LUFS - the new Loudness Units. What do they mean ? How to read the new breed of loudness meters Production Advice 2013-01-08 | Video demonstrating how to read one of the new LUFS loudness meters, and what it means for your audio. Download the example audio file here: http://productionadvice.co.uk/LUFS-dbFS-rms
Flippin Clippin ! - Episode 96 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2024-09-27 | We’ve been using “soft clipping" in mastering for over 20 years at this point, but it suddenly feels as if it’s all anyone is talking about ! New plugins, new suggestions about how to use it, and wild new claims about how amazing it sounds. Except it doesn’t.At least – not all the time, and not for all material.In this episode Joe Caithness and I dig deep into the details and talk about:* What clipping is, and what it isn’t* The crucial differences between hard and soft clipping* What makes a great clipping plugin (and why comparing them is a nightmare)* Some of our favourite clipping plugins and how we use them* The kinds of material that work best with clipping, and what type to use* The golden rule to follow if you want to experiment with clipping yourselfFull show notes and links on our website:themasteringshow.com/episode-96
Mastering Engineer Reacts to 8 Pro Mixes of the Same Song Production Advice 2024-09-18 | Exactly how different are these 8 mixes of the same song, by 8 different Pro producers ? Find out what I think from a mastering perspective !For mix analysis and interviews, see the original @soundonsound article here:soundonsound.com/techniques/masters-art-mixingAnd watch their mix breakdown video here !youtube.com/watch?v=U_TtJo2_bh8
Loudness trends in 2024: should you follow them? with Ian Stewart - Episode 95 | The Mastering Show Production Advice 2024-08-15 | The Billboard Top 50 global singles from the first half of 2024 have an average loudness of -8.3 LUFSSo that’s how loud we should be making our masters, right ?Well…It certainly might seem that way, but in reality it’s a bit more complicated than that. This is only one of the interesting results that Ian Stewart presented in his latest blog post for iZoTope, and in this episode I asked him back on to really dig into some of the details and nuance.Plus I also wanted to talk to him about the amazing plug-in that got invented during the last episode he was on ! (Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it 😛)During the show we talk about: * What that -8 LUFS average result REALLY means, and how much attention you should pay to it * Who the most successful artist in the Top 50 is, and the loudness statistics of their music * The problem with the title iZotope chose for the post * All the other results, trends and biases in the data * Basslane Pro, the plug-in Ian worked with Tone Projects to develop, why it’s unique - and how The Mastering Show helped it happen !Full show notes on our sitethemasteringshow.com/episode-95
The truth about vinyl (with Scott Hull) - Episode 94 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2024-07-17 | People are always asking me about mastering for vinyl, and I’m happy to try and help based on the experience I have. I don’t actually cut vinyl myself though, so that advice is always limited and second-hand. So for this episode I decided to talk to a genuine expert on the topic - Scott Hull from Masterdisk - and really get into the details. Scott’s knowledge and experience of cutting vinyl is enormous, as you’ll hear, and I took full advantage of that in this episode ! Some of the things we talked about include: The 4 stages of vinyl production, and why each is important How making assumptions about vinyl mastering can backfire Why choosing which plant is going to press the records is crucial The crucial role of the lathe - and it’s setup The myth of duration on vinyl - why “20 minutes per side” isn’t a hard and fast rule Why less limiting allows you to cut louder on vinyl What is the magic of vinyl ?Full show notes and links on our websitethemasteringshow.com/episode-94
STOP looking at waveforms !! Production Advice 2024-07-12 | Waveforms are everywhere, but can be deeply misleading - in this video I show you what you can and CAN'T tell by looking at a waveform - and whyhttp://www.productionadvice.co.uk/waveforms
Do you NEED to be mastering loud ? - Episode 93 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2024-06-18 | I’m always arguing for balanced dynamics rather than loudness for it’s own sake, but some people have a different opinion - high loudness is important, and even beneficial.Nick Di Lorenzo is one of them - he says that loudness is important regularly on his YouTube channel. So in this episode I invited him on to explore that idea in more detail, and really get into the nuances of the topic. Do you need to be mastering loud ? Topics include:* The practicalities of loudness* What makes things sound loud anyway ?* Record labels versus loudness* Why loudness IS important* Why LUFS don’t matter, and* The difference between loudness and LUFSFull show notes on our websitethemasteringshow.com/episode-93
Higher LUFS - do they REALLY always sound louder ? Production Advice 2024-05-16 | Everybody keeps telling me that higher LUFS masters still sound louder, EVEN when they're loudness-matched. But I just don't hear it ! So in this video, I investigate...Loudness Penalty Studio: http://www.meterplugs.com/loudness-penalty-studioSilent Gratitude: silentgratitude.bandcamp.com/album/the-singularitys-comingMaz O'Conner: mazoconnor.com
The Dynamic Range Day 2024 Livestream Production Advice 2024-03-23 | Do high-LUFS masters REALLY sound louder even when they're loudness-matched ? Plus this year's Award winner, a cool announcement and the traditional Q&A live chat !
Dynamics in Action - Workshop Livestream Production Advice 2024-03-23 | See how balanced dynamics can help your music sound better on Spotify and other online streaming platforms, with Guest Lij Shaw from the Recording Studio Rockstars podcast !Check out Lij's music here: https://spoti.fi/4ap2VtB
Welcome to Dynamic Range Day 2024 ! Production Advice 2024-03-22 | Kicking things off this year - come and say Hello in the chat !
These are not the LUFS you are looking for - Episode 92 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2024-02-20 | You can't go a day without someone telling you how loud your music should be, these days."Everything has to be -8 LUFS""EDM has to be -6 LUFS or louder""-11 is the perfect balance""Just master everything to -14"...but they can't all be right !In fact, none of them are, and even more importantly, they may not even be talking about the same thing. And the differences are really important. So in this episode I try explain really clearly and concisely: The 3 different types of LUFS The difference between them Why it’s crucial to know which type you’re talking about Why mastering to integrated targets makes no sense When -14 LUFS isn’t loud enough – and why ? Why it’s not about ‘how loud’, it’s about how you make it loud Why integrated LUFS values are the result, not the goal of masteringFull show notes on our websitethemasteringshow.com/episode-92
Realtime audio metering - with plugins Production Advice 2024-02-12 | Measure any audio source on your Mac, using plugins, in realtime !Software links:rogueamoeba.commeterplugs.com/dynametermeterplugs.com/lcastklanghelm.com/contents/products/VUMTnugenaudio.com/visualizerMusic: "Fire Every Day" from "Roots" by DubFX (www.dubfx.com)
Home Mastering Q&A Production Advice 2024-01-18 | The Home Mastering Masterclass:home-mastering.mykajabi.com/hmm-open(Background image by pikisuperstar / Freepik)
Mixing and mastering music for the movies w/ Alan Meyerson - Episode 91 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2023-12-19 | It’s virtually impossible that you haven’t heard music of some kind mixed by Alan Meyerson by this point - he’s one of the most prolific and successful film score mixers in the business.And luckily for us, he’s also super-generous and open about the information he shares, including his perspectives on mixing and ‘mastering’ music for the movies. So in this episode we dig deep into all the details, including topics like:* Is there really such a thing as ‘mastering’ for film ?* What needs to be delivered, and what is the process ?* How loud does it need to be - are there any standards ?* When does Alan deliver mixes in Atmos, and why ?* How he uses the centre channel and surround channels* Why you might want to use saturation or pitch-shifting (!) in a movie score mixShow noteshttp://themasteringshow.com/episode-91
Peter Gabriels i/o Mix Comparison - Bright or Dark Side ? Production Advice 2023-12-08 | There are THREE separate mixes of the new Peter Gabriel album i/o - what's the difference, and which sounds best ?
Better with more dynamics ? The Beatles Now and Then Atmos vs Stereo - which mix do you prefer ? Production Advice 2023-11-18 | Lots of people asking where they can hear the Atmos mix of 'Now and Then' after my blog post explaining why I prefer it:productionadvice.co.uk/now-and-thenSo here is a quick comparison !
DSP Overshoot vs. Intersample peaks and True Peak limiting - the devilish details ! Production Advice 2023-10-20 | When is an inter-sample peak not an inter-sample peak ? When will a True Peak limiter not do what you hope ? What's the best way to test a TP limiter ?Attempting to clear up some possible confusion from my previous videos on these topics, answering all these questions and more...
Inter-sample peaks and True Peak limiting - the devilish details - Ep 90 The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2023-10-13 | Everyone is talking about inter-sample peaks and True Peak limiters - or in fact it’s more accurate to say they’re arguing about whether ISPs are audible or not, and whether True Peak limiters sound bad !In this episode I’m joined by Alexey Lukin, iZotope’s “godfather of RX”, to talk in detail about exactly what ISPs are and why they’re so confusing - including: * How are inter-sample peaks measured, and why do you see different results with different meters ? * What are DSP overshoot peaks, and how are they different ? * What does over-sampling have to do with all this, and why is it important ? * Do True Peak limiters really sound bad, and how should we test them ? * Why will they NOT prevent lossy decoder clipping, sometimes ? And * What the hell are we supposed to do about all this ?!?Full links in show notes on our websitethemasteringshow.com/episode-90
Sonic fundamentals for Podcasters with Matt Boudreau - Episode 89 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2023-08-05 | If you’re not already listening to Matt Boudreau’s fantastic podcast Working Class Audio, you need to start now !Matt is a highly respected mixing and mastering engineer who has recently moved into working in Dolby Atmos, where he’s already picked up some seriously impressive credits - oh, and also produces one of the top Audio podcasts around.Which is why if I try to think of anyone better to learn the fundamentals of good audio for podcasting and journalism from… well, I can’t. And the great news is that Matt has put together a new “PodClass” course to help people with just that.In this episode we talk about the course and what inspired it, but also plenty of other great stuff, includingMaking the move from pro musician to audio engineerGetting started in Atmos - workflow, dynamics and moreWork-Life balance - is it better to be a lark, or a night-owl ?The secret advantages of running your own podcast...…and the crucial importance of great audio (And what it has to do with COVID lockdowns !)Enjoy - and if you want to try Matt’s course, make sure to use the discount code TMS to get a 30% discount and help support The Mastering Show at the same time !Full links and show notes on our website
Pink Floyd - Which mix do you prefer ? Production Advice 2023-05-23 | (These are both official releases, sourced from Apple Music Lossless and loudness-matched)#shorts
Miley Cyrus - which version do YOU prefer ? Production Advice 2023-05-15 | Miley Cyrus has a huge hit with “Flowers” right now, and I recently shared two different versions of her song “Jaded” on social media, asking people which version they preferred, and why.If you saw the post and wondered why I shared it, or if you missed it and would like to take a listen for yourself, check out the video and let me know which one you prefer in the comments !
Miley Cyrus - Which sounds better to you ? Production Advice 2023-04-28 | (These are both official releases, sourced from YouTube and loudness-matched)#shorts
Dynamic Range Day 2023 - Livestream Production Advice 2023-04-22 | What can vinyl teach us about dynamics ? Plus the Award Winner announcement, Q&A and more !
DRD 2023 - Dynamics versus streaming Production Advice 2023-04-22 | Some people say that super-loud songs still sound loud on streaming, even when they're turned down. But is it true ?Listen to Lij's song Spring on Spotify here: lijshaw.com/springAnd YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=1OVkxnN9qLkAnd here is the video where I show how I mastered it: youtube.com/watch?v=9Ce397fI1RI
True Peak limiters - do they REALLY sound worse ? Production Advice 2023-04-01 | I hear lots of people saying they hate the sound of True Peak limiters, but is this really true ? Or are they testing them in a way that is misleading ?For more about inter-sample peaks and when they can be audible, click here:productionadvice.co.uk/intersample-peaks
WTH is dither ? The hand-waving explanation Production Advice 2023-03-28 | Trying to explain dither by waving my hands at you ! #shorts
Mastering is simple ! (But not easy) Production Advice 2023-03-20 | Mastering is simple ! (But not easy)#shorts
Are inter-sample peaks REALLY audible ? (Hint: YES) Production Advice 2023-03-09 | More and more people are saying that inter-sample peaks (ISPs) are only a theoretical concern, and we'll never hear them. Some have even gone as far as to call them a hoax.But broadcast and streaming guidelines say we should always avoid them.So are they really audible ?In this video I explain what ISPs are, and test using a real-world example to see if we really can hear them, or not. See what you think !
Bad Mastering Advice ! #1 Limiter setup Production Advice 2023-02-22 | Why you may be setting your limiter wrong, and a better way to do it #shorts
Do DJs REALLY want loud masters ? - Episode 88 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2023-02-14 | DJs get a lot of flak, especially about loudness. There’s a deep-seated belief that “loud” masters are still a requirement for club music, and that DJs are somehow to blame. But is this fair ? The reality is much more complicated and interesting than the popular cliche that DJs will only play loud masters, and in this episode Ian dives deep into the issue with Joe Caithness, who works as both a DJ and a mastering engineer. Topics include: The reality of DJ-ing The problem with peaks Loudness ? Or consistency ? The power of Pioneer The shocking missed opportunity of loudness metadata The ‘sound’ of loudnessAnd much more !
Balance dont match Production Advice 2023-02-07 | When mastering audio, the goal isn't to match things - only balance them#shorts
What is mastering ? Production Advice 2023-02-02 | by Ian Shepherd from The Mastering Show podcastwww.productionadvice.co.uk#shorts
Mastering #shorts ? Production Advice 2023-01-30 | by Ian Shepherd from The Mastering Show podcastwww.productionadvice.co.uk
My favourite mastering limiters Production Advice 2023-01-19 | People are always asking me - what limiters do you recommend for mastering?And often, I sidestep the question.But not today.In this video, I show you two of my favourite mastering limiters, explain why I like them, and demonstrate the differences with a challenging example.(I also explain *why* I don't love answering this question, along the way, plus digging into the topic of clipping versus limiting, the benefits and problems with each, and quickly test the new Slate FG-X 2 plugin.)Music: "Beat 1v3" by LeonMix: Sebastian DemydczukWeb: https://soundbalancestudio.nl/FB: facebook.com/mixmasterdrumsrecordingsebIG: instagram.com/soundbalancestudio
Fix mastering problems - in the recording ! - Episode 87 - The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2022-12-17 | It’s amazing what mastering can achieve - but it’s also amazing how many things can influence the results we get right from the recording stage.In this episode Ian talks to Mike Senior about how to fix mastering problems at the recording stage, without using a time machine ! Topics include how to avoid: Muddy mids Harsh guitars Sibilance Resonant snares Boomy or hollow vocals Exposed vocals Stereo image issuesAnd many more !LinksMike has put together a fantastic page of resources for this episode, including an excellent video about stereo mic technique - click here make sure you check it out ! cambridge-mt.com/misc/mastering-show-2212-resources
Mastering Plugins - technical versus creative - Episode 86 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2022-11-16 | As mastering plugins become more sophisticated and more technical, there’s an interesting trend towards making the interfaces… less so. As well as traditional technical terms and numbered scales, controls labelled with less technical terms like “warmth”, “bite” and “colour” are becoming more common. And some interfaces are just… bizarre ! Is that good ? Or not ? In this episode Jon and I like at some more unconventional plugin user interface designs, and discuss: Why technical interfaces can be a problem When a more creative approach can be a good thing... …and when it’s not Some of our favourite ‘unconventional' plugin designs But are they better than just closing our eyes ?! Should plugins emulate the design of the hardware And does it make them sound better ?!?Full show notes on our websitethemasteringshow.com/episode-86
Quick Mastering Critiques - Live ! Production Advice 2022-09-21 | Get realtime feedback on your master, and your questions answered by Ian - live !To celebrate the launch of my Home Mastering Masterclass course on Friday, I'm doing a free livestream where I'll listen to people's masters and offer feedback.If you have a song you'd like to be considered, message me a link! And feel free to leave questions in the comments below 👍
Mastering for Streaming - Made Simple Production Advice 2022-08-15 | Something new from me, aiming to cut through the confusion about online loudness.With thanks to Steve Dale for letting me use his song “Church” as an example, and Bob Ellis for sharing the masters !Find Bob here: season3.co.uk
Mixerman versus Mastering - Episode 85 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2022-07-06 | You’ve probably heard of Eric Sarafin, aka Mixerman, but have you heard what he has to say about mastering ?As always it’s entertaining, potentially controversial but also thought-provoking, so it seemed like a good idea to get him on the show and ask him to explain himself ! We talk about: * Why he thinks if you don’t make money from your music, you shouldn’t pay for mastering * Whether an online mastering service is actually a better option for a musician starting out (gasp) * Eric's favourite limiter, how he uses it and why * How loud he makes his mixes * Recent potentially game-changing developments... * And why they might make mastering engineers obsolete !Full show notes on our websitethemasteringshow.com/episode-85
Defeat the Loudness Deception ! How to take loudness out of the equation when mastering Production Advice 2022-06-14 | Using this simple strategy, you can avoid the "Loudness Penalty" and even take advantage of it to give your music more snap, space and excitement for 80-90% of people listening onlineTo find out more about Perception AB, click here: https://www.MeterPlugs.com/perception-abAnd to watch the full mastering how-to webcast with Lij and see exactly how the song was re-mastered, click here: youtube.com/watch?v=9Ce397fI1RI
Apple switch to LUFS and enable Sound Check by default - Episode 84 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2022-06-07 | This is huge - Apple have finally started using LUFS for their loudness normalisation, which means all the major streaming services now use the same method to measure loudness ! And perhaps more importantly, they’ve enable Sound Check by default on new devices. As always there are plenty of devilish details to be aware of though, so in this episode we talk in detail about this change, including: * Why it’s so important * How much music online is REALLY normalised anyway ? * Why the answer is surprising to many musicians and engineers * Why Apple finally made this change * A few quirks and gotchas * Why it’s good news * And what to do about it (and what NOT to do!)Full show notes on our websitethemasteringshow.com/episode-84
Mastering for clubs & DJs with Luca Pretolesi - Episode 83 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2022-05-18 | (updated) In this episode we tackle one of the biggest challenges in modern mastering - the demand for super-loud masters in the dance & EDM genres. Our guest is Luca Pretolesi, and we talk to him in-depth about his approach to mastering for clubs & DJs. Luca’s masters are loud and we're always emphasising the value of balanced dynamics in mastering on this show, so you might think it would be an uncomfortable conversation... or you might be surprised.Some of the topics we cover include: * Why do DJs demand loud masters for club playback ? * Luca’s strategy to deliver this without sacrificing dynamics for streaming * Hint - it’s NOT all about limiting and compression * How loud Luca's masters are (which may not be quite as loud as you think) * The club genres that DON’T demand extreme loudness * Where things might go in futureFull show notes on our websitethemasteringshow.com/episode-83
Dynamics in Dolby Atmos - Nick Rives Interview - Episode 82 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2022-04-04 | Dolby Atmos has moved the goalposts for loudness, all the way down to -18 LUFS. This was one of the main topics of conversation for this year’s Dynamic Range Day, with the Atmos versions of 5 albums being nominated for the award - and in fact, the overall winner was an Atmos mix & master.In this episode I talk to Nick Rives from Capitol Studios, who mixed the winning album, and we discuss:- Nick's approach to mixing immersive audio- How he got started with Dolby Atmos- Using spatial effects to enhance the musical impact- How the -18 LUFS guideline works in practise- The benefits and challenges of Atmos dynamicsFull show notes on our websitethemasteringshow.com/episode-82
Dynamic Range Day 2022 Webcast Production Advice 2022-03-26 | Find out: - How Dolby Atmos has moved the goalposts for loudness - Why Apple are making sure everyone can hear the benefits of dynamics- Why 89% of online music listeners won't hear how loud your music is Plus the announcement of the 2022 DRD Award for best-sounding dynamic album !
DRD 2022 - Atmos Dynamics with Justin Gray Production Advice 2022-03-25 | Dolby Atmos has moved the goalposts for loudness - in this livestream I'll be talking to Justin Gray from Immersive Mastering about the opportunities and challenges of this format, and why it could be a turning-point in the loudness war.
Welcome to Dynamic Range Day ! Production Advice 2022-03-25 | What is Dynamic Range Day, and what's happening ?
Dolby Atmos Mastering - Episode 81 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2022-03-01 | Apple’s announcement of Dolby Atmos support has caused an explosion of interest in the format - after all, it means almost any iOS user can stream immersive audio, even if they only have a pair of earbuds to listen on. But how does that even work? And for that matter, what is Dolby Atmos, and why should we care? And what about mastering for Atmos? Is it possible, or even necessary? In this episode we talk to Mike Hillier from Metropolis, and producer and mixer Emre Ramazanoglu about all things Atmos, including:* Why Atmos is different* Why mastering in Atmos is different* How it works in practise* Why the binaural render is so important - and what is binaural ?* Why binaural Atmos sounds different on Apple devices* How does head-tracking affect all this ?* Getting started working in AtmosSee full show notes on our websitethemasteringshow.com/episode-81
You asked, we answer (or try to!) - Episode #80 | The Mastering Show Podcast Production Advice 2021-12-18 | Time for another Q&A show! Thanks for all your comments, reviews and questions, please keep them coming. In this episode we tackle: * Are tools like SplitEQ fundamentally changing mastering? * Level automation - before or after the limiter? * Should you make separate masters for broadcast? * Can (and should) we correct absolute phase in mastering? * Do you need a dedicated headphone amp? * What have we changed our minds about in mastering, over the years?00:00 - Hello00:38 - Have new tools changed the mastering process?08:53 - automate vol before or after limiter14:22 - -14 and -23 LUFS, do we need two versions of the master?19:09 - Does absolute phase matter ?24:35 - dedicated headphone amp?27:32 - shoutout Julian Krause28:03 - something you've changed your mind about in mastering33:03 - outroSee full show notes and links on our websitethemasteringshow.com/episode-80
