How I Mastered Northlane's New Album Using Simple Plugins

Obsidian recently dropped to rave reviews across streaming platforms. This is how I mastered the album using a collection of basic digital plugins.
Get Flatline here: bit.ly/3EFthsN
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#northlane #obsidian #systematicproductions

[@dannyleftridgemusic]

So the -1db for streaming is true! Videos like this are invaluable for me. It’s just so hard to find real mastering advice. Thank you 🙏🏻

[@JaviPerera]

Nice one, as usual!! Looking forward for a "Systematic Mastering Guide"! Congrats for the good job!

[@chamelious]

This is awesome. But also, you can tell when an audio guy makes a KZbin video because the music isn't 177x as loud as your voice. One suggestion, when you do the final AB comparison, it would be much better to "volume match" them. The louder one is always going to sound better.

[@jsraudio]

gotta agree here, you know it as well as anyone Ermin, we gotta have those sweet sweet level matches ;)

[@ConstantineM]

Loudness is part of mastering

[@chamelious]

@@ConstantineM Obviously. I think you missed the point.

[@jsraudio]

@@ConstantineM yes, loudness is part of mastering, but if ermin had done absolutely nothing except increase the volume it would still sound better because louder always sounds better. A/b comparisons should always be volume matched

[@masoneismonstudios3016]

While I agree with this comment for the sake of comparing EQ changes, this isn't really the case for this scenario. He wanted to see the raw product VS the finished one. The raw product WAS significantly quieter than the final version. With that said, I think a lot of people are starting to realize and adjust to the fact that louder doesn't equal better. But I DO get where you're coming from.

[@slaterzxn]

Wasn't expecting to see a Sim-Racer to also be a sound engineer to a degree. Fantastic stuff!

[@firstwakerecording1815]

The A/B can be interpreted as misleading with having the huge level increase, but your videos and UM posts have always been great. Looking forward to new videos. Thank you for this one.

[@pureventrue2357]

Was just thinking this. Would be really good to hear it volume matched for a more accurate comparison. After all, we tend to hear louder as better.

[@jensloetzsch]

The Pro-L2 has a nice function, called 1:1 mode where you can hear what you are doing to the mix with your decisions without being distracted by the volume jump. Of course it doesn't work for the whole mastering chain but for the limiting alone, it's very useful !

[@the_snackbar]

I'm astounded and grateful that you're willing to show us this amount of detail in how you operate. Submission Audio and GGD are bloody brilliant mate.

[@VMac3]

Nevermind all the great mastering you do, that video intro hits me every single time, that's pure genius haha!

[@KarasamaBeats]

Its always such a pleasure watching u work on a song mastering !

[@dayslane]

Hearing the comparison at the end…. WOW!!! Enjoyed this

[@JeserNoob]

Just wanted to thank you for making this video because I got into this album from watching how amazing the production, mix and master all are. Not to mention how addictive this song is and how catchy and groovy the albums riffs and drum parts are. Nice screams are amazing and the whole album is incredible thank you so much I’m a fan

[@blacksmithstudio1647]

Right on point on a lot of levels! Thanks for this great video Ermin!

[@Clarky_AU]

What the actual hell, I've been watching your content as a Sim Racer, and now I find out you master for one of my fav bands and a few others as well. Mind Blown

[@yeserguitar]

loved it mate, I'm really mind blown how seamless you teach this stuff. Amazing album, and just realized that Nolly mixed it when you say it and it proved that I love everything nolly mixed :D Cheers

[@SabineWald_NowHere]

I can't stop listening to this song :). Great job!

[@daworse1734]

Through the the intro i had an instant riff idea 😄 me very like what youre doin man

[@pianoatthirty]

that saturn trick is so beautiful

[@JayKayProductions]

As always Ermin hits a homerun in this tutorial. Just used this as a rough guide with some bx_digital v3 for EQ and completed a master in 15 minutes. Awesome stuff!

[@JayKayProductions]

PS: I've already watched this video in the past but now it made more sense :)

[@georgezorbas9036]

well done man...this video is perfect and to the point. Perfect job!!

[@loganwelty7094]

Great video. Will be applying many of these tips to my own work

[@bradylasserre9320]

Incredible that this information and teaching is out here for free. Thank you.

[@okay5488]

I could listen to you all day! You have a wonderful voice

[@enrico_stornelli]

This is so helpful! Thanks again Ermin!

[@drzeissler]

excellent work..what a punch in the drums!

[@OfficialStevenCravis]

This is brilliantly presented.

[@rabmccudden683]

I didn’t know u were a producer, I’ve been watching ur sim stuff for ages. New sub from me 👍🏻

[@rayfrusco209]

Underated channel here! Love your work brother!

[@nickbarton7484]

Man, I wish this kind of walkthrough and insight was available 10+ years ago! Amazing work as always Ermin! Curious what the ‘Digital Clipping’ plug-in at the end of your signal chain is and if it’s doing anything significant to the final master that might have not already been discussed in this video? Keep up these incredible walkthroughs, love em!

[@SystematicProductions]

That's literally just a loopback cable allowing me to capture DAW audio during video recording.

[@Shred_Rocket]

Awesome! Ermin, I always like your approach to music from an emotional perspective, certainly, the ears are the window to that. But the simplicity of your technique is quite obvious and why folks like the Nolly's of the modern music industry come to you for finality. Perhaps when I grow up, if I ever do, I can see clearly what you see and hear.

[@LykaonMetalMusic]

Awesome like always!

[@DirtyHippyStudio]

amazing video man, thanks for sharing

[@mark64tanner]

Excellent info here. Thanks Heaps fo sharing. Only discovered Northlane today and very impressed. Just came back into the Music community since the dreaded 2020 (I was trained in analogue engineering back in the early 80's) Making the Analogue to Digital move after so long was a challenge (Even though I'm an IT systems engineer) but am really enjoying what can be achieved using, I wont say cheap, but affordable gear we dreamed of having access to at home back then. Just subbed and hit the bell, now time to go check your catalogue, Thanks again mate Cheers 👍✌😎

[@nordeuropa8816]

This song. Just WOW!

[@Riffa22]

those guitars are filthy, love it. Loving the matrix animations haha

[@johnhuldt]

Amazing stuff. Thank you!

[@azidihaqeem7882]

Carbonized.. cypher..dark solitaire is my favourite song in obsidian album... obsidian is beast track💯👍👏🔥

[@DerrickSchneider]

Incredibly helpful.. thank you!

[@shredvenom]

Wow, I just found this video. I previously only knew you were a mad sim racer hahaha Awesome!

[@williamfaith6007]

This is brilliant- cheers!

[@DivideMusic]

The real question is how do I get ermin to master one of my tracks. That is the question…

[@InVerum]

Now that really is the question.

[@fucc773]

probably by giving him money 🤔🤔

[@flipsrecords168]

That PC running so smoothly

[@kylehowdy]

fantastic video!

[@adammassacre1981]

KILLER album really digging it \m/

[@alanbrucke]

My chain had gotten insanely long (12 plugins) and this video showed me that just 5 can give me BETTER results. Excellent stuff.

[@adamkiefel79]

Good little Video 🤘🏼😎

[@chrisbellson7164]

I have barely but a clue what he is talking about, but damn this is interesting! Nice work on such a great band! Subbed!!

[@nickwatland1277]

damn man you have real info. I am all digital and deal with idiots but my teacher preached analogue and you back it up

[@JKE2014]

there's a magic to how fine tuned the ears of a mastering engineer are

[@MattGirst]

Thank you for this tutorial! You explained it really well!

[@tramer76]

Bangers dude.

[@JeiDoublerice]

Amazing!

[@colavermusic]

dig the content bro!!

[@user-ik7dj4tm3g]

perfect guide

[@Bai_Vasil]

Master of the MASTER 🤘🤘🤘

[@sqwop]

Quick easy tip for whoever needs it, use dual mono compressors, vst obviously because hardware is dual mono by default. I use solid bus comp by NI and it gives a lovely dimension and brings everything forward when used subtly, less is more with this compressor.

[@GeoffPlaysGuitar]

You had me at matrix metal

[@okaychannel.]

I love this album

[@AlbertoMussogtr]

hey man, great video as usual! I have a couple of questions: - Is the Crave Eq on every track for filtering any dc offset? - I've seen you have the true peak correction / oversampling on pro L2 turned off, wouldn't it be better to work with oversampling instead of turning down the out of the Pro L2 to stay "safe" with the tp? This is absolutely no critique, I've barely started my journey in the mastering realm, I respect you immensely and I trust your hands and ears, I'm just courious about this choices. Have a great day!

[@SystematicProductions]

Thanks! - I don't generally 'filter DC offset'. It's worth explaining that 'DC offset filters' are just high pass filters, so if high-passing is a regular part of your mastering process, you'll get the benefits of DC offset filtering along with it. - I explain the realities of oversampling here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZy1kJiNrqt3o5Y It's a bit overstated in the modern era by people who use meters more often than they use their own ears to produce music. We could very easily put in 'code hacks' to make Flatline look like it's generating absolutely no aliasing, but I'd rather people understand the reality of the situation.

[@AlbertoMussogtr]

@@SystematicProductions great, thanks for your response man! I'll go check the video immediately, have a great day 💜

[@Aeghar]

Hey, thanks for the video, some incredible info. Quick question, when talking about compression, you've mentioned "digital compression", what exactly do you mean by that? Thanks

[@dupgab]

You made me buy a lot of plug-in in this vidéo well done😅. Btw you are the only one that clearly explain each steps of a good mastering. I followed your advice and my mastering got a big step up. Thanks 🙏.

[@SystematicProductions]

You're very welcome. That's always great to hear.

[@heartherainsing]

I'm sorry but that little intro sound was such a pleasant suprise, cause I instantly recognized it since I love Carcer City so much! Did you happen to mix or master that album?

[@corestudio9799]

Awesome

[@galeriarch.]

Been knowing you from racing stuff man, didn't know you're also a producer 😂

[@pablopicasso3122]

Hey. What mic are you using there? It looks like an EV re20 but I gotta be honest, your mic might even sound a little bit better. Thanks! And great job on the vid and on the engineering.

[@Neuri]

You are in my “top 5 dinner guests” bro. Genuine thanks Ermz ❤

[@Dino-sx9ct]

I would have liked if you explained more about adding the limiting on the side channels and de-linking the center channel does. I'm having a little difficulty understanding this concept.

[@gabrielbarbosa4366]

Aweasome video, but I'm wondering why the TruePeak is off? What would be the diff between this parameter turned ON vs OFF?

[@gilandrade3384]

Awesome video Ermin, have you ever tried the Oxford Limiter? Any thoughts?

[@SystematicProductions]

A very, very long time ago! Don't think I ever gelled with it, personally.

[@BenFTI2K]

WOW, it’s Ermin Ham sandwich!

[@happyshadow]

I much prefer the sound of a low shelf to a high pass (especially an 18db per oct one!)

[@smokejc]

Would be amazing if you did with Immutable what you did with Obzen and other Meshuggah songs. It's missing that Ermz oomph.

[@SystematicProductions]

Just need them to hire me first!

[@smokejc]

@@SystematicProductions fair!

[@zorran]

for those who want volume matching ballpark volume matching is not too difficult with the youtube volume slider. it gave me a much better idea. you could also do it in your DAW if you wanted it exactly volume matched.

[@victorbernardo1358]

Hello from Portugal! Great video! Highly educational for us noobs!! :) Quick Questions: At 4:46 you say that "at this stage I would use a hardware unit". What hardware unit would you use and would you aply the same settings (threshold, ratio, attack, release)? . Would the Warm Audio BUS-COMP do the trick? :) Thanks in advance. Victor.

[@SystematicProductions]

Anything as basic as a clean GSSL would do. I really like grabby SSL style compressors, but really this is where your personality as a mastering engineer can come out.

[@Art_Of_Sound]

Nice presentation. The ab was of no use without level match of course...would help to have some ab sections to load up in the studio. Despite you hugely assisting with definition, i found there were elements reaching out but with the low mid transient blur, it did not translate to me all that well. was quite involved with early 90 underground industrial goth metal...its somehow punchy but i struggle with the psychoacoustic handles. Nice skills to do what you did! Strong intent!

[@IanVase]

Hey Ermin! Trying to buy the mixing book (physical copy) but it's not adding to the cart.

[@marcpeiron_studio]

Hi! I'm just curious to know why you're not using oversampling on flatline or pro-L2...

[@SystematicProductions]

If memory serves, I go over that in this video here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZy1kJiNrqt3o5Y

[@gaboquintana3628]

Yes of course, if you compare something at -10 to something at -1 it's obvious the loudest will sound better. Could you show us the frequency response before and after to also see the increment of harmonics next time,?

[@ExiLeZH]

You can compare before and after at normalized levels at 0:40 and 12:10

[@Brandon-RZ]

Between the mix and master two steps of bus compression? Or just one on the master?

[@InVerum]

The mix Nolly sent over seems pretty quiet all things considered, do you have a preferred level coming in pre-master? Not sure what the 'industry standard' is.

[@SystematicProductions]

His mix level was just about perfect.

[@InVerum]

@@SystematicProductions Really appreciate the response! One thing that I've never seen a clear answer on, seems to be all over the place. Thanks for helping to educate the community!

[@willisthedon4761]

13:25 100000%

[@kariskgtr]

It’s sooo goodd 🔥🔥🔥 I’m curious about LUFS.. How much is it? -6 or -5?

[@SystematicProductions]

I have no idea! I don't look at the output meters.

[@azendance]

Nice video and look into your workflow, appreciate it. But the comparison at the end is pretty much useless, how about volume matching?? I would also find it very useful to hear you not just dialing in everything as you had it in the actual master but for example in Saturn, dialing up the saturation way more at the start so it's easier to actually hear what it sounds like, then dialing it back to where it sounds best to your ears. More comparing before and after the effect would also be nice. Nonetheless, love the videos and Flatline fucking rules.

[@SystematicProductions]

Thank you. At a certain point, people need to be allowed to fill in the blanks themselves. If replicating the provided settings, then exploring their boundaries and what they add is too much of an ask, then the person in question might want to consider whether sound engineering is the vocation for them. Prior to the last 10 years, our entire approach was predicated on trial and error - attempting to piece together disparate, vague hearsay information, because most engineers were unbelievably secretive about their techniques - only directly imparting their craft onto their immediate assistants, if that. What's provided in this video is only possible because I quit mastering full time. The idea of getting as much direct information as was provided here was borderline unthinkable in any generation prior to this one. I think that context is very important to establish.

[@dannyleftridgemusic]

@@SystematicProductions this was the most informative and insightful video on mastering I’ve seen on YT. I remastered my entry for this month’s Horizon Devices Contest after watching this and it made, what I thought was really good, so much better. I didn’t use the same plugins or the exact same EQ but the principles of why you were doing what you did were well described and allowed me to apply them to my specific piece. Thank you 🙏🏻

[@irelp1161]

Or buy a URM Enhanced membership where there's a full mastering course by Ermin :)

[@azidihaqeem7882]

I love dark solitaire...👍💯🔥👏

[@azendance]

@@SystematicProductions I do see where you're coming from. Maybe I'm asking for to much haha but at least give me the volume matched comparison at the end XD otherwise it makes no sense switching between before and after ;)

[@matrixmodulator]

This is like a gordon ramsay video but for audio

[@ryanshook8284]

Are you still using the Nuemann KH310? Would you recommend them? Thanks

[@SystematicProductions]

Yes, with the sub they're quite usable!

[@industrystandardbeats]

I just bought the acustica audio Ivory 5 pack and this plug in isn't in it Im confused can someone please help?

[@ad00m5]

Super sick! But I must say the raw mix was damn good too _

[@RyRyTheBassGuy]

Seems odd you didn't use one of the high quality modes in Saturn.

[@scriblestingray5713]

THE SIM RACING GUY MASTERED NORTHLANE?

[@XiyuYang]

Any plans to sample a fretless bass?

[@SystematicProductions]

I had thoughts about running the idea past Sean Malone to do a signature with us prior to his tragic passing. Now the idea mostly makes me sad.

[@XiyuYang]

@@SystematicProductions 😭😭😭

[@JohnHenkamGangte]

Why isn't this 19 hours long?

[@IDOLIZERband]

1:30 was excited to hear the zing top end, but it wasn't a - b 'd so i couldn't hear it. Audiences might bit know the whole mix like you, the engineering youtuber does. Didnt learn what your eq tool does...

[@LeonidPetrin]

interesting process explanation but what a weird comparison without level match :/

[@DerekWolf]

Your boost eq before you cut. That’s weird

[@BukanIbuMu]

Jordan Valeriote also does it too and he is a pro.

[@margauxmilan]

Excuse me? Nolly mixed this album as well??!!

[@timcity]

And the Grammy goes to........

[@JUNKO____]

Let it be known that I chose not to ruin the 420 likes, someone else did.

[@PereRevert]

Ermin is a very talented guy but in this case, it seems obvious to my ears that all that processing destroyed the low mids punch and transient impact. The Flatline processing was pushed too far. Anyway is a nice and very modern master. Keep up the good work man !

[@jdjdjdjjc6535]

Bro this album was mixed and mastered so badly but it was a horrible album to begin with

[@nordeuropa8816]

Trolling won't make you solve your personal problems or make you look tough. In contrary, it's a weakness. Miserable people cannot spread nothing but the misery as they have no other value. May you heal soon.

[@jdjdjdjjc6535]

@@nordeuropa8816 you like dated 90s edm bro?

[@charizardmaster13]

and im sure you could have done a MUCH better job ;)

[@SystematicProductions]

@@jdjdjdjjc6535 I love dated 90s EDM. We'll do a Prodigy cover album next, in your honor.

[@bradleyrussell7449]

I won’t lie, I halfway agree. The album was very well composed, but the mixing was so weak. The title track, Obsidian, was such a powerful song, but there was no impact to it because the loudest thing I could hear was the high hat and snare, while the guitar was about the quietest thing on every song. That’s usually fine, but these songs are composed to sound heavy, and yet the guitar is so weak, so they end up sounding thin and empty.

[@BlackthorneSoundandCinema]

This video contains no educational content regarding trained critical listening. And an A/B comparison that isn't level matched. I hope that young inexperienced people watching this understand that it's an advertisement.

[@PM-vv3uc]

At least you can see which software producers use. But, you're right, you won't learn that much in this video.

[@SystematicProductions]

An advertisement for what, exactly? Northlane? Fabfilter? brainworx? SubMission Audio? Competence? Or all of the above? I would hope that one of the first things the aforementioned young & inexperienced people learn is that critical listening is a byproduct of years of trial and error, and not something that can be ingested in 13 minutes via a KZbin video. Indeed, we had to produce this video in a single day across an international timezone, so my editor didn't volume match one comparison right at the end. Fundamentally, I would hope that budding audio professionals understand that this is what their own volume knobs are for. When I came through this industry, we would have have killed for collective, holistic tutorials like this. The idea of them being free and publicly accessible to boot would've been unthinkable. We instead had to make do with interview excerpts, hearsay, conversation and repeated trial and error (with an emphasis on the error part). I make sure that every bit of educational content I put out, whether written or video form, encapsulates the things I wanted to see as a student - things I know would've helped shortcut my long journey to get here. Dually, it's also done to fight the ever encroaching tide of incompetence, though what I'm starting to see is that it's difficult to meet the ever rising baseline level of entitlement.

[@BlackthorneSoundandCinema]

​@@SystematicProductions I do not feel entitled to anything, I do not want or need anything from you. I am not your target audience. I would like to see the most prominent public figure in this niche to be a better example for younger people starting out. Metal audio engineers are running behind engineers in other genres from being poorly educated and we are having this conversation because that is something that I care about. I hope that you can see the validity in my criticism and my intentions. The only time I see mastering tutorials not involve level matching is because the video is selling a plugin, but you are telling me that wasn't intentional. You're teaching how to copy settings and nothing more. Because this video is devoid of educational content, I did see it as an ad and that's why I said that. I hope that you you see how it looks from my point of view and that I'm not just being randomly accusatory because I'm a hater. "Out of two signals the louder one will always sound better even if it's worse. That's why level matching is an important part of a non destructive mastering process." That didn't even take 13 minutes and that is the most fundamental rule of critical listening when operating any dynamic processor. I appreciate your reply, and I do see you not deleting my comments and taking time to form that reply as a sign of goodwill. I hope that this will help you see the responsibility of being influential and the positive effect that you could have going forward. If you have taken the time to hear me out, I respect you for that.

[@kristianniemann8716]

​@@BlackthorneSoundandCinema Wow, how's the view from that high horse you're sitting on :/ You realise Ermin is not charging anything for this right? How much valuable, free content have you shared with the world?

[@Jazzguitar00]

@@BlackthorneSoundandCinema I don't understand....no one made you watch this, let alone pay for it. He has his own plugin somewhere in the mastering chain. Why is that a big deal? You want him to make a plugin and not ever use it? How does that make any sense?