Your ITB Mastering chain. Facts only.

[Factorysounds]

Hi,

I know that similar topics are discussed here and even more serious view of the Mastering here is for hardware mastering, but anyway ....

Mostly, however, there are discussions and comments, but I invite you to show your ITB mastering chain.
Pure facts without any specific positive or negative comments, so that every man shall draw conclusions as colleagues working elsewhere

Here is mine:

1. UAD 4k Buss Comp or Sotftube Tube-Tech CL1B
2. UAD Manley Massive Passive EQ
3. Ozone 5 - only Harmonic exciter
4. DrMS - for stereo imaging
5. Slate Digital FG-X - FG comp disabled, only with FG level
6. Slate Digital Virtual Mix Buss
7. Kratos Maximizer or UAD Precision limiter or Massey L2007


Thanks!

[windmillsound]

Every mix is different and therefore requires different tools.

[audio ergo sum]

Does ITB mean there is no monitoring?

[audio ergo sum]

My drive to the bakery is
out of the drive way
turn left
turn right
wait on stop sign, turn left
cross the bridge
second exit in the roundabout.
turn right on the traffic light.
...

works every time for any bakery I know.

[Factorysounds]

Originally Posted by audio ergo sum

Does ITB mean there is no monitoring?

No, 8th was T-rack Meter or Waves PAZ.

[Factorysounds]

Originally Posted by audio ergo sum

My drive to the bakery is
out of the drive way
turn left
turn right
wait on stop sign, turn left
cross the bridge
second exit in the roundabout.
turn right on the traffic light.
...

works every time for any bakery I know.

Kind request was for facts only without positive or negative comments- similar as Your thread I read already many times Thanks!

[audio ergo sum]

Originally Posted by Factorysounds

No, 8th was T-rack Meter or Waves PAZ.

I meant listening.

[newdigitaluser]

Originally Posted by Factorysounds

Hi,

I know that similar topics are discussed here and even more serious view of the Mastering here is for hardware mastering, but anyway ....

Mostly, however, there are discussions and comments, but I invite you to show your ITB mastering chain.
Pure facts without any specific positive or negative comments, so that every man shall draw conclusions as colleagues working elsewhere

Here is mine:

1. UAD 4k Buss Comp or Sotftube Tube-Tech CL1B
2. UAD Manley Massive Passive EQ
3. Ozone 5 - only Harmonic exciter
4. DrMS - for stereo imaging
5. Slate Digital FG-X - FG comp disabled, only with FG level
6. Slate Digital Virtual Mix Buss
7. Kratos Maximizer or UAD Precision limiter or Massey L2007


Thanks!

better would be a complete data flow of FUNCTIONS for a general solution

from which we could each tailor a specific flow for a specific project

and then we could match potential tools to each function
using a poll which would eliminate the issues about comments

[taturana]

plugins i have been using when mastering ITB ( each song is different, sometimes i might use one or another, never all of them)

spl passeq, elysia alpha, slate TG-x, psp xenon, waves dorroughs meter, sometimes t-racks fairchild, or waves puigtech fairchild and pultec eqp-1 and meq...

that is what i remember now...

[dropd9]

ok I'll bite...

SADiE 6 Native and the occasional use of the bundled Prism and/or iZotope plugins>

(in no particular chain or order)

Sonnox: Inflator, Limiter, Supressor
Sonoris: Mastering EQ, Mastering Compressor
Voxengo: Elephant, R8BrainPro, MSED
PSP: Old Timer
Cytomic: Glue
Algorithmix: reNOVAtor, PEQ Classic Blue, K-Stereo
RNichols: Inspector
Fabfilter: ProG, ProC

[Unclenny]

For Lenny's stuff........

Digi EQ3
Rcomp
L1

On a bus....judiciously
RVerb
BF76 (partial to all buttons)

[greggybud]

Originally Posted by Factorysounds

Hi,

I know that similar topics are discussed here and even more serious view of the Mastering here is for hardware mastering, but anyway ....

Mostly, however, there are discussions and comments, but I invite you to show your ITB mastering chain.
Pure facts without any specific positive or negative comments, so that every man shall draw conclusions as colleagues working elsewhere

Here is mine:

1. UAD 4k Buss Comp or Sotftube Tube-Tech CL1B
2. UAD Manley Massive Passive EQ
3. Ozone 5 - only Harmonic exciter
4. DrMS - for stereo imaging
5. Slate Digital FG-X - FG comp disabled, only with FG level
6. Slate Digital Virtual Mix Buss
7. Kratos Maximizer or UAD Precision limiter or Massey L2007


Thanks!

.
It seems you know the correct reply but you refuse to accept it.

First of all it often doesnt matter if its hardware or software. Older MEs generally use more hardware than those with less years under their belt. These are all just tools to achieve an audio objective. How you get there is up to the user.

Your "chain" has stuff i use maybe 5% of the time. (Just the tools not brands regardless if software or hardware.)

Every project is different. Impossible to list a chain. Sorry thats not what you want to hear.

A few months ago i worked on a mix by Bruce Sweiden. Its one of the best mixes i have heard in years. That project only required very slight eq followed by very soft compression...and -1.2db limiting. End result loud pop record and happy client. What does that suggest about having a chain?

[CJ Mastering]

+1 as I agree with Greggybud. These threads are usless in my opinion. Every song will need a different mastering chain.

[Fabmaster]

One EQ followed by one limiter is all I need (most of the time).

Fab

[work2do]

Originally Posted by Factorysounds

Hi,

I know that similar topics are discussed here and even more serious view of the Mastering here is for hardware mastering, but anyway ....

Mostly, however, there are discussions and comments, but I invite you to show your ITB mastering chain.
Pure facts without any specific positive or negative comments, so that every man shall draw conclusions as colleagues working elsewhere

Here is mine:

1. UAD 4k Buss Comp or Sotftube Tube-Tech CL1B
2. UAD Manley Massive Passive EQ
3. Ozone 5 - only Harmonic exciter
4. DrMS - for stereo imaging
5. Slate Digital FG-X - FG comp disabled, only with FG level
6. Slate Digital Virtual Mix Buss
7. Kratos Maximizer or UAD Precision limiter or Massey L2007


Thanks!

I would never want all that touching my project. No proper mix should need all of that.

[phillysoulman]

UAD ATR 102
UAD Massive Passive or PSP Noble q ex
PSP Xenon or Sonnox Limiter
Waves X Noise

Thats all I ever need

[Jerry Tubb]

(ca. 1994)
Waves Q10
Waves C1 & and Richarde MDT
Waves S1
Waves L1
All in Sound Designer II
And burned with MasterList CD.
Thank Goodness those days are long gone...

JT

[dcollins]

Originally Posted by Fabmaster

One EQ followed by one limiter is all I need (most of the time).

While mostly OTB, I find that chain very common here. Maybe 50% of the time I have the second EQ in. 20% the compressor, maybe less.


DC

[yllet]

I often find Nebula r2r or Waves mpx (minimum input gain) useful on the 2bus when dealing with digital sounding mixes. Other than that I like Elysia alpha (just started to dig into it) if compression is needed, maybe 1-2db gain at most. The soft clipping section is just gr8 btw! Cuttertone is real nice when you want to deal with high freq peaks and soften the mix. Any limiter will do most of the time as well as eq when needed.

/Jon

[tracemusic2]

Depends on the song or project, there is no formula I use. It all depends on the project and what the client wants. If they want it slammed, I'll tell them we can slam it but I disagree to do that to save the dynamics of the song. Regular people listen to music, they don't care if it's ITB or all analog equipment. They just care if it moves them and they enjoy it

[acorneau]

Originally Posted by dcollins

While mostly OTB, I find that chain very common here. Maybe 50% of the time I have the second EQ in. 20% the compressor, maybe less.

Dave,

One of these days you're going to get a whole string of sh!tty mixes and you'll be trying to figure out how to use the M/S EQ, parallel compression, multiband compression, harmonic enhancement, and everything else to beat them into a semi-listenable polished turd instead of the complete pile of poo they were when they came in the door.

I can't wait to hear about that.



(Love ya' Dave!)

[Razik]

Every mix is different but I found my self using this chain more often.

FabFilter Pro.Q
Liquid Mix- EQ+ (API 2500)
Liquid Mix (Manley variable Mu)
Waves Linear Phase Multiband
Waves S1
Waves Renaissance DeEsser
FabFilter Pro.L

Razik's Mastering

[Apollo Soul]

Varies,but recent:

Glue -2db
Glue softclip
Event horizon .5db limit
Brainworx control mono below 150hz + 110% wide
Glue softclip again
Elephant -.7dbl max

That's what's on track in my Signature after coming in from g10 to duet softclip

Sent from my ADR6400L using Gearslutz.com

[NickNagurka]

Psp MasterQ
Brainworx Digital V2
Oxford Supressor HR
PSP vintage warmer
Ozone 4 (only for automated multiband widening)
Oxford Inflator
Oxford Limiter

Brainworx Meter

[dcollins]

Originally Posted by acorneau

Dave,
One of these days you're going to get a whole string of sh!tty mixes and you'll be trying to figure out how to use the M/S EQ, parallel compression, multiband compression, harmonic enhancement, and everything else to beat them into a semi-listenable polished turd instead of the complete pile of poo they were when they came in the door.

But that's the thing. I get mixes of all types, and have rarely felt the need for even four things in the path, let alone 40.

Maybe I'm just slow to get with the program?


DC

[I.R.Baboon]

Originally Posted by windmillsound

Every mix is different and therefore requires different tools.

You could say the same thing about hardware - each mix requires a new trip to Vintage King or Mercenary!

Nothing wrong with having a standard basic plugin set-up. Although i'd lose the stereo imaging and exciter myself.

[CJ Mastering]

Having 5, 6 or 7 things in your mastering chain is hard to believe. The point in mastering is not to change the mix, but to fix eq deficiencies, raise the overall volume to an acceptable level, making all the songs have the same sonic level and if its an album. you prepare it for replication with spacing and embedding codes and text

If your having all these effects in the chain, Then (in most cases) the mix must be so flawed that you should tell the client to remix it.

[Barendse]

Mostly 2 plugins:

1. Nebula GML eq/Tape/Vari-mu compression (whatever the tracks needs)
2. Voxengo Elephant

[superwack]

The BEST, simplest, and most effective ITB mastering chain I've ever used was...

DAW > FTP > PRO Mastering Engineer

[daez]

I hope these are list of tools one might use and not actual chains. i personally use fgx for my low end mastering/loudness needs. If I need an eq I like brainworx v2 for mastering. Other than that I might use mpx or something to add some color ar character if that is lacking but 99% of the time fgx does what I need though I mix mostly all of what i master and I am not a mastering engineer just a small project studio guy...