4

Table of contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Welcome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Getting Started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Your Room Your Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . 7Metering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Dynamics Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Sequencing: Relative Levels, Loudnessand Normalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Recipe for Radio Success . . . . . . . . . . 11Dither . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Equalization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Sibilance Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Noise reduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Monitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Advanced Mastering Techniques . . . . . 17

Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

6

Congratulations on your purchase of a TC Electronics Finalizer.

!!"#

$$%&

'%(

)*"(++

,--%.++

/%%%0%1

+"+2

(!%&

Bob Katz

7

Mastering vs. Mixing2++#

!#

'!)

%0(

("++34!

(!

5%.

$$%

#

26"%

%(%"

5%("

%(%(!

%(%%#%+

%+7-)((

)%%%

%%8-(9-(,--6%

%

'"

%%#6"

$#%

When you ask your spouse to turn the TVdown a touch - do you mean only 1 dB?

Think Holistically4((

!(

!("("

(5(

(+!# +5

%(+%((((

(%+ 0(+!

% +0%

"0(

%(

(%

'++:

$"

(%(

"%:(

%#6"+#+

"%/+)

+(%

!((%

(

%

%;(#(

(

%)%&

/5)

/%%

%;

5)(

(%&

8Very few recording studios are suitable for mastering.For optimal mastering, use a different room than yourrecording studio or room. The typical recording controlroom has noisy fans, a large console and acousticobstacles that interfere with evaluation of sound.5#("*((

!("/((?

What's wrong with near-field monitors? *(%"!((++%%(%$%("64%*%((%(/#%%6%%(@A(%('((%/%"%%./%BCD+%+0&%%%(!(& *#%%((%#(%#%/"#

Subwoofers'%((

D>(%

%(%(%

%(&%

>%)

!"%%

&(++(

4"%

&

Room Acoustics5(+

+(

%'

%(

0

%B-(%C-(

(((

/"%

(%%

"

Monitor Translation2(

%!%

(&

E

(%F,-

Monitoring Levels and Fletcher-Munson//

2

%/

(%

%/#

#

*(

(%(

When you go to a concert, do you identify an80 Hz resonance under the third balcony?

9

Truth in Metering,9997-DG2(

"DG3:

(DG%/DG

(C--(

(

#

%%#

/(%-4'(

,-4@A3/

H'(%

5#(

("

%

%%:.5

,I4'(&J$!

-(

KCKI#("

%%%$%

%,4

%6%

;

The Ear Is The Final Judge5(((

&))

!(

%-/%%%

'

%B-

4'L-DG()

%-DG0)

(%&

%%/(

-DG@A

Quasi-Peak Meters and Judgment of Quality/%(%/

DG(%!"

%(0%&

%

/++6%%"

%,-,-

/Peak Program Meter 6%@A%

0%

(>>2(%$4G!"

(%%

/",-

BB

>>2'(%%

%(

>%,-%

%5

,8B-4%

%,I4/"C-!>'

%(&%

/)&%(

%(?

DG,I4?%

0%

%%I746

(%(

0

@(?A%

%%%

%

Over Counters and Increased Level -4'@'LA%

2

-4'>>2!(

-4'

-4'(

%

!0?:(

#-4'(-

4'(*C

7%%(

%,

/'%

C(%

,'

,(%!"%

C

%B4(

(>>2

10

Dynamics Processing4

(%

Compression/

5(+%+++

Limiting;5@,

BA(@,CA(

4%

6

%(

&!

++(%

:'>

3

!(

J$@,I4'ADG(

Equal-Loudness Comparisons '&(

/%%

/")"+

+0&

%

/++%

(!

%(

:"&++@

A6(%(

/&%)(

(%'#

%

Manipulating Dynamics: Creating the Impact of Music(

.

%%5>%%5>%

%5>

/%%@5>A(

!(

.

'4:4:5>'4:4:

5>'4:4:5>

/(

%%

0

shooby %5>shooby %5>shooby%5>

%&

'%

4&/D

%%"%++

@+/%+A(

"G

"(

%2(#(

%(%

4+'%+/%

&(

If the attack time ("%(

If the release time ("

%%!(

%

If the combination of attack and release time (%++(

(%++++

!"((#((

#

11

Here's a trick for compressor adjustment: #(

2%

+%+%/

%BM-

("((

%&/%&

%(

%@A

/(

+%+

!"

Multiband processing can help in this process /@A

4

@((

A(++

%>

%

5(

(4(&

((%

2%

2%%

%#(%

%(((

#;

%

Compression, Stereo Image, and Depth%

!%%%

(%(((

4%++>

D2++"

++

At the ballet, do you notice the music first,before the dancers?

Relative Levels, Loudness, and Normalization'%&

5"&%(

5"

%

*)

(-4'4

)&(

/%

4%("%

%&5"

##(

3'"

&%++

%#!"

Do you know when the musicians are out of tune ?

12

The Myth of Radio-Ready0%(

(%/

%radio ready4!

++(%

6#

(

!()

%((

!,B(!

%

3

.0

The Music Always Comes First1 5(%(4(@

++(

A

2 '(%(#(%

++5#

#@(>'"A(

#%++

The Sound Comes Second3 +"+

4 2(/

5 2%(

:"

(

%%0"

.(

/"

#

/

(%%

/((

:

Preparing For The Radio6 Peak to average ratio %(DG(

>>20%

%((

(!

,F4'(74'

(

#,,4

@,I4A

@,I4A

(

!

((

%

%@A0

)(74

(

(

@++

DGA/%%

/

(%/

((

%('"

%(%(

G((

%

%(

(M-"9-"/

$%(

"%4

3!:,99,@%

A%

&,998

6"(

"(

13

7 Subsonics $#%

!(#%

%#

#%.4

)(%%(

%.!%

%(%%

!

(

(

!(%@%#A

%I-)46"

#("

&

8 Excessive Sibilance/%2"FM

%%

%4#%

2#%%

%%

9 Excessive peak percussion/%4

5

"4%(

%84%

(

(%%(

@%A%

!(#%#(>

#((

(##(

)"%

%"

N%(

%(#(

%%

Loudness and the radio '%%

!

:(

&/

%%4%(

(

Do you know what comb filtering is?

14

What Is An Accurate Tone Balance>

%%/&

%(

0!"()

)#!%

@%(%

%A(%

%5++% /

,?C)(

(

$!

("&

/

((%(

%

Specialized Music Genres!"(

%/%

%(%

"

N%%

%(%

EQ Tricks%.

#(

@OBM-)A%

@OM)A?

%%#(

%%78)(

?%%BM-)$

/#

%%,?B4F)(%

%,MB-)(,?I

4%

6(

When you go to concerts, do you sometimesthink you hear edits?

Wordlengths and Dithering:

!BI%(BI%

BI%(%

(%

4@

A(

/%

%6%#

Here are some basic rules and examples:, 5

$#.BI%,7%:0/

B 0,7%&

$#.GBI%(

,7%

C 5:'>

$#./

)%BI%

,7%:0/,7%

I $++

!++

M 5%

(#%

!,7%("

PB%(%

B-%@%A

$#.M

8(%9,-

B-%

9?,-B-%!@

)A9,-("

(&)B-%/)"

0:0/

./0:0/

B-%

0)"0:0/

BI%("0:0/

B-(

)B-%)

B-%3

15

High Q or low? E)

Q"-7-8G

@AQ"@BA%(

%%

/

%@A#

(Q(

#(Q%

(($Q

Equalizer types2%

)>)

#(%"

!()

(%"

4

(%D

"#

.4#@A

4#;

)(4#

%?5%(

@A(4#/

%(%

4#%%

)@QL#,A

@#B-)A/%

%B-(

%,-#B-/

%"

2$Q&%%(

%%

4%%

"$Q5%(

%

(%"

/)

(%/#%

'(

%##/%

%%"

%.5B(3

!(.

(

%

%

%(%

%

Instant A/B's? 5(),?B4

%(%%%"

0?4(%

!)

(%!$Q&2

%

$Q!

%+0+@C-(

A(+4+

((+0+%

%+4+#(

%%%

Equalization or Multiband Compression? 2

%/.@(,7

%A"!

(#6

(0?:(

/)

G)

(%

%%(

Baxandall Curve (grey) vs. Shelf (black)

1k 2k 4k 8k 16k

16

At concerts do you try to identify the microphones that are used?

'%@#A

/%"

)(%

#!(

"

/(%

%@BM)%9)A

(%

%(

0%#(

/((

%%&

++4%(

"%)!

+%%

%+/

(%

%(

%%)

%/"(

(3

,I4%CM)

%(%:

)"%#'%

(#(

J&%

"++%

*((%,.B(

,.,,(

/

%

%/(%

G)"%

"%%(%

"/

%%

@#A/)"

$#%"%(%

Know Your Limits *#

!"(

)(

!*(

("#("(

%%

%!%

%

G

%((

(@

(

(A

(/

(0E(%)(%

%:420R%/$

EQ Interaction with the compressor !"()

@A%C%

)!"

(%%%

((

%4)(

%@A

%!((

++(%!

%%(

(%

)

%

17

If a film or TV actor wearing a microphonecrosses his arms, do you immediately noticethe change in sound quality?

Monitors and Equalization0

)(%)

/()

(%%&

/?%%&

#(

%@

A(%%&

++(#/(

(%%

5%.

+!&(

+/

@BMM-A&(

/

%(%&%

/)6

%#6

++

M-

$%(

(%((:?0

(

((

BM%3

Monitors and Stereo Imaging /)&

4(%

'#7-

/%&(

%%%(

!";$:(

;$:(%

(@.???AN:CF

"

!(&

/;$:/beyond #

%,!(

'(up (C7(over %%up!(%&%%(

Adjusting stereo balance'%%&%

/&%%

%%

#'++

0

18

2%/

:05@:05A(

())

0%:0/,-

(%#@

%A5%%%

%)

4(

+"&%%(%

:!%

:0/% !"

%#+

!(:0/#

(%

!%:0/()

%(%(

!

0%++%

$#%"/,

SB#(CSI

!#

#(%(

(()

Alternate Mixes 0++(

++(++#%

(

%4"

##(

##0

#%%%(

%,8-)/!

%%(%2'(!

%%

MS Mastering Techniques>)(

6(+%#

#+(%

#

%2'2

2'+2'+(+2'+!2'

((2(

(8(

'(0@A

%;@;A@A

".2';(2

'"#.2,(

'B(%2C('I(

I@+'+A(%

/2#(@A

('((

!2(

(%

#2'(

6(

/"%2'(%

B!"

%%

2'"%)

42'(

(

!!"

Do you try to identify the frequency every timeyou hear system feedback?

The MS adventure begins2'

%/%%

/)()

971(2'

;"(

2'(

2'/'

25%;

>((%@A

!(

("%4

3/)"%

&%%2'

19

4(%

(

;"(2'(

)2'"

@)A.2'

))

2(

'(%

52$Q(

%@#ABM-)(

@M)(#A/%

(

%

/)971"''!+#+

(42

@ABM-)?M)(

%(

!+#+(

(%

'%

(%

(

Even More Advanced M-S Technique)%(

%/$

2'"#

(%%%

5#(

%(%

2'

4

2(%

(%(%2'

((%@#A%

!(

20

(%"

Make an UnFinalized Safety*(/

!"

%(

(

!"#$#%#!&'!&&(#

)#!&* !* &(*!&&$*+,

&(# -++'.#/$#&'!$* /

# /* ##$0

20

References/::%(.??(

%(

(((

%(++:(

(

dBFS - dB reference full scale -4'(#

%

Gain, Loudness, Volume and LevelLoudness %&&(%;#(level %%(

!#("volume

Gvolume controlE;Gain (

#(

,-4'%

!74(

%I4'0%

@(7(,B4'A(

%@BR(K74A!

KF444

44'%(

Sample Rate /%/%%

'?('?((II,'?+II,)+(%

%

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A big thank you to Bob Ludwig, of Gateway Mastering, Portland Maine, andGlenn Meadows, of Masterfonics, Nashville, Tennessee. Bob and Glennreviewed the manuscript and added helpful suggestions that made an evenbetter booklet.