# Are these plug-ins enough to mix and master a library album?



## Valérie_D (Mar 14, 2015)

Hello everyone,

So i'm on a budget and I recently bought Vahlhalla VintageVerb, Vahlhalla Room,
Equilibrium, Equality and Compassion from DMG audio, and PSP Vintage Warmer.

Would these tools be enough to mix and master library albums?

I do mainly instrumental cinematic music.

Thanks for your inputs and suggestions as well,

Bests,

Valérie


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Mar 14, 2015)

Technically, depending on your ability you could mix and master your album with the stock plug ins of most DAWs. 

I think it will be difficult for people to tell you whether or not those tools are enough as we dont know your mixing and mastering skills. 

The only plug in I use on most my tracks is what Waves calls a multimaximizer - A multiband compressor/limiter. It's a cheat way to master I think but it's good for people who are less skilled or have less time. You can control frequencies and push your mix's volume up quite easily.

Best advice I could give is compare your tracks to a professional track of similar style and compare when mixing. Also put some up on the forum here and people will be able to give you an opinion on how your mixes are going too


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## Jason_D (Mar 14, 2015)

Generally I use Ozone with a mastering chain like this, equalizer > harmonics > compressor > stereo imaging > equalizer > maximizer. My sum busses follow a similar chain structure, compressor > equalizer > limiter, reverb tail (parallel) and harmonics (parallel). All of the settings are subtle with the maximizer handling loudness and dithering.


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## bbunker (Mar 14, 2015)

Tough to say! I couldn't mix with those, or at least not at first, because I'm used to the tools that I have. As long as you put out product that sounds good, it doesn't matter what you use - nobody will ever know or care!

That said, you might look at a convolution 'verb, just to have another solution if you find a problem instrument on those algorithmics. Multiband-compressors are a good way to absolutely destroy a good mix, but they can be pretty darn handy when their powers are used for good. Like on an amped electric bass where the lows can go ballistic, but you don't want to squash the clinginess out too. That kind of thing.

If it's your first time using those plugins, I'd probably run with them for a while and see what your issues are. My first concern might be with Compassion - never having used it, it looks like it's built around the whole subtle, RMS-based, transparent kind of thing. Which is great, when you want transparency. Sometimes you need to squash the crap out of some waveforms, and I think it's those cases where the personality of the compressor gets really exaggerated. A limiter or soft-clipper can do some awesome things to noise-heavy kicks and snares, and turn mild-mannered thumps into earth-rending kicks of doom. But, you won't know what you can't get out of your gear until you try to get it, throw your monitors across the room and get your credit card out. So - I wouldn't stress over it! (Yet!)

In the "uncool gear" category, I love tools like EZMix. Not to mix with necessarily...just to have a tool, with one knob on it, to throw ideas around. Because sometimes you're working and don't want to tweak the attack time on your compressor...you want to click "make loud" and turn a knob. And if it sounds good...well, STILL nobody will ever know or care.

No "right" answer, of course, just ideas - so I thought I'd throw some out there!


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## kfirpr (Mar 15, 2015)

I would add a multiband compressor like Waves C4 and a good limiter like Waves L2 (for the mastering part)


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## Valérie_D (Mar 15, 2015)

Thanks Everyone!

Anybody else likes using Ozone? Seems like a handy mastering tool.

I am curious to know what is your favorite convolution reverb as well.

Thanks!


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## tokatila (Mar 15, 2015)

For mastering? If I have understood correctly; two most important things you need is 1) Treated room 2) Well-trained Ears. 

Minuscule differences between different EQs are thwarted by your room modes anyway. That being said, many people seem to like Ozone as a one-stop solution.


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## muk (Mar 15, 2015)

Not that I was an expert on the subject by any means, but what really helps me mixing is a good meter plugin. Especially on an album a fairly consistant loudness level is important, and then you'd want to know how dynamic your mix is. 
Other than that, my ears are probably not trained enough and my setup not professional enough to discern differences in sound of, say, different eqs (not different eq settings, mind you, but simply different eq plugins). Certainly not if the tools are all high quality. Until I do I'll simply work with the tools I already have.
With the exception of Nebula plugins. Recently I've become really interested in Nebula plugins, they often do sound different to my ears than anything else. But that's a different story.


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## Ganvai (Mar 15, 2015)

I never tried Ozone, but everyone of my befriended composers that are not experienced in mastering do very decent tracks with it.

If you have no idea about how to master, this tool can become very handy. 

For me, FabFilter Plugins are the tools to go for, for mastering and mixing.


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## Vin (Mar 15, 2015)

Hi Valérie,

Of course they are, those are all top notch plugins. 

Here's a helpful video on mastering by Alex Pfeffer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT4LwIK7S0s

Essentially, you need a solid compressor, EQ and limiter and if you want to add some flavor, I'd add tape simulation or/and harmonic exciter. Since you are on a budget, for tape simulation I'd recommend TB ReelBus, cheap and excellent. If you want alternative to Compassion and EQuilibrium, these are great and free mastering compressor and EQ:

http://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-vos-slickeq/

http://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-kotelnikov/

If you don't have a limiter, here's a great one, and it costs only €20, just like ReelBus: http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-barricade/


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## lee (Mar 15, 2015)

What are peoples opinions on Voxengo Elephant? compared to the Waves L1/L2?


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## bbunker (Mar 15, 2015)

I'm quite fond of SIR-2; the way it implements True Stereo is very natural and workable, and it's been 100% rock solid for me. The Waves IR1 I despise with a passion. I don't find many of the impulses very workable, for one - and it tries too hard to not play nicely with other impulses and vice versa.

For Mastering Tools, I adore Melda's stuff - and most of the basic parts are free. The Limiter sounds so much better than the L1 to my ear, much more musical and vibrant. And there's a lot of tweaking room, too, from a really soft knee to 100% brickwall, if that's your thing.


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## cAudio (Mar 15, 2015)

Valérie_D @ 15th March 2015 said:


> Thanks Everyone!
> 
> Anybody else likes using Ozone? Seems like a handy mastering tool.
> 
> ...



I like Ozone, but most of the time I only use the Maximizer(limiter) and dither. I think it sounds pretty transparent, but I don't have much to compare it to.


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## wst3 (Mar 15, 2015)

I'm not sure that word means what you think it does... sorry, always wanted to use that line<G>!

So do you really mean mastering, or are you thinking more in terms of polishing the mix?

There is a big difference, and I do not know you, nor do I know anything about your engineering chops, or your facility, but from past experiences I'm going to go out on a limb (and sound insufferable, I'm sure) and suggest that you can't master your own mixes. Or at least most folks can't.

Mastering is an entirely different skill set from composing (and you do really well at that) and mixing (and you do really well at that too). It requires a different mindset, and a different tool set, starting with the listening space. A space designed for tracking can usually be used for mixing - and often is. A space designed for either of those is usually inadequate for mastering.

A good mastering engineer seldom adds reverb or effects, but they do use dynamics processing and filters/equalization to bring out the best in a mix.

So while I absolutely LOVE the Valhalla plugins, I would not use them for mastering unless the artist I was working with elected to leave the mix dry, and that almost never happens.

NB - I am not a mastering engineer. I have mastered projects in the past, usually in someone else's mastering studio.

I am aware that for cinematic tracks decisions about reverb are often left until the last minute, and performed by the folks mixing to picture. This is a necessity since the dialog and SFX will also need to sit in the mix.

Anyway, getting back to your question, Ozone (in spite of their marketing) make some of the most musically useful processors available. And you can absolutely polish a mix using them.

Vintage Warmer, while really cool, is more of an effect, and I don't think I'd use it at mastering time, but I might use it on a stereo track if I were polishing it.

I've not used the DMG tools, but they seem to be in the right ballpark for polishing as well.

On the rare occasions when I've tried to master something in my studio I've used the Precision family of processors from UA, Ozone, and sometimes compressors and EQs from Waves. These all have the ability to operate in a mode that is usable for mastering. But truth be told, those projects took me way longer than they needed to, and I'm certain a practiced mastering engineer would have gotten better results.

There is nothing wrong with polishing your tracks, in fact I think it is essential these days. You just need to keep it in perspective.

I have a project I just finished, music for a live theatrical production, and I wouldn't share the tracks we used for the show with anyone. They worked quite well for the show, but spectral balance sounds terrible on decent monitors in a decent room. And they tails are abrupt because, well, because we never needed the entire track. There is almost no reverb used (except for effect) because the space provided ample reverb. And so on - you always have to be aware of the target audience. If that makes sense.

If I were to choose to share these tracks I'd redo the mix, probably almost from scratch, and I'd polish them. And of course I mean to<G>...

I really no NOT mean to sound negative in any way, I just think that sometimes people think mastering is more than it really is.

So my advice is to think in terms of polishing the stereo mix as a separate task (in other words, don't load the 2-mix up with plugins!) Get a trustworthy multi-band compressor or dynamic equalizer (two views of the same process), a good wide band compressor, a good limiter, and a good filter set. Both Ozone and Waves provide these, as does UA if you want to go that route, and so too do probably many others. I'm just familiar with these.

Good luck!!


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## germancomponist (Mar 15, 2015)

Valérie_D @ Sun Mar 15 said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> So i'm on a budget and I recently bought Vahlhalla VintageVerb, Vahlhalla Room,
> Equilibrium, Equality and Compassion from DMG audio, and PSP Vintage Warmer.
> ...



Valérie, what sequencer do u use?


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## Valérie_D (Mar 15, 2015)

Digital Performer :D


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## Valérie_D (Mar 15, 2015)

wst3 @ Sun Mar 15 said:


> I'm not sure that word means what you think it does... sorry, always wanted to use that line<G>!
> 
> So do you really mean mastering, or are you thinking more in terms of polishing the mix?
> 
> I am trying to do both actually, I am crawling and not yet walking in terms of mastering and I can't really afford a visit in a Professional studio, but I have to start somewhere, and no you're not insufferable, thank you for your input!


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## germancomponist (Mar 15, 2015)

Valérie_D @ Sun Mar 15 said:


> Digital Performer :D



Oh, I don't know DP but maybe this vid can help you first?


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## bbunker (Mar 15, 2015)

Mike's advice "don't load up the 2-track with plugins" I think should be like a mantra! It's easy to start jumping the gun and go straight into the mastering process when you're the one taking all of the responsibilities on library work, sometimes before you're even done mixing. And nothing good happens there!

What I started doing on projects I'd be taking all the way to the mastered phase for libraries is to render the mix first. And sit on it - let the ears rest, and put away the mixing hat. Then, load up the 2-track render of that and put on the mastering hat on another day. Keep the processes separate, or you might find (like I did for a while) that thinking too far ahead means not getting a good mix to begin with because that one limiter on the 2-track turns into a limiter and an exciter, which turns into...well, you get the point.

Ha...there's my Ides of March warning for you: "Beware, Beware...taking on too much at one time!"


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## pixel (Mar 16, 2015)

I'm not mastering engineer

Your plugins are quality and you should be available to master with them.

My master chain is like: 
-Compressor (to add character, mostly virtual replica of hardware)
-EQ (as small tweaks as I can) - if I have to tweak a lot, then i am coming back to mix process
-Compressor (sometimes, to give more average level in productions with huge drums etc)
-Saturation/harmonic Exciter
-Limiter (free Cm Barricade because I still haven't anything better) :wink: 

As EQ free TDR SlickEQ is powerful tool and also free TDR Koletnikov (compressor). Both are Hi Quality tools even better than some commercial plugins) 

Ps. don't overdo VintageWarmer because this plugin unconsciously push us to drive it more and more. I prefer it on channels than on master but it just me


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## sinkd (Mar 16, 2015)

Hi Valerie,

I would spend some time learning the DP Dynamic EQ and Mid/Side plugins. For an orchestral/instrumental library project these two might do most of what you need. I also use the Masterworks EQ all of the time, even though I have tons of other EQs. The Valhalla plugs are really more for mixing your VIs, I would think.

Vintage Warmer is also a very versatile EQ and "drive" plugin for mixing, but (even though it has 'Mastering' presets) I have never used it on a final 2-bus for a VI orchestral project.

Most of what you need to do will be in the mix. I wouldn't use loads of compression on the final master. When you print your mixes—if they have a lot of dynamic range—you might do with just some plain old volume automation to make the soft parts a little louder. Depends on the style, of course.

Good luck and keep us posted!

DS


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