Do you master your own work?

[Kolstad]

Yes, I do some simple strokes. Use references and small adjustments. 10mins of work.

Like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0Jx2h-lQkA

I use the mastering section of Studio One, and mostly with IK Multimedia T-Racks suite.

Don't do mastering right after mixing.

[Coffeeinthesink]

Good to know about the Peer to Peer forum. Appreciate the input from everyone!

[billhewett]

As others have said, you don't really need to submit professionally mastered songs for film and tv because the folks doing sound for the the production will probably have to apply some sort of mastering to make all of the assorted pieces of music work together, and work with the program as a whole.

That said, I agree with others on here that you probably need to do a little bit of master bus processing.

My go to master bus chain contains:

1. Compression based on a "Mix Glue" preset. This could be an "analog style" plugin to add warmth or just a straight compressor without any color depending on what a particular track needs. I will sometimes use a multi-band compressor here if a track calls for it, but I find that is the case less often the better I get at mixing in general.

2. Light EQ that often (but NOT always!) has a bumped high shelf, a cut somewhere in the mids, and a high pass filter set down below normal hearing range to lose some of the excess rumble in my heavier rock'n'roll recordings. But sometimes I don't add any EQ... this is definitely a place to use your ears. If you find yourself trying to fix something with EQ then you should go back to the mix!

3. Mastering Limiter - this is key if you want to make your mix competitively loud, but you have to careful how hard you push it.

Sometimes I throw in an additional compressor based on a New York Master Bus preset before the limiter, but this is pretty rare.

As with effects chains/sends on any track, make sure you don't get fooled by the louder=better paradox!

Like folks have already said... use Peer To Peer and check out a bunch of YouTube lessons to find out where they are consistent. Start playing around with master bus processing and you'll get a feel for it in no time!

This post was way longer than I intended, so hopefully it is helpful and not just diarrhea of the keyboard :)

-Bill

[elser]

ASCAP members get unlimited free mp3 masters at 192kbps which is the same thing Taxi uses. I've started using it a lot because as Mojo said a second pair of ears is best. I don't know how it works but 99% of the time it makes my mixes sound better and louder. But they expect quite a lot of headroom in your mix. It also gives me ideas if I decide I want to go ahead and master it myself. My preferred chain is the Slate FG-X and UAD Manley EQ, add seasoning to taste, reverb, widening, whateva...

[jaymz]

I do because I'm stupid. And by stupid, I mean, no one else can do a better job for me than I can, for free (that I know). I generally mix everything in Cubase, nothing on the master bus, then throw it into ozone 8, load up my favorite christian rock track as a reference (they have all the good producers), live and die by tonal balance (ozone) and go to town with the mastering assistant.

[ernstinen]

Yes. I've been a recording engineer for 40 years, and a mastering engineer for 25 years. I seriously tried to get a "Mastering Business" going here in L.A., because as previously stated, it's good to have a second set of ears. No takers, even after paying $1000's for ads in Music Connection... Every young buck with a computer thinks they can mix AND master themselves. But it takes MANY years to know what you're doing.

I recently played that Santana album (that has "Smooth" on it and won Grammy's) on my Masterlink. That album was PEGGED at +2 dB! The meters never moved, at all. Sounded fine, but NO dynamics. That's where I draw the line, myself. I know, I know, Record Labels want loud, loud, loud! But if your music has NO dynamics, it's almost not music IMHO... Cripes, I even limit/compress orchestral music, which is a big "No No!" But to "Brickwall" music, I just won't do it. Maybe that's why I'm a poor musician LOL!

The most infamous mastering was one of the latest Metallica CDs. It was so squashed and distorted, even the headbangers complained! I don't know if it was remastered, and I haven't heard it. But from what I read, it sounded terrible.

If you can learn how to do it, my advice is to use your EARS, and listen on as many systems as possible!

Cheers,

Ern

[ernstinen]

BTW (Although I haven't used it), I think the concept of LANDR is nonsense. Every piece of music is different, and has to be mastered according to the song.

It's like frying eggs. The pan is different, the eggs are different sizes, you're using a gas or electric burner etc. It's an ART... Such is mastering music.

My 2 cents,

Ern

[cosmicdolphin]

BTW (Although I haven't used it), I think the concept of LANDR is nonsense. Every piece of music is different, and has to be mastered according to the song.

Maybe if you'd used it you'd realise the concept isn't nonense. It's based around A.I. machine learning...i.e the more tracks it masters the better it gets. Same as people. It doesn't treat all tracks the same and there is some user input for fine tuning.

Did you see the shootout they did with a pro engineer ? Not as clear cut as you might imagine

https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/home-p ... over-landr

Sure I wouldn't want to use it for my next Grammy winning album but I'd say for mastering individual tracks that are likely going to be playing in a TV show with people talking over them it probably does a better job than than a musician with no mastering experience and a bunch of plugins.

Mark

[ernstinen]

Maybe if you'd used it you'd realise the concept isn't nonense. [sic] It's based around A.I. machine learning

So what? Are you saying that a computer is better than a human being's EARS that have years of experience? I don't believe it. Ask any mastering engineer, like Bob Ludwig, or Bernie Grundman. They'll tell you that's b.s. No computer algorithm can compete with an experienced mastering engineer. A computer doesn't have human ears.

If you think so, have your computer write your music for you.

[cosmicdolphin]

Are you saying that a computer is better than a human being's EARS that have years of experience?

Better ? No....More than capable for the purpose of musicians writing in home studios for licensing ? Yes.

Better than a human being's EARS without years of experience ? More than likely.

I don't believe it.

That's because you haven't tried it

Ask any mastering engineer, like Bob Ludwig, or Bernie Grundman. They'll tell you that's b.s.

Sadly I don't have them on speed dial and besides it would be like asking Turkey's to vote for Christmas. Though I think you misunderstand the clientele. If you can afford Bob Ludwig then you wouldn't have any need for a service like LANDR or Cloudbounce. They aren't competing with each other.

It's a low cost , fast effective service that can do a very decent job on individual tracks particularly in certain genres like Pop, EDM & Hip Hop

No computer algorithm can compete with an experienced mastering engineer. A computer doesn't have human ears

Bob Ludwig's book is subtitled " The Art & Science ". Computers are very good at science, much of mastering is technical and can be boiled down to algorithms. Sure there's an art side to it when you get to Bob's level. Mastering a complete alum by an artist is different.

I speak as someone who mastered 180 of his own cues in the last 2 years. Who has also tried LANDR ( for free ) and who has also spent a day with Tori Amos' favourite Mastering Engineer listening to him master an album I did some of the mixes for.

Sure I'd love to email them all to Bob and have him work his magic but that's not the real world. LANDR etc are another tool in the box for those that need them.

Mark