Forums - Mixing & FX
Subject: the final stage
Original Message Date: 11-Oct-04 @ 10:21 AM - the final stage
Message 21/60 14-Oct-04 @ 08:08 PM - RE: the final stage
BUT...if you DO choose to get an outboard recorder, the masterlink is a damn fine option
record to disk at 24bit, then burn a red book CD (standard audio, should play anywhere) AND burn a 24bit master backup (a copy of which can be sent to master) AND still have a copy on your HD (the masterlink will take up to a 40g drive, but only utilizes 32). You can do playlists with it, etc. Its a solid unit no doubt
but...your statements bring up another question...if youre doing all this gnarly compression, including a multiband on the main buss...well...the mastering thing is gonna be a waste of money possibly, as odds are youve already squashed the shit so bad no one can do anything with it.
If youre gonna send something off to a real premaster engineer, ya otta lay off the main buss comp unless youre only hittin it just a little
Message 22/60 14-Oct-04 @ 11:51 PM - RE: the final stage
yeah dom, we were discussing this in another thread innit? Always good advice from ^^^ these guys, they know whats going on
Message 23/60 15-Oct-04 @ 09:24 AM - RE: the final stage
Message 24/60 15-Oct-04 @ 10:05 AM - RE: the final stage
Message 25/60 15-Oct-04 @ 11:50 AM - RE: the final stage
Thanks for all the advise guys -its really helping.
Message 26/60 16-Oct-04 @ 04:51 AM Edit: 16-Oct-04 | 07:21 AM - RE: the final stage
Then you're using it for exactly the right reason in a mix context...as long as it's for a "sound." Just be wary that it doesn't sound better to you just because it's louder. A difference of much less than 1 dB can make something sound much better, no matter how much you think you're compensating with your head. Often times when i'm mastering, I'll stick something on that initially sounds great... bass is enhanced and everything is clearer. Then I run an analog-domain, level-matched A/B switch between the original and the mastering chain. When you match apparent levels (not peak) and compare apples to apples, you see thast compressors can often really diminish your low end, high end... pretty much any end if used improperly. But the end result of improper use is, yes, it may be louder, but it doesn't really sound as good. There are ways to get average level up without percievable dynamic distortion or changes in the frequency spectrum.
Not to harp on you, it's just something I've found out lately myself that's really helped my consistency in the studio. Nothing is more depressing than doing all this work getting a track's level up... and all along yer thinking it sounds great. Then you compare it to the unmastered version with a little turn of the volume knob in between, and you realize that you killed it. Always give a proper A/B. Find a way to make it easy.... i got it down to a keystroke in PT
And that's basically the "holy grail" of mastering. Not fucking up what the mix engineer did. It's not easy, given the levels clients are expecting their masters to be at nowadays. At the end of the day, given good mixes (which i'm usually given from my boss... he's good), my job is simply to get them louder and to match them in level and spectrum. But more importantly my job is to fuck them up as little as possible.
But yeah, use that compressor if it truly makes it sound better.
Message 27/60 18-Oct-04 @ 09:51 PM - RE: the final stage
Ape
Message 28/60 18-Oct-04 @ 11:02 PM - RE: the final stage
a 24bit data CD is gonna be the most likely candidate for universal medium right now wouldnt you agree?
also...if one has a decently spec'd PC, then one can simply record 2track back into it. No need for an external recorder?
Message 29/60 19-Oct-04 @ 05:09 AM - RE: the final stage
Ape
Message 30/60 19-Oct-04 @ 07:15 AM - RE: the final stage
the field recording thing is the most relative argument, for sure...there arent portable CD recorders yet, are there?
but there are portable DATS, portable HD recorders (quite expensive still)
anyway...I wasnt dismissing things that werent as technologically advanced as inferior. I dont think anyone was, actually!
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