Hey Mastering Engineers?! how you do it?? with bright mixes??

AMIEL · 29th September 2010

This is for the Mastering Engineers!

I wonder how you guys do it when you get VERY bright mixes???
I guess that happen very often.... do you reduce the top end with one device and boosted again with other?
I mean , not to just have a tonal balance of the mix, but to improve the quality of the top end...

I prefer to have mixes that are not so bright and with a bit of weight in the bottom....I think that makes your job easier....

PatrikT · 29th September 2010

The incoming bright should exit the mastering studio feeling somewhat bright.

Regards
Patrik

jdg · 29th September 2010

is the entire mix bright, or just a few of the instruments?

ekomobong · 29th September 2010

Turn up ur high in the beat group and in the main stereo 4khz is ok.then turn down hihat eq and some sharp instrument.withou hardware that is how is being done.

streetbeats · 29th September 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by ekomobong

Turn up ur high in the beat group and in the main stereo 4khz is ok.then turn down hihat eq and some sharp instrument.withou hardware that is how is being done.

pardon ?

To the OP,., there is no one best answer, it entirely depends on the mix, and what is making the mix too bright.

superiorsound · 29th September 2010

As prior poster said no one right answer but I will say experiment with the compressor as well. Typically a faster attack if suitable will reduce the highs in a subtle way.

AMIEL · 29th September 2010

well, that is true ...if there is one or fewinstruments that are very bright then the mix is unbalanced.

But what about other mixes that are well balanced ...just the top end overall is very bright.

how do u guys do it?

ekomobong · 29th September 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by streetbeats

pardon ?

To the OP,., there is no one best answer, it entirely depends on the mix, and what is making the mix too bright.

ur'e right.it depends on the mix.

jdg · 29th September 2010

depends, but usually on a mix that is overly bright, i find cutting the high end with works better then boosting the lows.

broad, broad Q, sometimes a shelf.

the API 2500 on "loud" thrust and "med" knee sometimes works wonders for softening the top aswell.

4130 · 29th September 2010

Depending on the mix I might do as "jdg" suggested (although I prefer the loud setting on my 2500 for this), or use EQ, dynamic EQ or de-essing, maybe even a LP filter. Usually one or a combination of these does the trick.

sadboy · 30th September 2010

THE SIMPLE THEORY (MATCHING):
get a song you think it's bright enough (reference) and check it's overall frequency via an analyzer plugin then compare it with your mix's frequency, and since equalizing is usually done in the mixing stage, so just try to compare the song with the mix you have and try to adjust your dynamics through the frequency changes you noticed through the comparison and then try to set your brightness....

but remember compare YOUR MIX (nothing during mastering) with the a final mastered song (The reference) and also remember that the reference song should be very similar to the genre or the environment you're working with, and when yoiu're done with that go ahead for the mastering journey

and try to avoid (really avoid) equalizing in the mastering, it's just not a healthy for anything and it will never fix any problem in your mix....

best regards
SaDbOy

huejahfink · 30th September 2010

...

Cheebs Goat · 30th September 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by sadboy

THE SIMPLE THEORY (MATCHING):
get a song you think it's bright enough (reference) and check it's overall frequency via an analyzer plugin then compare it with your mix's frequency,

You took it one step too far. Why involve an analyzer when you could just listen to it? Other than that, yeah. Get a mix you like that has the correct brightness, load it up, compare by listening, adjust the overly bright mix accordingly.

krytikal1 · 30th September 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheebs Goat

You took it one step too far. Why involve an analyzer when you could just listen to it? Other than that, yeah. Get a mix you like that has the correct brightness, load it up, compare by listening, adjust the overly bright mix accordingly.

Exackery!

K.

Jonathan Race · 1st October 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheebs Goat

You took it one step too far. Why involve an analyzer when you could just listen to it? Other than that, yeah. Get a mix you like that has the correct brightness, load it up, compare by listening, adjust the overly bright mix accordingly.

Yeah but if you don't use an analyser then how do you know when your mix looks right?

29th September 2010	#1
AMIEL Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2006 Location: Miami, Fl Posts: 3,615 Thread Starter	Hey Mastering Engineers?! how you do it?? with bright mixes?? This is for the Mastering Engineers! I wonder how you guys do it when you get VERY bright mixes??? I guess that happen very often.... do you reduce the top end with one device and boosted again with other? I mean , not to just have a tonal balance of the mix, but to improve the quality of the top end... I prefer to have mixes that are not so bright and with a bit of weight in the bottom....I think that makes your job easier.... __________________ ------------------ Peace. Reuven Amiel "There are no rules, just knowledge, good taste and experimentation" "Music was designed to escape from reality for a moment, not to magnify our fears and problems"

29th September 2010	#4
ekomobong Gear interested Joined: May 2010 Posts: 4	Turn ur eq up Turn up ur high in the beat group and in the main stereo 4khz is ok.then turn down hihat eq and some sharp instrument.withou hardware that is how is being done.

29th September 2010	#6
superiorsound Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2008 Location: Seacoast NH Posts: 508	As prior poster said no one right answer but I will say experiment with the compressor as well. Typically a faster attack if suitable will reduce the highs in a subtle way. __________________ www.superiormediagroup.net 603-866-4404

29th September 2010	#9
jdg Lives for gear Joined: Aug 2005 Location: seattle, WA Posts: 2,540 Verified Member	depends, but usually on a mix that is overly bright, i find cutting the high end with works better then boosting the lows. broad, broad Q, sometimes a shelf. the API 2500 on "loud" thrust and "med" knee sometimes works wonders for softening the top aswell. __________________ nothing helps "suck", not even analog panicStudios - mastering in seattle

30th September 2010	#12
huejahfink Lives for gear Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,285 Verified Member	... Last edited by huejahfink; 30th September 2010 at 10:55 AM.. Reason: bah

29th September 2010	#2
PatrikT Gear addict Joined: Apr 2006 Location: Sweden Posts: 456	The incoming bright should exit the mastering studio feeling somewhat bright. Regards Patrik

29th September 2010	#10
4130 Gear Head Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 45	Depending on the mix I might do as "jdg" suggested (although I prefer the loud setting on my 2500 for this), or use EQ, dynamic EQ or de-essing, maybe even a LP filter. Usually one or a combination of these does the trick.

30th September 2010	#11
sadboy Gear Head Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 53	THE SIMPLE THEORY (MATCHING): get a song you think it's bright enough (reference) and check it's overall frequency via an analyzer plugin then compare it with your mix's frequency, and since equalizing is usually done in the mixing stage, so just try to compare the song with the mix you have and try to adjust your dynamics through the frequency changes you noticed through the comparison and then try to set your brightness.... but remember compare YOUR MIX (nothing during mastering) with the a final mastered song (The reference) and also remember that the reference song should be very similar to the genre or the environment you're working with, and when yoiu're done with that go ahead for the mastering journey and try to avoid (really avoid) equalizing in the mastering, it's just not a healthy for anything and it will never fix any problem in your mix.... best regards SaDbOy

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