User Guide

GETTING SETUP FOR MASTERING

Software and Sound Card

To master on a PC you need some type of editing software and a sound card. There are plenty

of reviews and articles on software and sound cards, so we defer to other sources for you to

make your choice.

One important point is that when mastering you’re really just focused on improving a mixed

down stereo file. Applications such as Wavelab, Sound Forge, and Adobe Audition (Cool Edit)

are designed specifically for working with stereo files. However, you can bring a stereo file into

a multitrack program (i.e. SONAR, SAW, Samplitude, Vegas, Cubase, Nuendo, Logic, etc.) as a

single stereo track and master it that way. We caution you against doing mixing and

mastering in one step, though. That is, trying to master while also mixing the multitrack

project. While you could put Ozone as a master effect on a multitrack project, the first

practical problem is that this requires more CPU than necessary as the software is both trying

to mix your tracks as well as run Ozone (which does require more CPU than a typical plug-in).

The second problem is that you’re tempted to try to mix, master, arrange, and maybe even

rerecord in the same session. When we’re working we like the separation of recording/mixing

and mastering. You focus on the overall sound of the mix and improving that instead of

thinking “I wonder how that synth part would sound with a different patch?” Get the mix you

want, mix down to a stereo file, and then master as a separate last step

Mastering Effects

When mastering, you’re typically working with a limited set of specific effects.

• Compressors, limiters, expanders and gates are used to adjust the dynamics of a mix. For

adjusting the dynamics of specific frequencies or instruments (such as adding punch to

bass or warmth to vocals) a multiband dynamic effect is required, as opposed to a

single band compressor that applies to the entire range of frequencies in the mix.

• Equalizers are used to shape the tonal balance.

• Reverb can add an overall sheen to the mix, in addition to the reverb that may have

been applied to individual tracks.

• Stereo Imaging effects can adjust the perceived width and image of the sound field.

• Harmonic Exciters can add a presence or “sparkle” to the mix.

• Loudness Maximizers can increase the loudness of the mix while simultaneously

limiting the peaks to prevent clipping.

• Dither provides the ability to convert higher word length recordings (e.g. 24 or 32 bit) to

lower bit depths for CD (e.g. 16 bit) while maintaining dynamic range and minimizing

quantization distortion.

Like everything in this guide, this is just our suggestion based on the way we work (when we’re working

on music and not coding DSP). Work the way you work best.