Mastering DJ Set Basics with Cool Edit Pro
Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Newbie
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    4

    Default Mastering DJ Set Basics with Cool Edit Pro

    Hi to all,

    I'm trying to learn some basics about mastering my sets in order to burn them to a CD. I use Cool Edit Pro 2. I've read about some filters I have to apply but I'm not sure the proper values or presets. The only thing I know is that the filters required are: Normalize, Hard Limiting, Dynamics Processing, FFT Filter and Graphic Equalizer. Also I read about the Frequency Analysis in order to identify the weak frequencies.

    Could somebody help me please.

    Thanks in advance!

    Regards from South America.

  2. #2
    DJTT Moderator Dude Jester's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Noiseeland
    Posts
    12,426
    Acer E5 i7 16GB 512SSD 2TBHD ~ WIN 10 ~ TSP 2.11 ~ AUDIO 6 ~ DUAL X1s ~ DN-X1600 ~ SPECTRA ~ TWISTER ~ ATH-PRO500 MK2 ~ ZED6FX ~ AT2020

    " I’m the Dude, so that’s what you call me. That or, uh His Dudeness, or uh Duder, or El Duderino, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing. "

  3. #3
    Newbie
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    4

    Default Thanks but...

    Quote Originally Posted by Jester View Post
    Thanks a lot, but do you know some tutorial using Cool Edit Pro 2. I understand the principles but the filters have very specific parameters.

  4. #4
    Tech Guru mostapha's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    4,748

    Default

    If you use a Limiter correctly, it accomplishes the normalizing step, and it is dynamics processing. Also, a graphic equalizer is a very blunt tool. You'd be better off learning to use parametric equalizers if you've got specific problems.

    Jester's guide is good. Read it, then read it again.

    For my take on it, what I usually did was:

    Mix -> Pristine/Clean Channel Strip -> Colored Gain Stage -> Limiter -> mp3 encoder.

    My favorite clean channel strip is the one that comes with Pro Tools that runs the same algorithms as Avid's top-end consoles. It's very clean and easy to use. I like it because you can basically draw in your changes and fine-tune them with your ears.

    Typically, I'd use the Dynamics/Expander section to very lightly tame volume peaks (with a limit on how much compression it would apply, a great feature) and a fairly aggressive (to my ears) expander to give over-compressed tracks a bit more room to breathe.

    The EQing I'd apply changed based on the gear use...but most of the time I'd use the EQ for a gentle HF rolloff, since most digital mixing kind of lets noise build up there, especially if the whole signal chain was digital. Other than that, I just listened for problems and got rid of them with the parametric EQ, usually with some automation. Basically, this let me not tweak EQs as much while I was spinning since I could do it more subtly after the fact. (note: we're not talking about bass cutting or other EQ effects....we're talking about balancing different parts of the mix). I also tended to very gently high-pass out some of the sub-bass as well. I figured my mixes would mostly be listened to on headphones/earbuds or computer speakers that didn't have impressive subs anyway. So, having a lot of sub bass took up headroom but didn't really get me anything.

    I'd try them in different orders, but IIRC it usually went filter -> dynamics -> EQ if the strip was capable of it (or if I was using separate plugins).

    After that, I'd use an analog-emulating plugin as a gain stage.

    Note: With an analog mixer, I was feeding my sound card with a nice, big analog signal (not clipping, but not all that quiet either). With a digital mixer (Traktor or Live internal), it was pure digital signal straight onto the drive. Once it was in the DAW software, though, it wasn't uncommon for me to set the software gain so the mix peaked at like -18dBFS so I knew I had plenty of headroom to work with. As long as the input is good, the internal representation being quiet isn't a big deal...modern DAWs use 32-bit float numbers, and the noise floor is so incredibly quiet it just doesn't matter.

    So, that gain stage was an emulation of some piece of gear I was enamored with at the time. At home, it was usually an SSL 4000's Master Bus Compressor because those plugins are cheap and plentiful and usually pretty good. Sometimes, It'd be a Urei 1176 or Neve 33609 compressor. When I've been lucky enough to work or study in studios with my yearly income in plugins, I'd use things like the UA API preamp models. This is analogous to the saturator that Jester was talking about in his guide, except I got to exercise my gear wankery a little without having to shell out thousands of dollars for outboard gear.

    That ran into a clean, digital brick-wall limiter, possibly with a clean gain stage after the analog-emulated one depending on how aggressive the model was. The limiter was initially set so the mix would not go above about -0.3 dBFS, and I played with the 3 gain stages (output from the channel strip, the analog-emulated one, and sometimes a clean digital one if the limiter didn't have one of its own) until it sounded good on whatever I considered my "reference" monitoring (usually my MDR-7506s, preferably the Genelec 2.1 and yamaha NS-10 monitors I used to have access to). I usually had a plugin right after the limiter that would check for "intersample modulation distortion", and I added headroom if that light ever tripped, making sure the limiter never gave more than a couple dB of gain reduction.

    Often, I was "done" then. Sometimes, I'd listen in the car, on my phone, etc. to see how it sounded there, but I usually didn't bother.

    Then the mp3 encoder.

    What this did was create a mix that breathed (actually had dynamic range), sounded good most places, let the loud parts feel/seem just a bit louder, and at least could use all the dynamic range that digital has (even though it didn't matter except for reverb tails when nothing else is happening).

    I'm not sure how that applies directly to Cool Edit Pro, but it's a slightly different take. The details of what plugins or fake gear I used aren't important except to say that I kind of prefer gear emulations to more general saturators. The only saturator I ever really liked was this multiband thing that I usually used to "build" guitar amps....you could just set it really light (compared to a guitar amp)....but it was so easy to overdo, I think I only did that once.
    Last edited by mostapha; 10-14-2014 at 06:53 PM.

  5. #5
    Tech Guru Timbo21's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    It's Britainy Bitch
    Posts
    561

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rikardio DJ View Post
    Hi to all,

    I'm trying to learn some basics about mastering my sets in order to burn them to a CD. I use Cool Edit Pro 2. I've read about some filters I have to apply but I'm not sure the proper values or presets. The only thing I know is that the filters required are: Normalize, Hard Limiting, Dynamics Processing, FFT Filter and Graphic Equalizer. Also I read about the Frequency Analysis in order to identify the weak frequencies.

    Could somebody help me please.

    Thanks in advance!

    Regards from South America.
    I used to Master for a living. If you aren't experienced in using EQ, dynamics etc it's best to keep it to a minimum. The vast majority of dance tracks sound right eq wise. You will get differences between tracks. Depends how polished you want it. In the past I've eq'd all so each track have similar balance, sometimes it sounded good, sometimes I took the life out of it. I mastered some of the first DJ mixes. I preferred live DJ mixes because the CD's just were too polished. So, it's up to you how far you go and if you want it to keep a spontaneous feel, or you want a highly polished album, as it were.

    My point is you've listed a fair amount of processing there and you can royally muller your sound and make it a nasty over compressed digital mush that sounds boring as hell.

    Anyway here's a few tips that can be used with ANY software

    EQ (use parametric not graphic). If you find yourself boosting or cutting more than around 3dB on a finished track you are more than likely going too far, since you are working with released finished tracks.

    If you want more bass, simply add a LF shelf at between 50-100hz. It's basically adding everything from those frequencies and below. If you have uncontrolled sub bass hi pass filters are good at around 25hz at -6db/oct or -12d/oct, or a more savage -24dB/Oct. To bring out bass drums I might boost at 80hz with a Q of around 1.30 - 1.60. Be careful boosting between 140hz - around 350hz, it can make your mix sound woolly and ill defined in the low end.

    Treble: Shelf from around 10khz-12khz, add or cut as required. Again lo-pass filters can be used to cut spitty top end set around 20khz, 18khz, 16khz again at -6db/oct or -12d/oct, -24dB/Oct

    Mids - 2khz - 2.6Khz will lift the mid range snares vocals etc. 3.5khz-4.5khz generally should be avoided as this is where your ears are most sensitive and will therefore be hard and unpleasant. One trick to bring out vocals on a mix was add some 5khz with quite a wide Q and some 540hz. Use Q values between 0.80 - 1.60 and you won't go too far wrong. 0.80 will be boosting quite a few frequencies surrounding your chosen frequency. If you go above 1.60 it gets very narrow and starts sounding unnatural. Adding frequencies around 900hz to 1.2k can make your mix sound 'nasal', so be careful there

    I personally would stay away from compressors on DJ mixes, since all the tracks will have gone through them anyway. You are more likely to squash the life out of your mix. Using limiters and compressors to even out the levels on your mix is quite a blunt instrument and means you will be mashing the loud tracks to bring up the quiet ones. By all means use a brick wall limiter to make your mix louder, but listen to see if it's starting to make your mix a mushy mess; loudness can be initially impressive. Compressors that Mostapha have mentioned can be used to add character without messing it, but the good ones cost money and need to be used subtly. If you use a compressor on a whole mix then going over around a gain reduction of around -3dB (on the GR meter) will more than likely be too much unless you are trying to create a specific over compressed effect. Brick wall limiters, if you are going over 4db-6db extra level you will be mushing your mix too much, but that depends on what level you recorded it at.
    Xone92/X1 MKII X 2/F1/Macbook Pro 13/Technics SL1210 MK2's
    https://soundcloud.com/timbo21-1/tracks

    Radio Show Every Friday & Saturday Night 22.00-00.00 BST
    http://www.jazzlondonradio.com/timbo...-london-radio/

  6. #6
    Newbie
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    4

    Default Thank you!

    Quote Originally Posted by mostapha View Post
    If you use a Limiter correctly, it accomplishes the normalizing step, and it is dynamics processing. Also, a graphic equalizer is a very blunt tool. You'd be better off learning to use parametric equalizers if you've got specific problems.

    Jester's guide is good. Read it, then read it again.

    For my take on it, what I usually did was:

    Mix -> Pristine/Clean Channel Strip -> Colored Gain Stage -> Limiter -> mp3 encoder.

    My favorite clean channel strip is the one that comes with Pro Tools that runs the same algorithms as Avid's top-end consoles. It's very clean and easy to use. I like it because you can basically draw in your changes and fine-tune them with your ears.

    Typically, I'd use the Dynamics/Expander section to very lightly tame volume peaks (with a limit on how much compression it would apply, a great feature) and a fairly aggressive (to my ears) expander to give over-compressed tracks a bit more room to breathe.

    The EQing I'd apply changed based on the gear use...but most of the time I'd use the EQ for a gentle HF rolloff, since most digital mixing kind of lets noise build up there, especially if the whole signal chain was digital. Other than that, I just listened for problems and got rid of them with the parametric EQ, usually with some automation. Basically, this let me not tweak EQs as much while I was spinning since I could do it more subtly after the fact. (note: we're not talking about bass cutting or other EQ effects....we're talking about balancing different parts of the mix). I also tended to very gently high-pass out some of the sub-bass as well. I figured my mixes would mostly be listened to on headphones/earbuds or computer speakers that didn't have impressive subs anyway. So, having a lot of sub bass took up headroom but didn't really get me anything.

    I'd try them in different orders, but IIRC it usually went filter -> dynamics -> EQ if the strip was capable of it (or if I was using separate plugins).

    After that, I'd use an analog-emulating plugin as a gain stage.

    Note: With an analog mixer, I was feeding my sound card with a nice, big analog signal (not clipping, but not all that quiet either). With a digital mixer (Traktor or Live internal), it was pure digital signal straight onto the drive. Once it was in the DAW software, though, it wasn't uncommon for me to set the software gain so the mix peaked at like -18dBFS so I knew I had plenty of headroom to work with. As long as the input is good, the internal representation being quiet isn't a big deal...modern DAWs use 32-bit float numbers, and the noise floor is so incredibly quiet it just doesn't matter.

    So, that gain stage was an emulation of some piece of gear I was enamored with at the time. At home, it was usually an SSL 4000's Master Bus Compressor because those plugins are cheap and plentiful and usually pretty good. Sometimes, It'd be a Urei 1176 or Neve 33609 compressor. When I've been lucky enough to work or study in studios with my yearly income in plugins, I'd use things like the UA API preamp models. This is analogous to the saturator that Jester was talking about in his guide, except I got to exercise my gear wankery a little without having to shell out thousands of dollars for outboard gear.

    That ran into a clean, digital brick-wall limiter, possibly with a clean gain stage after the analog-emulated one depending on how aggressive the model was. The limiter was initially set so the mix would not go above about -0.3 dBFS, and I played with the 3 gain stages (output from the channel strip, the analog-emulated one, and sometimes a clean digital one if the limiter didn't have one of its own) until it sounded good on whatever I considered my "reference" monitoring (usually my MDR-7506s, preferably the Genelec 2.1 and yamaha NS-10 monitors I used to have access to). I usually had a plugin right after the limiter that would check for "intersample modulation distortion", and I added headroom if that light ever tripped, making sure the limiter never gave more than a couple dB of gain reduction.

    Often, I was "done" then. Sometimes, I'd listen in the car, on my phone, etc. to see how it sounded there, but I usually didn't bother.

    Then the mp3 encoder.

    What this did was create a mix that breathed (actually had dynamic range), sounded good most places, let the loud parts feel/seem just a bit louder, and at least could use all the dynamic range that digital has (even though it didn't matter except for reverb tails when nothing else is happening).

    I'm not sure how that applies directly to Cool Edit Pro, but it's a slightly different take. The details of what plugins or fake gear I used aren't important except to say that I kind of prefer gear emulations to more general saturators. The only saturator I ever really liked was this multiband thing that I usually used to "build" guitar amps....you could just set it really light (compared to a guitar amp)....but it was so easy to overdo, I think I only did that once.
    Thank you very much for your very complete answer.

  7. #7
    Newbie
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Posts
    4

    Default Thank you

    Thank you all for your answers. I'm trying to understand all the concepts involved.

  8. #8
    Tech Guru MaxOne's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    London, UK
    Posts
    2,942

    Default

    Hearing good things about this AI mastering service https://www.landr.com/
    CLUB OF JACKS - RELEASES >>TRAXSOURCE
    Club of Jacks are a London based House & Garage production / DJ duo with releases on a number of underground labels including Plastik People Recordings, Blockhead Recordings, Hi Energy!, Pocket Jacks Trax, Soul Revolution Records and their own Club of Jacks imprint.

  9. #9
    DJTT Moderator Dude Jester's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Noiseeland
    Posts
    12,426

    Default

    gonna move this one chaps.
    Acer E5 i7 16GB 512SSD 2TBHD ~ WIN 10 ~ TSP 2.11 ~ AUDIO 6 ~ DUAL X1s ~ DN-X1600 ~ SPECTRA ~ TWISTER ~ ATH-PRO500 MK2 ~ ZED6FX ~ AT2020

    " I’m the Dude, so that’s what you call me. That or, uh His Dudeness, or uh Duder, or El Duderino, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing. "

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •