Attn: Cubase Sx Users? Need Help Options

[gollumis]

i am not sure this is the right place to post this, but here it goes.. ia m having trouble using the mastering tools, could anybody walk me through how to master tracks? i tried using the help menu and the manual. any helpl would GREAT.

thanks

[swilder]

mixing & mastering is like poker. Learn it two minutes. Takes a lifetime to get good at it.

You ever wonder why there's only a handful of "A-list" mastering houses? There aren't that many people that do it all that good.

That being said, not everyone has the luxury or being an apprentice for the big boys. So here's a really oversimplified overview.

When I get a project to master, I try to accomplish 2 things:

1: Make each song sound the best it can
2: Make all the songs work together as a whole

making each song sound great depends greatly on the style of music and the quality of the mix you're given.

There are three areas I focus on: EQ, compression, and limiting

Classical, folk, jazz and stuff like that rarely needs much in the way of compression and limiting.

Pop, rock, R&B and hip hop, on the other hand, tend to be compressed to the hilt these days. (I'm not endorsing it, I'm just telling you what artists and record labels want)

The idea here is to use these tools, not as effects, but as a process to give a cohesiveness to the tracks.

Also, sometimes I'm asked to do the fadeouts.

The trick here is that mastering is something that requires not just good, but great sounding gear. You gotta really be able to hear the true mix without color. And gear of that quality doesn't come cheap. Don't even think about mastering on headphones.

so in cubase:

1. create a new project

2. import your final track into the project

3. so in insert 1 put in the best eq you have at your disposal. insert 2 the best compressor. insert 3 the best limiter. (you only have one track and less than a handful of effects, so processor usage should be fine)

4 make the track you're working on sound as much as you can like the best band you're trying to make it sound like. (so if you're mixing hard rock, listen to a ton of van halen or metallica)

5 finally, get all of your completed tracks together in order and make sure they transition from one track to the next smoothly.

Hope this helps

Scott

[Dave Bourke]

Great post, Scott.

Gollumis, also check out:

http://www.digido.com/

Everything you ever wanted to know about mastering -- by a master.

Kind regards.