Now for mastering, the key here is to not have many peaks before you export your mix. Having wave form preview turned on, you should be able to determine where your peaks may be coming from. Again, sometimes eq is the problem on the instrument. It's amazing what you can control with eq these days. But if you have to compress a bit, just make sure you are using the right compressor for the right reasons.
 
But in mastering, I stopped using the compressor I used for the longest time. The reason being...my belief is I've learned a lot more about how a mix should be before I export it and I use a 2 bus compressor now. I never used to use one, but the key there is having the right one. I'm actually astonished at how much it's made a difference for me. Everything I've used it on sounds incredible. Everything I don't use it on...seems to be lacking.
 
That said, the 2-bus comp glues the mix together and also forces you to make eq changes that you wouldn't make if it weren't on the master bus. It's not a necessity, but has made a difference for me. Due to this, when I master, I rarely use a compressor on my own stuff. For clients, sometimes I use a compressor (Waves API 2500) but most of the time I find myself getting the best results using my UAD Precision Multiband compressor. Used lighly, the way I'd use my compressor while mastering, this also gives me frequency control which is a nice plus. You don't need much, that's for sure. And then of course I limit at the end of the chain with either a Waves L2/L3, PSP Xenon or UADF Maximizer. They all have different strengths for different styles of music.
 
But that said, before I even get to the mastering stage, I like to control peaks manually. By using a program that can literally allow you to raise/lower individual peaks by zooming in on them, (Adobe Audition is excellent for this) it allows you to just concentrate on any peaks that may be a problem. The highest peak in the file will be your loudest point if you just put a limiter on. If you control that peak and lower it, you can actually make the song louder IF need be. Though it takes a long time to edit peaks if they are in excess, it's a fool proof way to manually edit your audio so that you don't over limit while getting artifacts. Anyway, hope some of this helps. :)
 
-Danny

So Danny inquiring minds want to know; What comp are you using on the 2 buss?
 
Tom

DeeringAmps
So Danny inquiring minds want to know; What comp are you using on the 2 buss?
 
Tom

Sorry I forgot to mention that. Was in between two different things while posting that. LOL! It's a little secret that I'd rather not discuss. Hahaha...just kidding man. :)
 
I've fallen in love with the UAD Fatso. (The Senior version is cool too, but not for two bus) There's just something about that thing that just blows me away that no other comp has been able to do. I even use it on instruments when need be, but it's just about always on my master bus. You don't just throw it on there....you have to put it on BEFORE you mix anything and mix into it. The warmth controls probably have something to do with why I like it...but the saturation is quite nice when needed too. It's just one of those comps that stands by itself. Like it or hate it, I've never tried anything like it that sounded the way it sounds. :)
 
-Danny

How Danny,
 
Thanks a lot for you advice. There's quite a lot to read and take in there, so I'm going to take some time to digest before I say more... I've got to go to bed now... Been slaving over a hot DAW all day (sometimes being out of work has its advantages).
 
cheers
 
andy

+1 to Danny re using an editor to sort things out BEFORE you go slamming dynamic effects over stuff.  I do it all the time.  A program like Adobe Audition (Cool Edit Pro 2) is excellent for doing this sort of stuff.
 
The great thing too is when you tame the peak heights down to the rest of the stuff you can often add rms gain to a whole mix too for free.  What I like about the way Audition handles a peak is that it leaves everything down the bottom alone and just limits the height of the peak.  And nicely too.  You certainly won’t hear it.
 
Over tracks you may have a track that varies a bit in level all the way through eg a vocal track or a bass part.  The worst thing you can do I believe is to slam some form of dynamics processor over the whole track to sort it all out.  The problem with that is the processor will be working hard on some bits and hardly at all on others so it becomes too inconsistent.
 
A much better thing to do is open a vocal track in an editor say and I put a VU meter over the whole thing and just edit the louder bits down and the softer bits up.  Then you can put a compressor over the vocal track but now you can set it so it is not working hard at all and with a low ratio.   Low ratios produce a bigger sound. And hence you can turn those parts down and still hear them nice in a mix.  In this mode you will find after editing the compressor will be nice and consistent over the whole track now.  (same in mastering too)
 
Another reason why I like the fact the waveforms in Studio One reflects clip gain adjustments.  You can split tracks and adjust a lot of this by eye and it way fast.  Another way of doing it.
 
And hello to Danny too.  Have not heard from you in a while.  I have been very busy these days over in the Presonus forums going on about V3.

Jeff Evans
+1 to Danny re using an editor to sort things out BEFORE you go slamming dynamic effects over stuff.  I do it all the time.  A program like Adobe Audition (Cool Edit Pro 2) is excellent for doing this sort of stuff.
 
The great thing too is when you tame the peak heights down to the rest of the stuff you can often add rms gain to a whole mix too for free.  What I like about the way Audition handles a peak is that it leaves everything down the bottom alone and just limits the height of the peak.  And nicely too.  You certainly won’t hear it.
 
Over tracks you may have a track that varies a bit in level all the way through eg a vocal track or a bass part.  The worst thing you can do I believe is to slam some form of dynamics processor over the whole track to sort it all out.  The problem with that is the processor will be working hard on some bits and hardly at all on others so it becomes too inconsistent.
 
A much better thing to do is open a vocal track in an editor say and I put a VU meter over the whole thing and just edit the louder bits down and the softer bits up.  Then you can put a compressor over the vocal track but now you can set it so it is not working hard at all and with a low ratio.   Low ratios produce a bigger sound. And hence you can turn those parts down and still hear them nice in a mix.  In this mode you will find after editing the compressor will be nice and consistent over the whole track now.  (same in mastering too)
 
Another reason why I like the fact the waveforms in Studio One reflects clip gain adjustments.  You can split tracks and adjust a lot of this by eye and it way fast.  Another way of doing it.
 
And hello to Danny too.  Have not heard from you in a while.  I have been very busy these days over in the Presonus forums going on about V3.

Well said Jeff. :) Hello to you too! Hope you're doing ok brother. Doing great here. Been busy also. Got that Midas all set up, built my new room and have been having a blast with all my new toys. Amazing how good those Midas pre's are. If you ever start thinking about one....don't procrastinate. That console was one of the best purchases I ever made. I'll have to show you some pics of the new room. It came out so good! Talk soon.
 
-Danny

Thanks for chipping in Jeff, I always value your comments 
 
I guess some of this is going to go over my head for a bit... So much still to learn. As I've said before, I'm a hobbyist composer, tracker, mixer and masterer, and my time can sometimes be limited. As well as learning new stuff...
 
I have, just recently, used a volume envelope to tame one particular peak down, so I suppose this is what I should be doing in the first instance.
 
By the way, I rarely "track" stuff, as most of my work is soft synth stuff, with the odd guitar thrown in now and then. So unless I freeze the instrument track I don't have a waveform to work with. Perhaps I should consider freezing first...
 
Thanks again for everyone's help here 
 
andy

Great stuff...what tools are included with Splat to evaluate and correct...aside from Comp/Lim.
 
In other words what is a "volume envelope", is it included with Splat?
 
You know what I mean...I think.
 
I have Alloy2 and Ozone5...and I think they have analytical SW on there...that is if that is what you are speaking to.
 
Thanks.

TremoJem
In other words what is a "volume envelope", is it included with Splat?

 
Hiya 
 
By that I mean this:-
 

 
I placed this volume envelope in an automation lane just where I was expecting some pesky peaks in an audio track, and I didn't want to make the overall track quieter. Note blue symbol in the track, which I clicked on to open the automation lane.
 
I only use X2 but I would imagine it would still be there in Platinum.
 
cheers
 
andy

Andy,
 
Wow...I am such an idot. Of course I know what a Volume Envelope is...I just know it as Volume Automation...DOH!
 
Are you kidding me. my tracks are riddled with those.
 
I don't have one track in any of my projects that don't have them. I control all spikes using that tool.
 
I even use them to mute parts where string noise from myself and the bass player are present, as a result of changing neck position on our instruments.
 
I will mute parts of drums tracks where there is bleed from other sources, or even on the overheads to control bleeds into parts of a song that need to be quiet at a specific point and quickly too.
 
Volume Envelopes are one of my biggest editing tool and one that requires an enormous amount of my time.
 
I am still learning about comp/lim subtleties. I mean, I don't use them aggressively...I just want to understand them better and therefore enable the ability to use them more effectively to achieve what I want.
 
Thanks