MASTER YOUR MIX WITH MASTER X3
Master your miX with Master X3!
...or six easy steps to ultimate happiness! The following chapter introduces the various modules and features of Master X3 in a
Let’s imagine we’re working with some rock music. It’s the final mix from that very expensive recording studio down the road, but for some reason there is 5.0 dB of headroom left, wasting precious volume reserves. No compression was applied to the stereo mix. (Actually, we are happy about this because it leaves all options open).
1. Setup
Before we start, let’s set up Master X3 as follows:
LOOK AHEAD DELAY: | 3 ms |
DIGITAL CEILING: | 0 dB |
3 BAND LEVELS: | 0 dB |
OUTPUT: | 0 dB |
EXPANDER: | OFF |
COMPRESSOR: | OFF |
LIMITER: | OFF |
TARGET CURVE: LINEAR |
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2. Input Level Adjustment
Set the input level for both channels to +5.0 dB. In our example, this will bring the input level up to an optimal value of 0 dB. Adjust this value until no clipping is indicated (i.e., until there are no Consecutive Clips in the input). For this example, set it to +4.9 dB.
Remember: as long as you don’t alter any settings in the signal chain before Master X3, you won’t get any changes in the input level, so there is no risk of clipping once you’ve set the level correctly!
3. Turn on the Compressor block
The FREQUENCY/LEVELS display in the
MASTER YOUR MIX WITH MASTER X3
Let’s set the Attack and Release Times to remove the “pumping” from the sound. We start with small values for both parameters. If the attack time is too short, we may remove some “kick” from the material. That’s certainly not what we want, so if it happens, try a greater value. Heavy peaks can be smoothed using the limiter section.
If the
Sometimes it’s easier to adjust the Attack and Release times and the Crossover frequencies by using extreme values for Threshold and Ratio during setup. This will make the effect of
your settings much easier to hear. Additionally, the band
Now we will adjust the compressor’s threshold and ratio. Set these parameters to the desired values. In most cases, you would use a low threshold in combination with a small ratio and
Satisfied? Why be satisfied? We have now set the compressor – but with identical settings for all three bands! With identical settings, we are not taking full advantage of the multiband capabilities. This is where the famed Target Curves and the Target Factor come in.
The Target Curves create different settings for each of the three bands. The displayed values in each fader section are always the
The Target Factor defines how much the target curve characteristics will influence the hi or low band. To set the Target Curve and Factor properly, we recommend that you compare the processed signal with the uncompressed, because you can use it to change the overall sound impression. Does your mix lack treble? Use the “Hyped” curve and adjust the target factor to your liking. Too bright? Select “Pink” and adjust the target factor. Not enough treble and bass?
Go for “Smiley” and you’ll be smiling too!
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