KVR Audio

MelodyMan · Post by **MelodyMan** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:39 pm

This is some piece of software! The new Intuitq-function is amazing. It works magically on 80% of my mixes. The other 20% needs some manual adjustment. And the limiter is damn fine too.

I think i won't ask my money back, because this has really improved my mastering-results. Anyone else use this?

Toonyfish · Post by **Toonyfish** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:47 pm

I'm currently enjoying it for a fast polish and limit to my mixes. I still have to really learn it to use it well though.

Toonyfish

boin · Post by **boin** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 8:27 pm

MelodyMan wrote:Anyone else use this?

Yes, almost always doing my adjustments manually (read: I always try the intuitQ button but rarely keep its results).

Talking about my own material/experience: one thing that I noticed is that on better mixed material the Har-Bal effect is less impressive. But I believe that that's the way it should be - after all, harbalizing is mostly a corrective procedure.

Another use I have for Har-Bal: to analize some commercial recordings that I know well and sound great IMO. I had a few surprises observing some spectra that I wouldn't allow in my own case! And more shocking yet was to try to "correct" this, only to end up with a totally crap-sounding file - unfortunately similar to some of my own material

Great learning tool.

living sounds · Post by **living sounds** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:00 pm

That is exactly the problem with Har Bal (and other spectrum-based 'semi-automatic' mastering tools). A skilled and experienced mastering engineer uses his ears only for judgement to get a beautiful and special sound that translates well on a variety of listening devices. I've also used Har Bal (the demo) to analyze commercial recordings, and many (for instance the worldwide platinum hit "baby one more time") do not at all fit the "perfect" spectrum.
I use an analyzer while mixing all the time to determine resonances and detect subsonic noise, I wouldn't however try to shape my mix to a hypothetical 'perfect' spectral balance - sucks all life out of the music IMHO.
If you're unable to get good spectral balance it's much more important to improve mixing abilitys - and get a good monitoring system in good sounding room.

boin wrote:
MelodyMan wrote:Anyone else use this?
Another use I have for Har-Bal: to analize some commercial recordings that I know well and sound great IMO. I had a few surprises observing some spectra that I wouldn't allow in my own case! And more shocking yet was to try to "correct" this, only to end up with a totally crap-sounding file - unfortunately similar to some of my own material
Great learning tool.

rhavinga · Post by **rhavinga** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:14 pm

So does Har-bal replace the mastering Eng. or do you think it could be used as a premastering tool before sending your work to the real master eng. I guess I am trying to decide for the kind of music I am doing if I need to get a Mastering eng to do anymore work.
I have found that even the ref files provided give a good starting place for the music I am doing. Any suggestions anyone.

Rick

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:33 pm

rhavinga wrote:So does Har-bal replace the mastering Eng. or do you think it could be used as a premastering tool before sending your work to the real master eng. I guess I am trying to decide for the kind of music I am doing if I need to get a Mastering eng to do anymore work.
I have found that even the ref files provided give a good starting place for the music I am doing. Any suggestions anyone.

Rick

Well, for me, I use apps like HarBal and AAMS to gain insight into what's wrong with my mix and I know I need to go back and look at places that sound dull or especially where instruments are bunching up (usually in the mids) and big peaks are sticking out.

I do use these apps for final mixes here at work, where we never send it to a Mastering Engineer, but need to have maximum playability on all systems. And it's great to spruce up my mixes for testing on stereos, etc.

I'm sure with enough knowledge and experience, you could make excellent masters with this, but not really replace an engineer. But it gives us a nice edge!

discretemachine · Post by **discretemachine** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:35 pm

Har-Bal does not replace the mastering engineer.

But it's still a great program !

I would never master an album with Har-Bal. I would use a mastering engineer with a good reputation and a clientlist that agrees with my musical tastes.

I find Har-Bal to be a great program for doing an "easy fix" to "less important audio", like commercials and jingles etc..

Har-Bal is also great when you have to work with headphones or in a "home studio" or in a place thats not properly set up for mastering or audio in general.

An "un-treated" room may have you mixing until you re blue in the face, whilst a "visual mixing" approach a la Har-Bal will ease the job considerably

YMMW

d

rhavinga · Post by **rhavinga** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:42 pm

Thanks for the response, I really hear what your saying. I can definitely say I am getting an education on freq. curves especially when mixing down and tracking. I really think having a mastering kind of senses definitely helps the mixing it seems.
Hey its also cool to see lots of guys from the Vancouver Area.
Anyways thanks for your posts, I have read quite a few of your posts and they have been most helpful.
Cheers,
Rick

rhavinga · Post by **rhavinga** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:53 pm

Thanks discretemachin, I also hear what your saying. I have been working with another fellow here in town who has a good acoustical setup and I can definitely hear the differences on his system. Actually he is doing the mastering for me but I keep finding more flaws in more work everytime he masters a song. I guess I am still learning when it comes to mixing. It frustrates me when I find my mix ends up sounding like crap after mastering which in turn I feel reflects my inadequacies on the mixing part. Like you said, I think the room and gear make a big difference when it comes down to the final mixing and mastering. I'm sure the experienced ear definitely helps too.

Thanks for the post.

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:13 pm

rhavinga wrote:Thanks for the response, I really hear what your saying. I can definitely say I am getting an education on freq. curves especially when mixing down and tracking. I really think having a mastering kind of senses definitely helps the mixing it seems.
Hey its also cool to see lots of guys from the Vancouver Area.
Anyways thanks for your posts, I have read quite a few of your posts and they have been most helpful.
Cheers,
Rick

Who else is from Van? (nobody says where they're from these days...)

> DiGiT < · Post by **> DiGiT <** » Tue Feb 28, 2006 10:32 pm

yall are familiar with voxengo products like gliss eq, curve eq, etc? they have visual readouts as well. good stuff.

http://www.freesoundeditor.com/download ... nvst12.zip

HarBal 2.0 rules