Tips for mastering sound effects / music stings for mobile phones - android / iphone

[Waltz Mastering]

You could most likely go a little conservative on level and the low end.
Maybe concentrate more on the mono information and make sure the conversion quality is good to what ever the format is that you have to deliver them in.

[inlinenl]

I would be carefull on cutting low-end , if you cut to much it will sound thin ..
and if you put in real low-end it wont be a problem , because the speakers won't play it ... but maybe the user will have it on headphones or connected .. so then your lost ...

[willco]

Thanks guys,

Point taken about it being good in mono... and maybe it's worth converting some to low rate mp3s to see how they are affected by the compression.

It's a fair point about headphones... and people on an ipad or something with larger speakers would benefit from something fuller.

[reynaud]

a lot of iPhone apps that contain audio use mono 96-110kbps VBR AAC to keep file sizes down. You'd be surprised how many of sound designers actually roll off below 50 - 100Hz and often they even filter out everything above 10kHz (normally within FMOD Designer).

129th AES Convention has a iPhone Sound Design—Lessons Learned tutorial. Not sure if a video download will be available at a later stage.

[willco]

Thanks Reynaud,

I will keep my eyes peeled for that vid if it comes up... out of interest, do you need to be a member to see stuff like that?

[reynaud]

yes, you'd have to join the AES but it's only $99 a year (or $39 as a student). 3rd worlders pay less than the standard rate.

[CJ Mastering]

I have transferred some onto my iphone 4 to test out how they sound and I am not that pleased, some are distorting a bit on playback, and they are generally quite quiet. I figure that I should cut any low bass out, and maybe notch out the more resonant low mids, and ultimately apply some light limiting, but has anyone got any other tips? Also, I am nervous about supplying the final files pushed up to 0dbfs, should I leave a little headroom?

I make ringtones in my spare time and I make great money with it. The thing ive learned is that you need to set your ceiling for your peak limiter during the mastering phase between -0.8dB to -0.6dB to allow for all the conversions necessary.

If your songs are not translating (not sounding good on your phones) then you need to address that issue. That's a big issues and there are many factors, Ike your room your mixing and mastering in.

Ive never had to cut any low frequencies or mids, just make sure the mix sounds good and leave set the ceiling between -0.8dB to -0.6dB
Cj

[Jean Doe]

I have done shite loads of masterings for phones and tbh i still have haven't found ONE foolproof chain for it. Main challenge is making the music loud without that causing overload when played over the phones speakers. Today, what really made the difference was hipassing at 300hz (i know, but it worked) and limiting loads (around 5db) with a very soft knee. As i said though i haven't found that one chain that just always works. Leaving some headroom is about the only general advice i could give...

edit: If i were to give some real advice it would be with regards to the composition: Have your lead elements play between ca 6oohz and 2khz. This seems to be the most forgiving range on most phones' speakers.

[Jesse Graffam]

Originally Posted by Jean Doe

I have done shite loads of masterings for phones and tbh i still have haven't found ONE foolproof chain for it.

A skilled person with one of these:
LINEAR ACOUSTIC - Products - AERO.mobile
could probably drum up a crapload of work, and easily handle it, if they marketed it right. thumbsup

[Jean Doe]

Originally Posted by Jesse Graffam

A skilled person with one of these:
LINEAR ACOUSTIC - Products - AERO.mobile
could probably drum up a crapload of work, and easily handle it, if they marketed it right. thumbsup

Very interesting. Gonna look into that.

[andivax]

Originally Posted by Waltz Mastering

You could most likely go a little conservative on level and the low end.
Maybe concentrate more on the mono information and make sure the conversion quality is good to what ever the format is that you have to deliver them in.

+1

i found that most mp3 encoders distorts sound if it's peak more than -0,3 dB.
but i don't know what exact format iphone apps uses. definetely AAC but not sure.

the best check for your sound is too upload it on your mobile.
but it is time hog and i use Speakerfone vst with cellular phone impulse response loaded into it.

[kieros]

Question: Does the iphone/samsung etc usually come with one speaker?
Or do they have two speakers?

I ask this, because I don't have any touchscreen phone, and I'm working with game audio for such device.

If they come with one speaker, wouldn't it be better,if everything is mono, music/sound effects?

[kosmokrator]

look out for your bit-budgeting as well.
F.e., for many sounds a 22kHz sampling frequency is absolutely OK.

[bendermastering]

Pro-Codec from Sonnox may help as a big part of the sound of mobile phones, gaming devices, and others, comes from the codec itself.