*** CORRECTION At 12:00 I use Volume automation to balance the dynamics. My intention was to use Gain Automation, sorry my bad. The way I did it in the video will not change the amount of signal going in the Limiter witch is defying the purpose but Gain automation or Clip Gain will. However, Volume (Fader) automation will work well if the Limiter is on the Master channel instead of the Audio channel or if the Limiter is POST FADER. Watch this new video for more details on this topic ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ENK02gp4j4A.html
I was just about to point that out :) I saw the volume automation and was like "no, you should not do that when processing on the individual channels" :) Thanks for your videos and live streams! I've learned a lot.
Dude Im literally mastering my Solo Album RIGHT NOW on New Years ever and BOOM! You just brought the Yoda knowledge to this training Jedi. Best instructional tool vids on youtube for cubase!
The tip of staying away from the project for a week or more before attempting to master is a good one. I find after a week, I also hear things in the original mix I need to fix that I didn't hear before, so sometimes that process repeats several times before I actually get to the mastering stage!
Another trick is to have someone with you for a Critical listening it`s funny how we hear things differently just by having someone with US ... The Human Brain is a STRANGE thing
What about bands and artists from the 60's - 80's that put out albums with a week's time. For EX- Van Halen 2. They got that album done on like 10 days or something. Hmmmm
@@maximusfrank2835 Recording an album and mixing/mastering an album are two very different things. I guarantee those albums took months to mix and master after the fact.
@@maximusfrank2835 Yes they did but the bands didn't mixed and mastered their albums themselves. They worked with a mixing and mastering engineer for that part of the production, and like Scott mentioned, that came after the short recording time :-)
I want to cut out the hiring of a mastering engineer and BE the mastering engineer. RZA mixed and mastered the first Wu Tang album by himself which saved a TON of money. Always took that as a lesson.
Those export batch jobs are pretty amazing. Finally something I can use markers for (other than just producer notes). Would be nice to be able to use the arranger track in a similar way (named arrangement events to export snippets, could be very useful for making soundtracks)
That is a good video and important theme, Chris. Regarding Ian, yes, I recommend the HMM (home mastering masterclass) that he opens regularly, if one wants to go deeper. He presents all steps in a clear way, starting from how and why to set the gain, going through different genres and giving you exercises to try things at home. A lot of things that before for me were impossible to find clear information, were finally cleared.
Good day sir, I’m Tom Salvator (savaskii), from Nigeria 🇳🇬 I’ve been following up your mixing and mastering tutorials on RU-vid, and my mixing skills has really improved, all thanks. But I’m really having issues in the mastering aspect, after mastering a song it seems like the mastered version is more faster than the mix-down and I can’t really tell were the problem is coming from. I wish you could respond as soon as you see this message. Thanks once more for your good works.
Hey chris!! Great job on the vids homey! I had to subscribe so i can get access to these excellent tips as soon as you post! Peace brother.....take care and keep pumping these out!!
Thanks a lot Chris ! With your advice I did my better mastering ever! I’m just home studio man and it’s best hobby I can get. I have it (Silence) in my RU-vid page if somebody is interested.. If I learn a little bit it’s always much to me! Thanks 😊
Hello Chris and Happy New Year! Great video as usual :). I was expecting some suggestions about the audio delivery format(sample rate - bit rate) and dithering and how it can affect mastering decisions. In your example you export at 48khz 24bit. Is this the recommended format for streaming services?
For streaming I export at the same sample rate as my session. Dithering is only if you bring the Bit rate lower for Export. Streaming will support high sample rates and bit rates
Hi, Chris. Thanks for your video. I was concerned though. Regarding the Sample rate and Bit rate. Is it safe to master : 48k and 24 bit? I do record at these settings, but not Master. I always thought for best results, to avoid sound quality issues we should Master : 41k and 16 bit?
Hi Chris, thanks for this video. If I want someone to master for me, I will share the master audio file. But what if I am alone in my home studio? Isn’t it better/simpler to master on the stereo out of my project? Thanks, Thierry
Thanks. Ok, just wondering: Inserts are pre-fader (mostly at least, switchable on some ssl cons.), which means when you do volume automation on the fader it doesn't affect the drive you give to eq, comp, saturator, tape sim, etc. But what definitely is being affected is the work of the limiter in terms of the final output level. It's not anymore what you had set up in the limiter, it's the result of the fader position. So here is the question. Wouldn't it be smarter not to touch the master fader, leave it on 0, no volume automation, insert some gain plugin (some not coloring gain utility, eg. eq) before the limiter, and do the animation here? Btw. a pure and simple gain utility is still missing in cubase! I always use a pro q as a workaround for gain automation. Cheers mate and thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge.
You're totally right, my intention was to do Gain automation and not Volume automation...my bad :-( Clip gain can also work well in this case. Thanks for pointing that out :-)
Hi Chris. Great Video as usual. I was wondering how you would Setup your mastering to export tracks for an album similar to a Pink Floyd style record (like The Wall) with overlapping dialogue & sound effects from the previous/next tune? So you would still have a track listing but a seamless collection of songs.
Hi! For mastering I have created a folder in my hdd and put there all the mastering projects. I do in this way: export my mixed project converting it in WAV and then I open another project and import the WAV file and begin to master it by adding the plugins chain in stereo bus. Is it a right way to proceed?
Hi Chris. Great Video as usual. I was wondering how you would Setup your mastering to export tracks for an album similar to a Pink Floyd style record (like The Wall) with overlapping dialogue & sound effects from the previous/next tune? So you would still have a track listing but a seamless collection of songs. Jason :)
Thanks Chris, Quick question. How do you get the locaters to follow the selected track part before you click on Add Cycle in the Marker track ? Cubase now Have Multi direct Out that we can use in Paralel (LPT) Processing what would be the advantage of going with a 2th Direct Out VS a Normalized SEND ? Thanks Again and have GREAT DAY !
Hello ! What do u think of the approach of mastering a track with your mix stage ? So if the mastering effects some of your individual tracks u can adjust them accordingly simultaneously with the mastering stage ?
Great video! May I ask what the 1dB headroom is for? Im assuing its for streaming requirements? Say for CD when I used to master my own stuff I pushed it to 0.2dB headroom...
Thanks, is it possible in Cubase saving a track as a preset ''with its events especially'', with vst instruments and effects? (Not as a project as a preset).I want to recall the track in other projects as a preset with its events. I can recall a track as a preset in Cubase but there are no events or piano roll writings or samples.
Hi, very informative video. Thanks I am just starting out and would be going for a headphone for mastering and stuff. What could be a good pair of affordable headphones ? Thanks .. 😊
@@SidJ8300 I have a pair - they are reasonably flat and detailed - but for mixing and mastering I use headphones with more of a "smile" profile such as Beyer DT990 pros - the reason being I want to hear the bass my monitors can't deliver and over hyping the high end a bit helps me tame harsh tops without having to this about it too much. You soon learn to figure out how what you're hearing translates on other systems anyway. The Sony's are good though - very light which helps with long sessions and they fold up neatly if you find yourself having to work on the move.
Hi Chris, Happy new year. I got a question that you might be able to help me out with. im using Sonarworks headphone reference and I also use abbyroads studio 3, which order would I put them in? Thanks -SUB403
I have a steering wheel. Where should I use it? On a car, truck or on a traktor? You can use either (mono or stereo reverb) it depending on the arrangement, taste, moment of the song\composition - there are no rules and that is the beauty of it! You can try with mono reverb at some part and then spread it to a stereo reverb. The spectrum (sky) is the limit.
Wavelab is dedicated to Mastering more than Cubase. For example, it will give the ability to setup a full "montage" when working on mastering a project and Export a DDP file for CD Duplication...add CD TEXT and other Data and some other Audio Editing advanced features that can be useful in mastering. Wavelab will be more suitable for Pro Mastering Engineers. On my side, I Master in Cubase but I use Wavelab if I need to make a DDP Montage for CD Duplication.
You are an official influencer on cubase and I must say, you’re very good. You’ve been given me valuble tips on how to use cubase in a efficient way. Still, slate vxl is a serius alternative to what you precent as a good resultion when mastering. Even if slate as a priciple do not provide support to influencers, you should at least mention It as a new alternative, imho.
@@JanneF I'm happy you like the channel:-) I'm pretty sure Slate vxl is a good product,but I never mentioned a product that I never tried myself. For Sonarworks, I'm not sponsored in any way but I know the product well and work with it every day. In this case, it's hard for to mention a product that I don't know much of.
Actually, you can do exactly what I did on Elements...Limiter and Compressor are available...Use the Studio EQ or 2 instance of the Studio EQ needed. For a metering LUFS and True peak meter plugin, you can use YOULEAN that is a very good free alternative youlean.co/youlean-loudness-meter/
@@mixdownonline Quick question - if I use the Youlean Loudness Meter, where in the signal do I add it if I'm mastering a song like you are in this video (I have Cubase Elements 11)? Would it go as an Insert effect at the end of the chain (after the Limiter), or should I put it in the Stereo Output channel? I was also lead to believe that Limiters and Maximizers need to added as Post Fader Inserts, not Pre-Fader - which way did you add them in this video? Thanks.