Audio Mastering: Separating the Science from Fiction

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
	1 What is Mastering... Really?
	Goals of Mastering
	Mastering Workflow
2 Enabling Analysis
	Audio Referencing
	Loudness
	Equal Loudness Contours/Curves
	Louder Sounds Better
	Generation Lossy
	Ear Training
	Hearing Dynamics
3 The Monitor Path
	Fixed Listening Level
	Calibrated Monitoring
	Metering
	The Monitoring Controller
	Environment
	Monitoring
	Monitor DAC
	Summary
4 Looking to the Mix
	Resolution
	Source Dynamics
	Top and Tail
	Parts
	Stems
	Notes on Instrumentals Prints or Mix Re-Prints
	Signing Off
	Notes on Remastering Sources
	Mix Submission Requirements
	Mix/Mastering Feedback Loop
5 Analysis: Constructive, Comparative and Corrective
	Constructive Analysis: Mid Side Encoder Decoder
	Constructive Analysis: Comprehending Stereo
	Constructive Analysis: The Line of Treble
	Why Mono is Still the Queen and King
	Using Your Ears, and Not Your Eyes
	Analysis Requirements
	Comparative Analysis
	Reference Selection and Use
	Corrective Analysis or an Observation in Overview?
	Summary
	Notes about Approach to Stem Mastering
6 Mastering Tools
	Tool Type
	Tool Testing
	Sum Difference
	Two Channels are Better than Stereo
	Step Controls
	The Benefit of Fixed Frequency
	A/B Comparative
	Using Numbers
	Tool Types, Primary and Secondary Outcomes
	Summary
7 Equalisation and Tonal Balance
	To EQ or not EQ?
	Static or Momentary
	How does EQ Work?
	Series or Parallel
	The Quality Factor
	Mastering’s not so Secret Weapon – The Shelf
	High and Low Pass Filters
	Upsampling
	Direct Current offset Filter
	Filter Types
	Summary
8 Dynamic Processors and Tonal Balance
	Micro and Macro Dynamic
	Compression and Expansion Principles (Upward and Downward)
	Visualising the Transient Shape
	Manual Compression
	Full Band or Single Band Compression
	Multiband or Split band Compression/Expansion
	Dynamic Equalisation
	The Sidechain/Key Input and the Detection Circuit
	Pathing 1/2, L/R, M/S
	Manual Compression and Expansion in MS
	Crest Control
	Parallel Processing
	Reference Level/Headroom Control
	Why One will Never be Enough
	There is Never too much Compression, Just Bad Compression
9 Contextual Processing Analysis
	Quantitative Evaluation
	Momentary or Static
	Qualitative Evaluation
	Observation to Processing: Contextualising the Links
	Linking Process to Pathing: LRMS Analysis
	Tool Type
	Transfer Path Construction
	Where does the EQ Go?
	Upward before Downward?
	Practicality of Processing
	Summary
10 The Transfer Path
	Analogue Versus Digital
	Upsampling
	Transfer Path Considerations
	Metering
	Practical Setup of a Transfer Path
	Practical Monitoring path Setup in a DAW
	Summary
11 Practical Approach to Dynamic Controls
	Knowing your tool Types
	Secondary Outcome Consideration
	The link between Threshold and Ratio
	Adjust One, and you Change them All
	Release and Loudness
	Observing the Gain Reduction
	The lower Mids
	Ganged/linked Controls/linked Gain Reduction
	Sidechain Compression
	Split Band Principles in Application
	Mid Side Application Principles
	Hearing the Envelope
12 Practical Approach to Dynamic Processing
	Dynamic Principals
	Downward Compression
	Expansion
	Dynamic Equalisation
	Parallel Compression
	Parallel Saturation
	Parallel Multiband Compression/Expansion
	Soft Clippers
	Limiting
	Parallel Limiting
	Summary
13 Practical Approach to Equalisation
	To Boost or to Cut
	Shelf or a Bell
	Pre or Post
	Relationship between Filter Frequency and Gain
	Feathering Frequencies
	Hearing the Gain is Not the Same as Setting the Gain
	MS Elliptical EQ
	MS Practical Application
	Extending the Frequency Range
	The Aesthetic of Tool Type
	The Negative Effect of EQ
	Notches
	Summary
14 Navigating Loudness
	Realistic Approaches to Evaluate Loudness Normalisation
	Streaming Platforms and their Loudness Normalisation Systems
	Limiting for Loudness
	The Link between Input and Output
	Tonal Balance and Loudness
	Start, end or Both
	Integrating Soft Clipping
	Clipping the AD
	True Peak Limiting
	0dBFS?
	Metering the Loudness
	Summary
	Lossy Outcomes and Adjustments
	Loudness Ingestion for Post-Production
	Why not LUFS?
	Ignore all of the Above!
15 Bring it all Together: Engaging in Mastering
	The First Listen
	Comparative Analysis: Loading the Reference
	Constructive Audio Analysis: LRMS
	Corrective Analysis and Analysis in Overview
	Contextual Processing Analysis
	Transfer Path Construction: Contextualising Constructive Analysis
	Linking Tool Type to Processing
	Evaluation of the Transfer Path
	Application
	Equal Loudness Evaluation
	The Reality of Mastering
16 Restrictions of Delivery Formats
	Convenience Over Quality: A Century of Consumer Audio
	Lossless
	Lossy
	DSD/DXD
	Vinyl
	Future Paths with Multi-Channel Audio
	Sequencing
	Fade Types
	Audio Offsets and Framerate
	Parts Production
	Recall
	Variants
	Verifying Audio Masters
17 What’s Next?
	The Right way, the Wrong Way
	Managing Expectations
	Adding Value, Being Valued
	Belief in your Critical Listening
	Test, Test, Test
	Nobody Knows the Answer But You
	A Note on Artificial Intelligence in Mastering
	Perspectives with Multi-Channel Audio
	What is the Future?
References
Index