bob katz - the secret of the mastering engineer

8/13/2019 Bob Katz - The Secret of the Mastering Engineer

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Table of contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Your Room Your Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Metering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Dynamics Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Sequencing:Relative Levels, Loudness and Normalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Recipe for Radio Success . . . . . . . . . . 11Dither . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Equalization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Sibilance Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Noise reduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Advanced Mastering Techniques . . . . . 17

Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19


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Mastering vs. Mixing

When you ask your spouse to turn the TV

down a touch - do you mean only 1 dB?

Think Holistically


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Very few recording studios are suitable for mastering.For optimal mastering, use a different room than yourrecording studio or room. The typical recording controlroom has noisy fans, a large console and acousticobstacles that interfere with evaluation of sound.

What's wrong with near-field monitors?

Subwoofers

Room Acoustics

Monitor Translation

Monitoring Levels and Fletcher-Munson

When you go to a concert, do you identify an 80 Hz resonance under the third balcony?


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Truth in Metering

The Ear Is The Final Judge

Quasi-Peak Meters and Judgment of Quality

Peak Program Meter

Over Counters and Increased Level


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The Myth of Radio-Ready

radio ready

The Music Always Comes First1

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The Sound Comes Second3

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Preparing For The Radio6 Peak to average ratio


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7 Subsonics

8 Excessive Sibilance

9 Excessive peak percussion

Loudness and the radio

Do you know what comb filtering is?


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What Is An Accurate Tone Balance

Specialized Music Genres

EQ Tricks

When you go to concerts, do you sometimes think you hear edits?

Wordlengths and Dithering

Here are some basic rules and examples:


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At concerts do you try to identify themicrophones that are used?

Know Your Limits

EQ Interaction with the compressor


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If a film or TV actor wearing a microphone crosses his arms, do you immediately notice the change in sound quality?

Monitors and Equalization

Monitors and Stereo Imaging

beyond

up over up

Adjusting stereo balance


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Alternate Mixes

MS Mastering Techniques

Do you try to identify the frequency every time you hear system feedback?

The MS adventure begins


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Even More Advanced M-S Technique

Make an UnFinalized Safety


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bob katz - the secret of the mastering engineer

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