Mastering in the Box Explained

This new series from studio wiz Michael Costa shows you the basics of mastering in your computer using typical plug-ins, and how to address many common issues found in recordings, as well as as more advanced techniques to solve other trickier problems, and get your songs and productions sounding their best!

Basics

• Introduction (03:43) - Get a quick holistic look at the mastering process and some of what you'll be covering with Michael in this series.

• What Happens & Why (12:20) - Michael discusses his thought processes that underly the art of mastering.

EQ, Dynamics and Dither

• EQ (10:15) - Join Michael for a discussion about the mastering approach to using and applying EQ.

• Compression (17:24) - Learn about single band bus compression, its purposes and examples of three popular models.

• Limiting (14:59) - Discover the function of the peak limiter in mastering, for tone and protection.

• Dithering (05:03) - Explore the subtle but integral part of delivering your final master.

Fixing the Mix

• The Harsh Mix (08:32) - See how fixing a harsh element in the mix with something other than EQ might be a better choice.

• The Thumpy Mix (09:23) - Learn how a dynamic EQ can tame an overly thumpy kick drum while retaining more of the warmth in the track.

• The Loud Hi-Hat (07:45) - See how to tame a specific overly loud instrument in the mix to hopefully blend it in better with the rest of the track.

Mid Side Processing and Phase

• MS Intro (06:00) - Michael introduces the concept of MS processing, showing some plug-ins that exploit it and pave the way for the tutorials that follow.

• MS Fix Imbalance (06:38) - Learn how to rebalance the left and right of your lopsided mix without adversely affecting the center.

• MS Widening (14:22) - Explore making a mix wider, first by using widening plug-ins, and then by manually tweaking your own MS processor.

• Phase (09:29) - Learn about the issues faced when an element in a mix has phase issues.

More Mix Fixes

• Vinyl Considerations (07:35) - Discover the things you need to keep in mind if your intended medium is vinyl.

• The Flat Mix #1 (12:55) - Watch Michael deal with a problem mix that lacks punch and excitement.

• The Flat Mix #2 (19:45) - The second of our flat mixes is a bigger challenge - an old bedroom mix that is too boomy and too bright while still lacking depth and impact.

Stems and Mastering

• Stem Mastering Pt. 1 (11:08) - See Michael introduce the concept of mastering with stems, explaining some of the many advantages as well as showing two different ways of creating the stems.

• Stem Mastering Pt. 2 (14:24) - Now watch Michael process the stems individually to create a better final master.

• Mastering Session (25:29) - See Michael put together many of the things already learned and run a fictitious compilation mastering session to get numerous disparate tracks to gel.