MITB Mastering in the box
€ 47.12
Concepts and applications for audio mastering
Theory and practice on Wavelab Pro 10
English version
Theory and practice on Wavelab Pro 10
English version
Author: Marco Massimi
€ 49.00
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Marco Massimi
MITB Mastering in the Box
Concepts and applications for audio mastering
Theory and practice on Wavelab Pro 10
Paperback: 550 pages + companion page
Publication Date: 19/10/2020
Language: English
This book deals with digital sound processing for audio mastering, entirely inside a computer, ITB, In the Box. ITB mode has been chosen for various reasons. The computing power of today’s computers allows a high level of accuracy and calculation. These computers are now within anyone’s reach; such a text may help the reader make things that only a few mastering studios, provided with expensive equipment, could have done before. Nowadays, a home studio can produce good masters. If we consider the parameters and take the precautions to avoid degrading the numeric signal, our master can compete, quality speaking, with any commercial product.
Do not be astonished if you find a copy of this book in a mastering studio, however. The purpose of this book is to analyze and experiment with the various elements of this post-production stage. The reader has the tools to analyze the sonic content and make the right choices for the signal processing within a DAW Digital Audio Workstation.
Topics
Production chain – Background history and meaning of mastering – Types of processing – Metering – Analyzing material to master – Filtering, DC offset removal and timbral changes – Spatial processing – Dynamics processing – Distortion and saturation – Noise reduction – M/S mastering – Stem mastering – Surround mastering – Dither – Authoring – Red book – Mastering for streaming and compressed form
CONTENTS
Chapter 1
PRODUCTION, BACKGROUND HISTORY AND DEFINITION OF MASTERING
1.1 Music production chain – Tracking – Mixing – OTB mode – ITB mode – Hybrid mode – Mastering
1.2 Direct to disc on wax and Bakelite discs
1.3 Vinyl
1.4 Transfer
1.5 Mastering
1.6 Why master a song? – Listening consistency – Playback system adjustment – Fixing errors and editing – Create a tracklist – Inserting PQ codes and metadata
1.7 Playback system
Chapter 2
TYPES OF PROCESSING
2.1 Spectral processing
2.2 Dynamics processing
2.3 Time-based dynamics processing
2.4 Spatial processing
2.5 Noise reduction
Chapter 3
METERING
3.1 dBSPL
3.2 dBu
3.3 dBV
3.4 dBm
3.5 dBFS
3.6 Peak meter
3.7 VU meter
3.8 Integration time
3.9 RMS meter
3.10 AES17 scale
3.11 KS scale
3.12 EBU 128 scale
3.13 LUFS
Chapter 4
SIGNAL ANALYSIS
4.1 Acquiring from analog support
4.2 Acquiring from digital support
4.3 Arranging project and folders
4.4 Sample rate and bit depth analysis
4.5 Floating-point calculations
4.6 Stereo balance
4.7 Detecting DC offset
4.8 Detecting inter-sample distortion
4.9 Level, volume and dynamic range
4.10 Crest factor
4.11 Spectrum analysis
4.12 3D FFT analysis
Chapter 5
SIGNAL FILTERING
DC OFFSET REMOVAL AND TIMBRAL CHANGES
5.1 DC offset causes
5.2 Removal through an inverted voltage
5.3 Removal through filtering
5.4 Equalizers in mastering
5.5 High-pass filter
5.6 Low-pass filter
5.7 Shelving filter
5.8 Band-pass filter
5.9 Band-rejection filter
5.10 Peaking filter
5.11 Constant-Q peaking filter
5.12 All-pass filter
5.13 Equalizers – Tone control – Graphic equalizer – Parametric equalizer – Linear-phase equalizer
5.14 Master section
5.15 MasterRig plugin
Chapter 6
SPATIAL PROCESSING
6.1 Analyzing balance and phase correlation – Phase
6.2 Stereo image width
6.3 M/S spatial processing – M/S stereo image processing
6.4 Mastering reverbs
6.5 Spatial equalization
Chapter 7
DYNAMICS PROCESSING
Preface and basic concepts – Compression
7.1 Downward processors
7.2 Downward compressor – Make-up gain
7.3 Types of downward compressors – How to use downward compressors
7.4 Limiter
7.5 Downward expander
7.6 Noise gate
7.7 Ducker
7.8 Upward processors
7.9 Upward compressor
7.10 Upward expander – Fixing the brick wall effect – Removing inter-sample peaks
7.11 Multiband processors: dynamic equalization – Dynamic equalizer – Relative-threshold dynamic equalizer
7.12 Parallel processing
7.13 Transient designers and time-dependent processing
Chapter 8
DISTORTION AND SATURATION
8.1 Distortion
8.2 Saturation
8.3 Harmonic distortion
8.4 Multiband distortion
Chapter 9
NOISE REDUCTION
9.1 Dynamic noise reduction
9.2 Spectral noise reduction
9.3 Off-line spectral editing
Chapter 10
M/S MASTERING
10.1 Serial M/S processing
10.2 Mastering for vinyl
10.3 Parallel M/S processing
Chapter 11
STEM MASTERING
11.1 Mixing vs mastering
11.2 Acquiring and arranging material
11.3 Setting up a stem project
Chapter 12
SURROUND MASTERING
12.1 Multichannel bus
12.2 Preserving global spatialization
12.3 Multichannel phase meter
12.4 Multichannel dynamics processing
12.5 Multichannel plugins
Chapter 13
DITHER
13.1 Bit depth reduction
13.2 Adding noise
13.3 Noise filtering, noise shaping
13.4 Noise level
Chapter 14
AUTHORING
14.1 Vinyl
14.2 Constant angular velocity
14.3 RIAA curve
14.4 CD
14.5 Why 44.100Hz?
14.6 Why 48kHz for video?
14.7 Constant linear velocity
14.8 SPDIF
Chapter 15
RED BOOK
15.1 CD structure
15.2 Tracks
15.3 Sub-indices
15.4 P and Q sub-codes
15.5 Bonus-track
15.6 Ghost-track
15.7 Emphasis
15.8 SCMS
15.9 ISRC
15.10 UPC EAN
15.11 CD-TEXT
15.12 Metadata
15.13 PMCD
15.14 CD-EXTRA
15.15 DDP
Chapter 16
MASTERING FOR STREAMING SERVICES AND COMPRESSED FILE FORMATS
16.1 Mp3
16.2 AAC, Advanced Audio Coding
16.3 Ogg
16.4 Flac, Free Lossless Audio Codec
16.5 iTunes
16.6 Soundcloud
16.7 Spotify
16.8 YouTube
PREREQUISITES
This book alternates between theory and practice on a computer, which is supposed to be studied in close connection. Users with different levels of knowledge can read this text. The following is the minimum level required for those who start studying MITB: a basic proficiency with a computer (how to save, copy and erase a file); being comfortable with terms such as preamplifier, amplifier, mixer, speakers. Each theoretical section needs to be studied in conjunction with its corresponding practical section, including each computer exercise. You can study this tome either by yourself or under the guidance of a teacher.
FOREWORD
by Steve Lyon
I can’t recall over my various years of being a recording engineer and producer how many times I’ve faced the same question, what is Mastering, and is it required? You would think the answers would be quite obvious and easy, however, as we all know that not really how the conversation ends.
Over the years, the changes are well documented and evident as to our listing habits, from good old Vinyl to streaming with new software in particular ready to assault our ears. The technical requirements have required new solutions to challenges still being fought between the various “platforms” and different mediums. However, the basic outcome across all these are the same, and we just want the music to sound good.
That might seem a little simple in its analysis, but it’s so true. You don’t need to be a technical wizard to enjoy music or to have an opinion on the Genre, it’s content, or it’s sound but to those of us battling to get music heard, develop artists and create something new, reliance on experience, our own or especially on others who work in other avenue’s within music has always been essential.
I have great memories of Mastering in various studios around Europe, especially in the UK and NYC. It would take too long to recall them here, but I absorbed as such as possible from the wildly eccentric engineers to the fanatically technical, appreciating that these personalities had it all within their grasp to make sure the tracks I had brought in the door on tape or digital formats would sound great.
Those possibilities to learn and trust from those experiences are sadly limited now, but the desire to find out more about certain issues is still there, especially the mysteries of mastering. Digital requirements are evolving, Vinyl Mastering is making a reassurance, all good, but where can I find a reference to a vast array of questions and endless curiosity, technical or otherwise? Well, you have it in hand laid out in diagrams and formulas for the technical, discussions, and advice for the curious and a wealth of ideas and insight into what is now generally called “in the box.”
Personal taste and feelings are as important if not better regarded than rules and tech jargon, but wouldn’t it be nice to be assured that you can access all of these in one place.
Happy reading 🙂
Steve Lyon
Producer, Mixing Engineer (Depeche Mode, The Cure)
SUPPORT
Where can I find the “MITB Mastering in the box” support page?
Please check the book introduction: the URL address is reported several times. Please note that you should type the address exactly as you see it on the book. Don’t use google, type it directly on the browser address bar.