Audio Mastering Manual

"Audio Engineering – Audio Manuals for the Sound Engineer" Series
Volume 4

• 178 total pages (A4 format – Font Avenir Book 11 – Line spacing 1)
• 3 pages of index divided into 3 levels (to find each topic quickly)
• n. 13 chapters
• n. 65 images

NOTES ON THE 4TH EDITION 2022

• modernization of processes, also as a result of the new software resources available
• improved the entire section dealing with dynamics and finalization
• improved the exposition logic, better distinguishing the preliminary and theoretical parts from the more strictly operational ones
• smooth out some expressive tortuosities
• insertion of a greater number of images and explanatory diagrams
• revisions of the graphic design and cover
• the correction has been completed

Preface

Unlike mixing, which requires a mix of technical expertise and artistic skill, mastering is dominated by technical skills, but the sound engineer's artisanal expertise will have a significant impact on the final result.

To do this, the mastering engineer will have to enhance the work of the mix-maker, so that the sound product sounds perfect, clear, energetic and grandiose.

Therefore, he will have to sharpen his weapons, in order to eliminate any confusing tonal patina and enhance the dynamics, bringing out the brightness and depth of the sound, for the benefit of a better enjoyment of the music.

Together, their goal will be to deliver well-calibrated, accurate, and standards-compliant products, offering the most usable versions for the recording, entertainment, broadcasting, and film industries.

The Author

Manual Index

MASTERING PRELIMINARIES 9
Itb and Otb 9
Purpose of Mastering 9
What is needed 11
Analog and Digital 13
Mix Analysis 13
Logbook 13
Dynamic Analysis 15
Listening Impressions 17
Stereo-mono compatibility 17
Tone Check 18
Dynamic Verification 20
Mix Review 21
Creating and setting up a session 21
Computer Resources 24
Other specifications 25
Comparisons 27
Mastering “on board” 27
Sound levels 29
EDITING 31
Cutting, silencing, fading 32
Start Cutting 32
Start Silencing 32
Start Fading 33
End cutting, silence, fading 33
Middle cutting, insert 34
STEMS 36
Stem Mastering 37
Addition and Subtraction 37
Which stems 38
How to correctly export stems 40
DYNAMICS AND LOUDNESS 42
Dynamics 42
Listening 44
Natural Dynamics 46
Recording dynamics 47
Loudness war 48
Consequences on audio 50
Lufs 53
The Streaming Revolution 54
Reference loudness 56
True Peak level 57
The new standards 58
THE WORK SESSION IN MASTERING 61
Importing mixes and stems 61
The audio chain 64
Control Processors 65
Building a template 71
MS MASTERING 72
The MS 72 chain
LR to M/S encoding 72
M/S Processing 73
M/S to L/R decoding 74
How to set up the M/S matrix on Daw 74
Mastering operations with the M/S 77 matrix
Conclusion 78
STEREO PHASING AND IMAGING 80
Phase correlation 80
Troubleshooting Mix Phase Problems 82
Stereo image 84
Symmetry 85
Width 85
Center leveling 86
NOISE REDUCTION 88
Click 89
Crackle 90
Hiss 90
Hum 92
Traffic noise, wind noise and feedback 95
Conclusion 95
TONE CORRECTION 96
Acoustic perception 96
HPF and LPF 98
What is needed 99
General Imbalances 99
We operate with eq 100
Static EQ 100
Dynamic Equalization 104
Balance the bass 105
Spectrum Analyzer 106
Medium Mix Test 110
Tonal Imbalances in Single Sources 112
Colored Equalizers 113
Automations 114
Quality 114
DYNAMIC CORRECTION 115
Treatment of abnormal peaks 116
Transient Adjustment 120
De-essing 124
Smoothing Compression 126
Leveling Compression 129
Effects of limiting 129
Effects of leveling compression 130
Risks of the dynamic process 132
Mix too compressed 132
Comparison and corrections 134
ENVIRONMENTAL CORRECTION 136
Setting the Sound 136
Increase body 137
Sharp bass 137
Crushed Mix 138
Width and depth 138
Installing Effects 139
Mix too reverberated 139
OTHER PROCESSES 140
Enhancement 140
Exciter 140
Analog Tape Saturator 141
Inflator 142
FINALIZATION 145
Bass Optimization 145
Maximizing bass for small audio speakers 146
Selective bass compression 150
Cosmetic Equalization 152
Loudness Check 152
Finalizer Limiter 152
Oversampling 154
Algorithm selector 154
Lookahead 156
Attack and Release 156
Channel link 159
Ceiling – Output 160
True Peak 160
LUFS Meters 162
Gain 164
Listening and Comparison 166
Dithering and Noise Shaping 167
Mastering for Vinyl 168
Export 170
Duplication on Audio CD 172
CD 174 encoding
Automatic Mastering 174
Monitoring Warning 176