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Subject: Mastering a mix CD...

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Original Message 1/30 28-Aug-02 @ 04:45 PM Edit: 28-Aug-02 | 04:54 PM - Mastering a mix CD...

Steve Roughley

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I have been given the task of mastering a DJ's mix to go on CD. Overall the quality is good enough so EQing will be limited to removing slight hissing and rumbling every now and then. The only thing that really needs fixing is the overall volume that fluctuates from track to track. The mixes themselves are spot-on, it's just the way that each track has been mastered differently causes the mix to become quiet in places and louder in others. I don't want to add too much more compression, as this is a house music set, so all the tracks are already CTF. I was thinking of using subtle limiting, but have not done this kind of thing before, so I am not sure. Does anyone know the best way to get the overall levels fairly equal? And does anyone have any other tips for doing this kind of mastering?

Regards.

Steve.

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Message 2/30 28-Aug-02 @ 05:07 PM - RE: Mastering a mix CD...

Drop

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Steve, I'm no expert but have done this before in a studio. I used compression with a ratio of 1.5:1 and the threshold at -10. The LED gain reduction meter was hitting -3 db with the occasional hit at -6.

I don't know how helpful this is but the DJ seemed pleased.

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Message 3/30 28-Aug-02 @ 05:18 PM - RE: Mastering a mix CD...

Steve Roughley

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Cheers Drop! I'll give that a go. The one problem I will be facing is that the DJs wont hear this until it's finished. Slackers! :P

Regards.

Steve.

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Message 4/30 28-Aug-02 @ 07:26 PM - RE: Mastering a mix CD...

formant

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you can never have enough compression :-)

run it thru the L1 maximizer as well...

tell the djs to get their levels right next time and it will be easier on you

jamey

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Message 5/30 28-Aug-02 @ 07:46 PM Edit: 28-Aug-02 | 07:49 PM - RE: Mastering a mix CD...

Steve Roughley

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That's just what I've done. It took all of half an hour with the L1 Ultramaximizer+. What a fantastic set of tools these Waves plugs are. Truly, money well spent.

The DJs have got the levels spot on, it really is good mixing and I didn't have to correct anything. Most of the mixes are that damned good that it took me flipping ages to find where one track ended and the other began, and I know most of the tracks. The problem was in the different sound of each record, each of which will have been compressed and mastered differently. So while some had a full loud sound throughout, others became quiet or peaked quite loudly, and so on...

Thanks again fellas!

Regards.

Steve.

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Message 6/30 28-Aug-02 @ 07:47 PM - RE: Mastering a mix CD...

Drop

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Actually Formant I think you can have too much compression! :-)

On my first ever session at work I had to record a DJ mix. I compressed it way too much and when we played it back through the huge set of wall speakers the whole mix sounded like it was coming out of a set of shitty car speakers. It was way too squashed. Very embarrassing!

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Message 7/30 28-Aug-02 @ 08:21 PM - RE: Mastering a mix CD...

influx

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PLEASE tell me you werent serious jamey!

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Message 8/30 28-Aug-02 @ 09:03 PM - RE: Mastering a mix CD...

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if the tracks vary in peak level quite alot, that can and can not be an issue, but for dance generaly yes the peak level of the tracks would all be the same, because you're not dealing with like mebbe a varied rock album with loud and laid-back tracks in the same programme... What's the mastering host s/w then?... Like in wavelab wouldn't it be best to import all the tracks to your master file and then search for peak across the whole length/all tracks, set that as the peak and raise the gain up on the other to match PRIOR to final mastering compression if any? - I mean you dont want to try to employ the compresor to actualy raise levels of tracks to match each other, it's not designed for that really.

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Message 9/30 28-Aug-02 @ 09:18 PM - RE: Mastering a mix CD...

formant

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yes influx...

it was a dual joke actually

1) making fun of the fact people compress too much

2) making fun of the fact most mix cds in particular are way overcompressed.

jamey

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Message 10/30 28-Aug-02 @ 09:29 PM - RE: Mastering a mix CD...

Steve Roughley

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As I said, the set is a house music set, and alot of the tracks are very disco and live sounding. Basically, it's just that these live-sounding tracks have a much greater dynamic range than the more electronic tracks, so they tend to sound quieter. I just used the L1 to raise the overall level throughout the mix. Altering each track would have been very tricky to do without destroying the smooth mixes. I found that using the L1 didn't audibly effect the more electronic tracks anyway, as their dynamic range had already been completely limited, whereas it boosted the live-sounding tracks quite well.

Regards.

Steve.

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