I would like to know witch software is best for final mixing and mastering,free or "paid",i would like to know your opinion,what u use,how to use it best,etc.Thank u !

 

man there's no best software or recipe book...mixing is about experience and skills, each song is different
and what applies to one doesn't apply to another...so you'll get as many answers as there are people unless you have a PRECISE question

any DAW with a decent plug in suite can do the job basically..and there are legions nowadays

just get a DAW you feel comfortable with and the wave plugin suite for example (not that you need that many plugins but, if you're good you'll get a great result)

you also have other topics already discussing this...one or two that I guess you should have a look at if you didn't yet because it's basically what you ask here

http://audiosex.pro/index.php?/topic/29-frequencies-levels-of-a-mix-and-mastering-tips/page__hl__mastering

http://audiosex.pro/index.php?/topic/1154-what-plugins-do-you-use-on-master-bus/page__hl__mastering

peace

 

Yeah this again :D


Its just as good as daw wars or a mac vs pc thread

 

The best software is your ears and that gray matter thing that rests in your skull in between. This software has the ability, on sort a time vs. amount of input bell curve, to adjust itself and self learn to constantly improve it's function. All these other nice things are just tools to help you get there. They all work. Software still can not shine up a turd.

 

For mixing SSL stuff,Abbey Road stuff, usual suspect Waves have some great analog emulations, Lexicon reverb and X-Verb from Duende, Soundtoys stuff is really awesome,SPL too, this is my picks and for me mixing starts when project starts, so this is my favorite tools.

Mastering really don't know, there is no price for good quality professional mastering, mix the best you can and let the professional put final touches and sparkles on your work.

Hope it helps, quality tools for quality outcome, knowledge is crucial, but tools is important too ;)

 

Thank you guys,it seems i steel have allot to learn !

 

Yes, you do. The best DAW/software/hardware is the one you are using, or will end up using (and learn through and through). It's no secret.

 

Waves plugins in the Mix T-Racks 3 in the Mix and stand alone and ozone 5 in the Mix thats what i use its more complicated then that but you get the idea

 

there's a shitload of videos and tutorials available nowadays...I guess that you should start with that (youtube, groove3, macprovideo, etc etc,)
it'll help you to see clearer where to go and what tools you'll need for what you have in mind *yes*

 

Also it's really great to watch "in the studio with" sessions, learned so much from the fellow artists from all the genres

 

Yes, even if the genre is not your style, you may still learn a trick or two, so don't be put off by it.

 

i am still learning every time i make a song, so i appreciate all this info

i have tried plugs from Waves Master Bundle, Maximus, Elephant, Ozone etc etc

i really feel like a good ear is your best weapon, and decent monitors and good use of headpphones and external testing on outside audio systems can be of great benefit

like said above, proper mixing is half the battle, and can make mastering so much easier

i just want to never have to send my music to a mastering agency for $$$ if i can do it myself

now, if i get signed by a big label, then they can pay for it lol

 

I now have WAVELAB 6 from STEINBERG in my opinion is not only a good editor but a good mastering tool , what do you think ?

 

There are literally tons of great programs and utilities to refine your sound -- but the very BEST are
those you prefer, and those you understand -- thus, you will need to take a hands on approach
to see what works best for you, per instance, per session

That being said, my preferences during the master/pre-master phases are; various Waves, and FabFilter combinations
(as well as the included Live, PreSonus and or Logic defaults)
Every session, and every track is different -- there is not one preset setting I fall back on -- though there may be a few
that I use to get 'close', I generally spend 30 mins to an hour (or more) dialing it all in

The best thing you can do is watch HOW certain tools are used, and in what situation (WHEN)
FabFilter has GREAT tutorials stepping you through the ins and out (my go-to collective) -- Highly Recommended !

These days I use Waves plugins in attempts to emulate 'specific' sonic characteristics of vintage hardware
I'm a big fan of their SSL, Kramer, NLS, API, REDD and others -- Waves have 'some' videos explaining 'some'
of the inner-workings of their intrinsic products, but nothing as compared to the information available
from the folks at FabFilter

I'd love to give the UAD joints a spin -- but who has that kind of cash these days ?!
Any way, best to you, best of luck, and keep on keep'n on

 

I master my tracks in Wavelab. For subtractive Eq-ing i use UAD's Cambridge or Waves Q-clone. For some extra volume/level/saturation i use Sonnox Oxford Inflator. I like the Sonnox Limiter too, but i also use the T-racks Brickwall and the Waves limiters. If i want to widen my stereo image i sometimes throw a Pulltec on my channel, without the use of the EQ. Just sound going throug it helps a lot. I absolutley love all the Brainworx/Plugin alliance plugs. But i rarely use those in the mastering process. For compression these days i turn to Waves API 2500, UAD 1176LN. Or in some cases the La2a from either company.

I agree with Pyrus Malus: There are literally tons of great programs and utilities to refine your sound -- but the very BEST are
those you prefer, and those you understand.

The best thing u can do is learn how an EQ or compressor worx. Then find one or two u like.
For instance, i do not like Fabfilter at all and Ozone to me is just a piece of crap. But there was a time i liked them.
Unfortunatley they did not give me what i was looking for so i kept looking. Now i have the plugs that give me the sound i have in my head.
But this can only be achieved by first learning how to use them. My favorite plugs can also f*** up a song with the right/wrong settings.
And i am sure that there are people who make great song using plugs i do not like.

Compare it with painting, sometimes u want a little red, and then a little blue. Make the corners yellow with a bright white spot in the middle.
Mixing is like painting.

 

well said, man, i like how you think





I had struggled to understand when i first started making music back in the early 2000's why my final product out of cubase sounded so different from the professional stuff out there.....this was before i knew anything lol least of all about mastering or even proper mixing


since then i have had quite a journey, mastering wise, i started with the fallacy of trying to polish a turd by making it "Louder" to fix what was wrong with it heh heh


eventually of course i realized a solid mix is paramount, and mastering should be the icing on the cake

I master in DAW in original session, usually i totally mix first with an clean master channel, then add in the mastering chains. For awhile i was convinced that it was better to start the mix with the mastering plugs on so you know what you are dealing with from beginning to end, but eventually i realized that each song is so different, the same chains will sound totally different with each song... so now i mix then add in mastering so i can tweak the mastering plugs to better accommodate what the particular song needs.


I started using a plug called Soundgoodizer, then the more robust but similar Maximus

then i found the Voxengo Elephant plug which gave me more control and a good transparent limiting

then i tried a bunch from the Waves bundle for a long time i was happy with those

then, thank god, i found Ozone

still love it! only problem with it is i can spend too much time fiddling over the smallest changes in it lol...plus it is a resource hog if you dare to turn on all the modules , particularly the reverb one

since then, i have found the Yamaha Final Master plug to be a quality tool, and i have used it to "master" several songs for a CD so they had the same perceived loudness (but this type of "mastering" could be a separate thread itself)


but for single song mastering, im one of the Ozone faithful