Mastering 2-Bus Compression To Improve Your Mixes | Pro Tools | Production Expert

In this article Steve DeMott explains his approach to Bus Compression. Why is it important and what does it achieve?

2-Bus compression makes a lot of sense to me. Putting a compressor on every track of a recording does not. I am from the school of performance. Music is performed, not constructed (produced).

Always good to learn how to use the tools.

Avoid These 8 Common Mastering Mistakes | Pro Tools | Production Expert

There has long been a debate on the topic of self mastering. Many believe it’s impossible for anyone to master their own mixes… yet many do. Personally I do master the music I work on and the world hasn’t swallowed me up yet. There are of course very good reasons for hiring a pro mastering engineer, not least for their all important subjective “second set of ears” that will highlight all manner of pros and cons in a mix. All of this can really help elevate the results of a master, however, this post isn’t about how to collaborate with mastering engineers, instead we are highlighting a number of mastering mistakes to avoid if you master your own music. I’m not going to discuss the pros and cons of mastering your own music but I will say it does come with a number of challenges that you should be aware of, if you want your masters to sound amazing… starting with:

A good set of things to remember (or forget). It is a master, not a mix. The goal is a finished, high-quality recording.

‘[Musical Mastering: How Mastering Can Affect Genre and Feel, and Vice Versa](https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/musical-mastering-genre-and-feel.html\)’

Musical Mastering: How Mastering Can Affect Genre and Feel, and Vice Versa

by Ian Stewart, iZotope Contributor May 17, 2021

Mastering is often viewed as a precise science—a clinical last step in getting a song or album ready for release and distribution. This sentiment tends to bolster the notion that somehow, there’s no room for creativity in mastering. But ask almost any mastering engineer and they’ll tell you that they also view their work as the final creative step in musical distribution.

Establishing Project Studio Reference Monitoring Levels:

If you’re serious about recording and mixing you need to set a consistent reference level to which you can always return. Our seven‑step guide explains how to do it.

From Sound on Sound magazine in 2014. Always good to have your room balanced and levels clear and understandable.

How To Use iZotope RX To Repair Music Recordings | Production Expert

So often we read about the essential role iZotope RX plays in audio post-production. In this article we look at how RX can help to repair audio issues in music recordings, as well as look at what is the best order to fix multiple issues, iZotope contributor Mike Metlay, explains…