protools mixng question

[alva1414]

Ive been doing a lot of recording and want to turn out some quality mixes. I have then fine when they are in protools and have various levels of slight compression all through the stages of mix( kick snare, toms, tom mix, ohs, kit compression) as well as eq and other plugs. My mixes sound very well balanced throughout the entire track and are comfortable to listen too but when I bounce out I am getting a mix that is very aggressive sounding eq wise even though I have no master eq. Only compression ( 4:1 with a slow attack and fast release and only about 3-4 db of gain reduction). I know this is getting slightly in the box mastering and all but I want to know hwo you guys bounce out your stuff to get a decent, comfortable mix.

[DeeP_FRieD]

You can put an eq on the master channel and you can individually eq the tracks. Also, you could eq the bounced track to warm it up. Maybe also take down the master fader 5db...

There are other software packages that are much easier to use if you are a beginner. I would suggest Logic, it's easier.

[chris perra]

Are you Dithering?

[sejuba]

It would be cool if we could have a listen. I only dither when I´m sending the track to a mastering house, which I almost never do because
I mostly record stuff for myself. I actually like using compression and eq on the master bus. Analog Channel 1 (Neve/API/SSL preset) is quite subtle, but I do like what it does to the track. There´s a comp called "the glue", its fairly cheap and does a great job, although i find it quite agressive. McDsp has a plugin called "G Channel" (I believe) which is suited for the master bus. The thing is amazing (both eq and comp working together).

Are you mainly recording and mixing drums ? I´m starting to get good results with my rig, although I have this thought that if I run (say vocals) through a fet compressor while tracking (I´m talking slight compression, or simply turning up the gain knob), the end result when mixing will be much better. I feel
this will improve my vocal and bass recordings. Maybe if you own really high end gear that won´t be necessary (and I´m not saying it is), I´d just like
to experiment sometime when money allows. There´s a cheap (and quite good) compressor called the RNC.

Give it a go

[chris perra]

Dithering is the last stage of mixing/mastering,.. By Mastering house do you mean Where they sequence the tracks ect or where they manufacture the cd's You shouldn't dither before you send it to them,.. because it will affect the sound and they will dither again after using their plugins ect..

You'll be going from 16 bit, to whatever bit rate is in their Daw back to 16 after they are done,.. Better to leave it in 24 or 32 when sending it to a mastering house..

Alava1414 ,.. are you using a brickwall limiter in you mastering chain? Most daws have the ability to handle volumes over 0db and not sound distorted and weird, because they are in 24 bit or more but if you render to a wave or mp3,.. it changes to 16 bit,.. if your volume levels go over 0db in the digital world, you will get slight distortion and things will sound messed up. Always use a brickwall limiter after your mastering plug ins to stop the signal from going past 0db,.. Then use a dither plug in to chop off the extra bits... If you are doing your own mastering..

[sejuba]

Dithering is the last stage of mixing/mastering,.. By Mastering house do you mean Where they sequence the tracks ect or where they manufacture the cd's You shouldn't dither before you send it to them,.. because it will affect the sound and they will dither again after using their plugins ect..

You'll be going from 16 bit, to whatever bit rate is in their Daw back to 16 after they are done,.. Better to leave it in 24 or 32 when sending it to a mastering house..

Alava1414 ,.. are you using a brickwall limiter in you mastering chain? Most daws have the ability to handle volumes over 0db and not sound distorted and weird, because they are in 24 bit or more but if you render to a wave or mp3,.. it changes to 16 bit,.. if your volume levels go over 0db in the digital world, you will get slight distortion and things will sound messed up. Always use a brickwall limiter after your mastering plug ins to stop the signal from going past 0db,.. Then use a dither plug in to chop off the extra bits... If you are doing your own mastering..

yeah, you´re right. i was in a bit of hurry so mixed up what I was trying to say.. what I meant was that a) I don´t put anything on the master bus if I´m sending it to a mastering house because I believe they have much better gear like an all analog summing bus (although that still mixing, some guys will bounce the file for you in their more powerful systems and b) i never dither because most of what I do is for myself, so usually I skip this step. I don´t think I hear a difference between dithered and non dithered, anyhow, if i do dither, i use Waves Dither.

[cjbdrm]

Did you try bouncing without the compression on the master and compare?

I suggest bouncing down to 2 tracks, and then mastering those two tracks, like traditional mastering. As opposed to throwing some plugins on the master fader during mixing and calling it mastering. It would help simplify things and keep the plug-ins from competing with each other.

Other than that, it's kinda hard to tell without more information. In my experience dithering never sounded like an agressive EQ, you may want to read the manual.

[chris perra]

If you don't dither and you don't use a limiter, things can sound totally different..

For me Apogge vs Waves dithering there's a difference in the top end,..Appoge tends to darken things a bit..They each sound a bit different depending on the material recorded. But not crazy agressive eq.. I was referring to the lack of dithering and or brickwall limiting being the culprit..

[DeeP_FRieD]

I got a question.

What are you using to playback the bounced track?