Any thoughts on mastering using multi-band processing, equalization,
de-essing, limiting and compression. The proper use of attack and
release times for compressing and/or limiting.
Example.
Mix A: A lot of very quick transients- too slow of an attack time and
we end up expanding the dynamics instead of limiting them with a lot of
extra sibilance added. A problem? Maybe. Does it happen? All the time I
say!
What do you think the right sequence of processing and what are
effective settings?

Matrixmusic wrote:
Any thoughts on mastering using multi-band processing, equalization,
de-essing, limiting and compression. The proper use of attack and
release times for compressing and/or limiting.

First you compress the hell out of the thing so that it's utterly
lifeless and has no dynamics at all, probably splitting the bass off
with a crossover (or a dual-band compressor) so that the massive breathing
effects aren't so offensive. Often you'll see a single-band compressor
used after the dual-band compressor to remove whatever last vestige of
dynamics are left. After this, a peak limiter is used, which is basically
just a very fast compressor that whacks the hell out of the top of the
waveform and tears off any peaks that are significantly above the average
signal level, rather like running your music through a planer. This then
wrecks the high end because it's mangled what few transients you had left
after that horrible compression, so it's a good idea to use some radical
equalization afterward to try and compensate for that. Some folks will
then use additional compression after the peak limiting in the hopes that
they might be able to squeeze a little bit more music and leave the
resulting mush a bit more limp, but that's kind of excessive.

Remember, if you can still understand the words, it's not compressed enough.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On 12/18/05 7:27 PM, in article
, "Matrixmusic"
wrote:

Any thoughts on mastering using multi-band processing, equalization,
de-essing, limiting and compression. The proper use of attack and
release times for compressing and/or limiting.

What do you think the right sequence of processing and what are
effective settings?


I use all of these processes in my line of work. However, I almost never use
all of them at the same time, and almost never with the same settings.

You have to look at where the material is now versus where you want to take
it, then start using the tools that will do what you want to do to get it
there.

If all you need to do is pound a nail, get the hammer. Don't get the hammer,
the saw, the wrench, the square, the pliers, the sandpaper, and the
sawhorses and then figure out how to use them all.

Every project, and every song within that project, is a unique entity.
Starting with pre-determined processing chains or settings will not help you
achieve what you want.

Good luck.

Allen
--
Allen Corneau
Mastering Engineer
Essential Sound Mastering
www.esmastering.com

But Scott, you forgot to put the transformer in the chain for
saturation, an exciter to thicken the spectrum and then follow that
with an Optimod with the Aggressive Rock presets followed by another
limiter to catch anything left over. Some folks then want another trip
through the compressor but I think that's excessive.

bobs

Bob Smith
BS Studios
we organize chaos
http://www.bsstudios.com

I agree completely. If you're using any processor as a panacea to make
something sound good you're using it wrong unless the true intent is to
just 'noodle around' (which can get a bit inefficient as complexity
increases)

Most complex sounds/transients have many harmonics across the spectrum.
Often you can get by with some of those harmonics removed. By changing
the compression response between frequencies you can 'clean up'
transients and even make them more apparent by removing the clutter in
some bands. (situation dependent)

Allen Corneau wrote:
On 12/18/05 7:27 PM, in article
, "Matrixmusic"
wrote:


Any thoughts on mastering using multi-band processing, equalization,
de-essing, limiting and compression. The proper use of attack and
release times for compressing and/or limiting.


What do you think the right sequence of processing and what are
effective settings?



I use all of these processes in my line of work. However, I almost never use
all of them at the same time, and almost never with the same settings.

You have to look at where the material is now versus where you want to take
it, then start using the tools that will do what you want to do to get it
there.

If all you need to do is pound a nail, get the hammer. Don't get the hammer,
the saw, the wrench, the square, the pliers, the sandpaper, and the
sawhorses and then figure out how to use them all.

Every project, and every song within that project, is a unique entity.
Starting with pre-determined processing chains or settings will not help you
achieve what you want.

Good luck.

Allen

"Chuck Ritola" wrote in message
...
I agree completely. If you're using any processor as a panacea to make
something sound good you're using it wrong unless the true intent is to
just 'noodle around' (which can get a bit inefficient as complexity
increases)

Most complex sounds/transients have many harmonics across the spectrum.
Often you can get by with some of those harmonics removed. By changing the
compression response between frequencies you can 'clean up' transients and
even make them more apparent by removing the clutter in some bands.
(situation dependent)

This is where these new-ish transient manipulators come in handy. Just
playing around with Waves TransX and T-Racks Soft Clipper
(saturator/limiter) I can achieve what I used to do in LinMB, but with much
better depth and timbre.