The Mastering Show

Some people may think this week’s topic is dull - but DON’T skip it ! If you follow Ian’s advice in this show it will have the single biggest impact on the quality of the results you can achieve in every area of audio work, not just mastering. It’s affordable, it’s simple and you need to do it. Listen now, then follow the links below ! Links How this method transformed Ian’s home studio http://productionadvice.co.uk/building-a-home-mastering-studio-part-3/ Where Ian got the stuff he used http://gikacoustics.co.uk/ A free tool to help you find out if you need to use it too http://realtraps.com/modecalc.htm A way to run that tool on a Mac, if you want to https://www.codeweavers.com/products/crossover-mac The DIY alternative http://www.gikacoustics.com/product-category/diy-acoustic-panel-bass-traps-supplies/ Mentioned in this episode:LeapwingFind out more about Leapwing's pluginsLearn to master !Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

At it’s heart, mastering is simple - but there are plenty of more sophisticated techniques available, too. In this show we talk about some of these - and why you might not want to use them. Topics include: - Stereo width & M/S (mid-side) processing - An impossible EQ challenge - Stem mastering - Mix buss processing - Tape emulation & saturation - Creating a production master Links Stereo width in mastering – how to measure, monitor and modify it http://productionadvice.co.uk/stereo-width/ Should you use a buss compressor on your mix? http://productionadvice.co.uk/buss-compressor/ The heart and soul of mastering http://productionadvice.co.uk/heart-and-soul/ Mentioned in this episode:LeapwingFind out more about Leapwing's pluginsLearn to master !Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

Loudness is still one of the hottest topics in mastering. In this episode we discuss why louder is better, but Too Loud is worse. And... - Why you must set the gain FIRST - How your plugins are fooling you - Optimising dynamics for online loudness - How loudness matching can be liberating - 90% of mastering in nutshell Links: Audio Bloggers Live http://productionadvice.co.uk/audio-bloggers-live/ Radio loudness – the Truth Loudness research Perception plugin Spotify loudness Dynamic range database DynameterMentioned in this episode:Learn to master !Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resourcesLeapwingFind out more about Leapwing's plugins

Mastering EQ is about balance, not matching. In this episode we explain what the difference is, why it matters and and ways you can get it right. Topics include: - Why “radio ready” sound is a mastering myth - How you can affect the balance of instruments in the mix, even within a stereo file - A simple but crucial point of mastering technique - The pros and cons of phase linear EQ - Ian’s recommended EQ plugins Links Loudness means NOTHING on the radio - the proof http://productionadvice.co.uk/loudness-means-nothing-on-the-radio/ The Heart And Soul of Mastering http://productionadvice.co.uk/heart-and-soul/ Phase linear EQ demonstration https://youtu.be/efKabAQQsPQ Rock music and gynaecology http://mastering-media.blogspot.co.uk/2008/08/rock-music-and-gynaecology.htmlMentioned in this episode:Learn to master !Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resourcesLeapwingFind out more about Leapwing's plugins

Compression explained - using pillows and punchbags. Yes, you read that right ! And in this show we also talk about: - Why mastering compression is all about loudness. Except it’s not. - How compression in mastering is different than in mixing - How to make mastering compression invisible - Ian’s suggested starting-point settings for mastering compression - Why you might want to use multi-band compression Links Using compression to add punch, warmth and power to your mix http://productionadvice.co.uk/using-compression/ What is compression ? Sponges hold the answer http://productionadvice.co.uk/what-is-compression/ Multiband compression – the mastering engineer’s secret weapon? http://productionadvice.co.uk/multiband-compression-for-mastering/ Gregory Scott - Demolishing Compression Myths https://www.attackmagazine.com/features/columns/gregory-scott-demolishing-the-myths-of-compression/ Cheers !Mentioned in this episode:LeapwingFind out more about Leapwing's pluginsLearn to master !Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources

In this show we take a deep dive into the topic of limiting. We explain why you need limiters, important Do’s and Dont’s, recommended plugins – and why there’s a good chance you’re using them wrong… Links: Are brickwall limiters nothing but pure evil ? http://productionadvice.co.uk/brickwall-limiters/ Video demonstrating inter-sample peaks and how they affect Mastering for iTunes http://productionadvice.co.uk/mastered-for-itunes-video/ Intersample peaks and why they matter - more about why you should leave at least 1 dB peak headroom when mastering, with audio examples https://youtu.be/veLLvoIubzo Mentioned in this episode:Learn to master !Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resourcesLeapwingFind out more about Leapwing's plugins

We’re kicking off the show with a short mini-series covering every aspect of the mastering chain in turn – levels, EQ, compression, limiting and metering. We’re going to be starting at the end and working backwards – and in case you’re wondering why, Ian explains during the show ! So in this episode we cover the “Three M’s” of mastering- and to find out what they are, you’ll need to listen to the show. Show Links: The acoustic treatment material we talked about in the show is Owens Corning 703, sometimes known as Rockwool. http://www.gikacoustics.com/product/owens-corning-703-2-inch/ To find out more about using acoustic treatment to improve the sound of your studio: http://productionadvice.co.uk/building-a-home-mastering-studio-part-3/ For more about loudness meters: http://productionadvice.co.uk/lufs-dbfs-rms/ To assess the EQ balance of your music: http://www.voxengo.com/product/span/ More about the mindset of mastering: http://productionadvice.co.uk/heart-and-soul/ Mentioned in this episode:Learn to master !Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resourcesLeapwingFind out more about Leapwing's plugins

In this first introductory episode, we introduce ourselves and talk about what we have in store for the show. We then cover some mastering basics that will give you a solid grounding for the rest of the shows. Not sure what mastering is ? Start here ! Show links: What is mastering ? Photoshop for audio http://productionadvice.co.uk/mastering-as-photoshop/ LUFS, dBFS, RMS… WTF ?!? How to read the new loudness meters http://productionadvice.co.uk/lufs-dbfs-rms/ Mentioned in this episode:LeapwingFind out more about Leapwing's pluginsLearn to master !Click HERE to see Ian's courses and mastering resources