My Mastering Plan Of Attack
Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 12:23 pm
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..
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..