Mastering
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Transcript of Mastering
Mastering
What is Mastering?
In the days of analogue, mastering was the process of recording your mix onto 1/4”
two-track. However these days we think of it as ‘tweaking’ our final stereo mix.
Mastering
“Mastering is the last creative step in the audio production process”Mastering Audio - The Art and Science by Bob
Katz
Mastering
Why Master?
Questions
• What qualities do we hear in track we think are well mastered?
• Should we be mastering our own music?
• What makes us want to master?
Mastering
The Loudness War
• The loudness war is a term used for the apparent competition to master and release recordings with increasing loudness
• Signal processing is used on the final master to increase overall volume at the expense of the dynamic range
• Mastering engineer Bob Ludwig says the Loudness War came to a head with the release of Metallica's album Death Magnetic. The album was criticised for having compromised sound quality in favour of loudness
• Last year, a group of mastering engineers wrote an open letter to the music industry decrying the idea that “louder is better”
• They have even organised a Dynamic Range Day.
• http://dynamicrangeday.co.uk/about/
Mastering
Christopher Clark's visual analogy, "A Visual History Of Loudness." demonstrates how music has got louder.
http://media.npr.org/assets/music/news/2009/12/poster.pdf
A Visual History of Loudness
Mastering
DR4
DR5
DR6
DR7
DR8
DR9
DR10
DR11
DR12
DR13
DR14 &<
Suggested Minimum Dynamic Range Values
Techno Pop Jazz
House Rock Folk
Disco R n B Country
Trance Hip Hop Classic
Electro Blues Chillout
Key
DR - Dynamic Range
Red - Over compressed/Unpleasant
Yellow - Transition Area
Green - Dynamic/Pleasant
Mastering
LUFS - In August 2010, the EBU published its Loudness Recommendation EBU R128 . It tells how broadcasters
can measure and normalise audio using Loudness meters instead of Peak Meters (PPMs) only, as is common
practice nowadays.
MeteringNew Standards
Mastering
Dynamic Range Metering - The DYNAMIC RANGE METER displays
the inner dynamics of a recording in whole numbers or more precisely
the inner grade of compression (micro dynamic).
This plug in also makes it possible for the dynamic range of a record to
be printed on the recording medium as a logo, giving consumers an
immediate means of knowing the dynamic quality of a recording.
http://www.dr.loudness-war.info - Online database
MeteringNew Standards
Mastering
RMS - The RMS value is the standard average value in dBFS
measured over the entire song. "FS" stands for full scale.
The PEAK value is the highest measured peak value in dBFS. Because this is a true peak measurement, values above 0dBFS are shown as "overs." We strongly recommend keeping a headroom of 0.3dB and avoiding releases with "over" peak values. According to the latest technical information available, such recordings could be labelled defective. The precise basis of measurement and the explanation will be described under " True Peak Display" and “Why 0.3 dB headroom?”below.
The DYNAMIC RANGE stereo value (including decimal places) shows the top 20 RMS value, minus peak headroom (the top 20 RMS value is DR+Peak).
“Back on the Block" by Quincy Jones
MeteringNew Standards
Mastering
Dynamic Range Metering - The DYNAMIC RANGE METER displays the inner dynamics of a
recording in whole numbers or more precisely the inner grade of compression (micro dynamic).
This plug in also makes it possible for the dynamic range of a record to be printed on the recording
medium as a logo, giving consumers an immediate means of knowing the dynamic quality of a
recording.
http://www.dr.loudness-war.info - Online database
MeteringNew Standards
Mastering
Terminology
• PLR - Peak to Loudness Ratio - Peak level of a track relative to normalisation
• LRA - Loudness Range - Loudness variation inside a track, e.g. A vs B part
• Headroom - Peak handling capability of a signal path relative to standard average level
Mastering
Headroom
Headroom is a safety buffer which allows signal peaks higher than the nominal level
(+4dBu) to be accommodated without distortion.
Mastering
Headroom
Headroom is a safety buffer which allows signal peaks higher than the nominal level
(+4dBu) to be accommodated without distortion.
Mastering
Headroom
+4
+6
+8
+10
+12
+14
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
+16
0VU
+18
+2
Console VU Meter
AnalogueScalePro
Ref+4dBu
0VU = + 4dBu = 1.23 Volt
Mastering
• It is important to monitor on appropriate systems when mastering. Think about
where your track will most likely appear.
• Use alternate monitoring – Large monitors, hi fi mon, headphones, mini mon,
car hi fi.
• Listen at medium volume also at very quiet and very loud levels (for short
periods only)
• Take regular ear breaks and look after your ears.
• Loudness Range - Be brave and use dynamic range to help a track tell its
story.
• Check mono compatibility.
Other Considerations
Mastering
• Multiband Compression/ Mastering Compression
• Graphic/ Paragraphic EQ
• Stereo Imaging/Enhancing
• Aural Exciters / Spectralizers
• Loudness Maximizers
• Dedicated Mastering Units / Finalizers
Mastering Tools
Mastering
Mastering Tools
!!!Remember to use caution when mastering. You could end up ruining your final mix!!!
Mastering
“It’s not how loud it is, it’s how you make it loud”Mastering Audio - The Art and Science by Bob
Katz
