I'm re-thinking how I Mix/Master

[Scoops]

So I noticed that I haven't looked at this thread for a while.

To be clear, Ozone doesn't work for me anymore. I never went with presets and said Viola! My issue with Ozone is that the ballpark they give you is more like the pig slop out in the field. Ya gotta wash it off, do this, do that, blah bla bla. Too tedious!

I've developed an fx chain using mostly Fabfilter for the master buss. I use Reaper, so it's an easy insert template, and I'm much closer to an end product vs Ozone. It works in most instances, so it sounds good, and I'm happy

Maybe if I get around to finishing this project I'm working on, I'll give Ozone one last chance to homogenize the entire work, but I have my doubts.

[_leras]

So I noticed that I haven't looked at this thread for a while.

To be clear, Ozone doesn't work for me anymore. I never went with presets and said Viola! My issue with Ozone is that the ballpark they give you is more like the pig slop out in the field. Ya gotta wash it off, do this, do that, blah bla bla. Too tedious!

I've developed an fx chain using mostly Fabfilter for the master buss. I use Reaper, so it's an easy insert template, and I'm much closer to an end product vs Ozone. It works in most instances, so it sounds good, and I'm happy

Maybe if I get around to finishing this project I'm working on, I'll give Ozone one last chance to homogenize the entire work, but I have my doubts.

Sounds like you're just expecting too much from Ozone.

Try it without any of the auto checking analysis stuff, just from scratch, do all the steps manually, compressor, EQ...

Do it all manually and then you'll know if it works for you or not. The auto analysis isn't going to be great straight out of the box.

[jamcat]

I've developed an fx chain using mostly Fabfilter for the master buss. I use Reaper, so it's an easy insert template, and I'm much closer to an end product vs Ozone. It works in most instances, so it sounds good, and I'm happy

It sounds like you’ve developed a process that works for you. It makes infinitely more sense to make these types of global adjustments on the master buss right in the song.

You only need to take it outside the mix session if you’re working with multiple songs at once for an album and/or you’re preparing a finished mixdown for reproduction on physical media.

[Uncle E]

The auto analysis isn't going to be great straight out of the box.

Personally, I always use the auto analysis these day, then simply adjust thresholds to taste.

[Scoops]

So I noticed that I haven't looked at this thread for a while.

To be clear, Ozone doesn't work for me anymore. I never went with presets and said Viola! My issue with Ozone is that the ballpark they give you is more like the pig slop out in the field. Ya gotta wash it off, do this, do that, blah bla bla. Too tedious!

I've developed an fx chain using mostly Fabfilter for the master buss. I use Reaper, so it's an easy insert template, and I'm much closer to an end product vs Ozone. It works in most instances, so it sounds good, and I'm happy

Maybe if I get around to finishing this project I'm working on, I'll give Ozone one last chance to homogenize the entire work, but I have my doubts.

Sounds like you're just expecting too much from Ozone.

Try it without any of the auto checking analysis stuff, just from scratch, do all the steps manually, compressor, EQ...

Do it all manually and then you'll know if it works for you or not. The auto analysis isn't going to be great straight out of the box.

Ozone is sold on the promise that it has automation built in to make my life easier (paraphrased).
The Automation is hideous!

If I'm going to have individual elements in my master buss then, I'd rather use Fabfilter. I get the sound I'm looking for.

I've tried Izotope, and yeah I can get a good sound, but too many things against it.
- Fabfilter is easier on the eyes
- Fabfilter is easier on computer resources
- Fabfilter doesn't go into demo mode like much of the NI stuff
- Fabfilter doesn't need a process running on my computer when I'm not using the product
- Fabfilter is easier to work with
- Fabfilter Customer service works! NI Customer service is non-exsistant

[WackyZoundz]

The FabFilter GUIs are horrible though. I can't open more than one without my laptop almost crashing.

[eesyees8]

Hey would you s e l l your Ozone 5 Serial?
I have updated by system and got some olf mixes I would like to export but dont have my key
let me know - spoke to iZotope already they cannot help me find it!

[jamcat]

That’s really frightening if true.
A license should always be easily recoverable through your user account. Is that really not the case with FabFilter?

Honestly, that sounds suspect.

[osiris]

I've been thinking lately most of the mastering advice has been for CD production and the game has changed with streaming. At least with CDs there was one standard. Now you have different services wanting different levels and streaming conversion can just suck the bass right out of a mix. I like Ozone but presets are just a starting point. There's so much you can do in it.

[WackyZoundz]

LUFS is only used for replay gain, not for storage.

[EfreetiSultan]

The first mistake is, you use ozone. Learn to use all the elements separately. Compressor, eq, clipper, limiter.
And use plugins that is totally invisible. I've spent over 20 years learning by doing. Ozone sounds like crap if you don't understand everything fully. And when you DO understand everything - you realise it's not transparent.
This is why you're never happy with the results.

[EfreetiSultan]

So I noticed that I haven't looked at this thread for a while.

To be clear, Ozone doesn't work for me anymore. I never went with presets and said Viola! My issue with Ozone is that the ballpark they give you is more like the pig slop out in the field. Ya gotta wash it off, do this, do that, blah bla bla. Too tedious!

I've developed an fx chain using mostly Fabfilter for the master buss. I use Reaper, so it's an easy insert template, and I'm much closer to an end product vs Ozone. It works in most instances, so it sounds good, and I'm happy

Maybe if I get around to finishing this project I'm working on, I'll give Ozone one last chance to homogenize the entire work, but I have my doubts.

Sounds like you're just expecting too much from Ozone.

Try it without any of the auto checking analysis stuff, just from scratch, do all the steps manually, compressor, EQ...

Do it all manually and then you'll know if it works for you or not. The auto analysis isn't going to be great straight out of the box.

Ozone is sold on the promise that it has automation built in to make my life easier (paraphrased).
The Automation is hideous!

If I'm going to have individual elements in my master buss then, I'd rather use Fabfilter. I get the sound I'm looking for.

I've tried Izotope, and yeah I can get a good sound, but too many things against it.
- Fabfilter is easier on the eyes
- Fabfilter is easier on computer resources
- Fabfilter doesn't go into demo mode like much of the NI stuff
- Fabfilter doesn't need a process running on my computer when I'm not using the product
- Fabfilter is easier to work with
- Fabfilter Customer service works! NI Customer service is non-exsistant

Good, already you've leveled up
For clipping please use standardClip. It's truly transparent. I'm sure there's others that are as well but the ones I've tried certainly aren't. Least of all the cubase stock "soft clipper" that just sound like distortion, immediately. In standardClip you can get away with 1-2db before it sounds like distortion

[_leras]

I've been thinking lately most of the mastering advice has been for CD production and the game has changed with streaming. At least with CDs there was one standard. Now you have different services wanting different levels and streaming conversion can just suck the bass right out of a mix. I like Ozone but presets are just a starting point. There's so much you can do in it.

I don't think you should worry too much about that type of thing. No ones making different mixes for different platforms.

You can get tools that mimic the conversion process to check things, but I'm not sure you gain all that much over the 'traditional' approach of simply checking on small speakers.

And just don't slam a mix too much, save some dynamics.

[_leras]

And use plugins that is totally invisible. I've spent over 20 years learning by doing. Ozone sounds like crap if you don't understand everything fully. And when you DO understand everything - you realise it's not transparent.
This is why you're never happy with the results.

Pretty funny, but I kinda think the opposite, that Ozone is pretty transparent.

I do have transparent tools in my master chain, but I've also sought out things that can bring some extra vibe and colour. Things that you don't necessarily hear but notice when they are taken away.

For me the mastering is the last place to be able to elevate a mix. So I don't want just transparent - I want better.

[Uncle E]

I don't think you should worry too much about that type of thing. No ones making different mixes for different platforms.

This is true, although the various tools out there should be able to analyze for clipping, which is a big deal. Hopefully it’s an automated process that can analyze the audio without you having to listen.