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Mastering (cymbal clipping)

use izotope ozone 4 to mastered the tracks
during mastering this is the step that i do:

1) multiband dynamics boost
2) multiband harmonic exciter (to give the clarity high frequency sound)
3) paragraphic equalizer
4) sterero imaging
5) loudness maximizer

my question is about the cymbal clipping.

after i do my mastered track, the cymbal at the beginning of my song sounds like CLASHHHH (its good, no clipping at all)

while during the climax of the song, where the song get really thick, the cymbal during the climax get clipping, somehow the cymbal sound is a bit dissapear.

if i lowered the loudness maximizer, my song is not as LOUD as other people music. but if i boost the loudness maximizer, my song get loud as other people music while it has cymbal clipping at the climax of the song.

how to fix the cymbal during the climax??

should i go to www.digitalmastering.nl ??

but i want to master my self!

Turn your loudness maximiser off and see what happens. I reckon you have squashed it too much with the compressor / limiter to make it louder, a common issue. Loudness isn't everything.

Re: Mastering (cymbal clipping)

quote:

Originally posted by DreambreaX if i lowered the loudness maximizer, my song is not as LOUD as other people music.

here is your problem. dont think about what others sounds like.

dont worry about mastering, send it to some established engineers if you really want it mastered

You need to go back to your mix before mastering and fix the area in question. When the song is at its peak and that cymbal hits, its creating a huge spike. This means that when you apply a limiter/maximiser, it will squash that spike heavily and this is what you hear ruining your cymbal (and probably many other elements as well)

You need adjust levels appropriately and maybe eq/compress specfic channels to reduce the sudden jump in volume when the cymbal hits.

It may be as simple as just turning the cymbal down.

I think some of the other advice is pretty poor. What good is sending a poorly mixed track to a mastering engineer?

sidechain it to competing frequencies, try panning each side, or compress it even tho compressing brass is mostly dumb because the feel it adds to music is mostly amplitude related

ps. why the hell do u have a stereo imager on the master bus?

Use EQ to eliminate frequency competition.

Or get an audiometry test done, learn to accept the fact that you have noise-induced high frequency hearing loss from too much listening to too-loud music, and adjust your cymbal crashes accordingly.

Joking. Maybe.

Look at your mix. Its nothing to do with your mastering, its just a matter of levels. When you put a limiter on the master, you constrain the level to a maximum, this means that when the cymbal hits, its being turned down automatically, because there are other elements that are competing for its dynamic range.

Its a matter of balance, if you have a loud cymbal, you need to drop another element to make sure you don't exceed the threshhold on your limiter.

Also, its generally a good idea not to put devices in your signal chain you don't understand.

quote:

Originally posted by Stephen Wiley sidechain it to competing frequencies, try panning each side, or compress it even tho compressing brass is mostly dumb because the feel it adds to music is mostly amplitude related ps. why the hell do u have a stereo imager on the master bus?

I always put a stereo imager on the master buss to control the bass width... usually give the highs a boost on the stereo channel too...

nonononono, don't sacrafice dynamic range for loudness!

Louder = better.

I toss all my ambient tunes through a brickwall limiter and crank them up to the max.

Just automate the cymbal volume down little bit when there is so many elements playing at the same time.

Re: Mastering (cymbal clipping)

quote:

Originally posted by DreambreaX if i lowered the loudness maximizer, my song is not as LOUD as other people music. but if i boost the loudness maximizer, my song get loud as other people music while it has cymbal clipping at the climax of the song.

That is because the other music is compressed, equalized in many processes in order to maximize the volume, by professional people with the right competanse and equipment.
Either accept that the track is a bit lower than others or send it to a mastering studio.
Todays music is too loud anyways.

Re: Re: Mastering (cymbal clipping)

quote:

Originally posted by Subtle Todays music is too loud anyways.

yes!

Fix any clipping issues in the mix and have a well balanced mix.

Be careful with over processing during mastering.

I normally run slight multiband compression and a limiter at the very end of the chain, and some good eq work. That's really it.


Let the mixdown do all the work. Youll have a better product in the end.

warning: might be controversial for some!

Mix into a limiter at desired loudness (or squashness) in order to set desired instrument volumes in the mix.

you can also put Ozone on you main bus during mixdown gives you the opportunity to make last minute corrections when mastering.
also the cymbal does not have to be as loud in the beginning as when stacked upon a cresendo later in the song.

quote:

Originally posted by sako487 dont worry about mastering, send it to some established engineers if you really want it mastered

+1 This topic is moot. Only noobs master their own material.

Yes, like Robert Babicz.


Sometimes using a different maximizers can make a world of difference.

quote:

Originally posted by Storyteller Yes, like Robert Babicz. Sometimes using a different maximizers can make a world of difference.

I agree.

This site has fantastic plugins for cheap! For only a mere $39, you can get this awesome peak limiter that will work wonders. Play with it a bit to get the loudness and sound you want. It colors your sound in a good way making it crisper, too. Make sure you put this plugin last on your master buss.

http://www.stillwellaudio.com/?page_id=16

Be sure to check out the rest of the site. Affordable plugins that compete with the expensive ones. They also have a forum to help you out, too. Good luck.

Edit: Again, this is just my opinion. But worth a shot.

just fucking turn down the volume on the cymbal or try eq away some frequencies

quote:

Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles Louder = better. I toss all my ambient tunes through a brickwall limiter and crank them up to the max.

and you're still sitting here since 2004...

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