I can't afford to get my songs mastered...

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Judas Jetski
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Post by Judas Jetski » Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:56 pm

dsw wrote:Don't turn up the suck knob.
You know, I once had an old RCA console, and it didn't have a suck knob, it had a suck lever. Weird, huh? How they used to do stuff back in the old days?

OK, sorry, I'll shut up.
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Jay Reynolds
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Post by Jay Reynolds » Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:32 pm

Judas Jetski wrote:
dsw wrote:Don't turn up the suck knob.
You know, I once had an old RCA console, and it didn't have a suck knob, it had a suck lever. Weird, huh? How they used to do stuff back in the old days?

OK, sorry, I'll shut up.
Actually, the preferred nomenclature is "suck pot".
Prog out with your cog out.

cgarges
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Post by cgarges » Mon Sep 08, 2008 7:57 pm

rwc wrote:I think the comparing mastering to swimming is a terrible analogy.

...you can't make things worse by getting in the pool.
Well, you could drown. That does a little more for the analogy, right?

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

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Jay Reynolds
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Post by Jay Reynolds » Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:38 pm

cgarges wrote:
rwc wrote:I think the comparing mastering to swimming is a terrible analogy.

...you can't make things worse by getting in the pool.
Well, you could drown. That does a little more for the analogy, right?

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC
Not to mention that there is a whole lot of bad shit that can happen near the shoreline that falls between "nice day at the beach" and "death by drowning":
1. Shark attack
2. Stepped on sharp rock
3. Attacked by Matthew McConaughey's surfing buddies
4. Arm broken on larger rock
5. Lungs full of salt water and sand
6. Stepped on inexplicable slimy substance
7. Kelp in the swim trunks
8. "Barnies" cut you off when you try to catch a wave
9. Swim trunks pulled down by wave, exposing anatomical effects of cold water in full view of female beach-goers
10. Lampreys

Actually, I see the real problem with my analogy now. Instead of Mike Phelps, I should have used this guy:
Image
Prog out with your cog out.

vornon
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use izotope

Post by vornon » Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:34 am

izotopes "mastering" plug in will work great. just use one of the pre sets and go with it. it will put the level as hot as it needs to be, and it will widen the mix to sound pretty nice. I used this recently when I needed to quickly give a song to a local compilation and all I had was a rough mix and no access to my equipment. That izotope thing was IT. I used the tape saturation preset and it made the mix thicker, louder, ... I was happy. Not for hifi snobs but I think you would appreciate it as I did.

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Mark Alan Miller
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Post by Mark Alan Miller » Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:15 am

No offfense, but presets can be a starting point, and sure, once in a while might be just right, but really... :roll:
Seriously, if you start with a preset, and it works, fine. Bonus!
But take a moment and evaluate what it's doing, and really think if adjusting something might make it better. Dimes to dollars it will.
he took a duck in the face at two and hundred fifty knots.

http://www.radio-valkyrie.com/ao/aoindex.htm - download the new record (free is an option!) or get it on CD.

vornon
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Post by vornon » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:52 am

I would never say that a plugin preset could replace the magic of real mastering, but that izotope ozone thing will boost your signal, and make things sound wider for sure. On the flip side, a friends band paid $1000 for a notable person to master and sure enough, it brought their CD to life. I was just saying if one doesn't want to pay $$$, it's another way.

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Mark Alan Miller
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Post by Mark Alan Miller » Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:34 pm

It's not the plugin per se that I'm referring to, but simply hitting a preset and saying 'done'... at least consider tweaking.

But I know what you mean. When something works, it works.
he took a duck in the face at two and hundred fifty knots.

http://www.radio-valkyrie.com/ao/aoindex.htm - download the new record (free is an option!) or get it on CD.

rwc
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Post by rwc » Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:53 pm

superaction80 wrote:
cgarges wrote:
rwc wrote:I think the comparing mastering to swimming is a terrible analogy.

...you can't make things worse by getting in the pool.
Well, you could drown. That does a little more for the analogy, right?

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC
Not to mention that there is a whole lot of bad shit that can happen near the shoreline that falls between "nice day at the beach" and "death by drowning":
1. Shark attack
2. Stepped on sharp rock
3. Attacked by Matthew McConaughey's surfing buddies
4. Arm broken on larger rock
5. Lungs full of salt water and sand
6. Stepped on inexplicable slimy substance
7. Kelp in the swim trunks
8. "Barnies" cut you off when you try to catch a wave
9. Swim trunks pulled down by wave, exposing anatomical effects of cold water in full view of female beach-goers
10. Lampreys

Actually, I see the real problem with my analogy now. Instead of Mike Phelps, I should have used this guy:
Image
ok, ok!

so my analogy sucks too.

My point is that with recording, if you don't do it.. there's nothing there. obviously, some recording is better than no recording, if you want to listen to yourself.

with recording, there is no room to make it worse than no recording.

but with mastering there are a billion ways, if you are inexperienced, to fuck up your stuff.
Real friends stab you in the front.

Oscar Wilde

Failed audio engineer & pro studio tech turned Component level motherboard repair store in New York

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