Mastering with ONLY Waves Plug-ins...

[yrlk]

I may be recording and mastering a project all on my own soon, and I would be limited to all Waves plug-in's, so what plugs should I setup for acoustic/rock music, and what ratios, thresholds, etc. should I be striving to attain?

Thanks much - B

[MASSIVE Master]

A) The ones you need.

B) Whatever the mix is asking for - One at a time, and in the context of the project as a whole (at the same time).

[jinksdingo]

Gee mate, please excuse our responses here but in all fairness there is no magic set n forget for mastering. In fact it is a specialized field much like mixing and takes much practice, good equipment and know-how.
Each song will require its own handling.
I'd recommend you get the mixing right first.
If you really must mess up you mix by mastering it yourself go to The Mastering Tutorial
you'll get a step by step no brainer kinda place to start but your results won't be worth it because it take much much practice to master a quality mix.
Please please concentrate on getting a good mix instead. Really!

[Cellotron]

If given only Waves plugins I'd probably stick with just the Waves Linear Phase EQ and an L2 for most of it - and maybe use their SSL comp and API 2500 emulations when some compression was needed - and maybe a touch of the API550 emulation when I needed a different vibe of eq. I'd go for the simplest chain as possible with these things - eq, maybe compression and then the limiter, IDR dither - and call it a day.

I can't say that I can imagine I'd be all that happy with the results in comparison to the chain I've assembled for the studio - but as long as your monitoring is very good you should be at least be in the ballpark. I'd definitely investigate other options before trying to do it all with one makers plugins though.

As everyone else noted - there are NO presets in mastering!!!!!! Start with a blank slate and just apply what is needed to the track to get it sounding the way you and the client want it to.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[yrlk]

To the three who have commented so far...

Massive Master:

I completely agree. I was just looking for more of a point to start at. For example, I assume eq's and limiting - no matter how good the mix is, but I guess I was just looking to see which of the Waves plugs are best for the very end process. I definitely put a lot of time into mixes, and if something isn't sitting right, I re-record it with a different mic, mic position, different pre, etc. Thanks for the word of wisdom.

Greg:

Sugar or sugar free are not flavors of gum. If they are in your country, I strongly recommend a visit to the United States as I'm quite confident that we have more flavors of everything than anywhere else in the world. And as to why you would consider doing anything with any type or flavor of bubblegum in either of your ears, well... this is completely beyond me, but I wish you the very best of luck. *Also, I advise the following webpage: Ear Plugs Hearing Protection Earplugs Products from Hearos.com

Jinksdigo:

Thank you for your etiquette, sir, and for again stressing good mixes over mastering. I agree that the prior is (for obvious reasons) quite a bit more important, and I will do my best to get the best mix.

Thanks also for the link to the Waves Guide of sorts. If I'm unable to get satisfactory results myself - which may very well be the case, I'll just hire the mastering part out to someone else I can trust. I know two guys who do GREAT mastering, one who's opinions I take more seriously than almost anyone's else when it comes to all things audio engineering related.

...

If anyone else has additional sound words of wisdom and/or recommendations for these plug-in's, please feel free to chime in.

And beware of people who enter conversations with you while wearing bubblegum in their ears; they probably won't be able to hear anything that you try and tell them.

[yrlk]

And thank you much, Steve. =)

[Bob Olhsson]

Just don't do anything that makes things sound worse!

Great monitoring, great skills and WAVES is going to trounce mediocre monitors, mediocre skills and the most expensive hardware on the planet.

[rolo]

Now that's a great answer to someone who needed help. Way to go Cellotron!

I use a combo of good outboard and plug ins. If it has to be Waves, I agree on just the Linear Phase EQ and the L2. Both will give you good results and get your mix sounding better (if you adjust judiciously). You may also want to download the trial verision of the SONNOX Limiter. I find it to respond better than the L2 and NO ITB master should be without the Massey 2007 Limiter. It's dirt cheap and ( to me) miles ahead of the L2.

You may also want to experiment by using all three Limiters IN MODERATION!!!!!! Perhaps 2-3 db on each plug depending on the mix.

Hope this helps. That said... If you try the mastering thing and don't seem to like what you've done, you may want to get it mastered by a pro with good chops and gear. there are several out there that don't charge Ludwig rates (all due respect). And can really give you a great master.

Originally Posted by Cellotron

If given only Waves plugins I'd probably stick with just the Waves Linear Phase EQ and an L2 for most of it - and maybe use their SSL comp and API 2500 emulations when some compression was needed - and maybe a touch of the API550 emulation when I needed a different vibe of eq. I'd go for the simplest chain as possible with these things - eq, maybe compression and then the limiter, IDR dither - and call it a day.

I can't say that I can imagine I'd be all that happy with the results in comparison to the chain I've assembled for the studio - but as long as your monitoring is very good you should be at least be in the ballpark. I'd definitely investigate other options before trying to do it all with one makers plugins though.

As everyone else noted - there are NO presets in mastering!!!!!! Start with a blank slate and just apply what is needed to the track to get it sounding the way you and the client want it to.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[yrlk]

Thanks a lot, lads.

[James Meeker]

Waves plugins are great. You should have no problem mixing a record with them. Pretty much everything you need they make, although their 'verbs aren't the most amazing.

I get a lot of use out of Waves stuff still. I think Ren Compressor is one of the best compressor plugins out there. Ren EQ is great, nothing wrong there. L1 and L2 are classic, get a lot of use out of them.

[GILFOIL]

i love what the L2 can do..

i wish i could afford the waves bundle.


(starving artist)

[Alécio Costa]

PSP Neon HR, Master Q and Xenon are great tools too.
Try them.

[James Meeker]

Originally Posted by GILFOIL

i wish i could afford the waves bundle.

There are many, many cost effective options out there. The UAD plugins are very highly regarded and excellent sounding. As far as going for a cost effective plugin bundle I could easily get by on a stripped setup by using:

1.) Oxford EQ - definitely a contender for best software EQ out there. Versatile as heck (5 modes, plus the GML mode if you get that option), competes with any hardware analog EQ I've heard. Sometimes I use it over the SSL G's EQ.

2.) Renaissance Bundle - Ren compressor is great! I still consider it one of the best plugin comps out there. Ren EQ has its own character that does feel vintage, good for color. Ren Reverb is probably the best Waves 'verb out there... slightly underrated plugin. RenBass adds another tool in the box.

3.) Cranesong Phoenix - five colors, all useful for adding size and saturation. Excellent for bumping things up a notch.

4.) Massey L2007 Limiter - amazing general purpose limiter. Has four different modes and speeds for tons of combinations. Covers ALL your limiting needs... and you can master with it!

Add into this the standard ProTools Digirack plugs that are free:

5.) Bomb Factory BF76 - like the real thing you can use this on pretty much everything and it sounds great. Set and forget!

6.) DVerb - surprisingly good for lofi reverb effects. NonLin and plate are excellent on snare. I'll use this freebie over pricey 'verbs on almost every mix.

7.) Digirack Delay - not as powerful or versatile as EchoBoy, but it will do in a pinch. Slap delays are useful for Haas effect techniques.

8.) Digirack Pitch - gets the job done for stereo pitch shifting and other FX. I'll use this on mixes all the time no matter what other tools are available. Simple and works.

So basically, buy the Ren bundle and those three other plugins (Oxford EQ is the most pricey) and you are set to do some real damage. If you've got the tracks and the skill you could mix to any standard.

[TheBSper]

If I were going to master using JUST Waves plugs I would do the following:

1. Linear Phase EQ
2. Linear Phase Multi-band Compressor (or C4 if you don't have LinMB, but be careful if you don't understand multi-band, leave it out before you ruin your mix)
3. RComp if more compression is needed. (If you have API or SSL stuff use that instead)
4. L2, but no more than a few dB of Gain Reduction, probably 2dB MAX, any more and it starts sounding squashed.

Hope this helps!

Also, make sure that you compare your master to the original mix...AT THE SAME VOLUME! You have to compare the two at equal loudness to really know what you've gained and sacrificed by reducing peaks and making it louder. Just use the faders to reduce the level of the master and leave the mix at 0dB. The psychoacoustics of our hearing will tell us the louder master is better if it's not at the same level of the mix, even if you've actually destroyed the mix, and it won't matter since the end listener will just turn their volume knob down no matter how hot you get your master.

[Jon Best]

The most important thing to think about if you're mastering your own stuff is NOT TO DO IT IN THE SAME ROOM!

If you didn't catch it yesterday because your room/speaker combo was masking it, you're not going to catch it tomorrow.

As far as the plugs, good advice so far- Rcomp, LinEQ, Req if you find you need M/S or some color, and Lwhatever are all tools capable of producing a reasonable master.

I particularly like Rcomp with a very low threshold and a very low ratio. Seems to be pretty good at packing your entire dynamic range in a bit without much negative impact, aside from needing some judicious midrange cuts afterwards, and maybe a touch of air on top.

When I was dabbling in mastering early on, my most common chain (if I used Waves in that particular instance) would probably have been: LinEQ for highpass and any narrow surgical cuts necessary -> Rcomp at 1.2:1 or so and -25 or -30 -> LinEQ or Req (if MS) for any boosts necessary -> L2. I'd use the L2 output to bring the overall track down to the same level as 'bypass,' until the last few minutes when I'd put it back up.

Really, the room has got to be right before you even screw around with any of this stuff.

Jon Best

[yrlk]

Where else can a guy post a quick question and get this much useful information? Thanks a lot guys, truly.

B

[sonicdefault]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

Just don't do anything that makes things sound worse!

-SD