Mastering in PT7

[Stickist]

I apologize in advance for sounding unknowledgable:

Until I got Pro Tools 7 recently, I had been using Cool Edit Pro. I got used to "mixing down" everything and compressing/normalizing and such in the two-track editor. Since Pro Tools relies more on using the plug-ins while bouncing, I was just wondering what people normally use for mastering purposes in Pro Tools. I would greatly appreciate it if anyone could share their configurations and settings (I assume that this is all done with plug-ins on the master fader?). I know in Reason, there's a Mastering Suite that does the job quite efficiently with minimal hassle...is there a similar plug-in or plug-in suite for PT7 that works in much the same way? Thanks in advance for any response!

[MDog]

You could still use CoolEdit. Just bounce to a stereo interleaved .wav file and open it in CoolEdit.

If you're going to use a plugin on the Master Fader, a lot of people use Waves (expensive) or even try Digidesigns Dynamic Suite (free). There's probably a lot of others out there, the problem lies in choosing these days.

[msg6794]

you could also bounce to disk as a stereo mix, and open that in a new PT session to master.

[kbruff]

Yeah bouncing down -- at the max resolution is helpful == and then of course you could share with your other applications, etc.

[Stickist]

Is that the most common way of doing it? I always figured that everything was done in PT at once before the bounce. In that case, what do most studios use for mastering? Is PT commonly used for that purpose, or are there other programs which are better suited for that?

[southboundloco]

yeah pro tools can be used for mastering.but u really don't wanna do mixing and mastering in one session...mastering should be a different session all together. when u finish mixing ur project bounce it down to a stereo interlieved file. make sure its bit depth is 24bits(ur mixing session should be in 24bits anyway...averything should be in 24bits. u want to maintain the highest resolution as possible throughout ur mixing and mastering sessions coz after u master u gonna be bouncing it down into a 16bit 44.1KHz audio file for red book CD standard.)...i'd usually create a new 24bit mastering session, import the stereo file then create an auxiliary track and a master fader track. route ur audio track to ur auxiliary track. i'd put all my plugins on that auxiliary track.i'd avoid putting my plugins on my master track because i mite wanna have a reference track(commercial release) that is usually routed straight to ur master track,so imagine if u have all ur plugins in there... anyweyz there are a whole lot of configurations u just have to find one of ur own which ur comftable using. then last but certainly not the least, apply DITHER before u bounce ur mastered track to 16bit 44.1KHz.

[3JDamon]

Actually when a project isn't going to be mastered elsewhere, recently I've just been putting T-Racks Soft Clipper and maybe an EQ in the master strip, and converting to 16/44.1 during the bounce. I use PAZ analyzer as a reference throughout the tracking and mixing process, so my results are consistent, and I can always adjust something and re-bounce later.

[Tricky Sam]

I feel it best to use a stereo editor to polish the mix. I'm brand new to PT, but right out of the box i don't see the necessary tools for project studio mastering. You really want a decent multiband on your master and something to spread the stereo field a bit if you like. Sound Forge or Wavelab are nice, TRacks is fun to learn some basics on but not a complete solution. I've not tried Adobe or Cool Edit yet.

[southboundloco]

u don't get the mastering tools u need out of the box...u have to separately purchase them... waves mastering tools are good their ultramximizers are wicked and their linear phase EQ r quite good too...superfast limiter(ultramaximizer... u might wanna get har-bal harmonic/spectral balancer/eq for ur mastering EQ'ing needs and PSP stereo mastering compressor and the PSP vintage warmer r good tools to have.