CD MASTERING BY S.S.A.M., stainless steele audio mastering.
With Manley's 4 band EQ and it's variable bandwidth controls you will find on your returned sample from S.S.A.M, stainless steele audio mastering, presence is noticeable. Your music is clean and warmer. If bass is heavy, and often it's needed in hip hop, presence will still be there and you won't sound muffled. You can get both! In certain situation if a CD Mastering Engineer knows how to use Manley 4 band EQ a shelf boost should give more enhancement. But with Manley on some frequencies if used correctly acts as a filter. It is useful in suppressing ambiance and distortion. While it is suppressing the ambiance it will not destroy the highs.
Using shelf mode in CD Mastering with Manley 4 band EQ is useful too because when mixing to stereo tract the Recording Engineer often picks up some unwanted highs or distortion. This is due to conflicts with percussion and voice. If it is not doable because the distortion is too bad then Mastering by separation is recommended. A CD Mastering Engineer that CD Mastering Multi-track by separation Must understand why and how you got all those unwanted sounds.
If you choose to escape CD Mastering by separation let me make one thing clear, though. It is possible that songs with S'es and the piercing like sound can not be gotten out. That being said, a trip back to the studio to remove them may be in order. CD Mastering by Separation is another option. That' a choice you have to make.CD Mastering by track separation can be expensive; depending on who. so,SHOP! Remember, with track separation mastering, you are getting both,mix and mastering,hopefully for a reduced priced. Try sending a sample of your work, first for CD Mastering. Afterwards make that decision, CD Mastering or CD Mastering by track separation. I think that' the most intelligent approach before you buy anything! Although, I don't do sample by track separation. I do, do CD Mastering free samples. CD Mastering by track separation, depending on how many bells and whistle you have in your tracks can take some time. Therefore it must be worth my while. In CD Mastering by track separation I have to adjusting and move frequencies around to stop the S'es ( caused by conflicts with voice) and piercing-like sound ( caused by distortion). It is a task! A fair compensation is fairly asked. Please read my separation mastering page. It may help you to avoid seeing me for track separation. If you want a free sample of CD Mastering your project, email me. I am happy to.
I truly believe that I am very good at CD Mastering. Not many can beat me. But I am not Superman. Often, when I am over worked, my ears will lie to me. That' why I encourage you to ask for changes. Don't assume, please! I can miss things. That being said, if you have not had any success in anyone getting the junk( piercing and S'es) out of your song while not destroying it, email me. Or you can just live with it. Many do. I hasten to say, you will be amazed as to how many CD's on the market today, that has those piercing-like and undiminished S'es on a song or songs, that could have been removed, with the right gear and an above skill level CD Mastering Engineer. Oddly, those CD's are on the top of the chart today! Hey, go figure!
Manley Stereo Variable Limiter / Compressor
is a major tool for Stainless Steele Audio Mastering as a CD Mastering Engineer.
Manley's Stereo Variable Limiter/ Compressor I use. in CD Mastering, because I expect and I know my clients wants and expect a mature, professional and warm sound. It delivers! I like it most for the warmth it gives. It is rare for me if I do a free sample that I don't get the business. I know it is because of Manley's analog Variable Limiter/Compress. I know it appears that I am bragging. No one, including me, likes a blow hard! But with me,ken, S.S.AM., stainless steele audio mastering you will notice that you have noticeable presence, clean and De-essed. What people tells most is that you are cleaner, presence is more than most and you can De-ess very well and not destroy my highs. I owe that to my Manley 4 band EQ with its variable bandwidth controls, for taking out the junk and leaving the best of the audio. I also, owe it to my Manley Stereo Variable Limiter/ Compressor, for warmth.
Why CD Mastering?
Not all instruments, that's within the stereo mix, can be brought to it's full potential in the mixing studio. Some instrument's frequency have be isolated then dealt with. Often on several bands. It's the only way. To do that you need a 4 band EQ to which a CD Mastering Engineer has. Often on several bands a CD Mastering Engineer may find "crackles" in low, low mid, mid and highs; and often the "crackles are barley recognizable. I might add, there's no monolithic way to CD Master. One thing more. Enhancement by boosting a lone is not CD Mastering. It can be one of the many ways to approach CD Mastering to bring out the nuances. A lot has to do with the problems in the songs presented. You can enhance by cutting too . Usually when cutting for enhancement that's a song that has a lot of problems. Often, no head room but doable. To fix a song like that shifting frequencies, narrow the band here, widening the band there, and cutting to create room and for balance is so necessary. Also, it takes time to fix that kind of song, provided that's it's doable. A recording Engineer will have to be patient. That song takes thought. A lot of thought! That songs take a special kind of software upstream that's not a compressor, it is not a expander, it's not a gate and it is not an EQ. Yet, it has one or more features of each. Let me add too, an EQ in not a V.G. A. in that it does not have a release pot only for the attack to initiate the process all over again. But it is dynamics. I might further add, any Competent CD Mastering Engineer can make a good mix sound good. What makes a CD Engineer exceed competence is his or her abilities is to make a doable mix but difficult sound good too. Example, in the chorus often the snares and power guitar in Rock Music can drown out the lead vocal. Often an experienced CD Mastering Engineer can bring the lead voice up and hardly harm the music. Sometimes because of how the snares or the lead instrument was tracked in the mix the left or the right channel may appear larger. Therefore a balance of the channels is so necessary! Each and every song for CD Mastering has to be approached different from the last. Each song has its own unique problems that requires a different tool and a different skill level that so often many CD Mastering Engineers lack in one area or another. A CD Mastering Engineer needs to have a working knowledge of V.G.A.'s , 4 band EQ's and their idiosyncrasies . He needs to know what he is hearing when he hears it. Please keep in mind, although few, I feel that it is safe to say, some songs, are just not doable; and that a trip back to the mixing studio may be in order.
Ideally if mixed perfectly the only thing a CD Mastering Engineer has to do is Compress to smooth out the overall amplitude in low mid, mid and high by threshold, attack, release, ratio and decibel settings; Gate settings, to smooth out the bottom; and the limiter for level setting.
ONE IMPORTANT THING IF YOU WANT TO BE A CD MASTERING ENGINEER
In any style of music, a CD Mastering Engineer should see EQing as subtractive rather an additive during CD Mastering. If you take out what you do not want what's left is what you do want. Enhance what's left. I should also say that A CD Mastering Engineer' first job is to fix your song not enhance. If the CD Mastering Engineer is advertising "enhancement" as his way to impress you, RUN! That is not CD Mastering! Often a song needs fixing not "enhancement" . So, when you get the song back don't look for it to sound better in that it has been enhanced; but look for the junk to be gone! CD Mastering is a lot more involved than enhancement. Enhancement can be part of it but not always the main thing. Most songs that comes to S.S.A.M. need fixing more than enhancement. Nevertheless, in fixing the songs the CD Mastering Engineer's intent is not to make your CD sound good. Fixing and balancing your music takes care of that! Correct what's wrong with it ; everything else will fall into place. CD Mastering is more than just enhancement. What do I mean by fixing. To remove the piercing-like sound, remove the air around your music, take out distortion,balancing ( sometimes balance includes taking out the hollow-like sound by filling it in with some lows ),De-essing without destroying the highs, enhancement of some frequencies and not others,bring up highs, lower highs,lower bass, bring up bass, thin it, phatten it, bring out presence, add effects (adding effect is application that's not often used) and the list goes on........... That's CD Mastering!!!
WHAT ABOUT THOSE V.G.A.'s variable gain amplifiers
They are the main tools of the CD Mastering Engineers. Weather it is amplitude versus frequency; i.e., EQ's or amplitude versus time,i.e. compressors, gates and ex panders.
They are variable because of the potentiometers. They can be adjusted. Amplitude versus Frequency software i.e. EQ and Amplitude versus Time Software, i.e compressors , gate and expander are important as well. However, an EQ hardware can do things that a EQ software can not do. I am in hope that you can appreciate what an EQ hardware does and why would you shift frequencies several bands over to which hardware does and does it well.
Many uses ex panders to removes S'es. If that's the only approach that the CD Engineer Mastering Engineers uses then he is in a lot trouble. It does not work in every situation. I have listen to many so called mastering job online and the S'es were removable on the mastered rendition, but for some reason they were ignored. Worse the client bought it, I believe. No doubt he was sold on the idea that it was a good job! Worse he paid a pretty penny for it. Never take my word for it. Go online and download some of their pre and post mastering samples. These are " TOP NOTCH GUYS." I have downloaded their work and remastered it to see what they missed. SHOCKING! This tells me that the CD Mastering Engineer know little are have no working knowledge when it comes to V.G.A.'s
When you are considering online CD Mastering, please, ask for samples from several CD Mastering Engineers. You owe that to yourself. Don't assume or take someone or the CD Mastering Engineer's word! Often the person's word,who may have been a client of the Engineer at one time , he may have impressed him. That does not mean that you will be also. Furthermore, if you do not like the work returned that does not mean the CD Mastering Engineer does not know what he is doing. That means he didn't get it the way you wanted it. Ask for changes. That will say a lot to his skills ,willingness and confidence in himself to get the job done. You need to know that before you commit. Remember you are interviewing this guy! Never let price be your driving motive. Take the top 3 to 5 CD Mastering Engineer's work that was returned for consideration then look at price. Never let your personal issues be your decision maker. Can he do the job and do it well! That's what you need to know. What I found after I downloaded the pre and post songs of some CD Mastering Engineers may interest you and help you in what to look for. Some, not all CD Mastering Engineers, appear to be confused as to what is ambiance and what is distortion. HEADS UP! Se's that are ambiance are slow in developing and more sustaining. S'es that are caused by distortion, which are frequencies competing for the same space, and usually voice is involved, are quicker in developing and often sharp! Many times to remove the S's caused by distortion you may have to forfeit ambiance as well. It's the nature of the beast. The CD Mastering Engineer that can remove the S'es , while keeping the songs closely intact as possible, says he has a strong working knowledge of V.G.A.'s Furthermore, I hasten to add, if, mixed too poorly, a trip back to the studio, maybe in order. Furthermore a CD Mastering Engineer should not take your money until he knows for sure that your songs are doable.
Nevertheless, and to change the subject, most CD Mastering Engineers have their gear V.G.A.'s hooked up D.A.D. To do that you need a A.D. converter and your external hardware must be analog. Since my gear is Manley I need not to say my gear is analog. Many CD Mastering Engineer choose external hardware to be analog because of the sound quality. Digital can be and sound good but for me its too perfect. However, there are very good Digital gear out there and very skilled gear in the use of them. I like analog because Sine a wave. Sine wave is a natural occurrence. Digital is not. Digital you run risks of clicks and pops in the audio file That may reduce the total amount of doable songs you send to the CD Mastering Engineer. Still there are skilled Engineer out there that know how to use them and use them well!
How to get a good CD Mastering product
EQ measurements for Kick drum to try and avoid the instrument from competing with voice
. ( Kick drum 0db +3 eq at 50 Hz +1 db at 3kHz -3db 275 Hz ) The gold here is to get your kick drum up but not fight with voice or the rhythm guitar. Use mono tracks. In many cases there's a ride on the kick drum and there's your problem. At 2 to 3kHz they will fight. Results is S'es. By cutting at 275 kHz you are balancing but giving drums the tone that it needs.Also, because of the ride, the cut at 275 Hz will allow the ride to be heard more at 2 to 3kHz. The more you cut the more the highs will be heard. However, remember voice is up there too as well as other high frequency instruments. If your music project is an instrumental please disregard. S'es appears to only occur when voice is added.
When a rhythm guitar is in your mix with voice try these frequency adjustments to avoid S'es.
rhythm guitar with a range of 250 Hz to 2kHz to 3kHz following EQ notch with the above parameters. Since the above frequencies overlap with presence a notch or cut at 1.2kHz and or high pass filer at 2kHz may be needed to give voice some breathing room. You may have to isolate voice and guitar and play them together to see if they are fighting with each other. If so, then, if you have a frequency shifting software shift the guitar up or down by .0001 Hz. Panning is a form of filtering as well. Try several tools like low pass filter, band pass and a high pass filter in a serial line. EQ a notch -6 dbs at 600Hz and or a notch -6dbs at 1.2kHz on your rhythm guitar to give voice more room. EQ a -12dbs notch at about 60Hz t 100Hz to remove plosive. Do not rule out a band pass filter. These frequencies adjustments are suggestions only ,not the rule because there is no rule. Trial and era is the game. Remember if you can filter half way right and the CD Mastering Engineer understands filtering as well you should get a good product back that I am sure you will be proud of.
.
HAVE A GOOD MIX DOWN! ken ward, CD Mastering Engineer
Manley 4 Band EQ is what helps me alone with the bx1 and bx2 Software bring in your presence and remove the S'es.
This a the BX Software. It has a M/S (mid and side chan singal) It is a part of stainless steele's CD Mastering tools.
. With the aid of Manley four band stereo EQ, for coloring, allows me, in many cases, bring up small nuances you thought were insignificant. The BX Software's high pass filter, low pass filter, shelf boost,shelf cut, bell boost, bell cut a lone with Manley bell boost,bell cut, shelf boost, shelf cut , low pass filters and band control gives me a slight edge in nuances. Now, these small nuances, can become a major player in your song, such as the harmony voices of the background singers or maybe the rhythm lead guitar.
Many CD Mastering Engineers say that a CD Mastering Audio Graph should not look like this. I partially disagree. If a CD Mastering Engineer is saying this regarding Rap, Country, Pop, R&B, Soft Rock and some Rock,yes.
However Heavy Metal, Hard Rock and some Rock by lowering the bass, bass synth, rhythm bass to witness more of the back-beat's spikes on Heavy Metal,Hard Rock and some Rock it sounds horrible.
I believe that some CD Mastering Engineers believes that by lowering the bass ,rhythm bass and bass synth in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal stops the competition with mid range and therefore, presence is preserved in that frequency spectrum. In some music styles , with the exception of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, I fully agree. Although keep in mind that there can be wide variation, regarding a Heavy Metal audio graph. However, taking out too much bass just to thin the graph will distroy the song. That being said there is another way. Using the the right gear with the right skills Hard Rock and Heavy Metal can have the low end instruments within the whole music frequency spectrum. The lead guitar and lead voice which is usually found in the mid range can be improved as well. Lowering the low end to improve the mid range is an absolute no no in the above mention music style. Adding various types of effects, that are frequency based, can in many cases, assist a 4 band EQ in enhancing. These frequency based effects can enhance more so than color. Such effects can bringing out the lead guitar,bass , low synth ,lead voice and background voice that may have gotten lost in your mix down to a stereo track. Using my effect return fader adjuster and certain kind of effect that are frequency based can keep the low instruments in, that are essential , and squeeze a bit more presence out too.
Nevertheless, no audio graph should be sent back to you looking like this.; a lot of head room. Very little processed done. This is how it should look sent to a CD Mastering Engineer; as less processing as possible. This graph is to serve as a template not a rule
For a good CD Mastering project returned please be advised, avoid over processing and trust your CD Mastering Engineer. His gear is frequency based. Yours is not.
Post Mastered file: This is the way I like to see a CD Mastered Audio graph in R&B, Country, Blues, Pop, Soft Rock, some Rock and Rap. The bass appear to be there. The back beat appear to be strong. However, I might add, how strong your back beat is has a lot to do with how you applied the dynamics in the mix down to a stereo track. Nevertheless, the back beat frequency spectrum appear to be wide. That could easily be because the bass maybe in sync with the back beat. Over all , it appears to be, a very good audio graph that I would consider as a keeper to compare with other CD Mastering sample files I may further self critique before I upload one as a sample for your self evaluation. Keep in mind that the above audio graph does not have to look exactly like this. Every song has it own and unique rhythm. Therefore the graph will be slightly different. This audio graph here is to serve as a template not a rule. different rhythm poses different audio graph. A good example is by A song writer/producer, Jerry Aranas. His songs were mixed well.
Truly, a CD Mastering Engineer's job is to level compress, gate and limit. THAT'S ALL. When mixed well the less EQing ( enhancement) is needed. However in most cases enhancing is needed. Moreover, you, as the person to audition the Mastered sample should challenged the CD Mastering Engineer by asking the CD Mastering Engineer to make changes in the sent back Mastered file if you do not like that sample. Remember you are going to send 10,12 or maybe 14 songs to him. You must know if he is up to the task. Each song poses a different challenge. If you do not you may end up disappointed.
I might add, what's most amusing as well as disturbing, when I hear a song that was mastered using high end gear but has severe S'es in it. The cure was only finding the frequency the voice was on then placing the right filters, and some manipulation of the frequencies here and there would have made the song marketable. Yet, the client paid $700 to 1500 dollars for the CD. I grant, there are some situations, with some songs , no matter what the CD Mastering Engineer do, those S'es will not and can not be suppress enough to render the song marketable. I get them all the time. However it is incumbent on the client to not just settle. Press the CD Mastering Engineer for what you want. Keep in mind sometimes it is not doable. However, a reasonable explanation should be explained; after all you are paying your money. Remember he is not God and he is not in your head. You know how you want your music to sound. He does not. Press him to meet your expectiation
I am in hope that you understand as to what I look for as a CD Mastering Engineer. I expect the Audio graph to look like the rhythm, just enhanced. whether it's Rock,Country,R&B,Hip Hop,Blues,Ballad or Pop I do go back and look at the Audio graph as well as listen to the sound. I look at them all together and separate. A R&B Audio graph should not look like a Hard Rock Audio graph and a Hard Rock Autograph should not look like a R&B Audio graph. Keep in mind that there are always wide variations.
The SPL Transient Designer Software. I use when tracking down your music tacks to a stereo mix. It helps me to give your bass and drum more presence by slowing down the attack and or widening your the frequency band thus making it PHAT.
The Image for PSY Q will be placed soon
Sometimes mixes ,such digital gear, has been properly gated and compressed. Therefore the mix is balanced. So, it does not need hands on frequency shifting. All you need is your bass to be there and in the amount that you approve. Moreover, you need your highs to be shimmering and just peeping over the top and your presence kickin strong! Fellas, meet the PSY-Q ( Acoustic Processor) Software for CD Mastering. It's my other work -horse that I gear up with Manley's Massive Passive 4 Band EQ, often!
Meet the Impressor:
Often times your high frequencies, such as high hats and rhythm guitars, will run into the lead voice instrument causing distortion. This bad boy, the Impressor, allows me to independently De-ess / Gate your highs stopping the S'es or at least turn them down. Then I can crank up your mid range using Manley Massive Passive and the Impressor CD Mastering Software. It does more than just gate. Of course, removing ,turning down, stopping S'es, accenting certain frequencies ,while denying others, is a lot more complicated than the way I explained it. However, what you get back is the above results; and that's what you should be concern about. No, hipe. Just plaino old fashion results.
After I have done the following: Tighten up your bass drum. Tighten up your bass guitar. Tighten up your kick drum. Gave your rhythm and or power guitar its due. Checked on your synth and strings for proper amount of value. De esss your voice instrument and placed your voice instrument in the right position using the M/S mid and side Section bx software. Then I will send my results through Manley Massive Passive 4 band Stereo EQ followed by My Manley Stereo Compressor . It is then, also, the digital L.E.D. light will drop significantly, giving me more head room to crank you up!. You are now in analogue; thus, D/ A /D. The tonality sound begins to truly take shape with a natural sound, which is further critiqued by Manley Massive Passive and Manley Stereo Compressor. After that I will send your music through my gate called the Impresor. It is here where I really crank up my results.. Like I said it does more than just gate while in gate mode. Let me explain. Have you ever seen or heard of a gate that has these features:
A band EQ pot, "frequency band separator" with a frequency spectrum from 20Hz up to 6kHz.
A EQ out put gain pot.
A look ahead pot (delay) and a saturation pot that increase highs only
In the center:
A compressor and expander pot
To the left:
Input gain pot and out put gain pot
Attack pot, Release pot
Threshold pot and Ratio pot.
With these features, as a CD Mastering Engineer, I can De ess / Gate , EQ and at the same time. I can Compressor/Gate , with a little of expanding, EQ and De ess at the same time.
It is all about how I arrange the threshold, ratio, attack, release and the compressor-expander.
If you have some distortions, causing the lead instrument to produce S es, I may be able to save your song.
Using the Impressor ,when the distortion spikes upward, causing that annoying sound, observe the L.E.D light when you receive your CD Mastering sample back.. It drops. If your distortion is extremely bad there maybe no one that can help you and you should redo it. Nevertheless, compare my work with others. Notice that I will removed or tone way down your S'es. Your presence will be obviously better. The distortion will become almost inaudible on that particular frequency spectrum. I will always say go back into the studio and redo it if you have distortion.. However it is a nice feature for S.S.A.M. to have when you have 10 to 12 songs but one has this problem and you want me to see if I can save it; thus saving you a trip back to the studio. This could not be done without the Impressor and the Bx_ CD Mastering Software and the skills on how to use its features ! Click here
My Manley Massive Passive and my Manley Stereo Compressor I rely on taking down some of the digital and putting in more of a natural sound using analogue
Analogue: Manley Stereo Limiter/ Compressor. One of the leading CD Mastering hardware for CD Mastering Engineers Click here
Osiris is a Plugin I use for denoising,decrackling and declicking It works directly using the DSPs of my three sound cards I have three Creamware sound cards in my computer. the Osiris does not use my computer's CPU,which is typical of most high end plugins. Osiris is dependant on my audio card's DSPs not my CPU. The more DSPs the better the results. Some Audio files require a lot of DSP processing. When you are mastering music you do not want to worry about using up your DSPs due to a lack of. 23 DSPs can not get over used. It's more than enough for mixing or CD Mastering 48 stereo track/96 single channels. Therefore, when using the Osiris's in processing declicking, decrackling then denoising as the finished result , added to, the bringing in, the Manley 4 band EQ,Manley Limiter/Compressor, the BX_ digital processor,
First, using My headphone Beyerdynamic ( DT770 ) In real time I play your music listening for clicks,crackles and air like sounds using the Osirus. After I have remove as much of the little artifacts that can not be heard when the music is playing then I open up my monitors to further examine in CD Mastering. As I spot it, I loop the audio area, then adjust the Osirus, to declick, decrackle and denoise all in real-time. Sometimes I may record the artifact then upload the junk I removed to you ; you'll be surprise what maybe in there that you thought were not. Music can drown it. After, taken it out you will notice a deference, in most cases., depending how bad it is. You may not know what happen to it. But you'll know that the CD Mastering product sounds a lot better.
Here is the procedure before and during my audio mastering in real time: DC FILTER - DECLICK - DECRACKLE - NOISE REMOVE all in real-time
Keep in mind to be careful as to how you mix down to a stereo track. Also the gear you use as to how much is it known to pick up artifact in the record. Artifact will be in the music. That's the nature of the beast. However, trying to clean a bad recording only makes it worse. A trip back to the Recording Studio maybe in order.
The above file was difficult but doable. There were a lot of things I did to the file but not mention. My intent is to demonstrate my cleaning style. It had Clicks ,Crackle and air. There are four sample parts to the one file to download. Two shows the junk that were taken out. The clicks and cracles are combine. Then there is a unmastered and a mastered file, unclean and cleaned. Please download.
I do not recommend to send a file with Large clicks for Audio Mastering. My advise is to redo. The junk that's in the file or anyone's Audio Mastering file is never gotten out but suppressed. Many times alone with the suppression is some of the music too. Depending on how bad the file is. Go back to the studio and redo.
A Recording Engineer no matter how good he/she is Clicks , Air-like sound and crackles artifact will be in your finished product. It is the nature of the best; some files has more artifacts than others. The CD Mastering Engineer's job is to locate and removed by suppression, if he knows what he is hearing when he hears it.
