My Go-To Mastering Chain (That Works Every Time)

[@pemungkah]

If you're still learning all this, as I am, and need free alternatives, here are the plugins: Gain is Ableton Utility. Saturator is the Ableton Saturator. EQ is Ableton EQ Eight. Glue Compressor is Ableton Glue Compressor. Ozone Multiband compressor was replaced with OTT. Ozone Imager 2 should be free, but they're having teething pains; it'll work in demo mode to try this. The limiter is FabFilter Pro-L 2; replaced with LVC Audio Limited-Z 2.1.11. Spectrum Analyzer is Ableton Spectrum. Loudness Meter is YOULEAN Loudness Meter 2 (free). All of those are either part of Live, or are free versions/alternatives.

[@EDMTips]

Geat info, thanks for sharing!

[@jhm8614]

I think the spectrum analyzer SPAN is free

[@VikashMoleman]

I Used Saturation Knob Very Much It Is A Free Plugin Maybe You Could Try It 😊

[@sprachrohr9723]

A/B would have been Nice here

[@djpvma]

Thanks, this helps me get some insight into how to look at some of the settings a little differently when mixing.

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, really glad you found it helpful! 🙌🏻

[@AndiNovaOfficial]

Spot on.

[@EDMTips]

Appreciate it! 🙌🙏

[@MannyMusick._]

you're the best in the World ❤️❤️❤️

[@EDMTips]

Thank you, I really appreciate the support🙌🏻🙂

[@Bert_Fromarketin]

Pretty dope!!

[@EDMTips]

Appreciate it! 🙌🙏

[@sheppo]

This needs a longer-form video, but useful to punch in something quick whilst creating a track

[@EDMTips]

Great idea, I might cover my mastering chain again soon :)

[@ianeastwood4837]

Boom just like that! You make it look so easy thank you.

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, glad it was helpful! 🙌🏻

[@stevenshaneyfelt]

This is cool for stock Ableton tools, my last release turned out well with just using a single Fabfilter Pro L 2

[@domdraper3221]

A properly mixed song should only need to be turned up.

[@razeu482]

I'm going to try this

[@natys-music]

Your mastering process definitely sounds better than mastering with tracks, ozone10 or fabfilter. Just tried it out. You are the greatest. Fer sound is natural and all sounds are rounder. Thank you very much for your expertise

[@EDMTips]

Stoked to hear that! My pleasure to help! Keep it up! :)

[@CaptnRich737]

Great video

[@EDMTips]

Cheers, glad you liked it! 🙂🙌🏻🙏🏻

[@pattanrecords]

Can I get a full detailed video

[@KarimLeMec]

in adding to this chainI use 2 limiter and a clipper between the two

[@kamill67]

Why loudness metering is not the very last in the chain?

[@ZahhaRaMahadev]

А где клипер перед лимитером?

[@mylivetubetv]

6db? It really depends on the source material.

[@notyetknownuk7416]

Yeah I was a bit surprised at that, I'm usually only getting just under 2db reduction with a 9 LUF final overall reading, 6db would be crushing the hell out of it???

[@joeghosn7642]

​@@notyetknownuk7416 i do that too but im starting to learn about perceived sound with peaks and transients he must have alot of peaks being crushed wich doesnt crush the rest of the mix i guess imma have to try it tell me if u found anything about that

[@HappyBowser777]

don't Lowcut the master and 6db is too much gain reduction. For beginners, just put a limiter on the master and work on your mixing.

[@amigow0306]

What with the phase issues when cutting with x4 lowcut?

[@JohnJohnCrusher]

Yup. Use a x1 instead imo.

[@victorbarbier1938]

Or just don't, I think there's no reason to automatically lowcut masters@@JohnJohnCrusher

[@georgechadwick8642]

Better off using a low shelf tbh

[@amigow0306]

@@georgechadwick8642 for me as a producer the low shelf thing dont work good on low end when your work with ref tracks. Maybe in mastering this is a better option but in production i use gabfilter with linear phase mode and a low cut

[@jeremiahmaryland]

6db of gain reduction on your last limiter? Somebody tell this guy about clipping lol

[@ralfransom3707]

I was thinking the same thing, 6db on only 1 limiter is nuts!

[@therealkeiffers]

Clipping is relative to the ear. On your DAW is 44,100 hz range and to put in perspective, good computers are around 200 frame rates/second. So for a track to clip, 3 samples, or sounds during the time it’s being analyzed exceed the “0” on your Daw which shows as clipping and then a red bar. Frequencies matter. I know of a producer who always clips but never distorts. It’s incredible.

[@jeremiahmaryland]

@@therealkeiffers I'm aware, I'm talking about using clippers to control dynamic range so you don't end up with a limiter doing 6db of gain reduction

[@alessandrosummer]

Jordan from Hardcore Music Studio likes this comment 🙃

[@georgechadwick8642]

Lol right? I admit I'm from more of a soundtrack/orchestral background and dynamic range is inherently important to the genre but still, 6 db of reduction feels crazy! Do y'all want every single note to sound as if it is fortissimo or something? Dynamics are a good thing. You're better off loading up a soft clipper before the limiter to add some saturation and save yourself some headroom

[@ozziereaker]

Will. I get The idea of cutting below 20hz, why You do 30? What slope you would recommend. Also 17khz? I used to cut 20khz can widen this matter please?

[@sheppo]

He's using a x4 cut for low and high in eq8 in Live, which is equivalent to 48db/octave

[@ozziereaker]

@@sheppo thanks

[@christianstoneroussesu4584]

This is track specific. If I, as a hip hop producer, cut my master at 39db, I’d lose precious 808 power so I wouldn’t cut that high. A lot of what he’s doing is track and genre specific

[@babijii]

why so much release on the limiter? Transients also?

[@We_Run_Up_Hills]

Hey!! What was the end loudness? In lufs??

[@TonyChurch112]

Does this work on deep tech?

[@EDMTips]

It does indeed!

[@TONINmusic]

This is very track specific

[@lairdkilbarchan]

Yes. Maybe don't use these settings if you're recording Afro Acoustic Death Metal or something.

[@TONINmusic]

@@lairdkilbarchan You EQ all of your tracks like this on master?

[@thecreepysilence4290]

I am Mixing and Mastering with the MPC One. Thats an funny thing, when you work completly without an DAW

[@prod7nearth]

Why the 17khz cut though? What if someone else wants to pitch down our track when djing

[@sac5608]

i cut 16.5k hz basically the same you cant hear above it but when its rendered into a wav or mp3 if a dj pitched it down or higher it would still sound the same because the plugins arent in effect. you understand? im not great at explaining things

[@FuranGameplays]

Cutting everything above 17khz? Depending on the track, that could make it sound weird. Also that ableton eq is non linear so for mastering is useless

[@AlexTuduran]

Don't put a multiband compressor on the master bus. If you need a MBC to make it sound right, you need do go back and fix your mix in the first place. A good mix only requires a master EQ and a limiter.

[@dante8677]

sometimes you can't go back to your mix. and hey, if it sounds good, it sounds good

[@WilliamAshleyOnline]

any mastering templates?

[@mihauok1]

I don't understand a thing here but it seems you know what you're doing

[@EDMTips]

Cheers! I'll take it as a compliment 😁

[@iamrickyhype]

As pro mastering engineer I am stuck between laughing and crying at this video...this is so wrong! 🤦

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome to share you knowledge with all of us 😎

[@georgechadwick8642]

Lol right bro's just beating his mix into submission instead of massaging it

[@aerov2484]

Read the Inflator manual and then tell me Ableton's Saturator does the same hahahaha

[@EDMTips]

Nah, I love Inflator, I might stick to it for now 😎

[@lairdkilbarchan]

Great to see a content creator who absolutely knows his audience. Ive seen so many other more long winded videos about mastering where they start by telling you it's impossible, confuse themselves with a bit of jargon, put the kettle on, cry into their coffee, tell you how to mic an acoustic guitar and round things up by questioning the purpose of life.....Just 🗿 So, thanks.

[@EDMTips]

You're welcome, I am glad you found it helpful 🙂

[@migats2160]

I think showing a very big master chain to beginners will make them think that mastering will make their mix better. But that is wrong. If you are a beginner, I would recommend only a high pass filter on 20Hz and a limiter on -1.0dB. Those are the only required elements for mastering.

[@FarrelOnline]

Even that should be linear eq, because of phasing issues in the low end.

[@migats2160]

​@@FarrelOnlineI've never taken a look at linear phase mode specifically because of the pre-ringing it generates. With just a simple EQ on the master, there is no other channel it can clash with. It will rotate the phase of the bass which can mess with the peak if you've perfectly set that already. But I don't see that as a problem.

[@leif909]

Me who doesn’t have the money for half these plug-ins:

[@thommakesmusic]

Most of theme are free or stock plugins. Span visualiser and Youlean Meter are and I use them. Very useful 😁

[@MiniJonesyLFC4]

The only one ye have to pay for is the ozone one at the end the rest are either free or ableton stock

[@MiniJonesyLFC4]

Oh an the limiter too

[@sourbaileys]

@@MiniJonesyLFC4 spectrum and loudness meter is not stock

[@darachocathain1038]

Plenty of free alternatives - might not be as good - but to the untrained ear , be hard to hear the difference

[@マシュードーラン]

Someone tell this man about the use of two limiters in conjunction with each other…and two db’s on a master compressor is barely doing anything. I’ve seen it used before and I’d rather get that needle hitting 4 instead. Plus 17khz? More like drop it at 20khz. You’re losing 3,000 worth of high end when you should be taking care of it in the mix itself if it’s an issue. People please do not follow this man’s process 😂

[@paulemmelot8915]

Can you do this at half speed? 😊

[@EDMTips]

Great tip, coolshart, thanks for sharing!

[@R1PPA-C]

I hate the fact we can't save shorts to a personal playlist too, there's so many shorts with tons of info crammed in them that I know I'm going to forget about by the time I'm back in the studio.

[@EDMTips]

Absolutely agree but alas it's up to KZbin, not me :)

[@R1PPA-C]

@@EDMTips oh dude I wasn't having a dig at you making shorts, I'm actually hating YT for many reasons lately, it's actually driving me insane 🤣

[@jv_sux]

Mastering chains will vary depending on several factors. Could be genre, mix engineer, or whether or not they compress their mix before sending to you. Also, using those aggressive hi pass and low pass filters is ridiculous. You're essentially making your mix sound like it was bounced at 44.1kHz. BS video.

[@j.r.a.inthacut8148]

Good grief. This is horrible advice 😂. Why are you doing steep high pass and low pass on master? A steep high pass will cause more problems such as larger peaks and phase shift in your low end. 6db of gain reduction on final limiter? No clipping before? Stop giving bad advice to beginners.

[@angellr8539]

I was born and raised in Wyoming County WV. I lived 6 miles up a dirt road . To me that was a holler. I don't live there anymore. But I have so many stories. Also mountain top removal has further devstated the land. People do not believe this is real or it is a very small area. Thank you.

[@EDMTips]

Thanks for sharing!

[@HollerAtcherBoi]

Automatically cutting 30hz and 17khz is soooo rookie

[@speakingcolors]

Please like this comment so I remember coming here to copy that chain and save it as a preset someday, thanks 🫶

[@EDMTips]

Sure thing, and catch you soon! 🙂

[@vincentorozco9020]

I really hate when people say do this. It’s all depending on the track 🤦‍♂️

[@EDMTips]

It is, but some things work in pretty much every case :)

[@domdraper3221]

Yea you can’t just use the same shit for every song, and that loudness meter is in a very weird spot.