Brainworx bx_digital : EQ and stereo widenerĢ. Here is a list of my plugins and what they are doing:ġ. Each of those faders has the appropriate Sonarworks Reference plugin setting. The leftmost Aux fader sends the MIX bus to my speakers and the middle fader sends it to my headphones. The Master fader on the right processes all the audio sent to the “MIX” bus. I numbered the plugin slots in the order that audio passes through them. The image above shows a master fader and monitor faders for a recent project that I mastered. A compressor, in general, will exaggerate frequency problems that exist in a mix.
So try an EQ, a compressor and then another EQ after the compressor to further improve the sound or to clean up some coloration added by the compressor. However, sometimes pushing an EQ into a compressor is great.Įngineers generally use an EQ before the compressor when they’re trying to fix problems with the frequency balance of a song. This will result in the compressor reacting differently than if the EQ happens after the compressor. If you EQ before the compressor, you’re changing the level and frequency content of the audio that hits the compressor. A compressor reacts to the amount of energy that hits its threshold at any point in the song. Plugin Orderįirst, there is something to be said about the order of the EQ and compression plugins. Many of your favorite songs were mastered using just an EQ and limiter/maximizer. While we all have access to so many plugins and options, don’t feel you have to use every type of processor or technique presented in this article. For acoustic tips, read our article on acoustic treatment. This article sheds some light on a few differences between working on headphones vs speakers, and for even more tips on working on headphones vs speakers check out this article and this one. It is possible to master on headphones, but there’s a good reason why most mastering engineers do their work on speakers. Your most important tool is your listening environment. With MetricAB, it’s a breeze to check the low end of the disco-funk song I’m working on against Daft Punk’s Get Lucky. David Glenn of TheMixAcademy uses this process to compare his mixes to other records. The plugin also provides you with a few filters to listen to just the lows, just the mids or any section of the frequency spectrum of your reference track. It lets you open up 16 songs at once, as well as loudness-match them. For this purpose, I use ADPTR Audio’s MetricAB.
As you work, continually compare your master to commercial releases. They’ll provide you with an idea as to how finished music sounds on your system. It’s very important to become familiar with and use great-sounding reference tracks. In an album, the loudness of one song may depend on the song before and after it, whereas the loudness of a single should be competitive with other songs in that genre. Keep in mind that we master for a specific context, be it an album, a compilation, or a top streaming service. For example, maybe one song needs a bit more top end, or the vocal isn’t loud enough, or track 5 of the album is much darker than all the other tracks. As you listen, take notes on what you feel needs fixing. The mastering process starts with listening to the song or collection of songs. Simpler is often the better path in mastering. If not, squash your ego and undo your last few moves. Make sure you keep listening back to the raw mix and asking yourself “Am I actually making the music sound better?” If it’s improving, proceed. My goal is to give you a map-an outline of the skills you need to develop so you can start mastering music. Studying the art of mastering will improve your mixing technique because, through mastering, you will develop a deeper understanding of how a proper mix sounds and feels. Mastering is a mindset that is different than production or mixing.
#Izotope insight mastering presets how to
You don’t need to use all the steps every time and bear in mind that there’s much more to mastering than just learning how to use the tools. In this article, you’ll learn the most common steps to master a song.
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