Does ANYONE know how to properly finish a recording?

Lamph

Mastering.

It is a pain in the hole.
Does anyone have some set parameters or guidelines as to how to get a good, loud and balanced end result. I find it the most frustrating part of the process.

This is an example of the kind of finished product I can achieve atm, it's ok but... just not quite right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3-huRwh-mc

Any handy tips on how to go about getting more bass, and less high end?

Malice

Moved to Music Production.

PaulBrewer

Employ a Professional

DamagedTrax

Lamph wrote: »

Any handy tips on how to go about getting more bass, and less high end?

go back to the mix. raise the bass, lower the high end. get a pro to master.

old gregg

I'm with DamagedTrax on this one.

I reckon that we can all teach ourselves to Master music to a pretty OK standard and your average punter listening to the resulting mp3's on their portable players won't even comment.

Professionals and those who look for a quality mastered product will notice. Hell, give it time and you'll regret not spending a few euro on mastering.

By way of a personal example. Between 2006 & 10 I worked on a series of ambient electronic albums based around travels in Australia. Each album took me around 12 months to record and mix. When completing the Nullarbor album (journey across the desert) I had the results professionally mastered. It cost me a few hundred euro. Wonderful results.

When it came time to finish the next part, Nooosa Sunrise (journey in SE Queensland), I'd had an accident which left me unable to earn money for a few months. I mastered it myself (based on 25 years experience making electronic music). The result? Pretty good but I've deeply regretted not having had it done properly.

The ironic thing is that it took me weeks to master the album when a few hundred euro would have had it done to a much higher standard in less than a week.

At the moment I've spent the last 2 years writing, recording and touring a project based around Berlin. I'm about 3 months away from completing a final mix. There's no way I'll master it myself, even if I have to whore myself out as a ladyboy to finance it.

peter05

Is this an ongoing problem with your mixes?

Can you post something else instead a youtube video as an example?

Is this an ongoing problem with your mixes?

Have you bass traps in your room?

Monitor setup??

where are you sitting??

All these are huge factors with the loss of bass extra high end. The fact your losing bass in your mixes is you could be sitting in a low end peak response area of your room.

BE nice to eliminate these before moving forward with your problem.

Lamph

old gregg wrote: »

There's no way I'll master it myself, even if I have to whore myself out as a ladyboy to finance it.

lol ^^^ Let's hope it doesn't come to that!

Cheers for your story, appreciated the response. I gave me a lot to think about...

However I am quite resistant to the 21st century notion that each task needs to be carried out by some sort of specialist in that area.
(e.g. I think it is an outrage that people are now legally obliged to pay for lessons before taking the driving test.)

The mystique that surrounds 'Mastering' is imo mostly a show of smoke and mirrors, a way for the elite of the recording industry to desperately maintain whatever power they can over an industry that is exponentially spiralling out of their control.

The only way I'd pay for mastering to be done on my track is if I were allowed sit in on the session and observe what methods and equipment they used... That way it'd be money well spent, as I could learn to do it for myself in time.

Anyhow that aside, Peter asked some interesting questions...


1. Is this an ongoing problem with your mixes?
No. It's hit and miss. I find certain songs more difficult to mix / master than others. "Not Fade Away" is a powerballad. I find dance or electronic music easier to work with.

2. Can you post something else instead a youtube video as an example?
I'm not sure how to do that here, all I ever use are YT clips.

Have you bass traps in your room?
Not that I know of.

Monitor setup??
A set of JBL Professional LSR 2325P. Very good, if a touch on the bassy side.

Where are you sitting??
Em, Room is rectangular and long. Studio setup is in the middle. I sit with my back to one wall (on the short side of the rectangle). Speakers are directly opposite me facing toward me. I'm equidistant from each Speaker.


This is an example of a mix that turned out particularly well...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdDTXc29zr4

peter05

The mystique that surrounds 'Mastering' is imo mostly a show of smoke and mirrors, a way for the elite of the recording industry to desperately maintain whatever power they can over an industry that is exponentially spiralling out of their control.

There is no black magic just knowledge from years of experience/good f*cking ears Having a fair understanding of compression in mastering is key also. You can sit in with us anyday of the week as long as you bring good coffee

2. Can you post something else instead a youtube video as an example?
I'm not sure how to do that here, all I ever use are YT clips.

Dropbox and wav.

Have you bass traps in your room?
Not that I know of.

well if you had traps you would know about it

Contact GIK Acoustic. Tell them you need bass traps

Where are you sitting??
Em, Room is rectangular and long. Studio setup is in the middle. I sit with my back to one wall (on the short side of the rectangle). Speakers are directly opposite me facing toward me. I'm equidistant from each Speaker.

I think you should be down length ways. If your back wall is under 10ft distant from you position, most people will tell you it need diffusion. Contact gik again they will give you pro advise first.

DamagedTrax

Lamph wrote: »

However I am quite resistant to the 21st century notion that each task needs to be carried out by some sort of specialist in that area.

and that is exactly the reason why most music these days sounds like shyte. no offence buddy but the pros are pros for a reason and if you believe you can master to a commercial level yourself, you are either a wunderkind or very much deluded.

ive been mixing a long time now and i pretty much understand mastering inside out. doesnt mean i can or will do it though. i still advise every band i work with to go to a pro.