Mastering EQ and Compression

[Igro]

Comp: Klanghelm DC8C. 23 Euro
Can do everything you need. Zero latency. Faster than those that goes with latency. Can emulate many vintage comps in Edit mode. Can sound clean or dirty. Don't waste your money on some overpriced stuff. Most of those vintage comps (and their emulations) are fixed with their behaviour. Don't get me wrong, those classic comps are awesome, that's why they are so popular. At some point you will pursue for all of them to get a needed vibe. So it's better to get something that has more controls from the start and that saves you money and time.

[Igro]

This thread is full of the most amateurish comments I’ve read on this forum in like forever. (Not all). OP clearly doesn’t understand what mastering is and then he’s told ‘mastering is for not well done mixes’
Jeez

hahahaah another super Pro with nothing to say

He isn't wrong tho.

So in your opinion a musician will be fixing his own mistakes of his own track on a master bus? How clever is that? Using a multiband compressor? He can fix the problems on a track (channel) level while still having access to it, because that would be more surgical and effective.

[VELLTONE MUSIC]

Please do respond to jerks and make them feel important,my bad answering to such childish comments...
Now on topic -Klanghelm products are ok ,but personally not impressed very much with their stuff...maybe just my taste:)
I don't know mastering well enough yet,but so far can't say that there is a specific type or model EQ and Compressor,which is so amazing,you don't need anything else - each one is specific tool for specific task,applying specific curve/character...
Acustica-Audio do interesting plugins,but my budget is very low now,so hope to catch some discount this year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQmPp7cOaqE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaW4uYkX9Pk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS3BAZfJZwk

[Azbest]

This thread is full of the most amateurish comments I’ve read on this forum in like forever. (Not all). OP clearly doesn’t understand what mastering is and then he’s told ‘mastering is for not well done mixes’
Jeez

hahahaah another super Pro with nothing to say

He isn't wrong tho.

So in your opinion a musician will be fixing his own mistakes of his own track on a master bus? How clever is that? Using a multiband compressor? He can fix the problems on a track (channel) level while still having access to it, because that would be more surgical and effective.

...What?

[Waynerama]

PA Amek
Mastering Compressor
released
Don't like PA Amek
plugins
just want to share
the information
of release
It's only 149
grab it before
it's 30!


https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/prod ... essor.html

How can I have it for $30?

simply by
being patient
it's pa!

Well played

[martiu]

just put a limiter on the master and crank up the volume, no transients - no problems

[VELLTONE MUSIC]

Master buss compressor ≠ Mastering compressor

The master buss is simply the stereo 2-buss on a mixing console. The master buss compressor is there to tame unexpected peaks during mixing and mixdown. Mastering on the other hand isn’t even done on a mixing console, typically.

Mastering is a totally separate process. It is to prepare the audio for a specific playback media format. Each format will have its own master.

The Abbey Road mastering room 7 has a Sontec MES-432C, Manley Massive Passive EQ, Shadow Hills Industries Mastering Compressor, TG 12410 Mastering Console, and a Black Box Analog Design HG-2, just to get an idea of what gear might be used during mastering.

I think developers mark them as mastering compressors,because they have some extra functionality or there is something in the architecture / character,which makes them 'better' for mastering,than typical popular buss compressors ...
Let say you used to use SSL type compressor,which people prefer as standard for rock music,but start to master EDM track and need something more mellow and gentle like Api 2500 or else.
I start learning Alpha Elysia cause it have something different in it,not just MS which is kind of mandatory for modern compressor imho,but it's just smoother and nicer than anything i ever heard so wanna apply this smoothness to my master.
For example Tone Empire Model 5000 is similar to api 2500 and put some hardware magic on master track,which Alpha miss,but side by side Alpha win every time as master comp.
I still have more theory on mastering process,than practice so need more experience and any tip from more advanced producers is highly welcome.
Fairchild is one of the most iconic compressors ever build and the price for vintage hardware unit is around 40-50k these days,so naturally is desired as plugin,cause it makes any track thick,but what i use as emulation the Tone Empire FIRECHILD isn't usable on master track,which makes me wonder what i do wrong,is it me or just don't have right tool?
So on man have to gain experience to know his tools,so to do job well,that's the mastering engineers magic imho...
Cheers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFIk1Yp1bH0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APohemyJ2t8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRrzw4F335A

[El°HYM]

Dealing with sound design since 2013.
2018 start to explore
dynamic interactions between
modules of advanced synthesizers.
Result of these experiments was
Technology called in short:
'Nonlinear Dynamics'
What is it?

Since we have now discussed quite a few Mastering EQ & Compressors... when will we start to talk about the maybe even more interesting Topic of Nonlinear Dynamics?

[VELLTONE MUSIC]

Dealing with sound design since 2013.
2018 start to explore
dynamic interactions between
modules of advanced synthesizers.
Result of these experiments was
Technology called in short:
'Nonlinear Dynamics'
What is it?

Since we have now discussed quite a few Mastering EQ & Compressors... when will we start to talk about the maybe even more interesting Topic of Nonlinear Dynamics?

Users will discuss it later this year

[VELLTONE MUSIC]

My favorite simple and reliable fx chain on master buss lately is :
1. EQ1: PA Digital V3 - Fix every weak point in frequency spectrum.
2.EQ2: PA 232d - Add warm analog feeling of the mix
3.Compressor: Alpha Elyse - Gentle touch and MS pump.
Like a lot what Amek 9099 console do with middle and trebles on intrumental track.
Amek 9098 eq is amazing on everything already saturated,when man wanna squeeze something more.
Cheers to few normal people here

[El°HYM]

Dealing with sound design since 2013.
2018 start to explore
dynamic interactions between
modules of advanced synthesizers.
Result of these experiments was
Technology called in short:
'Nonlinear Dynamics'
What is it?

Since we have now discussed quite a few Mastering EQ & Compressors... when will we start to talk about the maybe even more interesting Topic of Nonlinear Dynamics?

Users we discuss it later this year

I'll take your word for that.

Cheers to few normal people here

I'll take this personal.

[VELLTONE MUSIC]

Why, i didn't mean you when write it,just in general about individuals in kvr ,which seems to exist,just to ruin any interesting topic with their negativism...

[El°HYM]

Why, i didn't mean you when write it,just in general about individuals in kvr ,which seems to exist,just to ruin any interesting topic with their negativism...

That was meant to be a joke.

All #kvr individuals are normal but some are more normal than others.

[motomotomoto]

Agree with Synthman2000 that nothing replace mixing engineer's ears and skills,but also i think self improving is most important part of growing as professional skills.

In my case isn't actually an ambition to do it 'pro' as service,but easy to achieve dope sound ,the way i can use sound design fantasy to improve the composition and entire mix
No alcohol.
Cheers

Completely agree. And if you do want to do it professionally, you'll be combining your own efforts with professional help in various areas. This is where the key to truly improving your craft comes into play. A person who has thousands of mixes/masters/compositions under their belt will have experience with all kinds of problematic situations and how to solve them.

Having said that, in my humble opinion, the most useful skill to learn is critical listening. This often leads to a "less is more" approach which and it also automatically breaks down all of the myths circulating in the audio community (things like "if you need to EQ more than 3dB you need to re-record/redo the mix" or the mythical "high-pass everything!"). You'll learn that there are no hard rules, other than making the best song/mix/master that you possibly can, no matter how you achieve it. You'll also learn to trust your hearing instead of your instincts. It's common to fall for your own self doubt instead of just listening and accepting what you hear as the truth, the solution.

The most important part is to make sure you enjoy the process. Of course there will be times when it's frustrating, especially if some deadline is knocking on the door, but just minimize the amount of frustration and try to enjoy the exploration.

I highly recommend practice as well. Just like with any other instrument or skill. Open up old projects, delete all mixing plugins and start from scratch. Set a two hour time limit and work fast. Then render and let it sit on the hard drive for a while. Then do another new mix from scratch, render and then compare to the one you did a few days ago.

It's even quicker to do this practice with mastering. Set a time limit of only 20 minutes or so. Assign one simple EQ (something flexible like Pro-Q/Kirchoff/DMG Audio Equilibrium/Crave etc), one simple yet capable compressor (Pro-C/Kotelnikov/Unisum/Elysia Alpha etc), one "mojo" plugin that you like and a simple brickwall limiter/clipper that you like. Then do the absolute minimal moves you can in those 20min and simply try to make the master sound "better" than the original mix, making sure you do ALL comparisons at equal loudness levels. A good secondary task is to get the overall volume level up to decent competitive levels (so between -11 LUFS to -7 LUFS, depending on genre) but don't make this the priority. Render and let the file sit a few days. Then do it again and compare.

How do you make sure you are comparing at equal loudness levels on the fly. I have plugins I can adjust the volume after to make sure I am at the same LUFS but is there some way to lock the loudness in and make moves and be able to compare without having to take that extra step to manually adjust the level?

[bmanic]

Agree with Synthman2000 that nothing replace mixing engineer's ears and skills,but also i think self improving is most important part of growing as professional skills.

In my case isn't actually an ambition to do it 'pro' as service,but easy to achieve dope sound ,the way i can use sound design fantasy to improve the composition and entire mix
No alcohol.
Cheers

It's even quicker to do this practice with mastering. Set a time limit of only 20 minutes or so. Assign one simple EQ (something flexible like Pro-Q/Kirchoff/DMG Audio Equilibrium/Crave etc), one simple yet capable compressor (Pro-C/Kotelnikov/Unisum/Elysia Alpha etc), one "mojo" plugin that you like and a simple brickwall limiter/clipper that you like. Then do the absolute minimal moves you can in those 20min and simply try to make the master sound "better" than the original mix, making sure you do ALL comparisons at equal loudness levels. A good secondary task is to get the overall volume level up to decent competitive levels (so between -11 LUFS to -7 LUFS, depending on genre) but don't make this the priority. Render and let the file sit a few days. Then do it again and compare.

How do you make sure you are comparing at equal loudness levels on the fly. I have plugins I can adjust the volume after to make sure I am at the same LUFS but is there some way to lock the loudness in and make moves and be able to compare without having to take that extra step to manually adjust the level?

First and foremost, your hearing. Toggle back and forth between original vs the master.. then adjust volume until you feel like they sound the same volume level at most parts of the song (or the densest part, usually the chorus of the song). The more often you do this, the closer you'll get with very little effort.

Also note that the actual perceived volume changes depending on overall frequency response and how loud you are listening. This is where the whole idea of K-Metering comes from (Bob Katz innovation, though I don't think he was the first to do this.. just the first to write the idea down in a book).

If you always monitor your levels at a constant volume level, that you get used to, then it gets even easier to setup relative levels between two tracks (or original vs your master).

But when you are starting out you can use all the excellent tools available today that help you set overall level matching between the two. Something like Youlean Loudness meter or automatic systems like TBProAudio ABLM. Like anything else, the more often you do this, the quicker it becomes a habit and eventually you'll be able to level match things very accurately by ear, which is obviously the quickest way.