Mastering Guidance -Sound Forge - PC - MAGIX Community Forums Archive

Subject:Mastering Guidance Posted by: dallasdan40 Date:4/17/1999 5:57:18 AM Need help on mastering a final mix. Is there any software out there that works like the Finalizer Plus ? Any books or CD's that would help. I realize that nothting takes the place of experince but I need a place to start. An auto mode would be nice in some sort of plugin. This has been a real problem for me. I have SonudForge 4.5 and XFX 2 plus other out-board gear. Appreciate any help !
Subject:Re: Mastering Guidance Reply by: Jeff_Lowes Date:4/7/2000 11:22:00 PM By now, you have probably figured out some method to producing some sort of an acceptable master. However, I can offer the following advice. I recently played around with (attempted to master) a CD project that I had recorded in a very nice anolog (2" tape) studio. I edited the material in SF4.0e and used CD Architect to pre-master it to burn to CD-R so the band could send it to a mastering house in L.A. I used only XFX2 and 1 or 2 other processes found in SF. After a few trials through the Audio Plug-in Chainer, and a few coasters (burn one and take it to several other CD players to test my results then go back to SF for another trial run), I came up with a CD that sounded pretty darn good. When the reference disc came back from Cal., I put my copy up against it and found my flaws. I went back and tweaked it out some more and have subsequently come up with a mastered version that easliy rivals that which was done in a dedicated mastering house. The only thing that I couldn't match was their volume (by 3 or 4 dB - but I think that I could cure this problem by changing my technics in the studio) without squashing the transients (ie. snare hits) so hard that they started to sound bad. There are two things that you absolutely must have in order to successfully pull this off. 1) A fast computer. I am using a Dell 600MHz PIII w/128M RAM. This enables me to load up the plug-in chainer with as many effects as I deem necessary and tweak to my heart's desire while still being able to preview without glitches in real-time. You have to be able to hear what every process you do to your material sounds like as it is happening or else you will spend an inordinate amount of time in trial and error runs (been there on a 166MHz machine). 2) A trained ear. The most valuable asset any engineer has is his/her ears. Use them. Try out some processes and see what they do and find out how each affects the other. USE MAJOR LABEL REFERENCE CDs to compare your results to theirs. Really tune in and listen closely to what is going on inside the music. Well recorded tracks/mixes won't need an abundance of processing in the mastering stage. If you find yourself adding a ton of EQ and/or compression, chances are that maybe the material needs to be re-mixed. I can tell you this, that spending some time attempting to master some material that you recorded and/or mixed yourself will teach you alot about what you need to work on in the studio. Tips: I found that the guys from SF did a pretty good job of programming the "capture threshold" feature in XFX2 Multi-band dynamics. If you will run a preview of your song with that option checked, then use that as a starting point for setting up your compressor, you will get some pretty good results. Moderation AND using your ears is the key. Also, they (SF) tell me that it is better (computer-wise) to run as many of your effects as possible simultaneously (use the plug-in chainer). However, just because you now have 2 compressors, 3 EQs and a noise gate to boot in your arsenal (if you have XFX2), it doesn't mean that you have to use all of them. I, personally, try to stay away from Graphic Dynamics (or any other stereo compressor) in the mastering process - unless you just want that sort of sound. Multi-band dynamics is the way to go. Start with a 3-band approach. You get a much cleaner and more "open" sound that way. If you use it right, you can normalize in the end and get a really hot CD. Try different combinations/orders of M-B dynamics, EQ (I like paragraphic and parametric more than graphic), noise-reduction (if it needs it) and reverb. You will find that each one affects the others differently so you will have to play with the order to find the combination that works best. All in all, SF4.0 is a pretty good mastering tool. Keep in mind, however, that no amount of mastering can ressurect a nasty tracking/mixing job. The tracks have to be there first. Good luck! Dan wrote: >>Need help on mastering a final mix. Is there any software >>out there that works like the Finalizer Plus ? Any books or >>CD's that would help. I realize that nothting takes the >>place of experince but I need a place to start. An auto >>mode would be nice in some sort of plugin. This has been a >>real problem for me. I have SonudForge 4.5 and XFX 2 plus >>other out-board gear. Appreciate any help !

By now, you have probably figured out some method to producing some
sort of an acceptable master. However, I can offer the following
advice.
I recently played around with (attempted to master) a CD project that
I had recorded in a very nice anolog (2" tape) studio. I edited the
material in SF4.0e and used CD Architect to pre-master it to burn to
CD-R so the band could send it to a mastering house in L.A. I used
only XFX2 and 1 or 2 other processes found in SF. After a few trials
through the Audio Plug-in Chainer, and a few coasters (burn one and
take it to several other CD players to test my results then go back
to SF for another trial run), I came up with a CD that sounded pretty
darn good. When the reference disc came back from Cal., I put my copy
up against it and found my flaws. I went back and tweaked it out some
more and have subsequently come up with a mastered version that
easliy rivals that which was done in a dedicated mastering house. The
only thing that I couldn't match was their volume (by 3 or 4 dB - but
I think that I could cure this problem by changing my technics in the
studio) without squashing the transients (ie. snare hits) so hard
that they started to sound bad.
There are two things that you absolutely must have in order to
successfully pull this off.
1) A fast computer. I am using a Dell 600MHz PIII w/128M RAM. This
enables me to load up the plug-in chainer with as many effects as I
deem necessary and tweak to my heart's desire while still being able
to preview without glitches in real-time. You have to be able to hear
what every process you do to your material sounds like as it is
happening or else you will spend an inordinate amount of time in
trial and error runs (been there on a 166MHz machine).
2) A trained ear. The most valuable asset any engineer has is
his/her ears. Use them. Try out some processes and see what they do
and find out how each affects the other. USE MAJOR LABEL REFERENCE
CDs to compare your results to theirs. Really tune in and listen
closely to what is going on inside the music. Well recorded
tracks/mixes won't need an abundance of processing in the mastering
stage. If you find yourself adding a ton of EQ and/or compression,
chances are that maybe the material needs to be re-mixed. I can tell
you this, that spending some time attempting to master some material
that you recorded and/or mixed yourself will teach you alot about
what you need to work on in the studio.

Tips: I found that the guys from SF did a pretty good job of
programming the "capture threshold" feature in XFX2 Multi-band
dynamics. If you will run a preview of your song with that option
checked, then use that as a starting point for setting up your
compressor, you will get some pretty good results. Moderation AND
using your ears is the key. Also, they (SF) tell me that it is better
(computer-wise) to run as many of your effects as possible
simultaneously (use the plug-in chainer). However, just because you
now have 2 compressors, 3 EQs and a noise gate to boot in your
arsenal (if you have XFX2), it doesn't mean that you have to use all
of them. I, personally, try to stay away from Graphic Dynamics (or
any other stereo compressor) in the mastering process - unless you
just want that sort of sound. Multi-band dynamics is the way to go.
Start with a 3-band approach. You get a much cleaner and more "open"
sound that way. If you use it right, you can normalize in the end and
get a really hot CD. Try different combinations/orders of M-B
dynamics, EQ (I like paragraphic and parametric more than graphic),
noise-reduction (if it needs it) and reverb. You will find that each
one affects the others differently so you will have to play with the
order to find the combination that works best.
All in all, SF4.0 is a pretty good mastering tool. Keep in mind,
however, that no amount of mastering can ressurect a nasty
tracking/mixing job. The tracks have to be there first.
Good luck!

Dan wrote:
>>Need help on mastering a final mix. Is there any software
>>out there that works like the Finalizer Plus ? Any books or
>>CD's that would help. I realize that nothting takes the
>>place of experince but I need a place to start. An auto
>>mode would be nice in some sort of plugin. This has been a
>>real problem for me. I have SonudForge 4.5 and XFX 2 plus
>>other out-board gear. Appreciate any help !