52 Reason / Record Tips - Week 41: Mid-Side Processing for Great Masters

When it comes to mastering, one of the hottest things right now is a technique known as "mid-side processing." As a basic description, mid-side processing uses phase cancellation tricks to isolate the mono information in a mix (bass, vocal, kick drum) from the stereo items (guitars, keys, effects) and then lets you master them separately and recombine them for a very nice sounding master.

This week I brought in two special guests to help me design a mid-side mastering patch for you as well as to help describe the technical intricacies of how this is done. Be sure to visit the links in this video, download the patches, and visit the websites I mention.

http://www.propellerheads.se/stuff/JB41.zip

http://www.peff.com

http://web.mac.com/gilesreaves/Giles_Reaves_Music/Home.html

http://southern.bandcamp.com/track/head-spins

Big thanks to Kurt Kurasaki, Giles Reaves, and Southern.

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[Remit007]

So out of my depth right now.

[PropellerheadSW]

@Remit007 Yeah but the beauty of this patch is that you can just download it and use it... not worry about the wiring... and rejoice in the goodness it brings to your music. Kurt and Giles operate on a genius level that us mere mortals can't understand. Fortunately they give us their genius toys to play with! :)

[pontiusplues]

Just applyed it to some of my tracks, it sounded so great, i had to cry.

[Belgarath314]

absolutly great tip !

[wearashirt]

Man, peff's voice sounds like talking dubstep without the wubwub!

[93davve93]

Sounds awesome :) thanks!

[TomMacIntyre1]

omg, would someone please explain the phase reverse to me ???? Im guessing that it works like noise cancellation and it turns all the peaks into dips so they cancel out, but since the signal is in mono, wouldnt it just cancel out the whole thing and you'd get no sound?

Im dying to know, someone plz respond, thanks.

[mcRioRemedy]

great tip number 41

[LightUnionMusic]

Nothing but Praise to ALL of you at, and working with propellerhead. Blessings.

[The3penguins123]

I'd like to see a Pro Tools user wire things that well.

[HamsterRapingBastard]

Very, very impressive.

[SynthetikTV]

i started getting lost directly after peff said, "It's pretty simple"

thanks for posting, just when I thought I knew the program inside and out I realize how little I actually know.

Back to the drawing boards.

By the way, I saw the posting on your wife, James. Can't imagine what you've been through in these past few weeks but, again, thanks for the tuts!