Ableton Forum

Are there any? is it better to maser in another program?

What guidelines should I follow when mastering a track??

Hello

in my opinion and experience the best solution is not using plug-in at all, and of course not bouncing into the pc, but simply sum the multi/stereo output of your audio card into a mixer, "sound mixer",

(which does not means obligatorily something esoteric, even a Studiomaster from the '80 would give a character)

use the eq properly (listening at the right volume level, Fletcher and Munson...; compression ( here as well even a dbx 166, old factory would by great ) and the straight to a pro CD recording ( hhb, tascam..)

looking patiently into the second hand market for this equipment, it will need the same budget of buying some vst software.

the result is definitely different... guess which one is better...?


p.s.

if the mastering sesssion will improve more than 30%, it means that the previous job (recording and mixing) was done with mistakes


good music everyone

Gigi D'Amico

here we go again.

ive just got a copy of waves ssl4000 plugins, feck me thats all i can say

There are good plugs for mastering in the computer but they are not cheap. You can do wonders with a copy of peak or wavelab and a handfull of good VST's but it iss all in how you use them. Take a look at something like VB audio's C10 masterigng software and you will see what im talking about. You could also work with things from Waves, or PSP or others and get great results. It is in your head and in your ears and your skills though. A $1000 VST eq is not going to do any good if you dont know what to do with it. I have been mixing down my own tracks for over ten years and I still am what I would call "ok" at it. things generaly sound pretty close on other systems but sometimes I still totaly mess it up. what can you do.

C4 and L2 from waves and a copy of peak does it for me and a pair of dynaudio .

anyone know any vsts that are similar to camelspace? I really like it

There is absolutely no reason to use another sequencer program than Live to master. The host doesn't matter. What matters is what plugs you use and even more importantly HOW you use them.

Typically mastering involves in approx order EQ -> multiband compressor -> exciter -> limiter.

Set up your Live session so you very easily can do A/B comparision. I set up two tracks with the identical final render of my material and assign them to each side of the cross fader. Assign cross fader to midi knob. Insert mastering plugs on one track, make basic settings on plugs. Then adjust levels so that both tracks has same approx levels (important, because people usually think louder is better). Start to tweak masterings plugs and do A/B comparison by twisting cross fader knob.

I usually listen with my eyes closed so I can't (directly) see which version I'm listening too. Even better if you can get some else to help you so you really don't know which version you are hearing. It is very easy to fool yourself by looking at the pretty lights and bouncing spectrums.

dj superflat wrote:here we go again.

LOL, it's a weekly thing ya know?

On the plus side, any time see the words "Live" and "Mastering" in the topic, you always know what to expect.

alex,
mastering is an art form that takes years to learn and more years to be good at it.i say send it out to a mastering house.