The Mastering Show

The Mastering Show Podcast•www.themasteringshow.com

This is the show where we cover all aspects of mastering. If you're interested in mastering, want to learn how to get better results mastering your own music, or even want to be a mastering engineer, this is the show you want to hear!

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Episodes

The Mastering Show #10 - Dynamic Range Day

Why “Dynamic Range Day” is a really bad name. And come to think of it, why “dynamic range” probably isn’t what you think it is. And neither are “dynamics”! And why the Loudness War hasn’t changed them. At least, not one kind – or not in the way that you think. Because physics. It’s complicated! Plus special bonus topics: Autotune and Taylor Swift (!) Links: Dynamic Range Day http://dynamicrangeday.co.uk/ How to use the TT ‘Dynamic Range’ Meter – and where to get it http://productionadvice.co.uk/...

May 12, 2016•44 min

The Mastering Show #9 - Analogue versus Digital

Can digital really sound as good as analogue ? Should you use analogue or digital gear when mastering ? Could higher sample rates be hurting your music ? What’s wrong with the phrase “in the box” ? Why is a digital photograph NOT a good analogy for a digital audio file ? Why does Ian think recorded sound is miraculous, and what does that have to do with the answers to all the previous questions ? Links: There are no “stair steps” in digital audio http://productionadvice.co.uk/no-stair-steps-in-d...

May 05, 2016•53 min

The Mastering Show #8 - You Need This

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://...

Apr 28, 2016•56 min

The Mastering Show #7 - Advanced Techniques

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...

Apr 21, 2016•55 min

The Mastering Show #6 - Loudness

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 databas...

Apr 14, 2016•49 min

The Mastering Show #5 - EQ

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/...

Apr 07, 2016•54 min

The Mastering Show #4 - Compression

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....

Apr 01, 2016•55 min

The Mastering Show #3 - Limiting

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 s...

Mar 23, 2016•39 min

The Mastering Show #2 - The Three M's of Mastering

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, ...

Mar 23, 2016•49 min

The Mastering Show #1 - The Basics of Mastering

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: Mastering...

Mar 23, 2016•27 min

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