DIY \"mastering\" question

Have you tried leaving the snare uncompressed or less compressed? Are you working with a stereo sub-mix in a PT "mastering" session? If so, you will have to go back to your original session to work this out. Try creating an aux input for your compression. Open the plug in on the aux input and buss only the signals you want compressed to the compressor. Also, by utilizing an effects bus like this, you can control the amount of individual compression with your bus level send. If you dig the mix and the only problem is the snare, you could also try to import just the snare track alongside your stereo mix in your mastering session and then mix it in to taste. just some ideas.... good luck

We have tools that you don't have in tracking and mixing software. Multi-band compressors (not just a 3 band or 4 band, I have one that has 512 bands), look ahead limiters, EQs that can adjust to the hundredth of a db, etc. We also have years of experience working with music and try to convince our clients that volume is not the most important thing you are trying to achieve when you create a master. In fact trying to get your song loud can take all the dynamic expression out of your music. You have to find that happy medium. Don't compare your stuff to other CDs just to see if it is as loud. You will end up messing it up.

You could try using a slower attack time on the compressor on the mix. That could let the attacks of the drums poke through. Just a thought. I have had good results with mixing the entire mix to a separate computer, and using T RackS on the mix. EQ, tube compressor, limiter, tape saturation, and stereo enhancer in one tool, and each one is tweakable and variable. And you can swap the order of processors. What comp/limiter are you using?

thanks sean - I'll try the compressor attack time tweak. I am using "T RackS" as well. (I've beeen leaving out that info on purpose). It seems" T RackS" has many detractors on the DUC. However, I like the plug. The presets provide a nice starting point for people like me who are trying to find their way. Many people complain that the T rackS "colors" the music... and maybe as my ears evolve, I will find it unacceptable. But I like my music greasy and funky. Alot of my favorite records leave alot to be desired as far as fidelity goes. To me, it's all about the vibe anyway. I just don't want people to have to make drastic volume/eq adjustments when they are listening to my mixes along side of other product. I'm going to keep on tweaking! btw - I'm using the T RackS default setting as far as the order of processors. Should I move things around?

The idea of bringing in your snare to add to a mix you like is probably the quickest fix. Another concept is to mildly limit all the major components of your mix (kick, snare, bass, vocal, etc) individually before the stereo buss limiter. Of course that might end up exceeding your DSP horsepower if you're in the LE environment :-) But this way you're not asking your buss limiter to do all the work...transients are the first things to go when a limiter is used heavily in the stereo buss mix. If you want that cracking snare to pop through, you'll need to condition it somewhat before hand. Another possibility to to insert a hardware stereo buss limiter like an Aphex Compellor. This would definitely level out your over all mix. Internally using an 1176 or Fairchild plug in might just do the job of "conditioning" your instruments before they reach the mix buss as well. With any limiter, you basically get what you pay for. One of the best tests I've used to determine a limiter's effectiveness was to take a pair of finger cymbals and record little crashes through a limiter (selecting various attack & release settings). If the limiter is a good one, you'll hear the limiting with little transient distortion/ artifact. A crap limter will break up and add more noise than you'd want I assure you. Distortion can be good....tape saturation, even harmonic,.... Odd harmonic distortion sucks bigtime.... let me know if this helps you , ok ?

T rackS \'colors\' the music 

I've used T-Racks as a standalone and as a plug in in the past and it has its uses... Who out there knows of an " EQ / limiter processor " made that doesn't color the sound ? Let me answer that one for you....NONE. Every hardware box colors the sound in its own way. But isn't that the point...., as long as the "color" ends up as an appealing one ? You get what you pay for...If you buy a $ 300.00 processing unit..you can't in your right mind expect it to perform equally to a $3,000.00 processing unit....Well maybe some of you can... Very few of the current batch of available plug ins actually work as well as their hardware predecessor. It's an emulation...How can you expect a $ 595.00 Fairchild plug in to perform like a real antique Fairchild limiter ? Use your T-Racks and have fun !