ChipMusic.org - Checking your mix/master

Re: Checking your mix/master

2013-06-24T00:06:09Z

Orange Creamsicle wrote:

EvilWezil wrote:
Reference tracks are helpful, looking at the phase scope/ EQ meter is helpful.
But what's helped me IMMENSELY recently is playing back the track through the shittiest speakers I can find.
Mix the track on good speakers so you can hear everything.
But master it so that it sounds good even coming out of a laptop!
this, so much. who am i kidding though, the last time i put any effort into mastering was like a year ago; that is why all my LSDj tracks on soundcloud have a "beta" label

if you put some more effort in before uploading, there might actually be people who listen to your music. im fine though, i like that raw shit.

Re: Checking your mix/master

2013-06-23T23:18:47Z

EvilWezil wrote:

Reference tracks are helpful, looking at the phase scope/ EQ meter is helpful.
But what's helped me IMMENSELY recently is playing back the track through the shittiest speakers I can find.
Mix the track on good speakers so you can hear everything.
But master it so that it sounds good even coming out of a laptop!

this, so much. who am i kidding though, the last time i put any effort into mastering was like a year ago; that is why all my LSDj tracks on soundcloud have a "beta" label

Re: Checking your mix/master

2013-06-23T22:55:51Z

Scopes are great for the high end and low end especially.

Re: Checking your mix/master

2013-06-23T22:21:14Z

I honestly wouldn't bother too much with looking at scopes. Fresh ears can make a big difference and understanding your reference monitors is also very, very important.

However, the best way for a beginner to check a master is to take a recording of it and listen to it on as many different systems as possible and at many different volume levels. Play it in the car, play it on your phone, play it on a nice hi-fi, play it on some shitty headphones.

The point of a general master is to sound good on the widest range of devices. If you're doing a specialized release, your target might be different. For example, FLAC releases are generally aimed at audiophiles and so you can aim it more specifically at higher end audio systems and headphones.

Most of the time, you'll probably be making a wav/mp3/ogg for general use and therefor a very wide range of devices will be used to listen to your song.

Re: Checking your mix/master

2013-06-23T18:41:29Z

for me, it goes hardware 3 band EQ on each channel-> main mix->hardware compressor->noise reduction (at least 3 passes)->software compressor->31 band software EQ on main mix->normalize for tracks i don't want to multitrack and 3 band EQ->noise reduction->31-band software eq on each channel->software compressor->31 band EQ on main mix->normalize for multitracked stuff... i always do the software EQ with a spectrum analyzer in full view ..then i listen on a wide range of playback devices on speakers (in my car, through laptop/netbook speakers, mackie monitors, floor speakers, 5.1 surround setup, & a drawer full of assorted commercial headphones/earbuds) on & off for a while until im sure there's nothing left i want to change

Re: Checking your mix/master

2013-06-23T17:34:20Z

an0va wrote:

Some people actually suggest using an EQ after every gain device to keep it under control, like so:
EQ (cut the sub) -> Compressor -> EQ (cut the sub area again because the compressor will boost it back up) -> Saturation -> Final EQ (cut the sub yet again, but also this is where you do any creative EQing for the overall track sound)

Also, THIS. Aboslutely this. There's a LOT of wasted energy underneath the audible section of the subs. Especially if you're recording your channels separately- you just don't need any of it if it's not your bass. You won't notice all the extra amplitude it gives your other frequencies until you hit the limiter, but yeah this really helps things pop.

Re: Checking your mix/master

2013-06-23T17:28:48Z

Reference tracks are helpful, looking at the phase scope/ EQ meter is helpful.
But what's helped me IMMENSELY recently is playing back the track through the shittiest speakers I can find.
Mix the track on good speakers so you can hear everything.
But master it so that it sounds good even coming out of a laptop!

Re: Checking your mix/master

2012-05-01T18:56:34Z

But you can trust your pants! SHAKE EM!

Re: Checking your mix/master

2012-05-01T18:37:00Z

You can't trust your ears on inaudible 30hz and below.

Re: Checking your mix/master

2012-05-01T15:35:48Z

an0va wrote:

Some people actually suggest using an EQ after every gain device to keep it under control, like so:
EQ (cut the sub) -> Compressor -> EQ (cut the sub area again because the compressor will boost it back up) -> Saturation -> Final EQ (cut the sub yet again, but also this is where you do any creative EQing for the overall track sound)

This is actually what I've been doing recently, but to simplify things, for me it really just comes down to trusting my ears and a constant A-B between my track and whatever reference I've been using.

Re: Checking your mix/master

2012-05-01T13:35:56Z

This is a great thread. Some of my methods are reinforced here and I'm also learning some nice tricks.

Also, weed.

Re: Checking your mix/master

2012-05-01T13:31:20Z

WALLOFTEXTWALLOFTEXT SORRI

Re: Checking your mix/master

2012-05-01T13:30:51Z

try not to over think about numbers and technicalities. really on your ears much more. i say this from my own experiences of just fiddling and fiddling and then making it sound shit. a decent song will get you further than a decent mix down on a shit song ! one thing i do too much is make my song too busy with too many layers all mudding up frequencies.......like when im just hamming late at night, writing melodies....then its a cunt to mix it down nicely. so i try to make decisions when i set up the track, like what takes the prominent bass, a subby 808 kick, or a deep bassline. often i sidechain sub with a kick if its beefy (like dem 808's) and then maybe the midrange bass/low meoldy frequency's are chained to the sub also.
also another nice method if you have volume issues somehow, drowned or peaked mid to highs....i like to just load up a multi band eq and go through all the freq's low to high with the level right up, its easy to hear where you've got frquencies that make your ears bleed at just a small boost. i dont know if thats correct way but it helps me identify where i have some over lapping frequencies or reverb peaks and shit.....its good to clear that up mixdown era before going into the mastering. some mastering tips - dont buy krk's ever haha cos i hate them colouring bass heaps of dung. (yes i have them) the yamaha monitors made SO SO ,uch difference to my mixdowns when i had them. its true what their tag is 'if it sounds good on these it does anywhere'. they re great. anyway............check for sure at high volume but also low, i read somewhere that even when low volume you should still be able to hear the seperate tracks. like play a shit mastered track low and all you can hear is the high melody and hi hat haha, also i like to check like others, on everything i can. shit mp3 headphones. i have some i check my track on the, the high is peaking, no bass......blamed the headphones...listened to dope stuff like ital tek or apparat on them......no peaks, can hear bass.......so its my mixdown that sucks. if you're that bothered do your mixdown with at least 5 or 6db headroom to work with on mastering. and pay someone to master it to be happiest ! you can get okay jobs done by semi pro's over interweb. my friend got an ep mastered and when i mix the tracks in the bar i play at, they bump the club hust like everything else. i heard the b4's and afters, the mixdown was nice, but the mastering job really spread it like nice warm butter and got a few more db's out of for sure, without brickwalling it to sound shit with a compressor on the master. I wouldnt advise a compressor on the main master either ! anyway i hate this shit too, we all do....im recording my synths to 4 track, back into pc now, some field recording and basically producing in a way i like...just low fi but still cleanish.......but the low fi elements i like, and stops me going insane trying to make an overclean mixdown. that over produced shit has no soul and is just shit !

Re: Checking your mix/master

2012-04-30T20:59:40Z

µB wrote:

That's good advice. I've actually done this in the past, when I mixed Sievert's album to make sure the mix is consistent.
What's your view on mix EQ vs master EQ? It's a lot easier to EQ the master if you go for a specific spectrum, but I guess making sure the mix is already good is the better way.
Currently I use 3 band EQ on each channel, and a 16 band EQ on master. I have difficulties controlling the sound that way, especially when compression is involved. Any advice on this?

If you've got a compressor in your chain (or any gain altering device that would saturate the signal), I advise using at least two EQs on the track. One at the very end like Danimal said to control the overall sound, and one at the very beginning. Reason for this being, anything that isn't a sub-oriented instrument like a sub bass of subby kick does not need any frequency action from like 60-80hz and below. Obviously, you'd cut out all the lows from around around that and below with a high pass or something. Tracks that aren't subby will still energy in those low sub areas, so cut them all out. Over time and multiple tracks the energy in that area will build on your master channel and will attribute to a good portion of the muddiness that you might hear in your master channel. So, leave the sub frequencies to the sub instruments.

However, you should be doing this initial sculpting with an EQ that is the very first thing in your chain, not the last. Why? Devices like overdrive, saturation, and compressors (esp with makeup gain) will actually boost all those frequencies including the areas you don't want. Some people actually suggest using an EQ after every gain device to keep it under control, like so:

EQ (cut the sub) -> Compressor -> EQ (cut the sub area again because the compressor will boost it back up) -> Saturation -> Final EQ (cut the sub yet again, but also this is where you do any creative EQing for the overall track sound)

Re: Checking your mix/master

2012-04-30T16:18:50Z

i mastered a recent tune so badly that i think i made everyone on Inpuj throw up

well that's fine, music should be exhausting