MASTERING! The Sticky!

[legend4ry]

Sick of all the mastering threads; I will update all relevant threads/information into this thread.





LEARN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MIX DOWN AND A MASTER BEFORE YOU DO ANY THING ELSE

Useful discussions

Gain Structuring aka The Money Shot - http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=74832

Preparing for mastering - http://dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=197659

Ozone 4 - http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=205582


Mastering Engineers (who work with dubstep artists)

Active on DSF

Subvert & Macc @ Subvert Mastering; http://subvertmastering.com/studios.htm - £30 a track; free taster offered; analogue gear - dedicated studio

Barry @ Safe And Sound Mastering; http://www.masteringmastering.co.uk/ - £25 a track; free taster offered; analogue gear - dedicated studio

Subsequent Mastering; http://www.subsequentmastering.com ; - £25 a track; free taster offered; analogue gear - dedicated studio

Depone; http://www.depone.co.uk/mastering/ - £10 a track; free taster offered? (if you can clear this up Depone); digital mastering - home studio? (clear this up also?) -

If there is any others - post in the thread.


My recommendations

Beau @ Master Piece - http://www.masterpiece.net/audiomastering.php ; contact for price; free taster offered; analogue gear - dedicated studio.

Transition Studios - http://www.transition-studios.com/ ; contact for digital master price; not sure if taster offered; analogue gear - dedicated studio. Cuts dubplates.

DubStudio - http://www.dubstudio.co.uk/ ; £30 a track; one free revision if needed; analogue gear - dedicated studio. Cuts dubplates


List your own...



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[Sharmaji]

myself, $50/tune, analog(ue) gear.

[drooka]

legend4ary, dubstudio link isn't working for me.. not sure if it needs to updated or if its just down for a bit

[JFK]

legend4ary, dubstudio link isn't working for me.. not sure if it needs to updated or if its just down for a bit

Transition one isnt working either. I think the /; at the end of each URL is stopping them working.

[WereWolf]

The semicolons on the end of the links are making them not work.

[wub]

Try it now.

[legend4ry]

Bump for sticky.

[jrisreal]

Hehe, I am no professional, but I'll do it for free just to practice

[Noctem]

Offering recording of samples, mixing, and mastering! First master for free and if you like we'll work together. Definitely worth checking out! Will have previous work up soon. Contact for more information at noctemaudio@me.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/NoctemAudio

Website: NoctemAudio.info

~Andrew (Noctem)

[wizeguy]

i been asked to send a pre master wav, so i'm guessing no limiter etc on the master?

[eldoogle]

Don't put a limiter on the master track if you're sending it in for mastering.

[wizeguy]

^Yea i got that sorted now... Thanks anyways

[amphibian]

imho if someone made a wiki and that wiki was stickied at the top it would solve most issues and become THE resource for production.

[subaqueous]

Been doing my own mastering for 5 years now. Worked with some of the best in the industry in terms of designers and teachers to get where I am at.

Not knowing how to master is like knowing how to drive a car but not change the oil. I suggest people take the time and resources to at least learn. Doesn't mean you will be good, or need to do it. Just worth knowing.

[CuriousKontrol]

Normally when I see speks of tracks, they hit 20khz for most of the track in a solid block and i was wondering how to master my track so it can hit 20khz. It looks a little sketchy. Looks like it cuts off almost near 16-17khz

[jrisreal]

@curiouskontrol not a mastering issue, man...thats just a matter of what instruments you used and how you mixed them.

btw 16 kHz is plenty of high end...I don't think you'll need much 20 Hz considering that many people (me included) can't even hear up that high.

[Perfecture]

Mastering question -

When a track is mastered as well as the loudness being increased, is the punch and bass also increased/added?
I know that the louder something is the more bassy and punchy it seems. But this is not my query

Example - If I played an unmastered track at the same RELATIVE volume as a mastered track (so both are at the same perceived volume and for arguements sake the track is the exact same tune), would the mastered track sound more punchy and bassy? and also would the mastered track sound more upfront?

The reason I ask is because I want to know if I need to increase the bass and punch in my mixdown even more so before sending it for mastering or weather the mastering can take care of adding these factors.

Thanks for anyones help on this.

[legend4ry]

Mastering question -

When a track is mastered as well as the loudness being increased, is the punch and bass also increased/added?
I know that the louder something is the more bassy and punchy it seems. But this is not my query

Example - If I played an unmastered track at the same RELATIVE volume as a mastered track (so both are at the same perceived volume and for arguements sake the track is the exact same tune), would the mastered track sound more punchy and bassy? and also would the mastered track sound more upfront?

The reason I ask is because I want to know if I need to increase the bass and punch in my mixdown even more so before sending it for mastering or weather the mastering can take care of adding these factors.

Thanks for anyones help on this.

You know; it really depends! Ive got masters back what I asked to keep the punch and its came back less punch than the mix down turned up +6db and cranked on the monitors.

It totally dependent of a) your mastering engineers (ME) b) your mix down.

Send your wav to a few ME's and tell them you want some added punch; they will use their expensive EQ's and compressors/limiters to do the best they can with what you go and see which you prefer .

[macc]

Mastering question -

When a track is mastered as well as the loudness being increased, is the punch and bass also increased/added?
I know that the louder something is the more bassy and punchy it seems. But this is not my query

Example - If I played an unmastered track at the same RELATIVE volume as a mastered track (so both are at the same perceived volume and for arguements sake the track is the exact same tune), would the mastered track sound more punchy and bassy? and also would the mastered track sound more upfront?

The reason I ask is because I want to know if I need to increase the bass and punch in my mixdown even more so before sending it for mastering or weather the mastering can take care of adding these factors.

Thanks for anyones help on this.

Get it sounding how you want. Don't leave anything to interpretation. Don't second guess what someone else might do. It should sound how you want it to, or at least as close to that as possible - or you aren't doing your job as an engineer.

If you don't make it punchy and/or up front enough, your ME is likely to make it more punchy and up front.

If you make it too punchy and up front, your ME is likely to make it smoother and less up front.

If you get it right....

[RmoniK]

Pfrt, i'm nowhere near benefiting from professional mastering, since my mixdown isn't top notch yet. Obviously, it's useless then. I usually just chuck a 4 band compressor on there, then i eq boost the highs a bit, and where my kick peaks, and then i limit.