Does anyone REALLY know?

  • Thread starter M.E.T.H.O.D...MAN
  • Start date
M

M.E.T.H.O.D...MAN

Guest
I have been trying to figure out the best way to master my songs so that I can get them to be the best possible quality when I upload them to my site for sales purposes. Obviously I will not really be "mastering" the tracks because I am not a mastering engineer, more like making sure the volume hits 0DB and maybe doing some slight compression. I know that I need to focus on making a perfect mix and EQing properly and that this is what I need to focus most of my attention on so that I have to do a lot less during mastering process. The SITUATION I am sure many of us are running into, is that EVERY person on youtube who gives a tutorial on how to mix and master in FL studio seems to do it differently. Many claim they do not know how to really master but this is what most guys do to put their stuff up on soundcloud. I want the best quality FL can offer, obviously when I sell my tracks they will be not mastered it at all, but rather I'll send them the split mixer tracks in .wav format so they can have a real engineer master it, but for song demo and preview purposes, I need "some" sort of mastering done no? Even the mixing process is explained differently. Some say to add the effects you want (using send tracks to save CPU), but do not touch the volume levels. Then export the mixer tracks as .wav files and import them back into FL to then start mixing. Others say to mix and add effects, EQ, THEN export as .wav files and go back and master in FL on a new project. Then there is the issue of the correct way to use the parametric EQ on the individual instruments. Some guys tell you to completely cut the frequencies below and above where the spectrogram hits to leave headroom for the other instruments. Others pretty much leave it as is but boost a little here, and cut a tad there but the default line remains pretty much straight with maybe a slight curve. Then there are the guys who say first do a 30hz 18hz cut, and then add another parametric eq2 to slightly bring up certain frequencies. THE worst of the worst are the mastering tutorials. EVERYBODY seems to do it differently with no explanation as to why. Some say to only use maximus and maybe the limiter but keep it minimal because FL is not great for mastering. Others say FL is great for mastering like this guy Seasho who has a 5 series tutorial on adding the compressor, limiter, parametric eq, and maximus all on the master track, then having TWO submix channels in the mixer each with their own parametric eq and compressors. Then I find out the kid says he does not have any experience really he goes by what he sees others do and has no mastering experience at all. So I ask you, WHO is right?? I know many will say, "there is no right way, use your ear, etc." Look, I have been playing in bands for 15 years and have a great ear. I just broke into hip hop production though and want basically a way to master or "finish" my tracks so that they sound up to their full potential. I want to do it with the same native FL plugins each time and not have to worry about it as much as getting a great mix and beat itself... I know its a long post but bear with me please I am trying to get a perspective before I go insane. Can anybody clear this up for me or find me a step by step guide for FL proper mixing and mastering?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have been trying to figure out the best way to master my songs so that I can get them to be the best possible quality when I upload them to my site for sales purposes. Obviously I will not really be "mastering" the tracks because I am not a mastering engineer, more like making sure the volume hits 0DB and maybe doing some slight compression. I know that I need to focus on making a perfect mix and EQing properly and that this is what I need to focus most of my attention on so that I have to do a lot less during mastering process. The SITUATION I am sure many of us are running into, is that EVERY person on youtube who gives a tutorial on how to mix and master in FL studio seems to do it differently. Many claim they do not know how to really master but this is what most guys do to put their stuff up on soundcloud. I want the best quality FL can offer, obviously when I sell my tracks they will be not mastered it at all, but rather I'll send them the split mixer tracks in .wav format so they can have a real engineer master it, but for song demo and preview purposes, I need "some" sort of mastering done no? Even the mixing process is explained differently. Some say to add the effects you want (using send tracks to save CPU), but do not touch the volume levels. Then export the mixer tracks as .wav files and import them back into FL to then start mixing. Others say to mix and add effects, EQ, THEN export as .wav files and go back and master in FL on a new project. Then there is the issue of the correct way to use the parametric EQ on the individual instruments. Some guys tell you to completely cut the frequencies below and above where the spectrogram hits to leave headroom for the other instruments. Others pretty much leave it as is but boost a little here, and cut a tad there but the default line remains pretty much straight with maybe a slight curve. Then there are the guys who say first do a 30hz 18hz cut, and then add another parametric eq2 to slightly bring up certain frequencies. THE worst of the worst are the mastering tutorials. EVERYBODY seems to do it differently with no explanation as to why. Some say to only use maximus and maybe the limiter but keep it minimal because FL is not great for mastering. Others say FL is great for mastering like this guy Seasho who has a 5 series tutorial on adding the compressor, limiter, parametric eq, and maximus all on the master track, then having TWO submix channels in the mixer each with their own parametric eq and compressors. Then I find out the kid says he does not have any experience really he goes by what he sees others do and has no mastering experience at all. So I ask you, WHO is right?? I know many will say, "there is no right way, use your ear, etc." Look, I have been playing in bands for 15 years and have a great ear. I just broke into hip hop production though and want basically a way to master or "finish" my tracks so that they sound up to their full potential. I want to do it with the same native FL plugins each time and not have to worry about it as much as getting a great mix and beat itself... I know its a long post but bear with me please I am trying to get a perspective before I go insane. Can anybody clear this up for me or find me a step by step guide for FL proper mixing and mastering?

Just do whatever sounds good.
 
The best way to self-master is to make a f*cking great mix - if there's a need to go through some kind of an elaborate "mastering process" after the mix is finished, it's simply an indicator that the mix isn't finished...at least in the context of a single track. Balancing out multiple tracks (an album, for example) is another thing, of course. But in order to get anything out of those countless (often useless) tutorials, you'll have to simply start thinking it out yourself, instead of trying to decide who's got it "right". Think about why someone tells you to cut this or add that - more often than not you'll probably learn that these Youtube cowboys are just doing it because they read somewhere that that's what you should do. Common sense (& a good set of ears) goes a long way - so in a way it does eventually come down to "just do whatever sounds good" :)
 
A&R's that except tracks usually say bottom heavy. I like to keep the drum beat loud and keep everything else lower... but like eating a reese's... there's no right or wrong way... just better ways.
 
Back
Top