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I'm about to use Ozone for the first time and I was wondering should I use Ableton's compressor on each instrument individually first before using Ozone? What do others do? Thanks

djnowhere wrote:I'm about to use Ozone for the first time and I was wondering should I use Ableton's compressor on each instrument individually first before using Ozone? What do others do? Thanks

Yes.

Use a compressor on something if you hear a need to compress something. Don't just slap effects on your tracks without hearing a need for it. More effects does not equal a better mix in my experience.

Yes

Always the one to elaborate

What are you using (planning to use) Ozone for?
Do you need it?
Have you reached

As "smart assed" as this may unintentionally sound, I do what I believe is needed. Sometimes I add compression to a single track, sometimes sidechain it, sometimes just some EQ, send reverb, limiter etc. Always a compressor and EQ on the main track but it depends on the content, how many tracks and what I am trying to achieve.

You "could" add an Ozone to every track (it has the EQ, Compression and everything inbuilt) but it does also consume a lot more resources (probably just running its flashy GUI) and it does do a great job... when you know how to use it... But could also do a horrible job if you try to do too much. If I can get away using a native processor over a 3rd party I always will use the native even though I do like Ozone (using v4) and there are some cases where I would like to combine dynamic compression, EQ and add space all in one go which Ozone does well.

Some might say that if you have decided to go for Ozone (which isn't real cheap) then you would already have a method of what you have already been doing to apply to Ozone. But hey, that's just what I would think.

Tarekith wrote:Use a compressor on something if you hear a need to compress something. Don't just slap effects on your tracks without hearing a need for it. More effects does not equal a better mix in my experience.

Dang, always compressing a rant like mine into a nice tidy sentience. ^^^ Take note of the experienced.

See what I did ^^ There... Compressing. Right on subject



Ah, you don't know comedy...

I assumed he bought Ozone 5 for mastering. If he bought it to reverse delay lines, then yes, my answer was a bit oversimplified, and should probably have included this:



If he did buy Ozone 5 for mastering, and I don't have to use this:



then I understand the question as "If I'm already shit compressing my final out, should I also shit compress every track?", to which the answer of course is "yes".

I should probably note that this answer also applies to those who want to compress and not just shit compress.

I should also note than when I compress individual tracks, I do so many so that they each stand out in the mix, in regards to each other, rather than individually. Then again, this is not all about me.

jestermgee wrote:

Yes

Always the one to elaborate

What are you using (planning to use) Ozone for?
Do you need it?
Have you reached

As "smart assed" as this may unintentionally sound, I do what I believe is needed. Sometimes I add compression to a single track, sometimes sidechain it, sometimes just some EQ, send reverb, limiter etc. Always a compressor and EQ on the main track but it depends on the content, how many tracks and what I am trying to achieve.

You "could" add an Ozone to every track (it has the EQ, Compression and everything inbuilt) but it does also consume a lot more resources (probably just running its flashy GUI) and it does do a great job... when you know how to use it... But could also do a horrible job if you try to do too much. If I can get away using a native processor over a 3rd party I always will use the native even though I do like Ozone (using v4) and there are some cases where I would like to combine dynamic compression, EQ and add space all in one go which Ozone does well.

Some might say that if you have decided to go for Ozone (which isn't real cheap) then you would already have a method of what you have already been doing to apply to Ozone. But hey, that's just what I would think.

I was planning on using Ozone for mastering. At this stage I'm inexperienced with mastering and have just been using Ableton's compressors etc. to do all my mastering and was looking for something that might help bring out the sound some as well as assist me. Up until now I've been Eqing and compressing each individual instrument and then using the multiband on the master.

d.reamonn wrote:I assumed he bought Ozone 5 for mastering. If he bought it to reverse delay lines, then yes, my answer was a bit oversimplified, and should probably have included this:



If he did buy Ozone 5 for mastering, and I don't have to use this:



then I understand the question as "If I'm already shit compressing my final out, should I also shit compress every track?", to which the answer of course is "yes".

I should probably note that this answer also applies to those who want to compress and not just shit compress.

I should also note than when I compress individual tracks, I do so many so that they each stand out in the mix, in regards to each other, rather than individually. Then again, this is not all about me.

Hahahahahahahaha

djnowhere wrote:I was planning on using Ozone for mastering. At this stage I'm inexperienced with mastering and have just been using Ableton's compressors etc. to do all my mastering and was looking for something that might help bring out the sound some as well as assist me. Up until now I've been Eqing and compressing each individual instrument and then using the multiband on the master.

In that case, I would go as far as to say don't bother with Ozone tout court. I made this:

https://soundcloud.com/maybe-logic/radio-krikkit

in about a day with all mixing and mastering duties handled by Live's native effects, and maybe I'm wrong, but I think it sounds pretty good. Then again, I've only ever listened to it on headphones, so what do I know. I have used Ozone in the past, but I saw no real benefit using it over my custom mastering rack:

1. Multiband Dynamics (to kill everything below 30Hz)
2. Utility (as a one knob to drive the next stage)
3. Multiband Dynamics (3 band split: Compressor and Saturator on each band (to gently drive the signal), and Utility on the low end (to mono the bass))
4. EQ8 (to gently roll off the high end)
5. Limiter (6ms mode, to gently boost the final signal)
6. Spectrum (in full screen mode, to gently make me look cool)

When you are able to make chains like this, and give me a bollocking for putting Saturators on my Master channel, then maybe 'Zone 5 could become useful for you. Maybe.


Note 1: I find that band splitting to 3 individual Compressors yields far more "musical" results than using Multiband Dynamics as is.

Note 2: Notice how I wrote "gently" everywhere.

d.reamonn wrote:

djnowhere wrote:I was planning on using Ozone for mastering. At this stage I'm inexperienced with mastering and have just been using Ableton's compressors etc. to do all my mastering and was looking for something that might help bring out the sound some as well as assist me. Up until now I've been Eqing and compressing each individual instrument and then using the multiband on the master.

In that case, I would go as far as to say don't bother with Ozone tout court. I made this:

https://soundcloud.com/maybe-logic/radio-krikkit

in about a day with all mixing and mastering duties handled by Live's native effects, and maybe I'm wrong, but I think it sounds pretty good. Then again, I've only ever listened to it on headphones, so what do I know. I have used Ozone in the past, but I saw no real benefit using it over my custom mastering rack:

1. Multiband Dynamics (to kill everything below 30Hz)
2. Utility (as a one knob to drive the next stage)
3. Multiband Dynamics (3 band split: Compressor and Saturator on each band (to gently drive the signal), and Utility on the low end (to mono the bass))
4. EQ8 (to gently roll off the high end)
5. Limiter (6ms mode, to gently boost the final signal)
6. Spectrum (in full screen mode, to gently make me look cool)

When you are able to make chains like this, and give me a bollocking for putting Saturators on my Master channel, then maybe 'Zone 5 could become useful for you. Maybe.


Note 1: I find that band splitting to 3 individual Compressors yields far more "musical" results than using Multiband Dynamics as is.

Note 2: Notice how I wrote "gently" everywhere.

Haha here's a track I made putting compressor on each instrument and then the multiband and limiter on the master.https://soundcloud.com/chrisbennett/oh-child. I'll try your way and see what the differences are. I like your track very different. Not really any notice of compression. Nice work.

In that case, I would go as far as to say don't bother with Ozone tout court.

Everyone says you don't need Ozone for mastering and that you can use all native Live devices if you know what you're doing with them
Which is not exactly untrue, but it's kind of unhelpful to someone just starting out

In my own experience, using Ozone was a great exercise in figuring out what exactly the elements of the mastering process entail, and looking at the presets and trying to reverse engineer them was one of the most helpful things I've done in terms of figuring out why something Sounds Better with Ozone on it vs. not

Also Tarekith's guides to mixing and mastering. Can't plug those things enough

agent314 wrote:Everyone says you don't need Ozone for mastering and that you can use all native Live devices if you know what you're doing with them. Which is not exactly untrue, but it's kind of unhelpful to someone just starting out

If you're just starting out, you already have enough on your plate with sound cards, speakers, headphones, DAWs, VSTs and controllers to not have to spend another $500 on software you clearly won't have any idea how to use. Would you want to teach a masters course in maths to a kindergarden student?

Did you not read the next part explaining how having all the devices in one and reverse engineering the presets is a useful learning tool?
Or did you just want to snark out with the curious analogy?

I tried using the Live mastering presets the same way but didn't really have much luck with them.

Good thing there are enough options out there for everyone to do what works best for them

agent314 wrote:Did you not read the next part explaining how having all the devices in one and reverse engineering the presets is a useful learning tool?
Or did you just want to snark out with the curious analogy?

I tried using the Live mastering presets the same way but didn't really have much luck with them.

Good thing there are enough options out there for everyone to do what works best for them

I did, but then again, I'm pretty sure the presets are just there as a marketing gimmick. Whether or not professional producers should use synth presets is up for debate, but no mastering engineer worth his weight in feather dusters would ever use mastering presets.

Step one to learning how to master a track: learn how to use the gain knob on a limiter. Then go from there.

Anyone doing it differently is wrong

agent314 wrote: Good thing there are enough options out there for everyone to do what works best for them

^ this