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Mastering

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pompeyjazz

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« on: May 07, 2016, 10:40:46 PM »
Ok. I'm sure quite a few of you will know how I feel here. I've just finished mixing my latest tune and I think it sounds pretty good mix wise, so I save the wav and go and play it on my system downstairs and it sounds totally different. So I play it on a smaller Bluetooth speaker and it sounds totally different again. I remember reading in the sixties and seventies producers played the output through a transistor radio when mixing as that is what the listener would hear. I've tried some mastering vsts but they made things a whole lot worse. Set me back months. Any little tips and tricks that you guys have out there would be most enlightening.

Cheers John

Boydie

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« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2016, 11:00:32 PM »
Hey JOHN

There is soooooooooo much to say

I think it would be easiest to "show" you

If you want to PM me with a download link for your mix (without any of your mastering) I would happily have a crack at mastering the song for you and giving you some specific feedback on the mix and what I have done with the mastering (assuming you like it)

This would be completely free of charge by the way  ;)

The art of mixing is to not just get a good balance of instrument volumes and frequencies (and a gazillion other things) but to get a mix that "translates" well to other systems - eg ear buds, hi-fi systems, mobile phones, car stereos, club systems etc.

All of the "tips and tricks" to achieve this are the same general "rules" for mixing

The most important part is probably your mixing environment/equipment

Eg - if your speakers emphasise the bass frequencies (like domestic hi-fi systems tend to do) and your room that you mix in also emphasise lower frequencies you will naturally mix the bass quite low as you will subconsciously compensate for your environment

If you now play on another system, in another room, without these bass anomalies your mix will sound very light on bass

This is why it is worth spending time "getting to know" your speakers and environment by playing some commercial mixes you are familiar with and notice the differences between systems

Sticking to bass for another example...

If you know people are going to listen on earbuds and smaller speakers (eg iPhones or iPad speakers) you know that these system will not reproduce a heavy bass sound

It might, therefore, be a good idea to copy your kick drum and add a frequency boost in the lower mids (or if you are using midi drums play it with a low Tom sound) so that you will still clearly hear the "kick" pattern on smaller speakers
To check out my music please visit:

http://soundcloud.com/boydiemusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoydieMusic

pompeyjazz

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« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2016, 11:28:47 PM »
That's brilliant Boydie . Ok I think the mix is ok but people listen to stuff in totally different ways these days. Will send you the links tomorrow.
Cheers John

GTB

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« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2016, 09:19:46 AM »
"It might, therefore, be a good idea to copy your kick drum and add a frequency boost in the lower mids (or if you are using midi drums play it with a low Tom sound) so that you will still clearly hear the "kick" pattern on smaller speakers"

That is a fantastic tip you've given there Boydie!  I've never mastered anything myself but that makes a lot of sense to me 😀
GTB

Boydie

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« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2016, 11:40:27 AM »
That is really a "mixing" tip rather than a mastering tip

You can do a similar thing with bass guitar - by getting a synth or piano to replicate the bass line

You can also to some neat things by cloning the audio track and process one of them for a big system, with a nice low end, and then on the other one you can cut the lower frequencies and give a boost to the low mids and mids to get a really "plucky" bass line that will be audible on smaller speakers/earbuds
To check out my music please visit:

http://soundcloud.com/boydiemusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoydieMusic

Neil C

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« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2016, 03:51:35 PM »
Another point to add is think of your intended audience. I understand radio compressed the hell out of things. Soundcloud does it own compression, so it thats your intended medium learnt to work with it.
I'll often mix and then master and then listen to it via soundcloud and sometime slightly edit the mix or the master as required.
Other tips I've heard is give you ears a break before you do, and use your ears not your eyes ( guilty of that )
Have fun
 :)
Neil
songwriter of no repute..

tboswell

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« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2016, 09:35:42 PM »
Mastering seems a tricky thing I am only just getting me head round.

Try listening to these guys as a start
http://themasteringshow.com

And good luck!

Tom

Neil C

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« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2016, 09:51:49 PM »
and here's some free tools http://bedroomproducersblog.com/2013/06/26/free-mastering-software/
I used this plug-in but there's some good advice and guidance on their site too https://www.izotope.com/en/learning/music-production/
 :)
Neil
songwriter of no repute..

MartynRich

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adamfarr

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« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2016, 09:34:28 PM »
Also more mixing than mastering, but one technique I have found useful is to playback at about -25 db on the master track so the track is just audible and see what you can hear. Some things may stand out (which may be an indication that they need attention) but you should be able to distinguish everything and if not then some relevelling may be in order.

MartynRich

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Boydie

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« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2016, 03:17:08 PM »
There are some great little tips n tricks there
To check out my music please visit:

http://soundcloud.com/boydiemusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoydieMusic


MartynRich

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« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2016, 10:39:28 PM »
Well, I´ve gone for a proper go at mastering today, on a new song that I hope to post soon. It´s got some quite in-your-face drums in it, but I´m noticing that they´re squashed when there are vocals over them (the arrangement works in a question and answer sense). Not sure why this is happening yet, but I look forward to getting it sorted because I think it sounds superb (and properly loud) apart from that minor detail.

Boydie

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« Reply #14 on: May 23, 2016, 11:01:59 PM »
I would try some parallel compression on your drum bus before the mastering

This way you can "dial in" your compression to the desired "squashiness" - and even automate the amount during different sections of the song
To check out my music please visit:

http://soundcloud.com/boydiemusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoydieMusic