Before You Start Mastering a Song Watch This!...
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- čas přidán 7. 01. 2021
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I really appreciated the examples of proper vs improper gain staging. Really helps give clarity on the subject. Thankyou 😀
Awesome! Thanks for watching!
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Good advice, and that girl’s vocal is really nice
Hey Riley! Thanks for watching - I agree she sounds great.
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I really appreciate your channel and what it has done for my mixing …. God bless you dude 😭😭😭😭…… best tutorials on CZcams hands down! 🙌🏾
That Mid / Side technique was priceless. I literally watched this video while applying this technique and my premaster instantly sounded better. The correlation meter stayed in the green..AND THATS A FIRST!!
Hey Rodney! That's awesome! Glad that one of the techniques helped!
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This is crystal clear to me about mastering. 'proper' 'improper' is best compare. Thnak you guys.
Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed how the info was presented!
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I just love you guys ! keep uploading your knowledge Sage Audio !! Thanks alot !!!
Hey Eneksy! Thanks for watching and comment - great to hear that you enjoyed it!
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This is by far one of the best music production channels I'm subscribed to
Hey Ahmed! That's awesome - thanks for watching!
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100%! agreed.. I've improved my quality of work since watching this channel.
Love your guys channel it's literally helping me tons with my upcoming album!
Thank you Great Sage! Another clear and informative video. This has quickly become my favourite channel, great work!
Hey DJ Soul Songs! Thanks for watching - awesome to hear that it's your favorite channel!
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Great tips!
Very useful video!
It's always fascinating, and there's always something new to learn. Thank you.
Some helpful tips. Thank you.
¡Gracias!
Lost for words.... Thanks a quadrillion.... You're the BEST
Hey Demag! Thanks for watching - great to hear that you enjoyed it!
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Outstanding again.. Wow.. This channel is 100% Ill.. What the heck man.. MAn, you're going to turn us all into Tony Maserati, in Logic.. This is outstanding.. Dude, your knowledge is bananas...
Thanks for watching this one too JT! Great to hear you enjoyed this video as well!
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This is pure gold!
Thanks for watching!
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That's why I always let at least 6db of headroom on my mixing before mastering.
Very useful tips! Thanx Sage!
Regards from Bcn!
🤘🏼
Very interesting video because you put gain staging as a priority before the mastering process. I think it helps a lot also understanding mastering from the mix itself and anticipate this while mixing!! thank you 💫💫💫💫
Your contents have so much knowledge
Hey AWAAZ! Thanks so much for watching and leaving a comment!
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The best audio channel.
Thanks Kleber!
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Gratitude & Appreciation💯
Thanks for watching!
Thanks SAGE Audio😀
Hey Mathias! Thanks for watching!
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Greetings from Colombia, your videos are freaking awesome!!! a new subscriber.
Legends 🙏
Hey Rev! Thanks so much for watching!
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Thanks man, great video!
Hey Dominic! Thanks for watching!
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The Best!
Hey Rion! Thanks for watching and commenting!
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Amazing stuff you been posting. Love from India
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! Glad you've been enjoying our videos!
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this is superb vdo.. thanks
Hey Gagan! Thanks for watching!
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Thank you for the gems
Thanks for watching!
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Great video!!!!!!
Thanks for watching Sam!
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Ótimo vídeo, parabéns! Só o Proq3 que seria importante alterar para linear phase para alterar mid/side sem problemas de alinhamento de fase.
Your videos are awesome, i want you to teach on brickwall limiter in the mix before mastering
I sincerely like your videos and I often learn a lot. So thanks. But, in this case, you're making an error. Your warning about distortion because of overs (the signal going over 0dB) in the processing chain of a channel is most of the time not correct. DAWs and the vast majority of plugins use 32-bit (or even 64-bit) representation internally. Your signal *cannot* distort because you go over 0dB. Thirty-two-bit FP representation gives you essentially infinite headroom (you'll never use all that is available). Now, it *is* possible that a plugin--especially a faithful analog-modeling plugin--will deal with a signal over 0dB in a way that causes distortion, but that is *intentional.* Usually, if you have over 0dB on a channel's chain and end it with a limiter or other plugin that reduces the signal again to under 0dB, you are fine (and even if the signal stays over 0dB, you're likely just fine). What matters is what happens at the very end, when you mix down and create the final signal and level. Many times, you'll end up boosting the signal into your final limiter anyway! In fact, again because of analog modeling, you might even *need* this to be so; you *want* the saturation that you get from a plugin by going over 0dB. Now, when you output your signal to your audio interface, yes, over 0dB will be clipped, by definition (the representation at that point will be 16-bit or 24-bit PCM, and that *cannot* represent anything over 0dB). So, I hope that clears things up, and again, thanks for the great videos.
Thanks for watching and sharing your insight on this Brian! You're right! After making this video I looked more into 32 and 64-bit processing and realized how this was a mistake. Thanks again for your support and for watching/commenting on our videos!
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@@sageaudio 👍 I often rewatch your videos to make sure I get it! Thanks for your work.
I learn so much about mastering in the comments 🙌🏼 great community
@@briancase6180 I guess my above question you might have knowledge on now too^^ great post by you!
This is so fucking amazing
You shouldn`t use a steep high pass filter to cut out the lows at the sides, your causing phase issues, you can already hear them in this example. Try to do as less processing as needed in the eq, maybe a little low shelf on the sides is enough, even for vinyl mastering. Even a linear phase eq ins`t always the solution because of pre ringing artefacts.
I tend to leave -6db peaks and -12 average level on a track before applying final eq, compression and limiting. The final metering levels depend greatly on the material. That's on my own material but I know many mixes won't have that much headroom to work with, which is a good reason to clip gain them down to a more manageable level.
I hear what you're saying - the genre and project will definitely play a role.
Nice 👌👋
Thanks for watching!
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Lots of DAWs use floating point processing and dont distort pre-fader. Proper headroom is still important, but not vital for every system
Right. This is generally a good video, but: Some third-party plug-ins that go to great pains to model exactly the characteristics/limitations of the hardware version that the plug-in is modeling will perform best when there is no +0dB input signal. But that is not necessary anymore in the general case and to say that inter-plug-in clipping is "a thing" is not necessarily correct. The situation is much more nuanced than that. For most people, the inter-plug-in level won't matter at all. Even your statement that decreasing "clip gain" (a very DAW-specific term) decreases the number of bits of resolution is likely overstated: it's likely you have 24 bits of resolution (if your DAW/plug-ins use double-precision floating-point or 32-bit integer, you have even more bits of resolution), so decreasing by one bit (6dB) or two bits (12dB) doesn't matter at all. In *addition,* some plug-ins behave in a very desirable way if the input is +0dB (they distort or saturate in a desirable and sought-after way).
Hey Gelatinous! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
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Personally, I like to set my mix at -6db before mastering
Then I'd use tape saturation, EQ, stereo imager, limiter and clipper(optional depending on mix)
in that order.. however you have to do a nearly perfect mix for this chain to work
Try using the clipper before the limiter 😉
Very pro
Thanks for watching!
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One thing: You should always use ProQ3 or any EQ in "Linear Phase Mode" for mastering purposes
Dear friend I want to your help my song mastering... Because I am newly start my home studio
i tend to use clippers just to reduce the immediate peaks of audio tracks, it helps to not clip each track.
Hey Nick! Thanks for watching! That sounds like a good technique!
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@@sageaudio yup, I use a clipper with a really fast attack on the immediate transient just to shave them down so that the peak doesn't clip over zero. There's no audible difference
Thank you so much. I have learnt so much from this production company. How long will it take me to get my track back?
Maybe, from time to time, like in this video and according how Pro Tools works, you could compare the signal flow of different DAWS.
Anyway, great info as usual. 😉
Thanks for watching and for the suggestion! Maybe we can do something like that in the future!
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Dear Sage audio ,
You said all the things such as basic and advanced before the Mastering and how to start it.
Dear Sage audio,
I don't know why I am afraid of using ms eq on Mastering, I haven't got a good result, I sometimes get a good feeling after a right stereo equalization and I think that I don't need to widen my mix more!
Tnx for every thing , Gain staging is the main part of starting master the songs
But before that I hear to the mix several times and first I master it in my imagination and finally I decide what to do, I don't know does it can help me or not but it has been a habit for me.
Hey Kambiz! Thanks for watching this one! Sorry to hear you haven't gotten a good result with MS equalization - hopefully there's a good setting that works for your mixes/masters.
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Something in the background music’s melody or groove is in Kanye West’s “Get Em High” 🧐
Nice! I'll have to take a listen to it again.
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Thank you! Love this video. With digital systems now being all 24 bit higher most of the time isn’t having low db audio not as much of issue as it used to be? Or am I confused. I like to take the clip gain around -15db every track before I start mixing and mastering.
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment/question! You're right, it's not as big of an issue as it once was. Granted, there will still be more noise to signal with the set up you've described, but, the noise should still be relatively low.
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IMPROPER HEADROOM 2:34
PROPER HEADROOM 2:59
Thanks for watching!
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If reducing clip gain reduces the available bits, is it better to use a gain plugin at the start of the chain instead of clip gain?
Thank you for these tips. My question is related to gain staging. I’ve heard analog plugins have sweet spots around -18dbfs. If we aim to be around -3dbfs, wouldn’t that make the plugins be out of its “sweet” spot when mastering?
-3DBFS peak not rms
Very good advice listen everyone foreal lol
Thanks Wyatt!
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Great video, thank you. What is the name of the track in the examples? Thanks!
Thanks for watching - 'Found a Way' by Hom Tanks
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I would LOVE more information on losing bits when lowering clip gain.
Hey Anthony! Thanks for watching - you're not losing bits but using less of the available bits. The bit depth remains the same but the amount of information you're using within that available range is being reduced.
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@@sageaudio got it! thanks!
@@sageaudio maybe a video idea... why you should turn channels down to create headroom vs turning down the master 🙏🏼 its always the rule but a video saying why would be cool
@@sageaudio in a 64bit summing engine with 385db possible dynamic range this doesn't make any sense...
@@eccentricworx @Anthony Jimenez Indeed , 64bit or 32bit _floating point_ formats are almost unaffected by gain. This is because internally they use something a bit like scientific notation e.g. 0.5 x 10^2 where the 0.5 part can be thought of as the signal and the 10^2 can be thought of as the gain. I've simplified it there, but that gives the gist of how it works.
The point remains though that we should create headroom for the plugins as they will often change behaviours when they get closer to 0dBFS.
@07:15 “Go back to the original clip...then watch the signal as it passes from one form of processing to another...” I’m still learning and I don’t understand how it’s possible to watch the level of the signal as it “passes through” the plugins... Should I bypass them all then activate them?...
Whats the difference between mono-ing cca. 120hz on a master channel with a gain/utility plugin or removing 120hz from the sides with an m/s eq?
One step I'd add is using Dan Worral's SPAN technique so you can visualize the MS stuff with more control. Not many people can justify spending money on Pro Q3
Hey BrunoDSL! Thanks for leaving a comment - I'll have to check this out!
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Let's do both 🙂
Wha about stereo widening? Logic has a stereo widening plugin in Imaging. Could you elaborate on that please and what it does to the signal and audio... and also if it effects the mono signals
Hey Jeremy! Thanks for watching - I wouldn't use that plugin on your masters until later on. If you have some questions about logic's plugins, here's a good video we did on it:
czcams.com/video/qydaqE7lUKU/video.html
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Really need to understand how you do your vocal chop !
Thanks for watching Laishram! Vocal chop?
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I just listened that song and i'm in love, but that track doesn't exist on Spotify :'(
I think it does! It's by Shy5 and Miine
Do you need headroom if your export in 32 bit float tho?? Thats the real question
Any reason why you prefer to use the ProQ3 in Zero latency? I have always gone for Linear for low freq clean up, just out of habit.
Hey Conan! I typically keep it at zero latency for these demonstrations so that everything is in time. But I like the natural phase option the best I think. Thanks for watching!
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@@sageaudio Ah of course, I didn't think about it being for live demos. My bad. Yes natural phase is great. In fact all the options are haha
you dont achive more headroom if you put a highpass on the master you loose headroom from the slope of the filter causing phasing issues giving a bump at the cutoff... if anything u prevent DC offset and get rid of un needed low end for clearity but not to gain headroom
sorry i am a bit confused, shouldnt the bass be cut of the mids than the sides, you cut it of the sides than the mids?
pls explain
Thanks for watching Mikey! Sorry I don't think I understand - are you asking about the order of what was cut? Since it's happening in one plugin both will be cut simultaneously when the signal runs through it.
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Are you suppose to put the plug ins on the track channel or the stereo output?
Hey Mr 295! Thanks for watching. Out of habit I typically do my processing on the channel strip and add the limiting stage to the master stereo output.
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@@sageaudio ok I get it now. Thank you
💎💎💎💎💎
Thanks for watching!
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Gainstaging: What about each plugin’s ‘optimal’ input level (especially with analog-emulation plugins like Tape)? Are you using a -18db calibration somewhere etc?
Thanks for your vids :)
Usually around there! But to be honest this is a function of analog emulation I need to look more into, so thanks for bringing it up!
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I have a huge doubt. You being a Mastering Service provider, is it not counter productive to your business to teach the secrets to the world? Just curious. Btw you have an amazing channel. A perfect place to understand mixing and mastering.
Thanks for watching Anirvan! Glad you're enjoying the channel!
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Always using addictive music for comparison tests.
Hey Dulmin! It makes it more interesting!
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dont you get a whole lot of phase mess, when putting such steep filtercutoffs in the lows?
If you use a low-latency linear phase mode it'll cut back on that a lot! Thanks for watching!
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@@sageaudio greatful for your feedback "Sage" helps me to figure out more on this:) Why not tell us at least the Name your buddies call you?! Would be more familiar here :)
Song name?
Thanks for watching - 'Found a Way' by Hom Tanks
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What is the use of having perfect sound if the music sounds like this, totaly lame elevator music?
One person's music is another person's noise. Something you might think is wonderful, someone else might think it complete crap and totally lame? That's why you have country fans, reggae fans, rap fans, jazz fans etc.
I've noticed there seem to be a lot of tunes around, made with loops and a thumping distorted bass around. The vocal consists of someone who can't sing using auto tune or talking some rap lyrics full of swearing, they imagine to be shocking? They go on a lot about making "beats" That all sounds lame to me but apparently a lot of of people consider this to be "dope" or "fire" which apparently means brilliant to some people 😅🤣
Music has always been like this...
@@AndyCampbellMusic This is the main opinion of people that don´t really care about music. Everything is equally good, Taylor Swift is at the same level as Beethoven. But, off course this is plain bullshit! Beethoven, Tschaikovskij and Beatles have stood the test of time, while 99,99 havent. I think those abowe have a common feature, listening to them triggers our brains, they all break a lot of musical rules and thats why they will never be forgotten. The music in this video is the opposite, it takes two seconds for my brain to understand this song and therefore it´s boring and quite useless.
@@michaelwirth6843 That's not what I said. Complexity does NOT necessarily equate with good. Simplicity does not necessarily equate with bad. Neither equate with personal preference
You are actually talking complete nonsense. I don't think you know anything about music at all...
Hey Michael! Thanks for watching! Hopefully you can take the concepts shown here and apply them to your projects.
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@@sageaudio The music used to demonstrate the process is not really relevant. Michael seems to have missed that point...