I would like advice on finishing albums and demos for bands using the
masterlink. I mix from 24 track analog to the masterlink (usually
24/44.1) and most of my bands are poor, young, and would usually
prefer me to give them a reasonably finished product rather than
paying a mastering lab money that they don't have.

I am not personally a fan of the sound of the digital eq and
compression that the masterlink offers, and I don't have the
experience or expertise or desire to do too much with someone's
recording other than get the levels near industry standard. I usually
put a peak limiter on to knock out one or two db of renegade snare
hits, thus bringing up the overall level a few db, and I usually run
the "normalizer" function.

My question: Does the "normalizer" function in the masterlink dsp
section set the peaks near or at the peak of most or all commercial
recordings? I've noticed that sometimes in playback other cds will
redline my masterlink and even distort. Some won't. What gives? And if
any of you have any tricks or routines with the masterlink that help
you quickly and cheaply provide your clients with a reasonable
finished product, please share. Does my routine of peak limiting a few
db and normalizing seem like an ok one?

(By the way, I'm not asking for a lesson in mastering, and I usually
encourage bands with label money to do it right and get to a real
mastering lab. But that's only about 10% of my work.)

Thanks,
Matt Talbott
Great Western Record Recorders
Champaign, IL

In article , matt t.
wrote:

I mix from 24 track analog to the masterlink (usually
24/44.1) and most of my bands are poor, young, and would usually
prefer me to give them a reasonably finished product rather than
paying a mastering lab money that they don't have.

If they can afford to record 24 track analog, afford to get CDs pressed
and afford passible graphics, they can't afford to throw those
investments away by NOT having better mastering done than what a
Masterlink is capable of.

--
Bob Olhsson Audio Mastery, Nashville TN 615.385.8051
Mastering, Audio for Picture, Mix Evaluation and Quality Control
http://www.hyperback.com/olhsson.html
Over 40 years making people sound better than they ever imagined!

I usually like to give people encouragement in this area, even if also
cautioning about the differences between project mastering and pro.
However, the thougt of mastering solely with a masterlink sends a shiver
down my spine, especially if the source is something with potential like
the 24 track analog you mention. Even if you're not planning to EQ and
only looking to attain "modern levels" (hopefully within reason as some
modern levels are distorted flattened crap) and want to put songs in
order and burn a CD, why not use a simple DAW like Samplitude and get an
L2 plug-in for some limiting? Normalizing won't get you the level you
are after. There's going to need to be some limiting, and the masterlink
isn't what I would choose to do any processing. There's a better way to
accomplish your goal, even though your needs may be modest. I just can't
recommend processing inside that box, no matter how much I'd like to say
somthing encouraging. Your goal is reasonable; this particular tool,
however, is not really the one for the job.

--
Jay Frigoletto
Mastersuite
Los Angeles
promastering.com

Hey now, Jay. Samplitude is far more than a simple DAW, both in
functionality and in price. At $1295 US there are far less expensive
products out there, but overall I'd agree with what you're suggesting. Of
course there's going to be some additional element of cost with 24 inputs to
easily do 24 track transfers (like maybe a MOTU 24 I/O for another $1895 US
(retail)).

As I said, I agree with the assessment of doing this type of work on a DAW
rather than a hardware piece, simply because a DAW would be far more
flexible for such functions. Plus, to me, having a hardware piece limit
your output might tend to push one's work into a rut, meaning that any
"mastering" stuff I would tend to do might change because of differening EQ
plugins or limiting or bus compression, etc, that a hardware piece is
lacking the flexibility.

However, I do believe that the Masterlink can still have a place, mostly in
the ability to record/playback 24 bit formatted CDs. Just too bad that
things come to the market and leave so quickly. Hardware designers have to
be getting scared.

--


Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio

301-585-4681




"Jay - atldigi" wrote in message
...
I usually like to give people encouragement in this area, even if also
cautioning about the differences between project mastering and pro.
However, the thougt of mastering solely with a masterlink sends a shiver
down my spine, especially if the source is something with potential like
the 24 track analog you mention. Even if you're not planning to EQ and
only looking to attain "modern levels" (hopefully within reason as some
modern levels are distorted flattened crap) and want to put songs in
order and burn a CD, why not use a simple DAW like Samplitude and get an
L2 plug-in for some limiting? Normalizing won't get you the level you
are after. There's going to need to be some limiting, and the masterlink
isn't what I would choose to do any processing. There's a better way to
accomplish your goal, even though your needs may be modest. I just can't
recommend processing inside that box, no matter how much I'd like to say
somthing encouraging. Your goal is reasonable; this particular tool,
however, is not really the one for the job.

--
Jay Frigoletto
Mastersuite
Los Angeles
promastering.com

matt t. wrote:

My question: Does the "normalizer" function in the masterlink dsp
section set the peaks near or at the peak of most or all commercial
recordings?

Yes, but it won't bring the average levels up to that of most commercial
recordings, and it won't limit anything.

I've noticed that sometimes in playback other cds will
redline my masterlink and even distort. Some won't. What gives?

They are so heavily limited, they have a whole bunch of consecutive FS
samples, and they are distorted. That's the current thing these days.
There is a lot of stuff out there that is squashed to the point where it
is unlistenable to me.

And if
any of you have any tricks or routines with the masterlink that help
you quickly and cheaply provide your clients with a reasonable
finished product, please share. Does my routine of peak limiting a few
db and normalizing seem like an ok one?

Do you like the way it sounds? If you like the way it sounds, go for it.

Peak limiting might buy you a lot, and it might not buy you anything depending
on the music. Stuff with horns can be limited a whole lot before it becomes
a problem. Stuff with a lot of drums can be limited a whole lot before it
becomes a problem. Flutes can't be limited much at all before it is very
audible.

(By the way, I'm not asking for a lesson in mastering, and I usually
encourage bands with label money to do it right and get to a real
mastering lab. But that's only about 10% of my work.)

Next time you have a band going to a real mastering lab, ask to come along
and watch the mastering session. Ask some questions. It's lots of fun.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"Roger W. Norman" wrote:

snip

However, I do believe that the Masterlink can still have a place, mostly in
the ability to record/playback 24 bit formatted CDs. Just too bad that
things come to the market and leave so quickly. Hardware designers have to
be getting scared.


Designers love product thrash. It's the finance people who defecate masonry.

--

Roger W. Norman
SirMusic Studio

301-585-4681

snip


--
Les Cargill