Mixing/Mastering for Trap/Hip Hop

W

wavygrvy

New member
Preparing Mixing/Mastering for Trap/Hip Hop

For those who sell trap/hip hop beats online, what do you slap on the master before calling the project done? I know its important to leave headroom for artists but still make your beat loud enough. Any good suggestions for mastering plug ins for a simple master? Do I just use a multiband limiter and maybe a phase EQ? I know the Waves L3 is on sale right now and it also comes with L3 Ultramaximizer, L3-LL Multimaximizer and L3-LL Ultramaximizer Any tips are appreciated.
 
Last edited:
Let it be done by a professional. And with your questions in mind it would probably be better not to do even the mixing by yourself.
 
wavygrvy said:
For those who sell trap/hip hop beats online, what do you slap on the master before calling the project done? I know its important to leave headroom for artists but still make your beat loud enough. Any good suggestions for mastering plug ins for a simple master? Do I just use a multiband limiter and maybe a phase EQ? I know the Waves L3 is on sale right now and it also comes with L3 Ultramaximizer, L3-LL Multimaximizer and L3-LL Ultramaximizer Any tips are appreciated.
Click to expand...


It's usually good practice to have your mix sounding close to where you want it before you start adding things on your master channel. This also helps your consistency w/ mixing.


I usually keep it minimal...maybe an EQ, stereo imager before the 'always used' limiter/maximizer.
 
Light compression and light limiting are okay. Don't push it too far or the artist has less to work with.

Use EQ only if it needs it. But you may have better results EQing each track in the mix appropriately: make your adjustments with a scalpel, not a broadsword.

Waves makes decent plugins, not superb plugins. But I use them myself. Can't beat the price/performance when you find them on a good sale.


I suppose you might get more beat sales by utilizing hard compression, hard limiting, a smile EQ, and artificial stereo widening. If your customers are susceptible to things like that. It will make their final products sound worse, particularly if they are any good at engineering themselves or are hiring someone good. Sometimes that's just the way the world works. Beats, Bose, and SkullCandy sound pretty gross. Yet if you ask the average consumer which headphone brands are best...
 
Last edited:
Thank you this was the answer I was looking for.


Milo Burke said:
Light compression and light limiting are okay. Don't push it too far or the artist has less to work with.

Use EQ only if it needs it. But you may have better results EQing each track in the mix appropriately: make your adjustments with a scalpel, not a broadsword.

Waves makes decent plugins, not superb plugins. But I use them myself. Can't beat the price/performance when you find them on a good sale.


I suppose you might get more beat sales by utilizing hard compression, hard limiting, a smile EQ, and artificial stereo widening. If your customers are suseptible to things like that. It will make their final products sound worse, particularly if they are any good at engineering themselves or are hiring someone good. Sometimes that's just the way the world works. Beats, Bose, and SkullCandy sound pretty gross. Yet if you ask the average consumer which headphone brands are best...
Click to expand...
 
In my opinion beats shouldn't be mastered. May only for promotion. Your website don't need a loud mastered beat and a customer looping the beat for writing doesn't neither. I've got customers sending me mastered mp3-beats and their vocals. This is terrible. Do your customers a favour and send them a mix to record on and the track outs of the beat, even if they're only purchasing leasing rights. They will buy your beats again and again (if you're good) ... ;)
 
Free Your Mix said:
In my opinion beats shouldn't be mastered. May only for promotion. Your website don't need a loud mastered beat and a customer looping the beat for writing doesn't neither. I've got customers sending me mastered mp3-beats and their vocals. This is terrible. Do your customers a favour and send them a mix to record on and the track outs of the beat, even if they're only purchasing leasing rights. They will buy your beats again and again (if you're good) ... ;)
Click to expand...

I ended up deciding to just go with using a limiter to just add some head room and thats basically it and I can always include a no limiter and with limiter version of the track or like you said maybe for promotion like a youtube video or whatever. Also, its not very wise to send trackouts unless they are buying exclusive rights or maybe sometimes a premium lease some producers do
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top