Har-Bal
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Posted on Aug 16, 2004 01:27 pm
haitian boy
Member Since: Jan 20, 2004
i was checking out har-bal and trying to compare it to Ozone. i downloaded the trial version and unable to use it yet. (not at home)
is har-bal a plugin like ozone? other than price difference, which one do you all prefer and why.
why do u love har-bal so much, db?
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Aug 16, 2004 01:39 pm It's not a plugin, it's a standalone application, though when done making the Mac version, their next goal is making a VST plugin version.
I love it so much because it makes the process of harmonic balancing soooo much easier. Harmonic ballancing is the most often overlooked part of mastering when done by home recording peeps. It is what makes mixes sound it's best regardless of speakers/rooms that it is played in...eliminating big peaks and valleys in the sonic spectrum of the music.
Aug 16, 2004 11:03 pm Yes, it's probably the least "fun" part of mastering... And it's not easy even WITH Har-Bal, but it is by far the most important part of the process and makes or breaks your entire mix. I use both Har-Bal and Ozone. I use Har-Bal to balance, and Ozone to compress and Maximize.
MinkusMazBane of All ExistenceMember
Since: Mar 27, 2003
Aug 17, 2004 01:24 am i think it's great also to see when you have massive holes in your tracks, or no low bass, etc etc. makes not having decent monitors and listening space a little less than totally crippling.
Aug 17, 2004 07:18 am cool! i think i'm gonna try that. (ozone and har-bal together)
i'm still confused as to how har-bal helps eliminate the need to try the mix on different stereos and speaker sizes.
Aug 17, 2004 07:21 am also, let me make sure i understand this. after mixing the track down you use ozone to maximize and compress where needed. then you mix down to a single stereo file and to then transfer it to har-bal to balance the track.
is this the final step or should you then do all of the extra stuff like fade outs
Aug 17, 2004 07:40 am Let me try to explain this...
The main reason your music sounds different from speaker to speaker is due to the weak points and strong points of each speaker regarding how it handles which frequencies, where crossover points are and various other factors.
For example, if you are listeneing to a set of speakers that has it's crossover point at, say 1000Hz (not likely, but let's say) and the response at that spot is deminished, and that happens to be a point in your music that is emphasized, that speaker will make your mix sound weak because it will be missing that key frequency.
What Har-Bal does is allows you to actually see the frequency spectrum from top to bottom. Then you can see the peaks and valleys in your mix and rather than make it look like a mountain range with all the ups and down, you can smooth it out, raising the valleys and lowering the peaks. This will make it more consistent from speaker to speaker (harmonically balanced).
While doing this, in the Har-Bal app you can turn the EQ on and off to listen to the difference. What I have found is that it not only harmonically balances the sound, but often gives the sound more breathing room and really adds life to it during this balancing.
Yes, the guys from Har-Bal have become my friends over the last year or so since they introduced the product, so there is an emotional attachment too, but anyone at HRC knows I would never this strongly recommended or hail a product that I honestly didn't feel I could stand behind. Har-Bal has changed the way I master, and my clients have been impressed over and over again. Actually, I just recieved an email telling me that I am getting a 3rd CD to master for a band in Nashville since I began using Har-Bal along with the usual suspects of WaveLab and it's arsenal of plugins.
I have been mastering professionally for around 6-7 years now...and Har-Bal has changed everything for me.
Seriously.
Aug 17, 2004 09:30 am thanks dB that makes a lot of sence. i'm trying the trial version right now and have no idea where to begin. i'm trying to load a wave file located on my desktop. i click open wave file source but the wave file doesn't show in the desktop. what am i doing wrong?
Aug 17, 2004 09:51 am You would want to use Har-bal before maximization, or else it will affect the volume or your song and push it over the edge or make it quieter.
Aug 17, 2004 09:51 am I don't know. Just browse to a file and it will analyze and show three "powerbands" in the graph. That graph, such as kind of visible in the image at www.homerecordingconnecti...tory&id=368 are you getting the bands? Can it play anything? Or, are you getting nothing?
After maximization or any effect processing it is kind of interesting to at least open the song in Har-Bal just to see how much some effects mess with the harmonic balancing...
MinkusMazBane of All ExistenceMember
Since: Mar 27, 2003
Aug 17, 2004 11:29 am you are supposed to put har-bal in the process after mixing and multi-band compression, but before increasing loudness. when you use har-bal, it can and usually does affect the overall loudness of a track.
Jul 11, 2011 04:32 pm I I don't have har-bal, is there a demo for windows or is there another program I can use , I appreciate yer help
IndellableMusic AfficionadoMember
Since: Aug 12, 2008
Jul 12, 2011 12:56 am DB - any idea on when the Mac version will be out? Not much info on their website other than they are starting Q1 next year(assuming that means 2012).
Also, cant you run Windows based programs on some Macs using Winebottle or something? Anyone using Har-bal this way?
I have looked at this product since reading about it on here for a while but run only Macs in my studio. Would love to give it a shot...
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Jul 12, 2011 09:58 am i often wonderd that too. These days though i wouldnt even use harbal, i kinda trust my ears,
CptTrippsCzar of Turd PolishMember
Since: Jun 20, 2006
Jul 12, 2011 01:39 pm I have not used harbal in a couple years. I should download the latest update and run some finished tracks through it and then do a comparison.
