| ||
| ||
|
Music Information | |
|
|
CD Mastering using Har-Bal
Feel free to download the entire manual detailing the mastering process from Har-Bal complete with pictures of all the tools needed to create a great sounding mastered cd . http://hdqtrz.com/Files/Har-Bal_Mastering_Process.pdf Please remember that you can experiment with different presets in Waves LMB. If you want light limiting use the "Adaptive Multi Electro Mastering" preset and follow the same process.. Whichever sound editor(Sound Forge, WaveLab, Cool Edit) you are using you should have a method to look at the statistics of your track. Sound Forge ....Tools/StatisticsWavelab Analysis/Global Analysis I am sure there are others in the forum that can give you the path in their editors You want to pay special attention to your RMS levels. You should adjust these based on the genre of the music. I know there are a few mastering engineers out there that hate the loudness war (rightfully so) happening with certain types of music. But the fact remains, if your music isn't matching in volume to another song in your genre it will appear weak sounding. These are just the times we are living in. 1. Check your RMS level in your mix....lets say the average RMS is -17.34 in your track.2. We need to get it to -10 or -11 to suitably fit in with other similar songs.3. Take out your calculator and input 17.34 and now subtract 10.00 you should get 7.34This is the number we are shooting for. and will probably be the number you feed into your limiter.(Remember with RMS levels the lower the number the louder the song) You can input this number as a negative into your limiter and your RMS level for your overall loudness will be -10.00 For example: Which song is louder RMS level -18.23 or -12.16 -12.16 is louder Quite a few mastering engineers use what they call a mastering chain and during the course of building or fattening the song they already have an idea what they would like the end result (RMS) to be. As you get into mastering deeper you will find that it is more than just sticking a number into the limiter and your done. A mastering chain should consist of the following: (Below are some options) 1. When you are finished mixing a track, input it into Har-Bal and check for peaks and valleys.2. Open a wave editor (wavelab, sound forge)3. Place the following plugins into the chain in this order and save as a preset. a) Waves Q10 Paragraphic EQ (or something similar)b) Linear Phase Multiband Compressorc) Stereo Imager - Correct any phase issues and RMS mismatchesd) Limiter - Always use this and set the outceiling for -0.1 Now keep in mind that you may not need to use every one of these each time and can simply bypass any of them. Always, always listen to your song at 85db while mastering. This is not loud and it enables you to darn near HEAR your music almost flat. You can pick up a sound pressure meter from any Radio Shack (roughly $30.00). If your song is too bassy or trebly you will know immediately at this volume. I am sure there are some more engineers in this forum who can elaborate on this concept a little more scientifically. Three meters you should always have open are: All software included with Wavelab Phasescope - To check the stereo image Level Meter - Checking the peak and rms levels constantly (Make sure you are buliding up the song without clipping) How is it sounding....constantly keeping the levels at 85db by bringing down my main volume. In other words even though I am increasing The overall volume I am still maintaining my listening level. Spectrum Analyzer - checking for sudden spikes and overall patterns You should get into the habit of taking any commercial song and studying them while these meters are running. It will open a whole new world of understanding. If you master your next project better than the last, you are only getting better. Get used to it. You will discover on a daily basis the real concept of mastering and the real reason why there are no perfect settings that can be used with every song. The trick is to listen to a song completely and KNOW which tools to use. This knowledge comes from an understanding of the functionality of those tools. Har-Bal Internationalwww.har-bal.com Earle Holder is well known to American music artists, and is one of the few top legendary award winning mastering engineers who have managed to gain worldwide recognition for his work and is a rare individual, born with "golden ears", a definite prerequisite to becoming a great mastering engineer. His home site is http://www.hdqtrz.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Inspiration Wanted - Apply Within! One of the biggest stumbling blocks for music students is knowing what to practice. In the early years students listened to their teachers and did what they told them to do, which is still of course perfectly valid. Are iPods Changing the Way We Listen to Music They're everywhere, and not only are they everywhere, they look cool too. Since its launch in 2001, 10 million have sold and 8 million of those were in 2004. Surf Waves With Jack Johnson Lately I've been listening to some pretty cool music by some beach bum named Jack Johnson. The tunes he plays really touch a chord within me. A Brief History of Fender Guitars Perhaps no other guitar maker has touched the hearts of so many players and collectors as Fender. By producing excellent guitars at reasonable prices, Fender has been the instrument of choice for many guitarists throughout the world. If Setting The Gain Correctly is So Important, Why Dont Mic Preamplifiers Have Meters? When you first learn how to use a mixing console, you will be shown how to set the gain. Your instructor - either in audio school or in the workplace - will emphasize the importance of this and kick your ass every time you get it wrong, until you can't do anything other than get it right. Facts about MC Big Proof Facts about MC Big Proof"If I was you, suicide would be a way of life. If you was me , you'd kill you. Breathing Space in Music While most students want to know when to play certain notes and chords, it's equally important to know when not to play. For example, I had a student who knew how to improvise and play in the New Age style. Piano Chords and New Age Music There are basically two ways you can compose a piece of music. The first and most traditional way is to write out the melody and then harmonize it. Oh My Aching Head! Can Music Really Make You Feel Better? We all know, if only instinctively, that music has a profound effect on us. If we didn't believe that music affects us then singing lullabies to calm children and help them sleep wouldn't be universal. Piano Playing and Performance Anxiety I'll never forget the first time I played the piano for an audience.It was my first concert and it was fairly full up. Review: Coheed and Cambria - Second Stage Turbine Blade Ever wonder what would happen if you mixed the progressive showmanship of Rush with Dashboard Confessional's emotional escapism? Me neither, but Coheed and Cambria has been described as that exact mix-up more times that I'd like to recall. While it's easy to understand the Rush comparison, with lead singer Claudio Sanchez's high-pitched vocal delivery. Music Practice Techniques for Learning Repertory These practice tips were written for fiddlers. I've used them in classical violin also. People are Turning to Meaningful Songs for Emotional and Spiritual Relief: A New Breed of Aspiring Songwriters Is In The Making. What are the Sacrifices of the Solo Singer Songwriter in Today's Changing Culture?David La Motte and Michael Alan are performing musicians and singer songwriters who share their experiences and insights about the hard work required to earning a livelihood in the music business. Quick and Easy Violin Mute One of the reasons I picked up the violin was because it was easier to travel with than a guitar (not that I haven't found some nice travel guitars, but that's another story). It fits in an airplane overhead and is easy to carry!However, I want to be considerate of the folks in the rooms around me when I'm playing in my hotel room. Review: The Dissociatives - Self Titled In 1994 Daniel Johns and his group Silverchair were catapulted into the mainstream by winning a demo competition in Australia. Their single 'Tomorrow' is still widely regarded as one of the defining songs of the early 90s. Warner Music Executive Payments "In human life, art may arise from almost any activity, and once it does so, it is launched on a long road of exploration, invention, freedom to the limits of extravagance, interference to the point of frustration, finally discipline, controlling constant change and growth." Susanne Langer (1895-1985)CommentaryIn these times of major record label mergers, downsizing, the slashing of label rosters, and thousands of record company jobs being lost over the last three years--not to mention the enormous sea change and seismic shifts that technology has wrought--comes one of the most disturbing reports we have come across. Your PC Is An Awesome Singer... If You Let It! As an amateur songwriter, who struggles with a computer far from powerful enough to run the necessary software to record vocals of good quality, I have looked for good solutions. And I've found a few. Can You Really Learn To Play a Musical Instrument From an Online Course? Out of the 250 million people in the United States, about 25 million of them play an instrument of some kind, or used to when they were in school and would like to pick up where they left off. Another 30 million or so sing in a church choir, a barbershop quartet, or at the very least, in the shower. Songwriting - The Art of Writing a Good Song Did you know that good songwriting is often the key to establishing a successful music career? But more than that, it can be fun! When you write a song you are able to express yourself in new and creative ways. Whether you're sad, happy, angry, or in love. Piano Playing For Adults: More Fun Than Sex And Not Nearly As Dangerous! OK, so I lied about the fun part.Maybe piano playing is the just 2nd most fun thing adults can do.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
