Mastering question or 2

[bonzerboy]

If I master my own is it better to dither by itself after I have processed the master? For example using t racks or even a waves limiter. Go ahead and run it through then have your level etc and then dither it by itself for the final going to 16 bit?

If I send something off to be mastered I am told have it between -3 and - 6
if you have things in your mix that are over those levels say a kick at +3 and snare at +5 does that mean you have to pull down the whole mix to get that level requirement or should you put a limiter on the individual track to keep it below 0 db?

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by bonzerboy

If I master my own is it better to dither by itself after I have processed the master? For example using t racks or even a waves limiter. Go ahead and run it through then have your level etc and then dither it by itself for the final going to 16 bit?

If I send something off to be mastered I am told have it between -3 and - 6
if you have things in your mix that are over those levels say a kick at +3 and snare at +5 does that mean you have to pull down the whole mix to get that level requirement or should you put a limiter on the individual track to keep it below 0 db?

A mastering engineer won't be dealing with individual tracks (nor should he) so the best thing would be to pull down each track individually to maintain balance between the tracks so each is in a slight negative range. You could use a limiter on individual tracks but if you did your mix track balance with the two tracks you cite at the levels you cite your mix balance after the limiter will be off. Or you could put the limiter on those two tracks and mix into the limiter instead of slapping it on afterwards as a bandaid.

Or else you run the risk of sounding just like Death Magnetic

[bonzerboy]

I understand the master engineer would not be dealing with the individual tracks. I was just saying if I had those individual tracks at those levels would I need to use a limiter to make them below 0db on the final mix? If the final stereo has to be at - 3 - 6 for the engineer it seems like all the tracks will be very very low to keep it there if that makes since?

[crizdee]

Originally Posted by bonzerboy

- 3 - 6 for the engineer it seems like all the tracks will be very very low to keep it there if that makes since?

Hi,

Nothing wrong with keeping the levels low during mixing! i always have a mix bus compressor and raise the output on the compressor by around 3db this way it forces you to keep the levels low and away from clipping. always use a metering plug on the master channel so you can keep a check on the levels as you mix as nothing should be reaching -0dbfs or going near the red clip.

If your mix does have snare and kick going on the + side? +3 and +5 is this on the individual channels for the snare and kick or do you mean it is hitting the mix bus at +5. if its the mix bus then you ideally need to lower or the channels and set the mix levels again. if the +5 is on the individual channels and the mix bus is NOT going above -0dbfs then you should be good to go as long as nothing is peaking or distorting.


Chris

[Phil Ogden]

Originally Posted by bonzerboy

If I master my own is it better to dither by itself after I have processed the master? For example using t racks or even a waves limiter. Go ahead and run it through then have your level etc and then dither it by itself for the final going to 16 bit?

Dithering is only required when reducing the bit depth e.g from 24bit to 16 bit. If you're sending the mix to a ME, then they will most likely ask for full resolution 24 bit audio.

If you're going the DIY route for mastering, then it doesn't matter when you dither so long as it's the last process undertaken.

[mesaone]

The last process undertaken just before (or during) the conversion to 16-bit, that is.

Make sure not to double down on the dither - some limiters have dither built in (switchable) and then there are standalone dither plug-ins, and then there is a possible dither on export. You only need one instance.

[mikeyman]

I think I read that if you are makin an MP3 you don't need to dither because the Mp3 process in PT's dithers it down for you

[bonzerboy]

Thanks everyone that gave me some thing to look at. T last post I am wondering about the mp3 protools and auto dither? I did not know this can someone clarify?

[waltz mastering]

Originally Posted by bonzerboy

If I send something off to be mastered I am told have it between -3 and - 6
if you have things in your mix that are over those levels say a kick at +3 and snare at +5 does that mean you have to pull down the whole mix to get that level requirement or should you put a limiter on the individual track to keep it below 0 db?

The important thing when mixing, is not to have any channels or plugs clip or reach full scale.

The simplest solution if your channels are starting to creep up there and you wind up getting the 2 buss in the red, is to turn down your master fader. You can also use trim plugs on each channel, or group all channels and pull them down, but this could effect pre fader dynamic processing.

It's best to prevent that from happening in the first place and good to mix with headroom in mind, even though the tendency is to always push things louder.

Another thing that helps prevent the levels from getting up there is to turn your volume knob up pretty loud at the start of the mix, or use calibrated monitoring. It forces you to keep track levels lower.. GL

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by waltz mastering

The important thing when mixing, is not to have any channels or plugs clip or reach full scale.

(...)

Another thing that helps prevent the levels from getting up there is to turn your volume knob up pretty loud at the start of the mix, or use calibrated monitoring. It forces you to keep track levels lower.. GL

This sums it up pretty nicely.

When you record, consider "yellow is the new red" as a rule of thumb. Your AD converter probably maxes out at about 120-124dB dynamics and we all know 24-bit digital word can carry 144dB dynamics. So... everything louder than -20dBFS is just amplifying noise.

Now if recording peaks at -20(ish) sounds too weak, just turn up the volume! Every monitor controller should have a volume knob. Mine has a very big one.

If you record low enough you also get "more open sound". Many AD converters have some kind of soft limiter that "does something" if you try to record too hot. You generally want to avoid that processing, and turning up the volume helps to bring channel levels down.

And after you have learnt to record low enough, then learn to take care of your mix 2buss by inserting a limiter to react at -12 and output -6 to your physical outputs. If you see too much happening on that limiter, you know you generally speaking need to re-do something in the mix.