Posts Tagged ‘techniques’

Quick example of de-noising

Hi people

Although I don’t seem to have much time for my own projects right now, I do get a bit here and there. So, I’ve been wondering how to get some of the level 42 stuff sounding less like sandpaper. Although I’ve managed to push the tonal character into something slightly more ear friendly, the sound is still very sharp.

So, having exhausted most other possibilities, I spent half an hour with the headphones on the laptop(not a very friendly work tool with the touch pad mouse, so I never use it much). I then set about trying to remove some of the harmonic distortion created by the tape saturation.

Below are the source, followed by the mastered version, then the de-noised job. When I have some time, I will make a proper job of this for the final thing. I’ve just ordered some HD650 phones for exactly this kind of work. The ones I’m currently using actually hurt my ears. Some kind of 2kish lift that makes even the best material sound quite nasty.

Ignore the intro section. When done properly I’ll automate the noise reduction threshold so it’s unheard at the start.

Love meeting love source

Love meeting love remaster 23-03-2010


Love_meeting_love27-03-2010-temp-denoised.mp3




Hopefully this short post demonstrates the importance of noise removal, and that far from just being about getting rid of the noise, it is quite a musical process.


Thanks for stopping by


Tone

M/s eq. What’s it all about

Hi people.

So, M/S eq. I’ve had a few requests about this now, so thought I would shed a little light on the reasonably undocumented subject.

What is it?

It’s clever hard/software, that separates the mono(M) and stereo (S) , or left and right signals to be worked on individually. Although this technique has only recently come to light in the domestic realm, the process dates back quite a while. Where the larger recording studios would actually have to rewire  their consoles to provide the function. Today, it’s much easier to achieve. Being offered as an option on many standard models, as well as more dedicated/specialised versions.

When to use it?

It’s always worth checking a track to see if it can help, especially if attempts with standard eq haven’t  yielded the result you wanted(but be realistic). As most mix processing(reverbs/chorus etc) is stereo, this can be a great tool to shave some unwanted parts of those sounds.

I quite often find some freq ranges in the stereo side, conflicting with the mono. Especially where freq areas have built up through the reverb for example.

The left and right channel adjustment can be extremely useful too. With some of the restoration work I do, I often find noticeable differences between the two sides, causing a lack of continuity in the sound/image (uneven head alignment from 1/4 inch sources etc). Although some modern mixes suffer too, from heavy panning with tonal imbalances.

How to use it?

This is just an eq, so the principles are the same as for a standard model. Some m/s versions have a listen feature, where you can solo either stereo or mono. This is really useful for getting an instant idea of possible problems, but don’t be tempted to do the eq work in solo, and then expect the whole sound to be coherent. Once again….this is mastering, it’s about the whole sound, it all has to join up!.

Conclusion, for this short article

M/s eq is really powerful, and I remember being totally excited at how much  improvement could be achieved with problem material. However….be very careful, if not used with respect, it can be a back firing gun, making a total mess out of something that may not have been so bad.

Remember, it’s just one tool in the arsenal needed to bring out the best in the material. Very rarely does one process or gadget make or break the finish of the music. It’s about the right technique, being used in the right place at the right amount.

Thanks for stopping by

Tone

An example of expansion

Hi people

In my last article “Expansion…the lesser known dynamics tool” , I spoke about bringing out detail using expansion rather than compression. It wont work with all material, but in some cases, where the mix is just wrong somehow, it can bring back elements before moving to the compression stage.

This track is a good example of such material. Take a listen to the original Donald Fagen-Countermoon-source


No continuity in that sound at all hey!. The bass and snare being the culprits. I don’t think either was limited. In my opinion, what this creates, is a broken waveform going through the speaker cone. The unnatural peaks and dips force the cone to pull against itself, giving a very strange sound.


In this quick remaster, I used expansion in a few places, before moving to compression. Kind of meeting the dynamics needs half way between the two methods. I wont go into exact detail of how I went about it, but I used both multiband and wideband to lift specific lacking areas.

You will still hear what sounds like my dynamics work in a couple of places. But check the source, it’s mostly where the source issues have been made clearer….mostly .


Donald Fagen-Countermoon-remaster

As usual I’ll say this…It’s still not perfect. But it’s a more natural and listenable sound than the original.




Well, that was it, just meant as an example to the previous post. My next article on m/s eq is almost finished, so check back soon.


Thanks for stopping by


Tone

Expansion, the lesser known dynamics tool

Hi people!

Apologies for taking so long to get another article written. Been rather busy actually working on stuff.

“But Tone, what about the multiband series??”. Well…I had intended to make screencast video’s, showing and explaining with narration, exactly how to get one of these things setup. But the fact is, making them takes an age to do. So I’ve drawn up a new plan, where I will be making sets of tuition vids on many of the different areas of mastering, and the tools used. These sets will then be purchasable from the site. If you want an idea of what I have in mind, take a look at the talented Nick Maxwell’s site Nickstutorials.com .

I had never intended this to be any kind of ‘pay for’ site. But to give the best advice on tips and techniques takes a long time. So it’s a natural progression. Keep checking back for small demo’s of what will be available(when I get some time). I will however continue to post articles.

My goal remains the same…to hand on tips and methods to help you better understand your audio work, and get the best from it.

What is expansion

Simply put, it’s the exact opposite of compression . It’s main use is when working with already over compressed material, to add back dynamics. I was actually inspired to write on this subject, after working on a 70’s restoration job that needed a different approach.

The material came from LP, which as far as I can tell, had been kind of mastered by the guy who cut the disc. It’s full of nasty notches, a large wide mid lift(totally covering the low end) and a very thick sounding bass guitar. Don’t forget, this is an old recording, even if no compression was used during tracking and mixing etc, this has gone from 2 inch multitrack to 1/4 inch reel, then onto vinyl and back into digital. Plus with all the parts of the spectrum missing, it’s quite a strange sounding recording. Anyway, compressing the bass region was a no go, ….not immediately anyway. So here’s what I did:

So, to give me a more balanced start point, I used a multiband model, and expanded either side of the bass hump(which covered 80-200hzish) using shelves, plus a couple of  other expansion lifts at 190 and 250ish to keep the warmth in the vocals. I also used longer release times than I would normally, as the dynamics either side of the hump are jumping about all over the place.

What this effectively does is this: as the bass hump approaches threshold, the upper and lower shelves lift to match it “but Tone, now the whole thing is bouncing up and down”, yes, but that’s the point. Now I have a sound that I can start to push into shape, using the normal methods.

For anyone thinking “why didn’t you just compress the mid using multiband compression”, I did try that first, but it worked much better expanding first, and then using a small amount of mb comp to tighten the whole thing up. Sometimes, the way things are mixed, and the problems that are put in, need dealing with differently.

Setting up

1:Have an idea of what you want to achieve

2:If you’re using multiband expansion, find the places where you want the lifts. Find the sweetspots where the upper and lower shelves need to be, by using a small expansion ratio first, maybe 1.03:1 for example. Use a small attack time like 5ms. Too short and the expansion isn’t going to work right. Start with 100ms release. Set the threshold by hearing the blend. Don’t look at the meters!. The ones on my fav model are totally misleading(done on purpose I think).

3:Adjust ratio/amount of expansion to suit on each band.

4:Adjust attack times. Concentrate on the attack part of the music. Don’t be put off by a slightly wrong release phase at this time.

5:Blend in the expansion by adjusting the release times. Drag it around all the way from 50ms upto 1 second. Forget the numbers and dial in the sound you want.

6:Once you’ve done all that, go over the settings again and make sure it’s all working together.

Setting up a standard wide band expander is just the same as for a compressor. Set enough attack time to allow the kick through.

Once you’ve found the attack and release region you want, I find there is usually a few ms to play with for artistic input. That 1 extra ms on the attack can create a tiny delay, which can be very creative, and similar with release. Listen for a delay or hole(attack too long) or a slight thickness (attack to short). Similar deal with release times.

Conclusion

I know not everyone needs to use expansion, but it’s a powerful tool that will go some way towards fixing bad compression or mix problems. Next time you’re working on a mix where the kick is a bit loud, think “Do I want a thicker kick, by using compression, or should I lift the rest first using expansion, and then deal with overall compression.

A fellow M E recently told me “I know quite a few mastering engineers, and we all get to the end result in slightly different ways”. It’s exactly the same with different material. You could own the best compressor in the world, but it’s not always going to be the best tool for the job.

I’ll ask my customer if it’s cool to post before and after for you guys to hear.

Next up I’ll be explaining the very powerful m/s eq. So be sure to stop by real soon.

Till then, thanks for reading

Tone

“Why am I never quite happy with my attempts at mastering”

Hi people

There are a few almost guaranteed reasons why first steps with mastering are disappointing:

1:Your expectations

A lot of people think the mastering phase is magic, and it can certainly make a huge difference. However….besides the skill of the M E in question, the mix and challenges it presents are the big deal. So spend time listening to what’s going on BEFORE loading the plugin toys.

Is the general sound balance poor?. Are certain freq ranges  too dynamic, and are smothering other parts?. Are the transients too big?, this will make the main body of the sound too thin. How dynamic is the whole thing?. Play it through, giving it your full attention, listening for anything that needs sorting.

An exception to the rule, is m/s eq. If you don’t have any experience of this, there will be an article about it soon. In some models that offer m/s, you have the option to listen to the mono components or the stereo. Listening to these in isolation can show up some problems you wouldn’t otherwise be able to fix.

If you’re working on a restoration job, then the list of potential issues gets longer: phase, pitch changes from tape sourced material. Remember….if the speed/pitch changes, any eq/crossovers etc you have set become slightly wrong.

So…listen first, to every aspect you possibly can, and have an idea of how much you will be able to achieve.

2:Static settings

Apart from certain recordings that have little or no instrument/sound changes, the ‘one pass master’ (static settings throughout) is going to disappoint!. I have explained the reasons before, but briefly….because the introduction of instruments pushes additional energy into certain freq areas, the freq’s  that need boosting or cutting changes. Remember….in mastering, if you’re not fixing it, you’re just making a slightly different wrong version!.

It’s the same for any dynamics settings. Keep an eye on thresholds, especially if you’re using multiband compression. Push them too hard and your sound has gone.

Getting the best possible finish is all about the amount of time you put in, and the big advantage you have, over even the most well equipped mastering service, is…. time. They have an hour for your track (not everyone can commit financial suicide spending a day getting one song right like I do). You also have the luxury of working over a few days, to keep things fresh.

Don’t underestimate the static setting disappointment problem!. It still manages to catch me out on occasion.

3:Monitoring/room acoustics

This is a bigger problem than most people can imagine. Let me tell you a story…….

Thanks to my less than perfect setup at the time, I learned to “read the curve” in a slightly different way. If parts of the spectrum are missing, there’s no continuity in the sound. Kind of like a cracked bell. One day (after months of audio torture)it just became obvious. This was fine, and certainly helped, however…..mastering is about hearing everything. You need to hear the less powerful <50hz and >8k to get the best out of the material.

If your room is throwing a ton of 100hz at you, thanks to reflections etc, then hearing if you need to lift the 10k a little, or maybe bypass the sub compression(because the 32 hz is too thick) is going to be near impossible. I found certain “open” sounding freq’s (500hz to 1k for example) to be a problem too. How many times have you taken your mix elsewhere, expecting to blow the minds of the listeners, only to be shocked by a nasty 700hz shard of sound spoiling the whole thing?. It’s probably not that your monitors didn’t show it up, but the 100hz(example) was smothering it.

There is of course the matter of speaker translation, which to some extent, can be made less of an issue by working the whole curve. That way, it’s possible to only be off by the amount your monitors vary across the spectrum. If they have a 1db dip at 2k, and the playback system has a 1db  lift around the same area, then you will have a 2db lift at 2k, which can make a significant difference to your sound.

Not everyone has the ridiculous amount of money a good pair of B&W’s cost, but there is a reason for the price tag. In a treated room, they tell the truth!.

So, there’s a few reasons why you may be disappointed. But don’t let it stop you!. Be aware of these points, and deal with them as best you can. Despite the opinion of many, a mastering engineer isn’t defined by their equipment. It can make a difference with the results, of course. But knowledge, approach and experience can’t be bought. Any fool with £30,000 can buy the right gear, does that earn them the right to butcher artists hard work?

Till next time, keep pushing forward, and improving your art.

Thanks for reading

Tone

Level 42, the rare “Morning silence”

Hi people

I worked on this track for a while over christmas, and although it still needs a tweak or 2, I’m quite happy with the improvement. For those who don’t know…..this is one of the rarest Level 42 songs. “Morning silence” Written by Mike Lindup, only featured in a few live shows during the 80’s. Luckily it was captured in this recording, as I don’t think another version exists.

For any new visitors, the technical details are this:

Damaged cassette from 1981.

Large mid range eq lift on aux send to cassette, Forcing large amounts of tape saturation into and around the offending freq area. I’ve had to try, to match the shape of that boost, by using many smaller cuts. As well as using the standard ‘boost the nice bits’ technique.

Source has large Boost around 107hz

Constant eq changes by the engineer

Remember, this is never going to be a perfect finish, just more listenable.

Have a listen

Morning silence source


Morning silence remaster


Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to Check back for updates or new tracks etc. Part 2 of my multiband compression tutorial is imminent.

Tone

The scary thing that is…Multiband compression

Hi people!

Yes, I know, I must be mad attempting to explain this one. But it’s a major part of mastering, so I have to try.

Note:Please have plenty of coffee to hand, this could take a while

Before I go any further, I need to say this. In my opinion, the multiband process is for fixing the dynamics across the spectrum, not for trying to be clever/creative with it. The idea, is that the low frequencies should be there at the same time as the highs. This is heavily dependant on correct release times.  If you get them wrong (and I certainly have in the past), you can make quite a harsh sound.

Introducing the controls

1:Band crossovers These select the crossover frequency between the different bands, in conjunction with…..

2:Crossover slope This selects how steep the crossover is between the bands. Not all models come with this option, but I find it priceless in achieving a more natural sound for different material .

3:Lookahead This gives the option of the compressor reading ahead by a few milliseconds to prevent threshold crushing from higher peaks. It actually gives you the choice of how much you want the compressor to react. From pumping to clean attacks. Once again, this option isn’t available on all models, but is incredibly useful in creating the sound you want.

4:Clean/vintage mode Another option that isn’t available on all models. This one makes the difference between a clean “what you put in is what you get out” sound, or the vintage option will add slight distortion to emulate hardware. It wont work on everything, but can blur the edges on material that could use a bit less clarity.

5:Band Low gain This sets the volume of the band selected when the level is below threshold. So….when that band isn’t into compression(below threshold), it will be at the set level. The really useful thing with this particular model, is that the upper&lower levels can be set, which sets the total amount of gain reduction.

6:Threshold The level where compression starts to happen in the selected band. DO NOT LOOK AT THE DISPLAY TO SET THESE!!. How far back from threshold compression starts to set in, is dependant on the knee setting (11).

7:Band hi gain This sets the amount of gain reduction. So even if you’re pushing the threshold incredibly hard, the reduction will be restricted to the set amount.

8:Band Ratio How much gain reduction for every db increase in input above threshold. Basically, a setting of 2:1 means a 1db increase allowed for every 2db above threshold. Remember when setting up, raise the ratio…raise the threshold. Don’t go mad using high ratios!, what we’re doing is balancing the dynamics across the spectrum. This isn’t the place to ramp up the volume!.

9:Band attack time How many milliseconds of signal allowed through, before compression starts, after threshold is reached. Same principle as with a standard compressor, in that the attack time depends on the gain and length of the peaks, but they vary per band to suit the needs of the spectrum. More explanation later.

10:Band release time If you’re reading this, you should already know how important the release time is. Once again, in multiband it varies to suit the spectrum. Usually starting short for low bands, and increasing through the others….usually!.

11:Band knee setting Self explanatory, this sets the knee of the compression per band. The model shown has soft/medium and hard, giving incredible control in attaining the correct compression curve. And again, not found on many models.

12:Global controls These make it easy to change all the band  release times for example. I’ll explain further later.

In addition to these controls we have the bypass/solo and mute buttons, which do exactly that for the selected band.

The Add and Delete buttons are another unique feature of this model. Giving you the option to add and have upto 6 bands, or delete them and even make this a dual band compressor (no idea why you would though). Experience will aid you in knowing how many bands you need. It really depends on the material.

Up to now, this may have seemed like an advert for the model I have used as an example. The fact is, I wanted to cover almost any control you may encounter, and it had the most.

Setting up

First step is to divide up the different areas of energy using the crossovers. With all the thresholds, ratios etc set to zero, drag the band1/2 crossover up and down between 60-100 hz. Listen to the image to find the right point. It’s like it swings left and right as you scan down and up. The sound will be more solid when you hit the right spot. I’m not going to give you any numbers for setting these, as it is totally dependant on the material.

Listen to this clip. You may hear the image change as I am dragging the lower crossover (band1/2) down from 100-50hz, then back up to 120 hz, then finally in the correct position at 79hz. Don’t be hard on yourself if you can’t immediately, but this technique is essential in mastering.

You want to set up all the crossovers using the same method. Keep paying close attention to the sound image. Get them in the right place, and it will stay more solid. If you have a selection of crossover slopes, test them now. Find the one that sounds most natural, then adjust the crossover freq’s again to suit.

Find the problem band

Before I go any further, the thing to remember, is that this is basically a dynamic eq. We are pinching certain parts of the spectrum to match the rest. So..take a listen to the individual bands, solo each one and have a listen to what’s going on. This step will become easier and faster with experience, as you start to be more critical with your analysis skills.

Are the lower bands too dynamic, so are stomping over the higher ones?. Is the low end heavily compressed and the mids too energetic?. Have some idea before jumping onto the settings, as you want to match the wrong to the right. No good adding 4db of gain reduction to an already squashed bass area. The mids and highs will sound unnaturally lifeless to match it.

First steps with the gain reduction

Soloing things in mastering can be quite counter productive, as we are working on the whole sound, and no band is an island (apologies ) . What I mean is, soloing each band and setting them up and expecting it to all be fantastic when you turn the solo’s off, isn’t going to work!. The idea is to have them all working together to make one sound.

However….for your first steps in setting up multiband, it can be less confusing to tweak the problem band in solo, and then match the others to it. This gets round the problem of making one band sound unnatural to the rest, forcing you into making wrong settings. Although you will still end up tweaking the settings for that band, once the others are close. The whole setup of multiband is very fluid.

Right, due to this being a long winded/complicated subject, this is going to be a multi part post. Apologies readers, but check back next week for part 2, where I’ll start guiding you through the other settings.

Thanks for stopping by

Tone

Coming soon……

Hi people!

Currently working on quite a big article, but it’s taking some time. I also want to add audio example content to it, which slows it down even further. But new stuff is coming in the next few days.

Keep checkin back!

Cheers

Tone

Compression as a creative tool

Hi all!

Continuing on the compression theme. I’m going to give some details on how to put it to some good use creatively, and hopefully put a positive spin on something that really gets a bad rap, due to being badly used by so many people.

Ever listened to a track and thought “how on earth did they create those anticipation build ups”. You know the ones….the verse is coming to an end, the volume doesn’t noticeably increase and start hurting in your ipod headphones, but you know something is coming, then bam!! into the big chorus!!, but still only a minor increase in overall level. Before I go any further, let me say this….A lot of people think this is done in mastering, and sure, we do have a small amount of control over that, but note the word ’small’.

If I want to do that over a whole mix, everything is getting slightly squashed, and one of my major hates, is flattened hi hats and cymbals etc!. There is also the possibility of doing this kind of technique with buss compression, grouping instruments together  and having a compressor over that group, but that’s a subject for another article. Take a listen to this clip:

(Apologies to all the electro dudes reading, this was the first thing to hand, and also a perfect demonstration piece. But the technique is viable across most genres)

Listen to the guitar on the left. I know the whole track increases in rms slightly, but that guitar is giving a very clear indication of ’something coming’. Now, to get that kind of increase in level, we have to do more than just make the guitar poke its head above the mix. That wouldn’t do what you want. Anything that is above the body of the mix by too much, just creates a problem. Especially for the M E.

So, put a compressor or limiter (depends on material) over the channel of that guitar(or whatever instrument it is) at post fader. I’m not going to give any numbers for your compression settings here, as that really doesn’t work!. Just keep in mind, if this track is going to be mastered, you don’t want to have squashed all life from it before it gets there. 2:1 is a good starting ratio.

Then for these ‘build up’s’, as you push that instrument up against the compressor with the fader, it will gain rms, ALONE, without ruining the space the other parts need to breath. Maybe experiment with varying the release time for different passages too. As I’ve mentioned in other articles, it will work in many places, giving a different feel with each. But there is right/wrong and artistic choice.

A track…a journey

The thing that separates the fantastic mixes from the “Hmmmm, nice but….” ones, are the mix approach itself. Everyone wants to blame their converters and eq’s etc etc, and I’m not saying those things don’t make a difference. But the real key, is capturing the listeners attention, by holding back, and then pushing forwards. Simply bringing an instrument in and then taking it out isn’t always enough, and small volume changes alone have to be kept small to keep the balance of the mix right.

Static mixes aren’t captivating enough, and I hear quite a few of them!. My attention span is about 20 secs. If nothing really changes in that time, my mind wanders off. Many people reading will probably wonder what I’m on about, but I clearly hear the tiny changes that for most listeners will go unnoticed, thanks to my over analytical hearing.

Learn to hear those changes. Dissect some of the best mixes from your favourite artists/producers. The best way to do this is by listening at a barely audible level, where you can only just clearly hear all the mix content. Then you may hear where the small volume dips/lifts happen.

Make a decision about what you want your mix to convey. If the instrument volumes stay static throughout the track, it will start….then it will end. Make it do something more in between.

Apologies if this article isn’t mastering focused, but it’s based on the frustrations I get IN mastering. Mixes that could have been awesome, but for a few builds and dips. Even the most fantastic sounding instrument can become monotonous if it’s too static. There are of course many other ways of creating interest, but this was mainly a compression article.

Till next time….thanks for reading, people

Tone