Mastering With Cool Edit

[jaegainz]

CAN ANYBODY PLEASE GIVE ME A COMPLETE STEP BY STEP LESSION HOW MASTERING AND MIXING A SONG WITH COOL EDIT WHAT EQ'S SHOULD I USE AND ALL THAT THANKS

WWW.GAINZ.CJB.NET

[wockachucka]

http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/ozone/OzoneMasteringGuide.pdf

But please realize that your question is akin to asking, "Please tell me exactly how to play a guitar just like Jimi Hendrix, what notes to play, how to play them, etc."

It's not just flicking a few switches to get it right. It's an art in and of itself.

[jaegainz]

OK WHAT IM SAYING IS CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT EQ'S AND THE PRESETS OR WHATEVER WHEN MIXING DOWN MY VOCALS WHAT SHOULD I USE. ALL IM ASKING FOR IS HELP AND NOT A SMART ASS REMARK FROM A UN HELPFUL PERSON

[wockachucka]

SORRY YOU DIDN'T FIND THAT VERY INFORMATIVE PDF I LINKED YOU TO AS HELPFUL.

It's got lots of good information, even if you don't have Ozone. You can apply the settings and mastering chain there to different plug-ins that you may have.

Your question is far too complex to give a good answer to. For instance, what kind of music is it? What kind of sound are you looking for?

Is it a male or a female singer? What is the timbre of their voice?

What kind of equipment were the tracks recorded on? Was there any EQing done at the board, or any signal processing whatsoever done to any of the tracks before they got to tape? What kind of mic did you use? Preamp? Etc., etc?

There are so many factors in what a signal sounds like that it's just about impossible to give a standard set of presets that will "work" with any given set of instruments. Realize that not only does each singer have their own vocal range (plus all the factors listed above), but each snare drum does too, and each guitar/amp combo does too, and each particular setup is totally unique.

Not trying to take the piss out of you, I'm just telling you how it is.

That said, if what you're looking for is a standard chart, then I'm sure you've already done this, right?:

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=equalization+vocal+snare+kick

[lpdeluxe]

I fail to see how Wockachucka's response qualifies as "smartass". He is being courteous to someone too immature return the favor. Getting good sound is not about knowing what button to push, it's about understanding what needs to be done in order to go from point A (what you have recorded) to point B (what you want it to sound like). Or, if you're very good/experienced/lucky, how to have point A sound like point B.

Jaegainz, it means WORK! Better get started. Wockachucka has given you a good place to begin.

[Sonic Valley]

I love these kids...where's the "Make my recording sound like a million bucks" button?

Or better yet.....click next to make your record....next....next....next....finshed.

[GZsound]

Really... What a question. Tell me which button to push so I can make my music sound just like my favorite radio star..I wish..

How many of us learn something new every time we record, mix or master? How many of us read everything we can get out hands on to learn more about our craft?

How many of us have spent years working with our equipment trying to get the perfect sound and still haven't achieved it?

You learn how to master your music the same way you get to Carnegie Hall.....practice, practice, practice.

[lpdeluxe]

It may be easier to get to Carnegie Hall.

[MrM]

His site says :
YOUNG RAPPER BEEN RAPPING SINCE THE AGE 6 NOW ONLY 14

OK now I get it :)

[Goodfella]

It makes me laugh because I was there but never with the attitude this kid has.
Years of mixing(not so many, 4), and still I believe that every time I do it I get better. I know older engineers that still say the same. I only hope that 20 or 30 years from now I could be able to finish a master and say: Yeah, this one is better than the last one I made!!!
I also hope to be thankful and proud of the help others gave in the way.

[beatlefan2]

Knowing what to do and how to make it sound good are things that only come with LOTS of experience and knowledge. You can't hit a magic preset or tow and have something that sounds like a platinum album. (Besides, these days, with the obsession of using compression to get things LOUDER, most commercial CDs sound like a 14 year-old masterd them in their daddy's bedroom!)

[Goodfella]

Ohh!, By the way, nice try to trick an install of a spyware. Don't know if your web server has an affiliation with Gain Spyware or you are the one trying to do it but by opening GAINZ.CJB.NET website, Gain tries to install and asks you to do so. If anyone doesn't know what spyware is, let's just put it this way: spyware is responsible of your annoying pop-ups while surfing and searching the internet. Do not answer yes to the request of installing Gain software, or better don't visit jaegainz's page.

[crispycutz]

STEP BY STEP LESION

idiot...

hey guys this is my first post: Ive been looking around and I really am enjoying the information being shared.

In an attempt to revive this thread, I have a ?

How can this "Hard Limiting" effect ive heard about help out my mix?

I do my best with the levels, but I usually do get a couple clicks hear and there. I've also been noticing an excess of Mid range sounds which may be responsible, I mixdown with the Over EQ so I can hear the vocals clearer, and usually out of frustration with the sound.

any suggestions to "mastering" or "amatuering" vocals?

thankx

[crispycutz]

yo wockachukwa: amazing pdf.....inspiring

[crispycutz]

yeah i tried the Hard Limit at -.1db, but it kinda messed up my whole mix...i guess I should use it on indivdual tracks rather than the mixdown, right?
What about the "Group Normalize"? Is that a kinda compressor?
I mean lets say i have a group of songs for demo, mixtape whatever, will the effect "Limit" the songs like the other effect?

[wockachucka]

I'm not a fan of "Hard Limiting." What it does is amplify the signal and then chop off the peaks of the waveform, completely killing the dynamics of the song.

Whne you mix down all your tracks, there needs to be some headroom for mastering. You'll want the the peaks to top off around -4db to -8db. Then you can do the mastering things to the final track, as outlined in Ozone's .pdf.

If you don't have Ozone, try these free plugs:

http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/products.php

...to do the things in the mastering chain that you need to do. Of course, with CEP, you'll need a VST->DX adapter, like DirectIxer:

http://tonewise.com/DirectiXer/

or Spin Audio's VST->DX wrapper lite:

http://www.spinaudio.com/downloads.php?download_type=3&download_id=33

[Stewbone]

I've been checking this out- from the beginning, unfortunately- but I'm understanding that you want your final mix, after mastering, to be at 0db. Is this right? The fact that mine isn't is the reason my CD sounds wimpy and without punch (or volume) next to my "Beck to Boogaloo" CD. Where Dr. Lonnie Smith's left pinky trounces my loud, garage-hearted Rickenbacker bass. Probably...

So the mastering (which I am dead-ass ignorant about) involves normalizing the overall volumes and some compression (or 'limiting') to keep all the pigs in their pen, as it were. All the peaks inside the 'no clip zone', I mean!- but still good and loud. Am I anywhere near the ballpark here, guys?

Thanks,
Rog.

[beatlefan2]

You vcan certainly use the hard limiter on a mixdown, but you have to know what you want it for. All The hard limiter does is boost the overall volume while brick-wall-limiting the dynamic peaks. Care and discression must be used with this oft-abused tool. You may not even need it.

The Group Normalizer normalizes the RMS of a file so that all files will be of the same amplitude, or volume. Again, care must be taken to prevent overdoing it.
In all cases, one should do tests to see how much one can get away with before degredation of the music sets in.

[Stewbone]

ya, I've actually just listened to some 7 or 8 mixes of a thing, and there's definitely some overprocessing happening as things progress from mix to mix! But it suits my method at this early stage: I will often over-write a bassline or other part, only to by degrees winnow it down to its essential figure. Got a bassline!

The first mix was actually the best, with a tweak needed here and there on EQ. Too much 'Highs' on the room mic, need more drums, etc.

I go back to work. Thanks!

Rog.

[Stewbone]

Actually the hard limit is coming in handy I think, since I'm dealing with live "garage" type tracks. Pretty wild signal, and pretty lo-fi overall... trimmed it up and dusted it off...

[beatlefan2]

Hard Limiting is really for mixdowns/masters, not tracking. You would be better served to use the compressor for individual tracks.

[Stewbone]

The good part of blurting out the wrong thing is getting the right information! I got that, thanks.

Rog.

[Stewbone]

Since we're on that, why, exactly ( in concise lay terms)?

[beatlefan2]

Well, a hard limiter will clip peaks in your sound and affect the overall mix if used on individual tracks. You really don't want that.

Using the hard limiter is too easy and takes little or no effort. Using a compressor can give you more exacting results, but takes work to get it just right.

You never want to compress or limit a mixdown anyway. If your work ever goes to a pro mastering engineer, there won't be much or anything they can do to improve the sound because you will have ruined it already. NOT using limiting gives you more flexability when mixing your tracks.

What is missing from much discussion about mixing and mastering is DYNAMICS! Commercial CDs are compressed and limited to hell, so no one seems to know what it is anymore. People think that as long as something is LOUD, it's good.

Well, LOUD makes one not want to listen to your music after a short time.

LOUD makes you tired.

LOUD does not get your song noticed anymore than a DYNAMIC sound does, and...

LOUD sounds awful on the radio because radio already compresses their signals.

Making your CD LOUD makes the music sound like MUSH. Don't fool yourself into thinking that it's OK because it's rock, metal, or hip-hop.

If you want to use a limiter for your final mixdowns/master, and you REALLY need to bring up the overall volume, just boost about two or three db, not 8 or 10db!

If your listener wants LOUD, they can lift their lazy hand and TURN IT UP!

[Stewbone]

Hah! Then I was RIGHT! :D

But seriously, I'm in total 'out loud' agreement with you on the CD/Radio (read: Popular music) issue. I do also miss "Dynamics" in music. And, I'm noticing today on my machine here, that some of the stuff my friends and I did sounds pretty good when I stop doing things to it. I'm dealing with 4-track tape stuff that's been imported to the computer, and using Cool Edit to spruce it up- so it's only going to be what it is, anyway...

There are low-volume sections and periods of higher-intensity in some of these tracks, so we're definitely talking about dynamic episodes, here! So then it'll be o.k. to have stretches of the track around -9 to -12db, approaching 0db at the louder sections. Right? There is no limiting going on in this particular track I'm now referring to- Ah- but I did do some limiting at the editing part, I screwed with the guitar solo! Hah! Oops.

Anyway, in the mixing session (I did some intensive editing to the guitar track- besides the limiting!) I had volumes pretty low (-12 to -5db) in anticipation of Normalization, etc. Also according to what I boosted in EQ, how the tracks were recorded, etc. At the Normalization stage I used the guitar solo's peaks as my rule for volume, so the low-volume stuff remains.

And no, by the way- I'm not really hot to lose peaks or dynamics to limiting or excessive volume! I'd much prefer to be able to shut my eyes and hear what it's like to be in the room where the music's going down...

Thanks for the widom, and for reading my journal...:p

Rog.

[earworm]

THIS is my favorite kinda conversation !!

i just truly HATE it when someone approaches me and says;

"teach me how to master, now, its gotta be finished by tomorrow"

ahaaaaa ?

but i learned to calm down, i've been working for years,
i've gone through **** to accomplish what i've got now,
and even now i'm not even close to a PRO recording engineer...
and i just know that a recording engineer is NOT a mastering engineer....
there's such a BIG BIG difference...

but i see you are a newbee...we shouldn't be TOO hard on you,,
the only advice i'm giving you is:

READ man, jezus christ, READ !!!
and that one pdf kicks ass to start with, i love that kinda tutorials, its not just basic info, it really shows you how to do it, you don't even need the app (ozone) for it !

so if you wanna start mastering anyway,
follow just this one rule:

follow your ears, if it sounds nice and smooth, hell,
then you did a nice job.... experiment,
in the beginning its good to EXAGERATE...use extreme settings,
and after a few months (or days, who knows) you'll start to hear that all your mixes are overdone....

and you'll start to work more preciecely, after a while you get used to using equalizers and compressors, and only then you can start THE REAL WORK !

thats it....take your time, and constantly TRY to master....
and like that other guy said here above:
"every time i finish a mix i think it sounds better than the previous one....."

i got exactly the same thing, and i just know that i'll be making kick ass mixes in 3 years if i keep working like now....


so dude, keep your chin up, don't let yourself down if people piss you off with comments like "YOU CANT DO IT BY PUSHING ONE BUTTON", close your ears for that kinda comment, cause allmost every audiophile will say that !!!

...just keep on swimming...keep on swimming,..keep on swimming.... (finding nemo ;))


...ok,,, i'm happy i said all that, now its your turn to give us info,
you wanna master ?

vocal ?
entire song ?
what genre ?

and what plugins do you have ?
i've done entire demo cds with only using COOL EDIT pro's internat plugins....and its possible....but there's MUCH better **** out there


..ok, hope its not a TOO long reply...

regards,
earworm

[earworm]

beatlefan2


very wize comments,

indeed, i'm recording a lill hiphopband,

and after i did the mixdown of their first song, they wanted it to sound louder,

the first thing i told them was to TURN UP THE VOLUME on their hifi...

then they said; "but dude, listen up man, yo, them commercial songs are loud too!!"

indeed....they are ALREADY LOUD,
and i think its no good, well, no REAL good, know what i'm saying ?.

if you record somethign Very nice, smooth, and christalclear,
then you can easily turn the volume up ALL the way !
but if you master everything to extremely explosive volumes,
then you actually **** up the sound, and the louder you'll turn your hifi,
the worse the song will sound
(at least in many cases)


the best way to learn about this is......you'll never guess...
experiment with your own music, if you got like ONE nice song, or lets say
"one finished" song, thats already quiet something i think,

then you should save it like TWINTY different times,
every time using totally different EQ settings,
put extreme compression on one version,
hardlimiting on the other,
lots of reverb and high-eqing on another one....

so then you can start comparing all those mixes, of that one song,
and see which one sounds the WORSt.....then you know..."auch, don't do it like that nomore..."


the only thing i can say about "learning music" or "learning to record"
is to KEEP ON doing your thing....experiment the hell out of yourself in the beginning,
and then calm down, and get serious....

at least, thats how i do it, and i'm pleased of my approach,,

hope it helps a bit...

cheers

[Stewbone]

Thanks for your edification, earworm! I just wrote a long response and LOST IT ! I'll get back when I can get to the library and get to a real internet connection!

Rog.

[beatlefan2]

Originally posted by earworm


so dude, keep your chin up, don't let yourself down if people piss you off with comments like "YOU CANT DO IT BY PUSHING ONE BUTTON", close your ears for that kinda comment, cause allmost every audiophile will say that !!!



regards,
earworm

No, you CANNOT push a button and do it! ANY PRO mastering engineer will tell you this! Not only that, most will tell you that doing it all in a DAW isn't a good idea either! Many big-time PRO mastering engineers ARE AUDIOPHILES! And, I mean guys like Bob Ludwig!

And, since when did the word 'audiophile' become a dirty word? All audiophiles are, are people dedicated to fine quality sound. That's all. And, they come in all different ages, sexes, backgrounds, and have all sorts of musical tastes. Many are musicians and engineers.

[akapaws]

Hard Limit will have minimal effect if the gain setting is set to 0 db, that is to say, it will only go after anything below the limit threshhold without pushing anythin up. Your waveform visual will tell you how hard limiting will affect your mix. If you only see a few spikes "sticking out" of your mix above your hard limit threshold, the effect will be minimal, just eliminate clipping basically. However if you limit threshhold is well below numerous wave peaks, you will start to hear negative results.

[Sonic Valley]

Beatlefan.......you dirty little audiophile you...lmao.

[Stewbone]

Yo,
Of course there is no "one button". The Fostex MR-8 has "mastering effect" button, but this is obviously a quickie, low-level "mastering" idea. It gives a little 'finish' to your song. Probably not going to make much of a glossy masterpiece out of it, or provide a lot of choices for a final 'sound'. Of course, I like to refer to that venerable Ween album, "The Pod", which was recorded entirely on a 4-track cassette machine... don't have the liner notes handy, though, to see where it was mastered...:p

Rog.

[jopsoner]

ozone is it a vst plugin what will it work on

[MrM]

What is your opinion on HarBal. (http://www.har-bal.com)
1 - Total crap
2 - A usefull tool to help and assist you
3 - The best way to master

???

[MrM]

Originally posted by jopsoner
ozone is it a vst plugin what will it work on

I am not sure what your question is. If you are asking how and where to use a VST plugin;
- in a host like cubase, logic, and so on
- in a chainer like Chainer, Energy XT
- in a DX to VST wrapper

[Stewbone]

Hey, to all who have contributed to this conversation:

I've come back to review this discussion, and am now, after having done some work, am beginning to understand what has been said!

There is a difference in goals between tracking and mastering! (Discovery...)

I Got the point about limiting vs. compression- thanks Beatlefan2, and what the levelling/group normalize idea is all about. The list of choices for how to handle each step of the process of producing music is narrowing to fewer, sensible choices. I can do this!

Man, the dust settles and it becomes a normal thing (instead of a struggle) when you learn something. Many thanks, all,

Rog.

[beatlefan2]

Learning and sharing what you believe and know are what it's all about.:)

[MASTERHERM]

Very nice informative site WOCKACHUCKA,Thanks for Posting the pdf link.Too bad Our Boy just Didnt get it.I am Better informed now more than ever.