How do YOU use the Mastering Effects in Sonar X1 producer?

Anyone? Just wanting some input as to how you guys master

John T


I don't master my own stuff unless I absolutely can't avoid it due to deadlines. Another pair of ears is always good, and I don't think I'm much cop at it anyway.

I don't see the VC64 as a mastering-specific thing, really. Nor the Tube Leveller. They both definitely have their uses in general mixing.

Then what advice/suggestions would you give for mastering in Sonar X1? I was just going off of Cakewalks page on mastering with X1. Any help would be appreciated, thanks

bz2838


I don't master in X1, I use Wavelab 7 and OZone, I prefer wavelab7

Unfortunately, my budget does not allow me to purchase additional mastering softwares in addition to Sonar X1 or take my song to a professional studio to get it mastered.


If someone can tell me more about or lead me to somewhere I can learn about mastering with Sonar X1, I would appreciate it much. Thanks again

don't master my own stuff unless I absolutely can't avoid it due to deadlines.

 
John.. honest but maybe stupid question, but I wont know if I dont ask...
 
Why wouldn't you send your mix out to be mastered and then master it yourself.. then compare what you did with what you get back, or better yet let someone else compare the two, it seems like you could over time learn to master your own stuff as well as someone else... then again, I am making assumptions and really am ignorant about it.. so I am just asking. I am trying to learn. I understand from reading that everyone says it is not a good idea to master your own stuff but wht I don't understand is why it cannot be learned... is it a bad idea no matter what?
 
Thanks.
 
Julien

Unfortunately, my budget does not allow me to purchase additional mastering softwares in addition to Sonar X1 or take my song to a professional studio to get it mastered.

 
Actually there are people on here who will master your mixes for pretty cheap.
 
I think the general thing is, if you are going to master your own music yourself is to get a CD or two that are similar in style to your music, and not too old... like released in the last year... unless you are going for some other sound. Then burn your mix and compare it to the CDs, on your monitors, on you entertainment system, on a bombox, through headphones, in your car, etc... them master to try to martch the levels and compression, etc. then burn your master and listen again through different systems etc, then do it again until you get it comparable, then post it and get input from the song forum. I think you should be able to get things so that they please you... but time is money and you'll be spending a lot of time.... and really check out some of the links users here have on their posts and you may be surprised how cheap it is to get a mi mastered and you wil also learn if your mix is OK. Sometimes an experienced person will tell you to remix. You have to leave headroom for mastering. You should buy and use Sonar X1 POWER! and get Anderton's video and watch it and the Groove 3 videos like "mixing rock" are good. I don't know much either but I believe I can do it if I try and I believe you can too, but I also think getting professional ears to listen to your mixes before starting to try to master is essential.... according to the "Mythbusters" you can indeed polish a turd but I'd prefer not to myself. (not saying your music is a turd but your mix may be without your knowing it and that would completely frustrate your mastering attempt).
 
Good luck!! I hope you have fun and get it done.
 
Julien

There is an excellent article in the latest Sound On Sound about the "Loudness War", that demonstrates some surprising stuff. One counter intuitive point it makes is that "dynamic range" hasn't actually overall decreased in recorded music over the last couple of decades, and also points out what a slippery concept "dynamic range" can be.

It agrees that there are lots of undesirable effects of modern loudness based mixing and mastering methods, but it's a very nuanced take on the fine detail of what's going on, based on analysis of 4,500 recordings ranging from the late 60s to now. I highly recommend that anyone who gets the chance reads it.

@John T: Do have a link or article title?

Oooh, I don't but I suppose I should :).

i master on 2 track's only: having the Yamaha ns10's is key to tracking, making mastering much easier, then listening on JBL 4412's to hear overall mix.. no good speaker ..no good mastering

as for what im using in X-1 ..forget it..im not telling anyone..

John T


Articles aren't on line until three months after print publication, alas. Unless you've got an on-line subscription....?

I think it is available on-line for those who subscribe...

Bub

I do all of my own mastering. I used to use all of the 64 series FX but got away from them. They are all resource hungry and some of them cause pops and clicks when adjusted in real time and I personally can't work like that. 

So do you think having several instances of these 64 series effects in a single project will cause CPU strain? Like maybe having them on 1/2 or 1/3 of the tracks in the entire project? Please note my computer specs in my sig. Thanks

backwoods


So do you think having several instances of these 64 series effects in a single project will cause CPU strain? Like maybe having them on 1/2 or 1/3 of the tracks in the entire project? Please note my computer specs in my sig. Thanks 


Your "sig" shows that you use X1 producer, shouldn't you work it out yourself?

Unfortunately, I still only have the trial version (will be swinging by a local Guitar Center soon to purchase the real deal) and the trial does not include these 64 series effects.

Bub


You should be fine, but if you do run in to problems, just freeze the tracks you aren't working on. What I ran in to was if you adjust the LP-64 EQ while the project is playing you can get some pops and clicks because of the way it is designed. And the other thing I didn't like was the plug-in's are laid out all over the place. But with X1, you can create FX chains and create a chain with all the mastering plug-in's in it and set everything up that way. There may even be a chain set up already.

Do the pops and clicks occur even with the X1c update? I don't know if you've read a post I wrote about a week ago, but I have issues with freezing tracks. It seems almost as though the more tracks I freeze, the LESS cpu efficient my project becomes. That is, there is a more noticable delay after playing play before the playback actually begins, and other sluggish conditions. Don't know about you, but I have 4GB of RAM... if that matters at all.

Have to shut down for the night ... I'll check back tomorrow.