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  • Mastering Question?

    R
    R
    Hello,

    I was wondering if anyone could help me with the finally mastering of a recording. I am trying to get a deep bass sound out of the recording, similar to alot of Hans Zimmer's recordings. I've even noticed on some of his recordings the wave file is maxed out flat to 0dbs. I did some limiting but it kinda messes with the sound quality. I've tried layering and just simply increasing bass in EQ but I'm still not getting that huge sound like in Pirates Of The Carribean, The Rock, etc. If anyone could give me some tips on EQing, compression, or even orchestration to get that sound I would deeply appreciate it.

    Thanks [:D]
  • P
    P
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    Have you added some very heavy synth basses? That is really one of the tricks. The orchestral instruments often mask this very nicely, but there is typically a really huge low synth bass in these scores, often playing simply quarter notes to the beat of the cue.

    I have recently playing with some stuff in this area. Play the test cue Riding out at Dawn from my website, and this is the dry synth track under the last part.

    Multi-band compression is what you need in the mastering phase, but it will probably also help to apply compression to individual instruments and/or groups in the mix.

    Brick-wall limiting is only to shave off the peaks, and if you go beyond a range of 2.5-3 dB you will start to introduce audible distortion, in my opinion.

    Then you have the instrumentation. Media Ventures productions often boost string parts, especially the staccato and marcato parts in the mix really beyond normal levels (partly using compression, partly using faders up, I think). Then there is often also a lot of percussion with toms, timps and bass drums that also adds energy in the bass department.

    Try any trick you can think of, Media Ventures productions are pop music, not "serious" and realistic orchestral recordings. Anything that works, works.

    Peter
    www.PeterRoos.com
  • R
    R
    Thanks for the advice Peter. I will try that. Could you mabye tell me a little more about multiband compression. I've never really used it. And also I read your site and I was wondered how you routed your midi signal through
    cakewalk FX3 soundstage with audio inputs.
  • P
    P
    I have 12 stereo inputs (3 adat lightpipes) in my sequencer (Logic) from 3 sampler PC's. So the sequencer sends out the midi to these machines and gets the 24 bit digital audio back into its audio mixer.
    Within these 12 stereo inputs, I have two stereo inputs for the woodwinds (flutes, clarinets, and oboes, bassoons, etc). I use a SoundStage plugin on both woodwinds inputs and position them at slightly different places in a "common" space. If you are not familiar with this plugin, it's a bit difficult to explain in a few lines. Some pictures would be handy, but I am not in my studio room.
    I hope this makes a bit more sense than my previous post.

    Take care,

    Peter
  • A
    A
    Peter, do you have a good example of bass(analog, synth basses) You can get in a sample cd?

    The folks at media ventures use "digital" bass instead of real accoustic. So Is there any sample cd you know which has kind of synth analog bass on it?

    Like your example only MORE hans zimmer-ish like?hehe [:D]
  • P
    P
    Audun, I think you should more look on some software synth for such a bass than for sample cds.

    Peter, that is some big sounding example. As if your dayjob was to write parallel lines [[;)]]

    PolarBear
  • P
    P
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    @PolarBear said:

    Audun, I think you should more look on some software synth for such a bass than for sample cds.

    Peter, that is some big sounding example. As if your dayjob was to write parallel lines [[;)]]

    PolarBear


    Hehe Hansi,

    Wait until my Opus 1 arrives - I will use the legato programs to fill out the last gaps between the notes [:D]

    BTW, I don't have any decent softsynths, so I just used my ES-1, a terrible synth IMO. I still need to switch from Logic to SX, prolly will now I have to adapt my templates for Opus 1.

    Take care,

    Peter
  • D
    D
    Peter,

    Are there any good multiband compressor plugins? Would you list your favorites?

    Thanks,

    Dave Connor
  • DietzD
    VSL Team
    DietzD
    Depending on the platform you're working on, there are dozens of Multiband Compressors.

    A good (though complex) all-around solution is Waves' "C4" (or even better their 5-band "Linear Multiband" Compressor). Steinberg offers a very capable 5-band compressor as part of Nuendo (maybe with SX, too). For straight-forward 3-band limiting try db-audioware's "db-M"-plugin (Windoze only).

    If you are on a TDM/ProT**ls-system, tcWorks' "MasterX" is kind of a poor-man's Finalizer; MacDSP has another good MB-compressor for this platform.

    A all-in-one "mastering"-tool is "Ozone" from Izotope. MB-compression/limiting/exciting and much more. Don't be frightened by their "alien" GUI - the plug-in itself is pretty easy to use once you got the idea.

    .... and there's still more to explore ;-]

    /Dietz - Vienna Symphonic Library
    /Dietz - Vienna Symphonic Library
  • P
    P
    I own the Waves Gold Bundle 4, which includes the C4. I think I would try the Ozone one as next, but I first need to learn how to operate multiband compressors anyway. This is an area that requires a lot of ear training and exerience.
  • D
    D
    Hi!
    Dietz couldnt have said it better. I would also strongly recomend Ozone
    http://www.izotope.com/

    the trick is less eq as you can on the final mixed file. a lot of people when trying to get that professional sound are playing with the eq. now Im not saying dont eq at all. but be very gental with it.

    the bass you are missing could be found through exiting of the lower bands
    again, dont use it too much.

    Cheers!
  • P
    P
    I agree with the tip for using only gentle EQ-ing in the mastering stage. As soon as I reduce or boost bands with more than 2 dB (low Q), the result is always too exagerated. More serious EQ-ing should be done on individual instruments or instrument groups.

    For this I currently use the Waves Q2, Q3 and Q4. I wonder if different EQ's, like the RenEQ would give different results with orchestral tracks.

    Cheers,
    Peter
  • K
    K
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    @Audun Jemtland said:

    Peter, do you have a good example of bass(analog, synth basses) You can get in a sample cd?

    The folks at media ventures use "digital" bass instead of real accoustic. So Is there any sample cd you know which has kind of synth analog bass on it?

    Like your example only MORE hans zimmer-ish like?hehe [:D]


    Spectrasonics Trilogy (VST) is packed with a lot of great synth sound basses as well as electric and acoustic.
  • A
    A
    Hi Peter, i was listening to your "Riding out at dawn" and i love it. i'm interested in the score. i think i could learn from this piece of music, but i also think you won't post your score.

    maybe you can say something about the main melodie in the end played by brass. How has you arranged it and what samplearticulations did you use?

    thanks

    sebastian