Compression and Limiting / Why You Should NOT Add Any Before The Mastering Process

Important 'Do's and Don'ts' to follow before the getting your music mastered at http://www.TCMmastering.com

1. The quality of your mixes is very important, so remember that if your mixes are unbalanced and bad quality, there is very little that mastering can do to improve it.

2. Your final mixes should not have any additional processing such as: Normalising, Equalisation, Compression, Limiting or Finalizing. All of these elements will be added during the mastering process.

3. We accept any of the following high quality audio file formats: WAV, AIFF, SDII at 16 or 24 bit sample rates, or higher. [ Note: We do not accept MP3 or WMA files as they are of a compressed, substandard quality and not suitable for high end mastering.]

4. We recommend that if you intend to compress your audio files prior to uploading, that you use the Windows RAR/Winzip format which can compress your files without loss of quality.

The most important person to us is you and we need to know exactly what your expectations are of the music you are sending to us. Music is subjective and therefore the more guidance we have from you at the beginning, the better the end result. So when you place an order at http://www.TCMmastering.com we ask you to take the time to complete the 'Special Instructions' box of our online order form.

[Note: TCM Mastering is a division of the TCM Music Group which was founded by record producer and mastering engineer Ted Carfrae. TCM offers the following professional services: Record Production, Mixing Services, Audio Mastering & Audio Restoration.]

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• Limiting
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• Studio
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• Professional
• eMastering
• Normalising
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[tcmmusicgroup]

I agree, when I am talking about not adding compression, I am talking about the hard limiting that that is always best added at the mastering stage. Mix bus compression to add punch and control is absolutely fine as long as it is peaking at around -3 to allow headroom for boosting at the mastering process. I hopes this helps to clarify. Regards. Ted.

[tcmmusicgroup]

In answer to some of the more negative comments here. I am simply passing on information for those that may be interested in learning about professional mastering. Of course, there are lots of plugins that can do the job but if you rely on a preset to do it all for you, you actually learn nothing, the quick fix can never replace knowledge and skill. There were no presets in my day, so I learned skills that have served me for a life time in music. The choice is entirely yours. Cheers Ted Carfrae.

[dperry913MusicTracks]

So-called gluing compression is part of mixing, though, not mastering (necessarily). I'm thinking of classic console stereo buss compression (e.g.. SSL).

[JamieTateJamieTate]

Printing to -3 can get the mix engineer in trouble. If my clients get mixes that aren't hot enough they'll go to another mix engineer. Silly, I know, but that's reality.

The mastering engineer will have to turn down the signal if they feel it's too hot to deal with.

[WyldeMagiK]

I just make sure my final mix has very few peaks at 0...and the rest no more than an 1/8 inch from 0...plenty o' room to adjust later...and that's AFTER the tracks themselves have been EQ, COMPRESSED as needed...

[byouno93]

@bitcheznhos it's the mastering engineers job to dither. You don't want the mastering person to push up dither that you put in during the mixing stage.

[jrhager84]

@bitcheznhos

You 'dither' when you reduce your bit depth, not sample rate. You should send the ME the best audio files you have, and they'll not only dither it to 44/16, but they'll give you DVD format (48/24) and other formats as well...(Should you so request)

[MoralsBand]

@StoryWB Yea you could....remove your plugins and record the track bussed to a stereo track with no compression or limiting...at -3 or 4....and send it in....hes saying if you have any out board gear...record the track raw from the mic, then you can send each track out to your compressor, and re-record it...giving you more control...so you dont end up recording with a compressor and regretting it.

[Simonefunkydrummer]

Great Words thanks!

[TheConvectuoso]

I'm sorry but what about the hundreds of mix engineers (including TLA, CLA, Andy Wallace etc etc) use mix bus compression? It's almost impossible to get the low end under control without using an SSL style buss compressor on the master. This a creative decision when it comes to balance and low end punch, one that should be left to the mix engineer and producer, not the mastering stage.

[sardhouse76]

loudness war is SICKNESS we have to come back on VINYL. no jokes, only good dynamic music