PTLE and mastering

[gira29]

I'm preparing to self-release my band's first album, and rather than spend $500 to have it professionally mastered (I know this is the best answer, but it doesn't fit into our current budget), I'd like to learn how to do so myself. Is it possible to do a pro-quality mastering job using Pro Tools LE alone? If anyone could help me out by doing the following, it'd be great:

- Suggest any books/online resources that teach how to master, especially (but not necessarily) if they relate to Pro Tools.
- Give me a rundown on the various "effects" used in mastering (compression, gate, limiter, normalization, etc.), how they relate to the mastering process and the PT software, and any tips & tricks you could offer. I do have a basic understanding of what some of these mean, but I'm not really sure how to use them properly.
- Answer this major question: when you apply something during mastering (compression, for instance), would you apply it to all the songs at once, using the same type and amount (to give the album a uniform feel), or are you supposed to master on a song-by-song basis? I know this is probably a stupid question, but I've been unclear as to the answer.
- Share some stories of your own mastering experiences, what you've learned to do/not to do, etc.

I don't expect to become an amazing mastering engineer overnight (I'm merely a synth programmer looking to add a new talent!) but I really do want to learn how to do this to help out on this release as well as future ones.

-Mark

[feliponk]

Use the $ 500, go to a Mastering Suite and learn what the engineer's doing during the Mastering process

[henrygod]

Use the $ 500, go to a Mastering Suite and learn what the engineer's doing during the Mastering process

Yep, that's what I would do for the first one!

[Mr_Seven]

Use the $ 500, go to a Mastering Suite and learn what the engineer's doing during the Mastering process

Absolutely, the best advice.

[Riad]

It would certainly be less expensive than purchasing the Waves Mastering Bundle. If you already own the Mastering Bundle and are inquiring on how to use it that's a different story. Without the proper plug-in's there isn't much you can do to get the proper results.

[feliponk]

It would certainly be less expensive than purchasing the Waves Mastering Bundle. If you already own the Mastering Bundle and are inquiring on how to use it that's a different story. Without the proper plug-in's there isn't much you can do to get the proper results.

That`s OK, but in the Mastering "Real World" they use more analog gear than plugins (they use them for sure), because NOTHING sound better than a piece of gear. Period. I learned how they do the things they do with Nancy Matter of Moonlight Mastering in Burbank CA . She got Golden Ears dude, is the best tool!

[Riad]

That`s OK, but in the Mastering "Real World" they use more analog gear than plugins (they use them for sure), because NOTHING sound better than a piece of gear. Period. I learned how they do the things they do with Nancy Matter of Moonlight Mastering in Burbank CA . She got Golden Ears dude, is the best tool!

Ain't that the truth... I think most people would be amazed at what the Mastering house is actually doing - ASK ALWAYS! They could simply use plug-ins or a $25,000 Sony unit.

I'm not sure what kind of quality you would get for 500 bucks - not to say that it would be bad, but certainly ask a lot of questions.

[nikki-k]

Hi!
Beside the most obvious reasons for using an established, great track record mastering house, there is one I would use one even if my ears were so completely attuned with that type of specific work, and had the gear and room for it:

Mastering is the last step in quality control before it hits the presser!
Sometimes a Mastering house will get a project in, and make no adjustments/alterations/etc whatsoever! Other times, they will catch that elusive digital over, or some little oops. So, in addition to paying for the "clear coat" that goes on the final product, it is also a form of insurance Seems like a waste of money until that day that you actually need it, and then it is invaluable.

It is like doing a beautiful painting, but letting someone else frame it

[IntelDoc]

I just saw this post and wanted to chime in... I tell me clients to budget for mastering. I know that you said that you do not have but $500.00 dollars. That $500.00 bucks could most possibly master a CD> I took my last clients work to AIRSHOW MASTERING with 9 songs to Master. It ran $600.00 bucks which included the EXABYTE tape as well for later dup. work. WELL WORTH THE MONEY SPENT. Like they said up above, Nothing beats hardware, and a nice Manely Compressor, and some Weiss stuff... Man is it nice. It may be worth saving up for if your band is intending on releasing this.

Just some info to ya!

-Doc

[silence_of_stone]

My ears usually perk up when I see a thread on mastering. While I agree that the pro's know best the art of mastering, and it is always worth a trip or two to the mastering house to peer of the shoulder of the master, I also think that you CAN get good mastering results on your own. The Waves Mastering Bundle is a great investment for starters.
The reason that I dont automatically direct folks to "leave the mastering to the pro's" is that if no one trys it on their own, there would be no pro mastering engineers.
They all have to start somewhere. I cant remember the guys name in a recent TapeOp interview, but he said he literally got his mastering start by taking bands boombox and live recordings back home to try to make them shine more. He got his start from humble beginnings, and one piece at a time, he aquired more and more equipment and now the dude is one of the nations top mastering engineers.
I say, learn from the pros wherever you can, but many if not most pros are not as eager to give up their knowledge, so a lot of it you will have to learn on your own. I say go for it. Give it a shot. Read and learn everything you can, and try something yourself.
Not to try to denegrate any of the fine replies to this post because I know that it truly is good advice, but on the other hand, I feel like every time this topic comes up, the answers are mostly to the negative. "You need to leave it to the pro's" and " Its not something you can do on your own". I feel like anything can be done on your own if you set your mind to it. These mastering gurus are indeed, for the most part, really good at what they do, but they started somewhere too. At one time they didnt know what they were doing either and I wonder how many times they were told "no you cant be a mastering engineer because only the best can do that" before they kicked back and just did it.
Give it a shot dude.... maybe not with a paying client of course, but try it out on some of your own stuff. Find you some reference cds, and pay attention. You never know, you may end up being the next mastering genious.