Mastering SOS!!

[DisforDorian]

hey guys dont shoot me for this but im doing an emergency master session for a college project im really not sure on mastering so i followed the mac pro videos, tutorial mastering in pro tools. My mastered tracks sounds good and I'm happy with the result but the wave form looks just like a louder mix with no blocked sections that like this:


I ran my chain with avid eq7b - precision eq- precision bus comp -precision multi band - ampex 102 - precision limiter - POWr dither

i set my limiter to -0.1db

am i going wrong should i hit the limiter harder? please help guys I am a total newbie in this area and please don't shoot me if I am being an idiot

[LunchboxHo]

IMHO, if you've checked it & you're happy it sounds like its done, then given the context, you're done.

[DisforDorian]

thats kinda my view but with the noise wars i think to myself should i just be seeing a block you know, i prefer dynamics personally and headroom but I mainly mix and record and have no real experience of mastering so im not sure entirely

[LunchboxHo]

Originally Posted by DisforDorian

thats kinda my view but with the noise wars i think to myself should i just be seeing a block you know, i prefer dynamics personally and headroom but I mainly mix and record and have no real experience of mastering so im not sure entirely

Then reference!

[wado1942]

Looks like you applied all your processing in the multitrack section, then rendered it yes? In the multitrack, anything center panned is attenuated 3dB to maintain equal perceived level vs. the same track hard panned. You'll have to start again, either using the editor to apply your processes or set the multitrack's preferences to "Left/Right cut" to avoid that 3dB attenuation.

Also, you're using A LOT of plugins. Most mastering sessions will use an EQ, a wideband compressor, a limiter and dither. Sometimes I don't even use that many. If you find yourself needing a lot of plugins to master something, there's probably something really wrong with the mix. Also, don't feel like you HAVE to destroy the music for the sake of loudness. I have a lot of clients that just want me to nudge up the levels a little bit. Some guys have me do two masters, one limited and another not limited at all.

[edit] I just realized that you said you used PT to do this. I'm not sure how to change the pan laws in PT. On that note, you used Audition to do the waveform view, which is a MUCH better mastering program (but still not good) than PT can ever be. Why not just use Audition to do the job?

[Laarsø]

Originally Posted by LunchboxHo

Then reference!

Indeed, switch with the push of button between your premaster and someone's else when the monitor gain knob doesn't move. If yours sounds way different, figure out why and if it matters - all by ear. With some waveforms one simply needs to minify the view to make the toothpaste/2x4 shape appear. It's when you zoom in that all but clipped forms take on a lithe sinus appearance. For example, the example you posted, above, looks like it went through a shredder. If when zoomed in it isn't clipped on every transient, that's one thing, but if it's as chopped off on the peaks as it looks from a distance, this is no file to emulate! What is it? A Grammy contestant? \:



Cheersø,
Laarsø

[DisforDorian]

well it sounded good until i put it in the car and it sounded terrible the vocals have been yanked too far forward i was deafened by treble and high end metalic sounds bottom end was awesome tho lol

[Adam Dempsey]

Without knowing what you're hearing (trusting it) and without referencing, you're flying blind – regardless of how much you look at the screen or how zoomed in it may be.

[rcb4t2]

Originally Posted by wado1942

Looks like you applied all your processing in the multitrack section, then rendered it yes? In the multitrack, anything center panned is attenuated 3dB to maintain equal perceived level vs. the same track hard panned. You'll have to start again, either using the editor to apply your processes or set the multitrack's preferences to "Left/Right cut" to avoid that 3dB attenuation.

Could you please elaborate on this? Does this apply when mastering from an already rendered stereo file? I'm not quite understanding this situation. Thanks in advance! (I'd be happy to read an article instead if you have one rather than make you type it all out) Cheers.