Music Mastering Tips

Here is the mastering chain I use when mastering music. Each track is sent through the following processing equipment or plugins. I also use Back In Black by AC/DC as a reference when mastering.

Compressor
The purpose of this compressor is to compress as smoothly as possible and boost the output to near clipping. Adjust the threshold to compress up to 4 dB. Back off the threshold if “pumping” is present.

Suggested Settings: 200 ms attack, 200 ms release, 1.5:1 – 2:1 ratio.

Equalizer
Use a parametric equalizer to correct and sweeten the overall frequency response of the music. Apply no more than 3 dB increase or decrease to each frequency band. If more than 3 dB is necessary, more attention should be given to mixing the music.

Suggested Settings: wide “bell” shaped curves, use the Fletcher-Munson Curve

Sidechain Compressor
This will tighten up the higher frequencies adding presence and clarity. Compress as little as necessary to achieve an increase in clarity, too much will “wash out” the highs.

Suggested Settings: bell shaped sidechain centered around 7 kHz, 10 ms attack, 50 ms release, 1.5:1 ratio.

Limiter
The last step is to limit the peaks and raise the volume another couple decibels. The limiter can be set to compress up to 5 dB, depending on how much compression is already applied.

Suggested Settings: very fast attack, 10-90 ms release, 10:1 or higher ratio.

For best results, adjust the threshold of the compressor and limiter to vary the amount of compression. Above 8 dB of total compression will generally sound bad. Remember to listen to the music at the volume it will be played at.

Space

The most useful tool for recording music is ambient space. Seriously, not a mic, mixer, preamp, or tape.

Try recording a lead guitar track with the mic an inch from the speaker then compress/EQ it and place it in the mix. It will suck. You have to create the right space around it when you track it.

This is why a live music sounds so good, granted that the band is good. There is space, actual physical distance between you and the speakers and acoustic instruments.

Natural space is just that, natural. Our ears locate every sound we hear and then decipher where it’s coming from. Far away sounds are usually more muffled and have a bit of echo; closer sounds have more clarity and presence. Space creates a realistic quality to a recording.

The other thing happening is reflection, a little phasing, and cancellation. It’s great, stick your mics a couple feet away from a drums and you get some room sound and a little cancellation. Sure, it may have a weaker sound but it’s unique and you’re inevitably going to compress it to keep it under control, which weakens it anyway.

Each instrument needs to have a space to live in or it’s one big giant mess. Track everything with space in mind and you are heading in the right direction. Now, as each track is compressed it begins to come alive and develop its own attitude. Add a little EQ to make up for poor mic placement and the song will have a way better feel than one without space.

It’s not difficult to get great results, which is why they where able to do it in the early days with only 4 tracks. We need unique recordings more than we need bland stamped out mixes.

Swapping Preamp Tubes

Which one should I change? What kind of tube should I put in its place? Is it even worth it?

Swapping preamp tubes comes down to is what sounds best to your ears and how the amp feels in your hands.

Two tube positions that you will hear a big change are the first preamp tube and the phase inverter. If the amp has a two channels then there might be two first pre tubes. Most of the time they share the same phase inverter.

Selecting a good preamp tube for the first tube position will greatly affect the overall response of the amp. This is a good spot for that expensive, high quality tube. A good sounding one will have an even balance of highs and lows and decent gain.

The phase inverter typically adds lots of gain, can alter the frequency response, and changing this tube generally causes a big change in most tube amps. First thing to note is there are two amplifiers in a preamp tube, hence the name dual-triode. Each triode feeds half of the power amp. This is true in about 90% of the guitar amps out there. Exceptions include amps like the Fender Princeton and some Oranges though there are a few more out there.  With that being said, there are two schools of thought for the phase inverter – some people believe a good balanced pre tube will be better than one that is unbalanced. We also know that mixing a clean and distorted signal, like the way a Tube Screamer works, creates a great sound for guitars. So if an unbalanced preamp tube sounds better, go with it, there is no right way.

Another good way to experiment with the phase inverter is with tubes of lower gain. I’ve found tubes like the 12AU7 and 12AT7 help control the overall volume and the amp seems to take pedals better because of the way the frequency response becomes more even. Those tubes change the response because of the difference in gain and impedance compared to a 12AX7.

Do some research into tube reviews and your amp’s circuit before just changing to an expensive tube. It’s also important to note that some amps (like digital amps with tubes) do not change at all because of how they are designed. Amp forums are useful but take them with a grain of salt. Also worth considering is branding by “tube manufacturers”. Mesa doesn’t make tubes, they repackage them. They get their tubes from Electro-Harmonix and a couple other places. But, the Mesa tubes will usually be more consistent from tube to tube than the Electro-Harmonix ones because they test and sort them to get the best ones. It is worth the time and effort if you want to get the most out of your amp. A more responsive amp may be just a matter of changing out the right tubes, loud is not always best.