Polishing a good mix with Joe LaPorta

Full video available exclusively on mwtm.org/good_mix
In this sneak peek, Joe LaPorta reveals all of the equipment and parameter settings used to master Close Your Eyes by Run The Jewels.
Welcome to Sterling Sound studios for our debut video release with Joe LaPorta! In this series, the Grammy-winning mastering engineer tells the story of his professional journey, then gives insight into his current working environment and practices. He discusses many important topics, including the correlation between dynamic range and streaming playback level, studio monitoring, and analog vs. digital processing. He also demonstrates his approach to mastering two sonically contrasting mixes by Shawn Mendes and Run the Jewels.

[@mixwiththemasters]

Full video available exclusively on mwtm.org/good_mix

[@josephhall5884]

These are the legends that bring classics. Respect to the unseen. Eddie Sancho as well.

[@spencergump5452]

Joe really made this super accessible vs some other MWTM videos. I appreciate the knowledge dump

[@ashleyneptune3239]

How to explain with the least amount of words and most of amount of music? This video right here!! Kudos

[@hummarstraful]

If you want to get an idea of how important the design of professional mastering room is, search for Warren Huart's interview with Bob Ludwig. The speakers in his room sit on massive concrete slabs under the floor.

[@TheChromaticz355]

Northward acoustics sience!

[@cvader7]

Badass track and mix

[@Aryamansarkiofficial]

yo the song is so fire....the beat is crazy

[@gwsound]

So cool. Great furniture by the way.

[@AlCapwn369]

The master of mastering 🙌

[@thegroove2000]

BAD BOY SONTEC EQ. ONE OF THE BEST EVER MADE.

[@youngmarcy7087]

This guy is a wizard and is the reason some of your favorite artist is big. I have the upmost respect for joe I love his work fr fr very underrated . Don’t sleep tho this guy knows the Sonics and is very capable

[@CFox.7]

No.. a mixing engineer adding some sparkle is NOT the reason BIG artists are BIG. Its a combination of THEIR TALENT, songwriter TALENT, producer TALENT and where the MARKET is currently. Anyone can make a mix that brings out the key elements and doesnt ruin the song - its not rocket science.

[@johnbeaker8721]

He's an idiot. He "mastered" Night Visions by Imagine Dragons and it's horrifically loud with absolutely zero dynamics left. Audio mastering engineers that limit and crush music are no better than book burners.

[@NoQualmsTheArtist]

What a banger of a track! 💯

[@hummarstraful]

What does he mean he says he's adding "imaging" to the top frequencies? Is that a spreader?

[@rickblackers88]

yes, he uses an imager such izotope's ozone imager spreading the highs

[@hummarstraful]

@@rickblackers88 Thank you, Rick.

[@kevinbatchelor9566]

he's using a piece of mastering hardware designed by Chris Muth. I am not 100% sure what the circuit does but maybe some M/S processing.

[@LOIKI769]

whats the name of vu meter??

[@flaiir_rsa]

What's the program he's using?

[@gilbertsevdays]

2:16 sounds like a vocalist on RATM

[@into.cassette]

good catch - it is feat. Zack De La Rocha ✊

[@cable-fix-trash586]

Man who else was like stop turning it down? 😆 🤣

[@jtPrime]

Mastering is such an art

[@thlgnd]

it's a craft, there is a difference.

[@sayless347]

This dude name is on so many of y’all favorite rappers as the mastering engineer I know he paid

[@JamesWestMusicMan]

Wow some people in these comments really think they know what music is 😅😅

[@christopher-miles]

...it is defiantly sound, doe!

[@elianmusic7452]

OK. So you know how they always say it ISNT THE GEAR ITS THE EARS???? Well, in my 15 years of work, i am able to achieve a mix like that of Joey's -- i really can and have multiple times. Howeever -- that SINGLE MOVE Joe LaPorta did at 2:35 on that Muth Audio box did something that iv been after for YEARS. This widening effect while still maintaining a natural cohesion. THIS IS THE GEAR. Two knobs did that!! What is this box? Googling didn't help -- please refer me to this box, and what it does.

[@DaniSalat]

It's a custom box called a Transfer Console, common in high-end mastering places. No converters, just a "console" for mastering. FYI, Chris Muth used to design gear for sterling and is now co-owner of Dangerous Music

[@DaniSalat]

Oh and btw, I'm pretty sure what he initially did on that side unit is just volume

[@YearsFromWisdom]

One hell of a fucking beat... and im mainly a rock guy. But yeah, some funny comedy going on in this thread. 🤭😅

[@fabianrr]

Daw/Editor??

[@giancarlominotti4137]

pyramix

[@nayanmirza2507]

🙏🙏

[@PereRevert]

The mix sounds already quite hot anbd congested in the low end and in the mid-lows.. I'm wondering how much room really has Joe La Porta to do his work at his best. Such a shame to get such hot mixes to the mastering stage. Great job man!

[@derekrushe]

Agreed, I thought it was quite cluttered in the 150-300 range

[@kbmadethatshit6364]

Maybe that is just the the style the artist wanted (most likely is) grimey, muddy, girthy dirty drums and low end, if ur a mix engineer the song is not about you and how you feel about the artist's choices, Remmember. the song is all about the artist and they're vision.

[@PereRevert]

​@@kbmadethatshit6364​ totally agree... artist vision is king. Didn't intend to blame Joe's mastering work at all. Just praising him to try to do his best with that source mix.

[@josephhall5884]

I also learned that analog hardware rules. Keep your equipment. Software helps but sound warmth is infinite.

[@T-BOUNCING]

I DO HIGH END / ULTRA HIGH RESOLUTION AUDIO MASTERING!! CAN I MASTER SONGS FOR YOU SIR.

[@fabioestebanproductor]

im not so far to have the same equipment. i have the same mouse. hohoho

[@channel4creativecontent442]

We may need some help

[@ernieg]

what he is really trying to say is why they put so much low end!!!! smh

[@nelsongomez7228]

La NASA

[@Tym16]

These comments are laughable

[@johnbeaker8721]

Crushing albums to a dynamic range of 4 is not "mastering" it's musical destruction.

[@jamodrama]

How would you work on a track containing real music played ba real musicians with real instruments.

[@jmar4403]

This track is a collage of noise. Mr. LaPorta is being very generous in trying to polish a track whose objective is to be rowdy and in your face, and meant to be jagged and disturbing. There are diminishing returns by adding subtlety via the mastering process. The audience for this track will most likely not even notice the effort.

[@raydandy4899]

Well said.

[@cmllaagg3459]

This is why he's a great master engineer. His goal was to master at a competitive level, he felt the track was already mixed with enough disturbance and feeling big 'cause of all the low end. So he straightens the frequency balance and imaging so it can compete on playlists and radio. That's the final touch a mix needs if done properly. If you are used of doing more (or a lot) in mastering than I would recommend getting better in mixing.

[@Journeymanlive]

it's not because you finesse something that you "soften" it. It's misconception. I immediatly heard it could benefit from a little less 100hz and more 2k, yes it's fine tuning but the result is going to be: more agressive. Not polishing to lessen the message. Because crowded down low wasn't even all the way they could go. great move from LaPorta, this + wide medium compatibility + whatever level the client wants. done. Then again if you think you don't need mastering, don't go, art is art, mastering is just a very nice option to use.

[@peekpen]

to be honest I feel like I'm being invited into a third incarnation of about 6 or 7 until this is ultimately released. And that's going to be a final decision from the originators of the song. It seems like a push from an industry to build up hardware sales. If the industry forever doesn't want to tell us the truth about the final sound using hardware versus the final sound using software...ITB...then _it is what it is._ btw. I know this comment will be buried due to KZbins positive Disney comment system.

[@dystopia-0616]

3:42 not really

[@juandusse335]

Dolby atmos overrated!

[@MrBeblis]

Maybe some real music

[@tankndg26]

Any Pink Floyd beside that thing you call music?

[@tbwatch88]

'twould help if you started with a good song, mates. ugh.

[@raydandy4899]

Sorry that "song" just put me off finishing this video. Not my kind of thing at all.

[@251gonza]

zzz

[@mastod0n1]

I bet you think hip-hop isn't real music, don't you?

[@raydandy4899]

It's not a matter of whether I do or don't like hip-hop. When I watch a video on mixing and mastering I expect the source to have some real or even sampled instruments (keys, guitars, bass, horns etc.). I don't hear anything but an overly loud drum machine or sampled kick, nonsense insert effects and spoken vocals. I hear, nothing subtle or dynamic. This isn't any style of "music" that I enjoy. That's my opinion. Sorry if offends anyone.

[@eigojiyouzu]

@@raydandy4899 exactly. guy's a newb

[@Mic1904]

@@raydandy4899 "When I watch a video on mixing and mastering I expect the source to have some real or even sampled instruments (keys, guitars, bass, horns etc.)." ...why? Why that entirely and completely arbitrary set of expectations? I mean, that's entirely fine if that's your personal preference, of course. But 'I expect this'? Your expectations (not your taste, and not the video) are at fault here, nothing else.