master compression

[skwad]

whats the key? i have nightmares compressing the mixes (only about 2db of reduction) then pushing the make up gain which in turn pushes the threshold further. i just feel like im going around in circled sometimes. also what compressors do you guys suggest? i have MCdsp, URS, Waves, Slightly rude, smack and t-racks software ive also got a dramwer 1960 i could try as outboard? any suggestions would be great

[narcoboy]

whats the key? i have nightmares compressing the mixes (only about 2db of reduction) then pushing the make up gain which in turn pushes the threshold further. i just feel like im going around in circled sometimes. also what compressors do you guys suggest? i have MCdsp, URS, Waves, Slightly rude, smack and t-racks software ive also got a dramwer 1960 i could try as outboard? any suggestions would be great

hey

not sure i understand. The make up gain shouldnt be affecting the threshold at all. There shouldnt be any feedback from the make up gain back to the input?

Can ya clarify ol bean?

[skwad]

yeah on the master channel input and output are related

[therecordinghouse]

while putting a compressor on the master buss is not a good thing to do if you are sending away for mastering, it can be usefull for client mixes. you need a compressor that is designed for the master buss. i have been using the massey L2007 with success...

[Stiff]

the Massey is a limiter

skwad,

Are you talking about mastering? If you're talking about the mix my advice is to clear the master fader. I rarely have anything on it. For mastering Flux Solera beats the crap out of the competition as far as plug-ins go. Hardware might be another story though, I don't really have enough experience with that.

[Leadfinger]

whats the key? i have nightmares compressing the mixes...

This might be off on a tangent to what you are asking but I recently did "home mastering" for some of my own mixes (ie: as a pre-mastering reference CD on the mixes) and I found the key to getting the most of out of the mixes was the new VU meters I got recently. The VU meters became my reference for levels, much more than the peak meters in protools...I just tried to squeeze as much out of the master fader & mastering plug ins without having the VU go crazy/over the +3.

I used the standard chain on the master fader EQ/Comp/Limiter/Dither - some tracks I used T-RAcks mastering Suite and others (where I had enough CPU Juice) I used seperate plug-ins (waves/Massey) with great results also. I recently got hold of Flux Solera too and my prelim tests with this one have impressed me greatly.

....but the caveat I should add is I will always (and I recommend you do too) go to a prof Mastering engineer for the final stage of a recording. Do a search on the DUC on mastering too - you will turn up heaps of stuff. Good luck.

[Stiff]

The VU meters became my reference for levels, much more than the peak meters in protools...I just tried to squeeze as much out of the master fader & mastering plug ins without having the VU go crazy/over the +3.

Nice tip! What meters do you use?

[Leadfinger]

I'm using a very old Tascam 4 track desk that has 4 VU meters (1 per channel but I only use two of them) - it's one where the actual tape machine was seperate. I'm getting a proper set made up in a nice wooden box but in the meantime this works a treat - I couldn't live without them now.

If you can't get your hands on VU meters then check out PSP cos they have a VU Meter plug in that works pretty good. I checked it against my analogue VU and they were very close.

http://www.pspaudioware.com/

[therecordinghouse]

uuhh, pt le comes with the bomb factory essential meter....

[Leadfinger]

...which is pretty crap, sorry if that's blunt but it is...crap that is!!