

if you put a compressor up to 10:1 ratio, it's a limiter...

Exactly. A limiter plugin will always have an infinity:1 ratio, so with a compressor you have more control over your limiting, and can use an even lower ratio if appropriate. A compressor can do what a limiter does and more, and is thus strictly better. It also abides the do-as-little-as-possible rule. I wouldn't dither either since, like he says, the effect is subtle.

[fv2k]

^The effect is subtle at home, but it becomes less so at higher volumes. You can hear the effects at high levels. Why leave the distortion of going from 24 bit to 16 bit?

[NinjaEdit]

Why reduce to 16-bit?

[mthrfnk]

Why reduce to 16-bit?

Audio CDs are limited to 16bit?

[NinjaEdit]

So don't print CDs? Or dither just for that release.

[DrVinnyBoomBeats]

I rarely use compression and all I really do is just add a maximizer. I EQ the instruments to the way I want and mess with the levels so that everything is in sync. I'm not a fan of stereoizing. I think the word Mastering scares people.

[ehbes]

ಠ__ಠ

[RandoRando]

So don't print CDs? Or dither just for that release.

labels arent going to release 24 bit wavs. 24 bit is only for sending to MEs. 16 bit is the industry standard. just start doing it.

[dougriley]

"Listen to your song in headphones, on your iPod, your home stereo, in your car, your kitchen radio, your friends' stereos (they hate this by the 5th or 6th month BTW)"

hahah, my friends don't ever say anything to me, but i know they're thinking "not again".

[fragments]

I rarely use compression and all I really do is just add a maximizer.

lol...seriously?