T-Racks: Sample Settings for "Rock" Mastering?

[Almost Human]

Well, I'm about to start trying out some different programs for mastering, and T-Racks is one of the demos I've decided to download and try.

First off, has anyone here used the T-Racks stuff for mastering with good results before? I realize a lot of people despise the program, but that's why I'm looking to try it and others before I commit to buying.

For anyone that uses the program and had good results, can you suggest any presets you may have created that I could try for a starting point to get some louder masters without clipping? I'll likely be doing some rock/metal type music in the coming months, and those guys always have a "louder is better" philosophy. So, any suggested settings to get a song mastered loud and clear is preferrable. I realize that not all settings will work for every session and all that jazz...I'm just looking for some sample presets and suggestions to start working from since I'll have a limited amount of time to spend with the demo...thanks! thumbsup

[GearGeek]

I use T- Racks all the time with pretty good results. It is great for doing quick masters of demos and such. It will boost the volume and compress/limit your mix so you can check it in your car.

But in no way does it come close to a real mastering session. It's just a tool to give you a sneak peek of how your mastered mix might sound. I've found that none of the presets are really usable. You can dial one up, but then make adjustments to fix your mix.

[vixapphire]

I agree with GearGeek. I like to start with the "LOUD!!!" preset and add a little high and low end (very little) on the EQ. I find that the compressor is pretty awful, so I disengage it and farg with the limiter a little instead. this gets that "louder than a new madonna album" volume level, and brings an o.k. result all told. T-racks will quickly harsh/burn a mix, though, if you're not careful, resulting in a track that causes mild discomfort after two or more listenings (b/c of the distortion, not the music!). It's a fun device to play around with, though!

[ProTooler]

I've tried it a few times... Just the eq portion of the mastering suite... it's ok... but other guys that i've talked to say to go get Waves Gold... they tell me it's industry standard... for about a grand i'll have to see it in action b4 i buy it though. What i have experienced with it though is any setting is over the top for any of 'em... makes alot too boomy or just plain ole sizzle fry... i like the DynIII 7 band eq alot better on PT.

[MASSIVE Master]

(A) I'm a hardware guy for the most part, but if I had to use plugs (I do on occasion) it'd be the UAD collection without question.

(B) PRESETS in T-Racks? Don't even bother... The one that really cracks me up is "Gentle Master" - Put a track through THAT preset and tell me one thing that's "gentle" about it...

[Almost Human]

Thanks for the advice guys. I downloaded a demo of it, and I have to say, for the money, I don't think it's a bad program so far. I checked through some presets and tweaked a couple, and I've gotten some good results with minimal tweaking. I don't care for the EQ section (stuck my Waves Renn EQ in front instead), but the limiter it has is doing pretty well and sounds nice. It does slightly color the sound, but I don't think it's in a bad way. For $300, I just may pick up a copy of this... thumbsup

[joeq]

the best thing about T-Racks is the clipper. You can squeeze out that last couple of db without squashing your mix by careful adjustment of the clipper and the master volume.

[88fingerz]

I've had pleasing results on Rock mixes this way:

Choose the "GentleMaster1" preset. Increase the Comp's drive so when you bypass it (comp only) the volume of the mix is the same.

Decrease the Comp. ratio (I usually like it around 2.0....evn a tad less depending on the material).

Dial the overall suite's "output" hotter untill you're just about peaking beneath the red...

Also, for bass-heavy mixes, you might want to try dialing in some of the "Low-end cut" in the EQ section.



¡Voila! Instant T-raxified master! Definitely color, no doubt, but the comp. settings I discussed make it a gentler "Gentle Master".

I've fooled some pretty "savvy" ears into thinking it was a high-end mastering job.

Best of luck!

[Almost Human]

Well, I'm trying out the program on some tracks right now, alongside a demo of Izotope Ozone. I'm actually really liking both of them. I've been messing with the original mix of a song that was also mastered by a "real" mastering engineer in a studio, and then trying to see if I can get similar results or even close with these programs. The Ozone is a little more transparent and doesn't color the sound so much, but the color that the T-Racks adds isn't a bad thing. In fact, I kinda like it most of the time.

I think with some proper settings, you'd be able to fool quite a few people if you actually wanted to. I still don't care for the EQ or compressor on the T-Racks, but I do like the limiter and clipper. So, I've been running the Waves Renn EQ and Waves Renn Comp (if needed) in front, and then those into the T-Racks Limiter and Clipper (if needed). On Ozone, I've been using a everything it has has, which sounds pretty clean and transparent, although I do still stick the Waves Renn Eq in front for a little shaping before it hits the Ozone.

[toolskid]

Originally Posted by 88fingerz

I've fooled some pretty "savvy" ears into thinking it was a high-end mastering job.

Best of luck!

Nice going!! Awesome work!!! You're swaying me on the whole "I don't need a band" tip too!!!

[Almost Human]

I wonder how many people have written off programs like this just because of the price? I'm liking both, and I can't say that I was ever caring as much for some of the more expensive programs like Waves L2/L3.

[hopeless_opus]

I agree that T-Racks is deffinately not going to come close to a proffesional mastering session, but I think it's a pretty nice and useful set of plugs.

I like to use the "tape saturation" setting before I give out rough/reference mix's to band members and before I let friends hear stuff I am goofing around with at home. I think it does a nice job of "warming" and "glueing" things together a little, and makes roughs sound a little more like a record. Of the presets that's my favorite for rock.

*no it doesn't really sound like tape.... but it's pretty cool regardless.

[area51recording]

erm...I know this is gonna be kinda like pissing in church, but I just finished assembling a compilation album for a client. I had cuts from 6-7 different bands, ranging from home brew to some pretty good sounding stuff out of Nashville (still done by local bands tho). It also had 2 cuts that were recorded at my place by the guy putting the thing together. Now I'm no mastering engineer by a long shot, but I used one of the better sounding (ie. "expensive" sounding) tunes as a rough guide and mastered his 2 songs using T-Racks and (gasp!) Har-Bal and got results that stood up with the other material on the disk just fine. Dosen't even come close to replacing pro mastering, but in a pinch I got pretty good results.

[AlexLakis]

A good setting for mastering with T-Racks?

The "power off" button.

I think the "coloring" of T-Racks is terrible. Most of the time, it sounds like the signal was converted to a low-quality MP3. The most common complaint I hear from clients who have had their work "mastered" with T-Racks in the past is "No soul." I think it sounds sterile, overly-digital, and just plain cruddy. I'd pass the mix thru an L2 and call it a day way before I'd use T-Racks.

"Do it yourself mastering" destroys so many mixes, it's quite sad. Do yourself a favor and take it to a professional mastering house. You'd never think your mixes could sound so good.

Of course, if you don't have the money, and it's just a demo you're producing, then I guess T-Racks is good enough?

Just my experiences.

[Almost Human]

Originally Posted by area51recording

erm...I know this is gonna be kinda like pissing in church, but I just finished assembling a compilation album for a client. I had cuts from 6-7 different bands, ranging from home brew to some pretty good sounding stuff out of Nashville (still done by local bands tho). It also had 2 cuts that were recorded at my place by the guy putting the thing together. Now I'm no mastering engineer by a long shot, but I used one of the better sounding (ie. "expensive" sounding) tunes as a rough guide and mastered his 2 songs using T-Racks and (gasp!) Har-Bal and got results that stood up with the other material on the disk just fine. Dosen't even come close to replacing pro mastering, but in a pinch I got pretty good results.

I can't say which band or which songs, but I was just talking to someone last night that produced an album for an independent label. Once they were done, they sent the tracks off to a pro mastering engineer, and the guy that worked on the project did a mastering job with T-Racks for the band to have in the meantime. Once they got the tracks back from the mastering engineer (who is quite reputable), everyone in the band, as well as the guys from the label actually liked the T-Racks mastered tracks better than the ones done by the mastering engineer. It wasn't done exclusively with T-Racks. He had some additional plugs mixed with it, but T-Racks was the last stop in the chain. It was an interesting discussion... But, it's also important to keep in mind that the guy using T-Racks is an amazing ME to start with.

[joeq]

I have heard people say there is a difference between the stand alone version and the plug-ins. I have never used the plug-ins , just the stand-alone. Anyone have both?

[88fingerz]

Originally Posted by AlexLakis

A good setting for mastering with T-Racks?

The "power off" button.

I think the "coloring" of T-Racks is terrible.. I'd pass the mix thru an L2 and call it a day way before I'd use T-Racks.

"Do it yourself mastering" destroys so many mixes, it's quite sad. Do yourself a favor and take it to a professional mastering house. You'd never think your mixes could sound so good.

It depends on who the "yourself" is. A tracking/mixing engineer with Great ears, combined with a good rich sense of recorded history (aka being very familiar with what a great sounding piece of audio sounds like) and a knowledge and understanding of what these tools are made to accomplish will be able to use a tool set like T-racks (or LMB/L2) and acheive listenable, useable results regardless of price/or cartoonish looking user interface.

This can also be acheived with minimal "color" imparted. Turn the dials slowly, listen...

Go for it!!!

As far as mixes "sounding so good" coming from a professional mastering house, think again! If the mix isn't "there" to begin with, ME's cannot perform miracles! Don't expect them to and you'll not be disappointed.

What a great time we live in!!!

[toolskid]

Awesome! Can you give us a before and after example?? I'd love to hear the one that fooled the 'savvy ears'! That would rock!! Just a clip even.. say verse into chorus!! Would be really interesting to hear your results!

Cheers in advance

[Paul Woodlock]

"T-Racks: Sample Settings for "Rock" Mastering?"

BYPASS

[Almost Human]

For all of you guys that dislike T-Racks so much, what are you using to master your songs if you don't send it off to a mastering engineer?

[Paul Woodlock]

Originally Posted by Almost Human

For all of you guys that dislike T-Racks so much, what are you using to master your songs if you don't send it off to a mastering engineer?

nothing


One of the most important reasons for (pre)mastering is not to squeeze as much loudness out of the tune as you can, but to try and compensate for the innacuracies of the mix room monitoring system. So, of course, the mix wil translate to the most possible systems.

And yet, bizarrely there's loads of peeps mastering their own stuff on the same system they mixed it on. IMHO If you feel it's not 100% after the mix, then go back to the mix, rather than trying to sweeten it in the master.

Think of it this way..... If you have a perfect mix, then apart from loudness maximising, there's no need to apply any other effects during mastering.


I don't juist dislike T-Racks, I dislike all of them... Waves L2, etc,etc,etc You cannot get with Waves L2 or T-racks that an experienced mastering engineer with real limiters and an accurate full range monitoring system can get.

An experienced mastering house is a like an insurance policy to your work for it sounding loud and clean on as many systems as possible. If you're putting your tacks out in the public domain then traet them with the value they deserve.... get 'em mastered professionally.

If you just wanna raise the level for rough listening purposes then try a simple gain change. It sounds much better than T-Racks, L2 -type stuff.

Try it! Make 2 copies of your non mastered mix. Boost one of them by 5 or 6dB with T-Racks or L2 ( or whatever ), and then boost the other one by the same amount with a simple gain change so the peaks get clipped ( shock horrror! )

You don't need a blind test to hear the gain change version is better.


That's my 2 shekels

Paul

[s.d.finley]

I like to use Waveburner Pro, it has useable plug ins, also supports vst's. Added bonus, it can burn cd text.

Asfas as T-racks is concerned, for me at least, the soft limiter is very useful, used sparringly of course.

rock

sdf

[respirator]

I used to use T-racks, but now I only use the individual components as colorfull fxs (I like the comp for something). I've switched to Powercores X3 and almost only use the multiband compression (usually pretty flat, i.e. same compression for each band). Sounds much better/more neutral.

[leddy]

If you are going to spend $300 on T-Racks, why not at least spend an extra $100 and get a UAD-1 card? For EQ you would have the Pultec and the CS-1 channel strip, both of which are better than the T-Racks EQ. For compression, you'd have the 1176LE; again, way better than T-Racks. Then you always have the option of adding other plugs for about $150 each later on.

I'm sure the Waves stuff is great too, I can't speak for it. I'm just offering a best-bang-for-the-buck comparison.

For even less money, you could get a few Voxengo plugs like Soniformer & Gliss EQ. They work well.

[toolskid]

88? you up for posting some clips?

[max cooper]

I got T-Racks bundled with Amplitube and didn't use it for a long time because it had that boxy, midrangey, plastic-y sound.

IMO, it's the multiband limiter that's doing it in.

I've realized that the compressor is nice on it's own. I often use it before PSP Vintage Warmer.

Soft Clipper is good too.

The EQ seems indistinct to me.

[JP11]

Originally Posted by Paul Woodlock

Try it! Make 2 copies of your non mastered mix. Boost one of them by 5 or 6dB with T-Racks or L2 ( or whatever ), and then boost the other one by the same amount with a simple gain change so the peaks get clipped ( shock horrror! )

You don't need a blind test to hear the gain change version is better.

Hmmm, yeah, that's funny...I've done this too...and it seems as if simply lopping off the top of the peaks actually retains the punchiness...

but it's hard to get past the idea that it's wrong ....

[pingu]

Originally Posted by max cooper

I got T-Racks bundled with Amplitube and didn't use it for a long time because it had that boxy, midrangey, plastic-y sound.

IMO, it's the multiband limiter that's doing it in.

I've realized that the compressor is nice on it's own. I often use it before PSP Vintage Warmer.

Soft Clipper is good too.

The EQ seems indistinct to me.

Its funny you say this.

I like the compressor from T-racks and i think the stereo enhancer is one of the better ones.

[toolskid]

still nothing 88? awww comon I'm sure we'd love to hear some clips of it rocking!

[AlexLakis]

Originally Posted by 88fingerz

It depends on who the "yourself" is. A tracking/mixing engineer with Great ears, combined with a good rich sense of recorded history (aka being very familiar with what a great sounding piece of audio sounds like) and a knowledge and understanding of what these tools are made to accomplish will be able to use a tool set like T-racks (or LMB/L2) and acheive listenable, useable results regardless of price/or cartoonish looking user interface.

This can also be acheived with minimal "color" imparted. Turn the dials slowly, listen...

Go for it!!!

As far as mixes "sounding so good" coming from a professional mastering house, think again! If the mix isn't "there" to begin with, ME's cannot perform miracles! Don't expect them to and you'll not be disappointed.

What a great time we live in!!!

To me, mastering is mainly about getting another good pair of ears on the project. I would imagine that many recording and mixing engineers ARE savvy with EQ and compression. Does this mean that everybody should master their own stuff? I don't think so. Why not just go back and "fix" the individual problem tracks? Why not? Because you don't think there a problem. That's why you mixed them that way in the first place.

If your mix is crappy, then you probably CAN count on good results from a professional mastering house. It's a lot easier to make something that's crappy sound good than it is to make something that sounds good sound great.


I also would love to hear an example of T-Racks not sounding like utter ass.