Finally!! Someone that explains what mastering is (or the difference between mixing and mastering) in such a simple and easy way, just a few words and all is clear. Thank you!!!
Ricky, this video is great, and honestly one of the best tutorials for overall mastering theory and practice. It amazes me how much people are able to confuse this concept even further in their tutorials, but your explanation is really great. Thank you for these videos. One tip I could give you is to maybe consider using a limiter that has a True Peak button on it. You can see that your True Peak was hitting 0.0dB in some places. That means that the Intersample peaks are going to distort when the file is converted by Spotify or other platforms. True Peak engagement on a limiter prevents this. One thing I do, if I’m using a Waves L2 (which is not a true peak limiter) is that I lower the limiter threshold to -1.5, which usually keeps the True Peak meter on the YouLean below 0.0. Cheers!
I was confused about mixing and mastering for a long time although I did some research on it. You clarified this topic in one simple sentence and made the mastering process super comprehensible, thank you so much! Will you make a video about mixing too?
Great to see Reaper content, man! 11:07 That's probably the most important function of mastering, assuming the mix doesn't contain issues, preparing the album for different consumption media. Just as mastering for CD and vinyl has different frequency and dynamic range requirements so does mastering for mobile, the hardware has a different a response in general and the ambient noise usually associated with where it's used demands a different approach to dynamics. A mix can sound divine in your control room but fall apart when you go outside the house.
This helped so much. All my mixes have been missing a little something and it's because Mastering is so over my head. This made my stuff sound much better ESPECIALLY when uploading to Spotify (I've been mixing at -14 DB which sounds okay for the most part but has messed up a few things!)
Cool man I appreciate it! I have been recording in reaper for few years, still learning. I record my own compositions usually rock and metal type stuff. I play the guitar and bass but I use SD3 for the drums. I am just barely scratching the surface of learning mixing let a lone mastering, but this video made it seem not so daunting. Nice one dude-:)
Great video. Most videos on this subject concentrate on volume alone. I master much the same way in Reaper but I have a question that hopefully you can answer. Your video stopped before actually rendering each track out of the whole project. When I try to render each track (after mastering), I solo one track at a time and render each track but Reaper wants to master each song to the length of all the tracks so you end up with each song rendered to the total length of the project (I hope that makes sense). I can take each rendered track, open it and edit it for correct time (cut the front and back) but I know there must be a simpler way to export each song in the project. How do you render each track to it's own length? Thanks.
Hey, thanks for posting 👍 What’s the difference between adding volume in a compressor (not actually compressing?) instead of just raising the volume of the track??
What would be the best way to record a live band? Right now I take a line off the mixer through the interface aswell aswell as mixing the room with a sm57. I balance the two but still struggle to bring the vocals overtop of everything in the mix
I’m really interested in your process of using reaper and not really mastering. I’ve only had one friend use Reaper, and I tried it, and I was like “what the hell is this” 😂 and I switch between Ableton and FL.
Haha yeah, coming from Ableton I can understand the confusion (Ableton is like another language to me). I've been thinking about doing a "How to set up a session in Reaper" video, going through step-by-step how I prepare to write/record. Is that something you'd find useful?
boost sweeping a band is a bad habit. It's like making the frequency ugly and then making it pretty. Just don't mix additive and subtractive eq at the same time. InTheMix talks about it.
Nice video, However why not use something closer to real music such as a real hard rock song instead of using the popsicle prepacked synth sounds that do not even require of any special sonicc treatment..!
You can substitute any of the 3rd party plugins he's using with stock plugins, it won't make a significant difference. Reaper often even has multiple variants of some plugin, especially dynamics processing. The UI is not much to look at but quality-wise, they hold up very well to commercial ones.
Finally!! Someone that explains what mastering is (or the difference between mixing and mastering) in such a simple and easy way, just a few words and all is clear. Thank you!!!
Ricky, this video is great, and honestly one of the best tutorials for overall mastering theory and practice. It amazes me how much people are able to confuse this concept even further in their tutorials, but your explanation is really great. Thank you for these videos. One tip I could give you is to maybe consider using a limiter that has a True Peak button on it. You can see that your True Peak was hitting 0.0dB in some places. That means that the Intersample peaks are going to distort when the file is converted by Spotify or other platforms. True Peak engagement on a limiter prevents this. One thing I do, if I’m using a Waves L2 (which is not a true peak limiter) is that I lower the limiter threshold to -1.5, which usually keeps the True Peak meter on the YouLean below 0.0. Cheers!
I was confused about mixing and mastering for a long time although I did some research on it. You clarified this topic in one simple sentence and made the mastering process super comprehensible, thank you so much! Will you make a video about mixing too?
Awesome :) I'm glad I could help.
Yeah, sure. I can do a mixing video too.
InstaBlaster
True peak is 0.0? Is that a good thing? Wouldn't that be optimal about -1.0 or something??
Great to see Reaper content, man!
11:07 That's probably the most important function of mastering, assuming the mix doesn't contain issues, preparing the album for different consumption media. Just as mastering for CD and vinyl has different frequency and dynamic range requirements so does mastering for mobile, the hardware has a different a response in general and the ambient noise usually associated with where it's used demands a different approach to dynamics. A mix can sound divine in your control room but fall apart when you go outside the house.
Thank you so much! This makes so much more sense to me now. I still have far to go, but you got me on the right path.
Awesome video Ricky, thank you. I will apply your techniques soon to my projects, cheers!
MUCHÍSIMAS GRACIAS! Este video me dio lo que necesitaba. EXCELENTE! de verdad, he visto cerca de 10 videos y este es perfecto.
This helped so much. All my mixes have been missing a little something and it's because Mastering is so over my head. This made my stuff sound much better ESPECIALLY when uploading to Spotify (I've been mixing at -14 DB which sounds okay for the most part but has messed up a few things!)
It's very helpful for me. Thank you.
Cool man I appreciate it! I have been recording in reaper for few years, still learning. I record my own compositions usually rock and metal type stuff. I play the guitar and bass but I use SD3 for the drums. I am just barely scratching the surface of learning mixing let a lone mastering, but this video made it seem not so daunting. Nice one dude-:)
good stuff! helpful and digging the tunes as well. :)
I LOVE YOU FINALLY I UNDERSTAND
Great video. Most videos on this subject concentrate on volume alone. I master much the same way in Reaper but I have a question that hopefully you can answer. Your video stopped before actually rendering each track out of the whole project. When I try to render each track (after mastering), I solo one track at a time and render each track but Reaper wants to master each song to the length of all the tracks so you end up with each song rendered to the total length of the project (I hope that makes sense). I can take each rendered track, open it and edit it for correct time (cut the front and back) but I know there must be a simpler way to export each song in the project. How do you render each track to it's own length? Thanks.
keep that going
Roger roger 👌
hi thanks for the toush, how about voices...?
The general rule for EQ is: Boost wide, cut narrow!
Hi Ricky, how much do you charge for mastering?
Suuuuuper helpful. 🙏
Awwwwwesome! Glad to hear it 💜
Hey, thanks for posting 👍 What’s the difference between adding volume in a compressor (not actually compressing?) instead of just raising the volume of the track??
Ricky this is fye
What would be the best way to record a live band? Right now I take a line off the mixer through the interface aswell aswell as mixing the room with a sm57. I balance the two but still struggle to bring the vocals overtop of everything in the mix
Hi Ricky - do you use a compressor or limiter on the individual mixes for the tracks? Or only in your mastering process?
Lol I thought at the beginning it was overwatch reaper music
I'm really more of a Torbjörn boi tbh ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Just curious, the rendered tracks you imported into the "mastering project" , where they 44.1/ 16 bit?
No resample icon is shown on them, so yes.
I’m really interested in your process of using reaper and not really mastering. I’ve only had one friend use Reaper, and I tried it, and I was like “what the hell is this” 😂 and I switch between Ableton and FL.
Haha yeah, coming from Ableton I can understand the confusion (Ableton is like another language to me).
I've been thinking about doing a "How to set up a session in Reaper" video, going through step-by-step how I prepare to write/record. Is that something you'd find useful?
Which software is best by mastering ...
FL Studio
Reaper
Albelten
Logic pro x?
Let's give me a clear answer dear brother
Honestly there all good in their own way.
boost sweeping a band is a bad habit. It's like making the frequency ugly and then making it pretty. Just don't mix additive and subtractive eq at the same time. InTheMix talks about it.
Nice video, However why not use something closer to real music such as a real hard rock song instead of using the popsicle prepacked synth sounds that do not even require of any special sonicc treatment..!
The problem here,. is that you're using plug ins that other people don't have. SO for many of us, this video is non starter.
You can substitute any of the 3rd party plugins he's using with stock plugins, it won't make a significant difference. Reaper often even has multiple variants of some plugin, especially dynamics processing. The UI is not much to look at but quality-wise, they hold up very well to commercial ones.