Help with Mastering

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www.witchsmark.com
Member Since: Aug 13, 2006

Fortunately my local Guitar Center sales guy is also does Mastering projects on the side. He has offered to Master our 9 song CD were trying to get done. My question is when I do my Stereo mixdowns, should I go ahead and run them through Harbal before I give them to him, or leave that process to him?? He does not use HArbal as I have discussed the program with him one time and he had never used it, but was curious about it.

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Mans reach exceeds his grasp
Member
Since: Oct 23, 2007


Jul 22, 2008 04:10 am

I would think to leave it out. If he masters, and gets professional results, Har-Bal may throw him through a loop and curve what he's used to dealing with.

If anything, I'd give him two copies and go over them before the process. One with Har-Bal and one without. He'd be able to answer the questions better than most of us, because he'll be able to hear exactly what he's working with before MP3 compression and all that jazz.

I say tag team him with both and spend an extra $40 pre-cursor hour on the side making the decision with him rather than regretting a decision later on down the road. Then again, thats my amateur perspective.

Prince CZAR-ming
Member
Since: Apr 08, 2004


Jul 22, 2008 07:50 am

I'd agree, give a set with, and a set without. I'd bet he'll use the set without, opting to work the EQ on his own.

Also, he may use one song with, and the next song without. That's the way with audio, different songs take tweaking differently.

www.witchsmark.com
Member
Since: Aug 13, 2006


Jul 27, 2008 08:06 pm

Ok... one more question that goes back to the Master Track in Sonar6. On some of the songs I have put a Limiter on the Master Track to keep it from clipping from the Sum of the Individual Tracks. I was told recently on this forum that I could also just logically turn down the Master Track till it stops clipping. Again, none of my Individual Tracks clip at all... should I:
1.) Mix down to stereo and not include the Master Track at All??
2.) Mix Down to stereo and have a Limiter on the Master Track for those songs that clip in the master without a Limiter?
3.) Mix Down to stereo and just turn the Master down on all the songs till it doesn't clip??

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Jul 27, 2008 08:52 pm

If you have HarBal why even give it to this other dude in the first place...

HarBal, HarBal Air and a little saturation and there ya go...

www.witchsmark.com
Member
Since: Aug 13, 2006


Jul 27, 2008 09:16 pm

Mostly because he has been Mastering for some years, and has offered to help us out for free.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Jul 27, 2008 10:18 pm

You can do either of the last 2 choices. I do not recommend going with the first choice, it may probably end up with nothing but over driven tracks as without the master bus it will clip for sure.

Even though you can't see it on each individual track clipping it is the sum of all the track together that adds up the digital volume. So that is why you only see it on the master bus.

www.witchsmark.com
Member
Since: Aug 13, 2006


Jul 28, 2008 07:40 am

Got ya, thanks.

Czar of Turd Polish
Member
Since: Jun 20, 2006


Jul 28, 2008 12:09 pm

If you are gonna have an outside source master, from my experience they want a straight mix and that's all. No harbal no limiting.

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Jul 28, 2008 12:11 pm

As a mastering guy I agree, sometimes it's harder to undo mastering attempts...

In my dad's machine shop he has a sign that is funny but holds true in theory:

"Prices:
$50 an hour for drop off work
$75 an hour if you watch
$100 if you tried to fix it yourself first"

That is paraphrased, but you get the gist I am sure...

Answer:On a good day, lipstick.
Member
Since: Jun 24, 2004


Jul 28, 2008 12:17 pm

The custom shop at Seymour Duncan has a similar sign (and I can't recall exact pricing, so this is a paraphrasing):

Custom Work: $100 per hour - plus parts
If you watch: $150 per hour - plus parts
If you help: $250 per hour - plus parts

MASSIVE Mastering, LLC
Member
Since: Aug 05, 2008


Aug 06, 2008 12:12 pm

None of your individual tracks should even approach clipping -- If they are, chances are pretty good that you tracked too hot (and if that's the case, you might want to browse www.massivemastering.com/...ing_Levels.html -- Nothing short of re-tracking will fix that...

At the main buss, no limiting, no clipping. I'm a fan of pulling individual faders down over pulling the master down - Although that can affect sends and insert levels, it usually affects them for the better.

Member
Since: Apr 26, 2006


Aug 06, 2008 07:23 pm

Nice link MassiveMaster, I for one will get benefit from it.

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