It is a common practice for a mixing studio to add a limiter to the master bus of your mix. You may or may not know that it is there, but if you plan on having your mix mastered somewhere else you need to have this removed. You can never achieve full potential from mastering if your mix has no headroom for the mastering engineer to work with.
A limiter is added because without it the mix is not loud enough compared to music that most people are accustomed to hearing. This makes the mix easier for you to hear and critique because it is louder.
We receive mixes everyday that have limiters on the master bus, and the client had no idea that it was there. The problem is, when we tell them that the limiter is there they have to go back and pay to have the it removed from there mix. Be sure that you are aware of this and ask for two mixes (one with and one without a limiter) from the studio. This way you can critique with the louder mix and send the other mix to mastering without having to pay for extra studio time later.
BlackDogMastering.com
We have all been there, caught up in our project so much that it is not possible to hear what is really going on. It is almost impossible to be an artist, produce, record, mix and master your songs yourself. Not to mention work a 9-5 job and try to manage the band. You need a unique, and hopefully experience perspective on your project. And maybe a little help in areas that you are not an expert in.
The more perspectives you have the better chance for successful results. This is the number one reason your favorite bands and artists hire these assets on there project. Not to mention they are then able to focus on the music.
Now it is not reasonable to think that an independent artist can afford to hire all these people to help give perspective and ease the stress level a little bit. But it is important that you do not do everything yourself. Keep this in mind when you work on your next album or song. Take a look at past projects, think how they could have been better if you had someone else to collaborate with and give you a different idea or take on a job that you did not really want to do anyway. Now you have that much more time to be an artist and create great music.
We get calls almost every week asking if we can fix vocal problems. Vocals can usually be fixed if they are not to far out of pitch. When they are way off it is really difficult to fix the pitch problem without it being very noticeable and robotic.
Take your time and re-sing the song. Get several takes. These can always be used and pieced together during mixing. The extra takes can also be layered giving the vocals depth and warmth.
Remember that pitch correction should never be used as a tool that is needed to record your vocals. It should be used sparingly, and only where it is really needed.
Lets face it, as a musician you are usually faced with the fact that you have a budget and need to prioritize your money. The one place you should never sacrifice is a good mic. This will be one of the most important assets to your recording sessions. You can not get a good sound if your mic is not up to par.
Here are some reasonably priced mics that have a great response and will offer you the best bang for you buck.
AKG 3000B is only $300 and is my first choice. If you can’t afford $300 for the 3000B mic, then go with the Rode NT1 or the AKG C2000B which are around $200.
These condenser microphones can be used for vocals as well as acoustic guitars. Also, remember to spend the time moving the mic to get the best possible angles before recording. Moving a mic or your head half an inch can make a huge difference in the overall sound you are recording.
We have uploaded a new clip to youtube. This clip is intended to explain why Mastering is important and to help you hear the difference Mastering can make to your music. Check it out and let us know what you think.
I can not tell you how many times a week clients send a Mp3s or .wma files for Mastering. These files should only be used as a last resort for any project that is still in production. Mp3s and .wma formats contain 1/3 or less of the original content from the uncompressed .wav file. These files are compressed and meant for sending across email or for downloading online, not for mixing/mastering or any phase in the production of your music.
It is also important to understand that once a file is compressed from a .wav or .aif to a Mp3, the file can not be brought back to the same quality it originally had by converting back to a .wav or .aif. Once the file is compressed, the information is lost forever. That is why it is always important to keep a backup copy of your uncompressed music in a safe place.
You want to get the vocals as hot as possible without peaking above 0db. Remember that not peaking above 0db is more important than getting loud. Most engineers will use a compressor to help control the dynamics of the vocalists. This helps to keep the levels hot without distortion. Although it makes it much easier it is not necessary to use a compressor to record vocals.
