Poor man's mastering question

I'm still not clear on something basic. If I'm trying to master a track myself, like do a poor man's mastering. Shouldn't I put a compressor and limiter on the out 1-2 track and then pull that track up as high as it can go without it peaking.

 

I thought that is the right idea, but I need to make sure.

 

I have david's book, which explains how to add a compressor and limiter to the out 1-2 track, but it doesn't talk about the idea behind it like if you're supposed to raise the fader up as high as it will go without peaking, or just keep it at 0.

 

 

 

thanks!

1) If you're producing or mixing the track then fix as much as possible before moving on to your demo mastering.

 

2) Set the stereo output fader at the unity position (0). If any overloads occur then insert a Utility > Gain plug-in in the first insert slot on the stereo output, and lower the plug-in's gain slider.

 

3) Insert an equalizer and correct any overall frequency problems - or add a little something. Only minor adjustments are necessary if the mix is good.

 

4) Insert a compressor and compress a few dB if necessary. Try one of the SSL presets perhaps: SSL 4000 G presets for Logic's Compressor (download)

 

A starting point could be the Ratio 2, Attack 10 ms, Release .3s preset. Adjust the threshold until the mix sounds more coherent. Usually no more than 2-4 dB of gain reduction at this stage.

 

5) Insert the Ad Limiter as the last step on the stereo output. Turn up the middle Gain knob in the plug-in until you get an appropriate amount of limiting.

 

Notice that your stereo output fader is still at unity level. The limiter is pushing up the volume inside the output channel.

 

If you abuse the limiter by pushing it too much, your mix will sound dull and squashed because you're reducing and rounding off all the punchy peaks in your mix.

 

It's unlikely that your mix/master will sound as loud as most commercial releases. This is due to several factors and not something you can fix by simply pushing the limiter more.

 

However, following these steps should give you a slightly better sounding, more coherent and louder song in all circumstances.

 

6) Bounce your track. If you're burning to a CD then use 16 bit WAV format with POW-r#1 or #3 dithering, 44.1 kHz sample rate.

Never fails to amaze me how helpful people are on this forum. Case in point is Lagerfeldt with detailed and useful instructions that people like me would struggle to ever learn let alone remember (and with a lovely smile too )

 

Many thanks for this - I've put it on a sticky for easy access (that's if I remember I've put on the sticky .... maybe a sticky to remind myself!!)

 

cheers

Agreed.

 

'lagerfeldt' is a great example as to why I visit these forums and recommend to others. Great job.

Hi Lagerfedlt, could you explain a little of the theory behind running through a compressor, then a limiter?

 

Thanks in advance.

Thanks for the comments!

 

could you explain a little of the theory behind running through a compressor, then a limiter?

The above is an example of a very short and simple but usable demo mastering chain. A real mastering chain usually is a bit more complex.

 

A compressor...

... can control the overall dynamics, achieving a more steady signal

... make a mix or a submix (like a drum mix) more coherent

... can shape a signal to make it more (or less) punchy

 

But a compressor is not designed to catch very fast and short peaks. These peaks are called transients. Trying to catch those peaks - especially when they're above the average level of the signal - will often result in the compressor beginning to pump or distort.

 

However, a peak limiter is a type of compressor designed with the sole purpose of reducing the volume of transients. Most plug-in peak limiters are so-called brickwall limiters.

 

A brickwall limiter...

... has a lookahead ability which lets it predict the timing of a peak

... uses instant attack to immediately reduce the peak

... usually has a very short release time, in order to turn down just the peak and nothing else

... is therefore like a ninja: it moves swiftly in and out without being noticed

 

Adding a peak limiter at the end of the chain allows you to control the peaks of your signal just before the master fader. This in turn allows you to turn up the final level of your song without overloading the master output.

 

Most plug-in limiters use automatic makeup gain or have a gain structure that turns up the signal automatically. No need to adjust the master fader.

 

In mastering, if you add any kind of processing after limiting (dithering during bouncing not included) the peaks will "pop up" again, and you will need to limit once more. That's degrading to your signal quality and unnecessary.

 

So a limiter usually sits at the end of a channel, bus or mastering chain - because that's where it makes the most sense.

ok so I should keep that out 1-2 fader at 0. Good to know. thx a ton!

Yes, though there's nothing wrong in doing it differently, i.e. using a limiter without makeup gain and then manually raising the volume of the stereo output fader*

 

Logic uses floating point math and simply scales the output level without any loss or change to the sound*

 

*Nerdy disclaimer: the exception is when your limiter is a Waves (the plug-in company) limiter or you're using a dedicated clipper at the last step. Then you're outputting an integer signal which is then expanded to 32 bit float again once you adjust the master fader. In real life the ramifications of this procedure can be ignored, it's basically inaudible. Forget I ever mentioned it!

But why do you recommend the ssl 4000 g master compressor when your description of it says it's not a real mastering compressor and is rarely used as the only master compressor?

Taybot, he's recommending an SSL compression setting emulation that he created on the Logic compressor. Follow the link on his recommendation number 4 and it will take you to the presets he created.

yea I know. I went to the link and downloaded it all but it explains that it's not even intended as a compressor for final mastering

You should always try to experiment as much as possible with the compressor and other plug-ins yourself.

 

I suggested perhaps trying the presets based on the assumption that someone asking a very basic question about processing would likely get better results from using the SSL presets than from trying to adjust the compressor from scratch. Even though it's not a real mastering compressor or setting. In fact there's no such thing as a real "mastering preset" since presets are never used in mastering - but the SSL settings are the closets thing to a standard in mix compression.

 

It seems you're taking the advice a bit too literally, I think - your subject is after all entitled "poor man's mastering". Explaining how to do real mastering compression is a very long subject and not something you can do at all using Logic's compressor.

 

As I said, following these steps should give you a slightly better sounding, more coherent and louder song in all circumstances.

aight coo that clears things up.

 

do you have any writing on how to do real mastering?

You can read Bob Katz' book "Mastering Audio" but first and foremost you should learn about general audio engineering for a couple of years and then start focusing on mastering after that.

2) Set the stereo output fader at the unity position (0). If any overloads occur then insert a Utility > Gain plug-in in the first insert slot on the stereo output, and lower the plug-in's gain slider.

Why do you do this, instead of just adjusting the fader?

2) Set the stereo output fader at the unity position (0). If any overloads occur then insert a Utility > Gain plug-in in the first insert slot on the stereo output, and lower the plug-in's gain slider.

Why do you do this, instead of just adjusting the fader?

 

The fader is post processing plug-in, inserting a gain plug-in in the first slot of the output channel strip allows you to adjust your level pre processing plug-in. That way you keep your signal at a manageable level, avoiding clipping the input of any 24 bit fixed plug-ins should you use one, or any I/O plug-in, etc...

Makes sense. Thanks.

so should you bring the other faders above unity position (0) or try to keep all the faders below 0?

 

I mean the faders for individual sounds, vocals etc.

so should you bring the other faders above unity position (0) or try to keep all the faders below 0?

 

I mean the faders for individual sounds, vocals etc.

 

Put them where it will sound good. It's better if the faders are near the zero position as that's where they have the best resolution. But if I want the trumpet to be at a low volume in my mix and that means putting its fader at - 35 dB, then so be it. It's just.. well I wouldn't mix with all my instruments around -35 dB. I'd rather have all of them near/around 0 dB.

but is it ok to raise them above 0? Or should I keep them close to 0 as general practice?

but is it ok to raise them above 0? Or should I keep them close to 0 as general practice?

 

Sure it's ok to raise them above 0. The only problem with raising them is that at one point (+6 dB) you won't be able to raise them anymore. So let's say you place your vocals at +4.8 dB, then you want to "ride the vocals" to automate them in real time, you'll only be able to raise those soft parts by + 1.2 dB and you'll be all the way to the top.

this thread is very useful...thanks for all the tips, will be sure to use them in my productions

is there any advantage to maintaining the -12 to -3 headroom recommended for a mixdown prior to "real" mastering if you're doing your own mixing and mastering within logic with logic plugs? or... is there even any advantage for the poor man to differentiate between mixing and mastering?

If you're only using Logic plug-ns (except the Bit Crusher) then you're generally safe because it's a fully floating point system. However, you'll still overload the master output if you do large boosts, so you'll need to attenuate in your workflow.

 

is there even any advantage for the poor man to differentiate between mixing and mastering?

Mixing and mastering are two entirely different things, so that question doesn't make sense.

 

Did you mean if there's a difference between mastering in your mix session and mastering a separate bounce?

 

There's no audible difference. It's more of a workflow difference.

Did you mean if there's a difference between mastering in your mix session and mastering a separate bounce?

 

 

yeah, that's what I meant. thanks for the info!

...first of all thank you very much for sharing these basic ideas on mastering/mixing (and of course for the great compressor presets!!!)!...

i have a question concerning 'gain': in lagerfeldt's compressor preset 'gain' is set to +3db...would it be the same if i lower that to let's say +2db and then just raise the adaptive limiter a little bit more?...or...if i have clipping after i inserted the compressor...would it be the same if i lower the tracks' volume via the gain plugin (1st plugin in the chain) or if i lower the gain within the compressor plugin (e.g. changing gain from +3db to +2.5db)?

thanks

b

The first depends on what else is between them, but presuming nothing is, changing the output of the compressor should give the same result as changing the AdLimiter's input. Though I can't remember if makeup gain on the Logic compressor affects the distortion modes.

 

The second will produce different results. The compressor makeup gain slider affects the output, so any moves made on it will not affect the compressor's gain reduction. If you change the level before the compressor, you will have to readjust the threshold to get the same compression action.

 

Hope that makes sense, l'm running on no sleep...

Though I can't remember if makeup gain on the Logic compressor affects the distortion modes.

 

It does.

...thanks!

b

You're welcome, and thanks Rhys