My Mastering Plan Of Attack

If you are looking for advice on how to use Har-Bal best, or you have some tips of your own, post them here!
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jazzbass12
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:47 pm

My Mastering Plan Of Attack

Post by jazzbass12 »

Well, I got HB last week and after 20 hours or so (not straight) I am feeling comfortable with it. I also want to say that this is the best $100 I have spent in regards to audio tools.

Here is the technique I am using. Some of this is what Earle had said to do so I am not taking credit for all that I am sharing:

Bounce down the track in my DAW to -3 or so

Import to HB and roll off 45hz and below (Earles technique)

Apply intuitQ. from there I do some minor scuplting while toggling EQ on and off to hear results.

Once happy I save this file.,

I then import into Sound Forge and use Waves MB Limiter and select the Electro Adaptable preset. I drag down the threshold so that I am seeing 2 to 3 db of reduction.
I might use a tad more threshold on the low end and the highs. I basically like to see a "snake" dance in the response window. Once happy,I save this as a newly named file.

The I open my newly named file in HB. I also open a ref file from a commercial track that has the volume I am looking for, I apply the Match loudness command and add 5 db of air if needed. I then save this file

From here, I open back in Sound Forge and do a Spec check to see where I am at. Usually I am at RMS -12 and .-1 peak. I then dither to 16 bits.

I have done this for 9 tracks on a cd I just finished, I am very very happy with the results. All the tracks for the most part sound like they belong together. Because I record in my smelly basement my tracks tend to sound a bit different from one another. With Harbalance I am able to really make my tracks shine.

Just a FYI, I have sent my tracks out to "ONLINE" mastering houses for sample mastering and none of them come close to what I was able to do in 3 hours and for a one time fee of $100. I am not slamming all Online mastering, just the ones I have dealt with seems lie the dumped into OZONE or whater and hit a preset.


OK, time to breath..
Guest

Post by Guest »

Thanks for that info jazzbase, sounds like a good system.
AntonyR
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2005 4:14 pm

Post by AntonyR »

JazzBass12

My approach is slightly different and thought is would be worth sharing just for comparison purposes.

I focus on the mix prior to worrying about the mastering. Mastering has it limitations for improving the overall mix or making songs sound similar, etc. as a mastering engineer normally would have a stereo file only to work with.....you, like me, has full access to the original recordings and can therefore apply the same mixing approach to obtain consistency ahead of the mastering stage - for example, using the same Reverb on each song or complimentary ones where a different Reverb is needed, etc. EQing the acoustic guitar in a similar way on each song to sound consistent, etc.

I focus on gettting the kick and bass separation and levels correct, and then the vocals, using a spectrum analyser to ensure they are all peaking at the same level. I then bring in the other drums and other instruments, ensuring that the kick, bass and vocals are not detrimentally impacted - ie. if I bring up the acoustic guitar in the mix and the bass becomes muddy or the vocals start to lose focus I adjust the level/EQ of the guitar to ensure it compliements and adds to the mix and does not take away.

Having done this approach I never find any peaks in spectrum and end up with a very balanced mix.

At this point I then apply some overall reverb to the mix on the master channel - small amount just to notice it and then pull it back a touch. I then on the master channel apply multiband compression - in a similar way as you. Next on the master track I apply EQ - topping and tailing the track - ie. cut below 40Hz and trail off from around 10K.

At this point I export the file as a 24bit wave and pull into Harbal. I rarely tweak anything in Harbal as I end up with a well balanced mix. I do have a reference file loaded that I use to match loudness. I then load the 24bit file into a new Cubase project and apply just limiting (Waves L2) to the loudness figure as dither down to 16bit as final track.

You can here an example of this approach on the "My Music" link below

The vocals in "All Mine" (latest track) are too loud in verse, so need to revisit that one, but others from "Give and Take" onwards have followed this approach, with exception of "Sniper" that I need to reproduce.

How do these mixes compare with your final results?

Thanks

Antony
Antony Richards

My Music: http://www.artistlaunch.com/AntonyRichards

Cubase SX v3.1 - Halion 3.1 - VG (Electric)
Waves Platinum - RMIV - Autotune 3 - HarBal - Jamstix - dfhSuperior - NI Guitar Rig - Trilogy
jazzbass12
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:47 pm

Post by jazzbass12 »

I do have to say that I find myself going back to the mix and re tweaking so that HB isnt doing all the work. I dont find that I need massive amounts of HB to correct my mixes.
My mixes are at:
myspace.com/richoreilly
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