Master Inserts?

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mbird21
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Master Inserts?

Post by mbird21 » Sat Aug 22, 2009 4:54 pm

Interested in what tools people are using on the master channel over the entire mix, my latest release was just using this chain...
EQ - basically the smiling kind, A little tube warmth, compressor just to lower any little peaks overall and finally a d82 at end of chain, i swear by that thing now, it just sweetens the highs/mid just right way for me :) that was basically it on that release alot of work was done in the mixing so nothing too fancy.

Best

Mike :wink:
Alex!

spiral
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Re: Master Inserts?

Post by spiral » Sun Aug 23, 2009 1:33 am

I keep my master clean

Tarekith
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Re: Master Inserts?

Post by Tarekith » Sun Aug 23, 2009 3:10 am

Nothing. Maybe a bit of limiting to slightly adjust the levels, but that's it.

http://tarekith.com/assets/mastering.html
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miro
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Re: Master Inserts?

Post by miro » Mon Aug 24, 2009 2:42 pm

T-Racks 670 Comp (very little compression, more for input gain/soft harmonic distortion)
TT Dynamic Range meter (for exact metering)

Tryptych
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Re: Master Inserts?

Post by Tryptych » Tue Aug 25, 2009 1:59 pm

Couple of things (in this order):

- Ableton autofilters (HP/LP - cut ~40 Hz -> 19 kHz, Q set to .70)

- Ableton EQ Eight, Flux Epure, or Sonalksis DQ1 (which has built in dynamics)

- Izotope Ozone 4.
Stereo Imaging: Everything under 180hz -> mono, some spread on the highs.
EQ with the EQ itself curve switched off with inf. spectrum settings to check the spectrum curve compared to similar production.

Sometimes I add some Acustica Nebula preamp. These things simulate some of the most expensive gear out there, and can make many digital creations sound more analog. I think it also adds some very subtle excitement to the highs. It's a terrible CPU hog 'tho, so i do it in the very end.

mbird21
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Location: Sunderland - UK

Re: Master Inserts?

Post by mbird21 » Tue Aug 25, 2009 2:06 pm

Yeah my freind as Ozone and trash i think, his cpu goes in overdrive when he uses that, i dont have that but i can do pretty well with the standard live plugs tbh and the nomad tools, decent price for ozone though, so might have a look again in future when i have money to buy again lol

Mike :wink:
Alex!

miro
Posts: 33
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Re: Master Inserts?

Post by miro » Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:05 am

Tryptych wrote:Couple of things (in this order):

- Ableton autofilters (HP/LP - cut ~40 Hz -> 19 kHz, Q set to .70)

- Ableton EQ Eight, Flux Epure, or Sonalksis DQ1 (which has built in dynamics)

- Izotope Ozone 4.
Stereo Imaging: Everything under 180hz -> mono, some spread on the highs.
EQ with the EQ itself curve switched off with inf. spectrum settings to check the spectrum curve compared to similar production.

Sometimes I add some Acustica Nebula preamp. These things simulate some of the most expensive gear out there, and can make many digital creations sound more analog. I think it also adds some very subtle excitement to the highs. It's a terrible CPU hog 'tho, so i do it in the very end.


nebula is fantastic for sure!

PEAVLEY
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Location: london ,England

Re: Master Inserts?

Post by PEAVLEY » Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:33 am

One thing I always put on my master track is a little plug in that makes loudspeakers on headphones sound.It really does make a difference.

http://refinedaudiometrics.com/products-hdphx.shtml

mistercool
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Joined: Sat Mar 28, 2009 3:37 pm

Re: Master Inserts?

Post by mistercool » Wed Aug 26, 2009 11:36 am

on master: Waves L3-16

for those who use Ozone for stereo spread: that completely messes up the mono signal of the song...that is equal to say your song will sound bad..if i really needed a stereo spreader on the master(i wouldnt do it though...it is better to do this job in the mixdown with panning and EQs or in the singles audio tracks) id use Sonalksis Stereotools...

DJ Mike Beeds
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Re: Master Inserts?

Post by DJ Mike Beeds » Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:00 am

A reply/question for the last comment. I was previewing some of the mastering videos on Sonic Academy and they also recommended using stereo width via Sonalksis; in fact, the above recommendation of making everything 180hz and below mono is exactly what they mentioned; then of course, use stereo width to taste, depending on how "wide" you want your sound to be.

The question is, why would you want things 180hz below to be mono anyway?

As far as panning goes, is there a simple way to spread a track both left and right? I'm usually very clunky about these things and tend to just recreate the same track (make two of the same track), panning one left and the other right (to get both width and maintain balance). However, I'm SURE there is a simpler way to do this...

Back to the topic though -- I've also enjoyed using Ozone. I typically use it as a limiter/harmonics exciter/multi-band compressor (though, I'm still learning how to use this one). Can't say I'm a big fan of Ozone's EQ tool though...

What settings do you guys tend to go for with your limiter? Brick wall? Maybe something softer?

mholloway
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Re: Master Inserts?

Post by mholloway » Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:14 am

DJ Mike Beeds wrote:A reply/question for the last comment. I was previewing some of the mastering videos on Sonic Academy and they also recommended using stereo width via Sonalksis; in fact, the above recommendation of making everything 180hz and below mono is exactly what they mentioned; then of course, use stereo width to taste, depending on how "wide" you want your sound to be.

The question is, why would you want things 180hz below to be mono anyway?
I always use sonalksis stereo tools while mastering, and always do the zero-width below 180hz dealie -- why? because low frequencies in the overall mix sound fuller when centered, and when spread (effected by the stereo spread fx) creates a sense of hollow-ness and lack of body in the mix. sonalksis plug does a great job of stereo widening, but you don't want it over everything, frequency wise. expand the mid to high, leave the low in the middle; it's all subjective, sure, but i've been very happy with this process. I love that plug. Tried a dozen others and none came close.

-M
my industrial music made with Ableton Live (as DEAD WHEN I FOUND HER): https://deadwhenifoundher.bandcamp.com/
my dark jazz / noir music made with Ableton Live: https://michaelarthurholloway.bandcamp. ... guilt-noir

Tarekith
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Re: Master Inserts?

Post by Tarekith » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:54 pm

To me it's easier addressing that issue when you're actually working on the song, put the kick and bassline in mono and you likely don't need to worry about that stuff at the mastering stage. Some people will say bass should be mono to keep a needle from jumping the groove on a record, but the person cutting the plate will deal with that far better than you (hypothetically) would.

Personally when mastering other people's songs, it's pretty rare I need to adjust the stereo width like this either. Sometimes I might open up the high end a little bit, but pretty rare I find I have to collapse the low end. Usually I just work with the artist to help them fix any issues like that before they send it to me. (IE, you can use Live's Utility plug in to set the width to 0 of low end parts, then rerender).
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mistercool
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Re: Master Inserts?

Post by mistercool » Fri Aug 28, 2009 3:17 pm

@mikebeeds:
panning 2 identical tracks left and right is still a good way to spread, in addition to that i would use some eq though (if the tracks are identical the spread is not audible enough).So for example u wanna cut 4db@1000hz Left, and give 4db@1000khz of gain right...and so on with other frequencies u choose, after that id put some delay between the two tracks (not more than 40ms, but still depends on the track). Another method i use more is using Waves Doubler on the track.

concerning the zero-width below 180hz on the master:
i don't know what kind of music you guys are into but this is something i would never do in my life!!in my tracks a lot of sub basses and basses are panned left and right, above all for impacts and stuff like that but also for pads and everything else. just to mention something random, just go on youtube and listen some eric prydz songs like Melo or 1983.....zeroing below 180hz would have killed the whole songs!!!!!!if i need something mono i do this job in the arrangement not in the mastering!!!!!
So i totally agree with tarekith, but of course in music everything is personal and subjective.

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