When to Master and What Level?
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Posted on Jan 22, 2005 05:25 am
ledeux_machina
Member Since: Jun 04, 2004
Hi,
I`ve been getting deeply into the world of mastering...(well, researching it and carrying it out at an amateurish standard!)...anyway, how "hot" should my pre-master level be before I start mastering it? I usually put a limiter (Waves L-1) on the whole track during pre-master to keep the level unclipped and to add a bit of power. Anyway, I usually try and get the level as hot as possible without it clipping. When I monitor the level on my M-Audio Audiophile I try and get it to just hit the red a bit...(I`ve used reference cd`s and they are usually completely in the red!)... It this too much?
Should I leave all this and just bounce it un-limited into a wav and THEN master it?!
So basically, after all this rambling, I`m trying to establish exactly WHEN I should master the track and what level I should be trying to get?...
Thankyou in advance for any help.
Take Care,
Alex
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Jan 22, 2005 11:36 am My pre-master is usually somewhere below 1db or around there anyways...
There is no real set level but try to keep the signal fairly hot before exporting the final mix down, as I say, Im usually within -1 to -1.5db approx...
Then, into Wavelab or Forge and apply the fx as required including eq, comp and maximisation. Into HarBal then back to forge for total maximisation, usually to approx -0.3db..then, its kickin!!!
DONT HAVE ANY RED IN THE PREMASTER!!!! OTherwise, it'll be clipped to hell and sound very, VERY bad!!! Aye - NOT CLIPPING the premaster is the key to a good start in the master.
Cheers
Coco.
Jan 22, 2005 11:38 am I realise after typing this, whilst I keep things quite hot, there is no real need to be as close to -1 to -1.5db - I just do it to save on the maximisation, normalising etc - the lower you have it the safer it is from clipping, as long as you can work the normalisation/maximisation in your mastering app it'll be all good.
dB will give ya some good pointers...its all in the name!! db Masters!
Cheers
Coco.
Jan 22, 2005 11:45 am I usually keep every stage as close to redlining as I can without clipping, no masterful insight there, I realize...thats just my method.
I am at my best after premastering not with getting it to that point...listen to my music you can tell that, my mixes are no better or worse than anyone else's...I am just a mastering guy...
Jan 22, 2005 12:13 pm i like to mix to -2, and i really don't do any sorta premastering, maybe someone can school me on that....then i take my mix and master it and try to get the peaks to -.5 or so and the RMS at -18 on softer stuff and -12 on the slammin' parts. i do use a limiter on the mix but i try to set it so it only has to "work" every once and a while. i really wish more compressors had a Peak/RMS switch. the best tip i can give you on mastering is use the best meters you can find (i love Wavelabs) and watch them like a hawk, not just where they are, but how they move. good sounding songs will move those meters ever so gracefully.
peace
wyd
olddogMember
Since: Jul 02, 2003
Jan 22, 2005 01:08 pm When I premaster the main body of the music is usually at about -3dB with peaks reaching to about -2dB/-1dB. For Mastering I setup Ozone's maximizer for -.3dB and bring the threshold down until it's compressing the peaks about 1/2 way to the main body of the music. That way I still have some dynamics left but a fairly hot mix.
Dan
Jan 22, 2005 03:03 pm wow, brilliant...thankyou for all those replies...I have alot of things to reference to there. I`m going to order myself a copy of Har-Bal right this second as I`ve just been practicing and getting to grips with the demo version! Is Adobe Audition any good to master in? Also, I do all my recording and mixing in Logic...is this a good piece of software to master in?...has anyone used logic for mastering?
Thanks again guys...you`ve all been extremely helpful.
Alex
Jan 22, 2005 03:12 pm yeah you're good with logic
olddogMember
Since: Jul 02, 2003
Jan 22, 2005 03:32 pm Audition especially v1.5 is a very good mastering app, but I would recommend something such as Ozone 3 to go along with it. While you can do the same things without Ozone, it's much more convienient with.
Dan
Jan 23, 2005 06:02 am Sound Forge is excellent...poweful and very easy to use. Easier than Wavelab and cheaper...but, Audition should be cheaper again so if you dont need all the features of Forge/Lab, go for the one that can do the job AND doesnt cost the earth!
Cheers
Coco.
Jan 23, 2005 08:50 am Easier than WaveLab? Not a friggin chance...Although it does appear that SoundForge 8 might actually have a chance, until they get try realtime effects processing and a more intuitive interface, screw SoundForge...I don't like it.
Jan 23, 2005 01:01 pm Dunno dB..in terms of usability, everything in Forge is drop down menu - test the sound then apply.
Granted, realtime would be better. Altho, the sheer amount of stuff Wavelab 4 can do can be daunting hence whY I feel the forge is easier (Sony SF 7)...
Each to their own tho man..I like both.
Cheers
Coco
Jan 23, 2005 01:26 pm Yeah, I can see people prefering either, so whatever, and I rarely have super strong opinions on software as most any app can handle the basics of the process it was built for...but SoundForge absolutely drives me nuts, I just friggin hate it.
Jan 23, 2005 02:00 pm I think the apogee dithering in Wavelab does make a difference tho..the quality of my audio seems better in the WL...so, I tend to use it a lot these days.
That, and the fact, it accepts vst effects..Forge, does not...downside. So, aye, there are few nigglers for me with SF tae.
Alas, some hybrid of both would suit me down to the ground, with a built in harBal just to save me runnin 3 apps!!
Cheers
Coco.
Jan 23, 2005 03:45 pm Har-Bal VST is getting close...
Jan 23, 2005 06:52 pm Niceeee...niceee! I'll be surely checkin for that.
Cheers
Coco.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Jan 29, 2005 12:25 am The only reason I run SoundForge now is for the sampler formats it can export to that WaveLab cant. And their noise reduction plugs are a bit better, but I can run them in WaveLab so its a moot point really. So WAveLab is my choice also.
