Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?)

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rktic
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Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?)

Post by rktic »

Hey Steve (and any other mastering wiz),

i'm in the middle of remastering my old rktic albums and i wonder how you would approach mastering old tracks (no stems available anymore) with a few problems.

For example this one:

youtu.be/MnvOv-Dag70

Eventhough i managed to come up with a huge improvement already i'm not sure how to treat certain too loud percussive elements (namely the snare and the 808 tom). Was quite fortunate with seperating the tom for example but i just can't get my head around inverting the seperated signal and then lower the thing that way (don't wanna mess up the phase too much).

Any kind of wizardy left i not might be aware of?

Cheers
Ronny

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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by Lost to the Void »

Right, I'm out of the studio till 2morro, so I'm guessing a little here, but

With good Mastering EQ (I use massive passive) and then some dynamic EQ reducing those troublesome frequencies only when they cross the threshold, and then some compression, shouldn't be a problem.
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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by Mattias »

Dynamic EQ:ing is your friend here probably.
I like this one personally: http://www.brainworx-music.de/en/plugins/bx_dyneq_v2
I know there are many other good tools like it but this one seems very accurate and smooth with the treshold / way to pick frequencies (L/R and M/S).
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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by Lost to the Void »

Mattias wrote:Dynamic EQ:ing is your friend here probably.
I like this one personally: http://www.brainworx-music.de/en/plugins/bx_dyneq_v2
I know there are many other good tools like it but this one seems very accurate and smooth with the treshold / way to pick frequencies (L/R and M/S).
I`m a big advocate of Brainworx, I have a lot of their gear, for M/S they are king.
I use Sonalksis dynamic EQ, I didn't even realise Brainworx had a dynamic EQ system (I use their BX Digital for situations where I need precision M/S EQ in mastering) And it works in M/S!!!! Oh joy!, so I`ll be purchasing that, cheers.

I think in Ronnies case, I would try standard stereo dynamic EQ before plunging into M/S as well as dynamic.
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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by Mattias »

A friend had the Sonalksis DynamicEQ so I worked with it several years ago and all I can say is that the Brainworx DynEQ beats the Sonalksis one by quite a lot if you ask me, so happy days!
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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by rktic »

Hm - dynamic EQs. Never used any - so rough guess i better not start with one for this current task.... Tbh - i never even got the concept ;)

Update, just read into it and makes total sense now. ....i think....
Last edited by rktic on Thu Nov 01, 2012 5:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by Lost to the Void »

Mattias wrote:A friend had the Sonalksis DynamicEQ so I worked with it several years ago and all I can say is that the Brainworx DynEQ beats the Sonalksis one by quite a lot if you ask me, so happy days!
Can I ask, just out of interest for myself, in which areas it is better?
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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by Lost to the Void »

rktic wrote:Hm - dynamic EQs. Never used any - so rough guess i better not start with one for this current task.... Tbh - i never even got the concept ;)
the concept, in very basic terms

Each EQ band is selectable, ala parametric, but the cut or boost you dial in at that band will only happen when the signal goes above, or below the gain threshold for that selected bandwidth (definable separately from the applied Q of the cut boost)
So for example, you would isolate the frequency of your rogue snare drum, and then dial in the amount of cut you need at that frequency, then set the threshold at that frequency so that the EQ only acts on that area when the snare breaches that threshold.

So the frequency area you have dialed in will remain untouched until the snare hits, at which point it will cut/boost by desired amount with the Q amount you selected also(you also have attack and release options).
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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by Mattias »

Lost to the Void wrote:
Mattias wrote:A friend had the Sonalksis DynamicEQ so I worked with it several years ago and all I can say is that the Brainworx DynEQ beats the Sonalksis one by quite a lot if you ask me, so happy days!
Can I ask, just out of interest for myself, in which areas it is better?
The ability to work in M/S for instance, and M/S + L/R mode, linked or unlinked is brilliant. Plus I find it much smoother to just locate say a nasty 909 closed hat at 11k and adjust the threshold with just that hat slipping through and cut it down with a dB or two or whatever is needed without letting the cut bleeding through to other close areas of the spectrum. Also you can external sidechain which can be pretty handy to reduce something in sync with the track etc. There are also lots of handy filters with some choices of adjustable bandwidth. Aother feature I really dig is the invert function which can expand the sound. I guess kinda like the uncompressor option on the Sonalksis DynEQ if I remember right. I may be wrong (since it was several years I messed with DynEQ from Sonalksis) but I would choose this plugin rather then the Sonalksis one if I had a gun pointed at my head.
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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by Lost to the Void »

Yeah I was just wondering, I`m sold on it anyway, brainworx are one of my fave companies for mastering tools
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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by rktic »

Lost to the Void wrote:
rktic wrote:Hm - dynamic EQs. Never used any - so rough guess i better not start with one for this current task.... Tbh - i never even got the concept ;)
the concept, in very basic terms

Each EQ band is selectable, ala parametric, but the cut or boost you dial in at that band will only happen when the signal goes above, or below the gain threshold for that selected bandwidth (definable separately from the applied Q of the cut boost)
So for example, you would isolate the frequency of your rogue snare drum, and then dial in the amount of cut you need at that frequency, then set the threshold at that frequency so that the EQ only acts on that area when the snare breaches that threshold.

So the frequency area you have dialed in will remain untouched until the snare hits, at which point it will cut/boost by desired amount with the Q amount you selected also(you also have attack and release options).
Thank you, Steve!

I'll have a look into those. Sounds like a dream for a lot of tracks i produced 10+ years ago.

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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by Lost to the Void »

rktic wrote:
Thank you, Steve!

I'll have a look into those. Sounds like a dream for a lot of tracks i produced 10+ years ago.
You should be alright mate, I recently remastered the first demo produced by the first proper band I was in, from 1992 recorded on 4 track, and they came out pretty spiffy, all things considered.
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Re: Mastering old, problematic tracks (Steve to the rescue!?

Post by rktic »

God almighty - checking out the DynEQ demo as i write and i'm totally stunned.


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