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I need a good mainstream mastering strip


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What you're looking for doesn't exist.

 

And here's why...

 

Every song you or anyone else creates is going to be different. Different styles, levels, dynamics, frequency spectrum, and so on. The typical tools of the mastering engineer are compression, EQ, limiting, multi-band limiting, and so on. So with the infinite variations that can exist with your track compared to anyone else's, there's simply no way that a channel strip could exist to handle your song. About the only thing that anyone could do is say, "hey, try this......." and if it works, it'll do so purely by chance.

 

A better approach would be to post your track somewhere and ask for recommendations as to what you might try. You can post links to music in the Listening Booth section of this website.

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We so need Fuzzfilth right now... :roll:

 

Um, no, we don't. A smarmy reply -- which we could always count on fuzzfilth to deliver -- is great when it's deserved. But when someone posts here with a question, even if it's noobyish, surely they don't deserve to get slapped in the face with a fuzzfilth-style response. As knowledgeable as he is, and as much as I respect his knowledge, all that kind of thing does is give off a bad vibe.

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Um, no, we don't. A smarmy reply -- which we could always count on fuzzfilth to deliver -- is great when it's deserved. But when someone posts here with a question, even if it's noobyish, surely they don't deserve to get slapped in the face with a fuzzfilth-style response. As knowledgeable as he is, and as much as I respect his knowledge, all that kind of thing does is give off a bad vibe.

 

Very well said, I wouldn't have said better myself. Just because we've been doing this forever, and we keep seeing the same question pop-up, doesn't mean we should belittle anyone.

 

mrteemora, ski is right (in his first post, answering your question). There's no recipe. Think of it that way: can you make a magic "seasoning packet" that will contain exactly the right amount of salt, right amount of pepper, right amount of lemon juice, of olive oil, of sour cream, etc... to season "mainstream dishes"? The answer is: No, you can't. Unless you know what dish your seasoning (is it soup? is it a burger? fries? rice? a salad? a baked potato?), unless you know how many portions (is it a mouthfull? a dish for a family of four? for a whole dorm?) etc..., you can't. That's why you can't become a chef by just follow recipe: you have to educate and learn to use your palate.

 

Same with music, you have to educate and learn to use your ears.

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Agreed with previous posts there is no such thing. However I do have a default mastering/master channel strip that goes across all of my projects. Settings for each thing, and sometimes the plugins themselves will vary greatly (hence there is no "preset"), but this covers many bases needed in a final mix- gain staging, harmonic saturation/distortion, equalization, mid side eq, compression, and limiting.

 

Logic Gain Plugin

 

Warmth or Harmonic Distortion Plugin (Optional)

 

High end, high quality DSP 3rd Party EQ with linear or analogue phase algorithm

 

Vintage modeled EQ

 

Mid/Side EQ (essential for the wide, "mainstream" sound in many cases)

 

Compressor (Vintage modeled or multiband, depending on needs)

 

Limiter

 

and below those, two very important plugs that do not alter the sound, just give me mix information:

 

Logic Level Meter

 

Multimeter

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We so need Fuzzfilth right now... :roll:

 

Um, no, we don't.

 

A smarmy reply -- which we could always count on fuzzfilth to deliver -- is great when it's deserved. But when someone posts here with a question, even if it's noobyish, surely they don't deserve to get slapped in the face with a fuzzfilth-style response. As knowledgeable as he is, and as much as I respect his knowledge, all that kind of thing does is give off a bad vibe.

 

Fair enough. It's just me reacting to what feels like a little thrown tantrum. Two days without finding "perfection"... right.

 

I needed Fuzzfilth. Not "we".

 

Apart from this forum, I know a few music professionals in real life too, and I know how hard they have studied, practiced and worked for many, many years to be able to even approach that elusive "perfection"... it is not an overnight (or over two nights) thing...

Although a Multipressor followed with an AdLimiter plus some extra compression on the combined Bas/Drum track and the appropriate amout of EQ-ing should get the OP floating in the main stream.

 

http://www.logicprohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=38736&highlight=mastering

http://www.logicprohelp.com/viewtopic.php?t=57055&highlight=mastering

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Just to set the tone, what I'm writing here is conversational, not confrontational. That said...

 

I don't see anything about the OP's post that indicates "tantrum". He came here asking for help, that's all. I can't see any reason why that should be met with the kind of approach fuzzfilth used to take with people.

 

OK, enough of that. Let's get back on topic.

 

mrteemora, when you say "mainstream", I'd want to know... mainstream "what"? Pop? Hip hop? Rock? But even knowing that bit of information wouldn't be enough to make a recommendation. We're talking music here, so if you want advice on how to master your track, take my previous advice about posting in the Listening Room. That way we can hear what your track sounds like and then maybe someone can suggest some approaches. For all we know, your mix might need rebalancing before you attempt mastering.

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Have we taught you nothing Erik?

 

try this ...

 

 

Ouch! I'm having ongoing dental work atm - maybe some better options to the dentists chair out there....

 

Andy

 

the thing that keeps me watching this is the jump the guy goes for hahaha....two-footed, bum-out launch...love it

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