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Topic: Ghetto "Remastering" Advice? (Read 3291 times) previous topic - next topic
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Ghetto "Remastering" Advice?

So I want to go through some of the albums in my collection and "remaster" them myself. I mean to say that I'm just going to make them louder (which is what labels define as "remastering" these days anyway, isn't it?  ) so as to have them match (more or less) the volumes of other music on my iPod. (Soundcheck is ridiculous, so don't bother suggesting it. How I miss ReplayGain.  )

Essentially what I was planning on doing was using an MFSL remaster (please don't hate me) that's really, really quiet (but chock-full of orgasmic dynamics) and apply the "Energizer - Subtle" Mastering effect in Soundbooth.

I'll probably redo a better "loudening" when Audition is released for OS X later this year (hopefully).

Does anyone have any advice other than to tell me that what I'm doing isn't actual remastering (which I know) and/or to not do it and just "turn the volume up?"

I would normalize, but I find it's just not consistent enough. I realise I'm going to lose the dynamics that MFSL worked so hard to bring through (though I'll probably be doing other albums that aren't MFSL remasters).

Ghetto "Remastering" Advice?

Reply #2 –
Quote from: greynol on
Why not use mp3gain?

As another approach, you can use Soundcheck, but have the adjustment be based on RG calculations.

I'd like to use RG values in Soundcheck, but I don't know of how to do that in OS X. If I was running Windows it'd be no problem (and I really don't feel like installing Boot Camp and Windows just for that).

And would I want Track Gain or Album Gain? Ideally I'd like to have both, but I realize that's probably not an option.

Ghetto "Remastering" Advice?

Reply #3 –
I can't help you with the limited choices resulting from your OS, but I can tell you that you can have both RG album gain and RG track gain using the RG -> Soundcheck solution.  Simply pre-scale your tracks when encoding (or adjust after the fact with mp3gain) using one of the gains (album or track) and then scan afterward in order to get the other gain and apply as Soundcheck values.  Turn Soundcheck on for one gain and then turn it off to get the other.

Ghetto "Remastering" Advice?

Reply #5 –
Quote
I mean to say that I'm just going to make them louder... 

...I would normalize, but I find it's just not consistent enough.  I realise I'm going to lose the dynamics... I
Right! Normalizing does NOT affect dynamics.  Normalizing (and Replay Gain) is simply a linear volume adjustment.  If you want your tracks "constantly loud", you need dynamic compression.  (I don't know anything about Soundbooth, but most audio editors do have a compressor.)

Compression works by reducing the peaks without affecting anything else (and hopefully without clipping).  Then you use "make-up gain" to bring-up overall volume and bring the peaks back up to 0dB.  The effect is to bring up the average volume without increasing or clipping the peaks.

FYI - Izotope.com[/color] has an extensive article on mastering (based around their own software, of course).
 

Ghetto "Remastering" Advice?

Reply #6 –
Quote from: ozmosis82 on
So I want to go through some of the albums in my collection and "remaster" them myself. I mean to say that I'm just going to make them louder (which is what labels define as "remastering" these days anyway, isn't it?  ) so as to have them match (more or less) the volumes of other music on my iPod. (Soundcheck is ridiculous, so don't bother suggesting it. How I miss ReplayGain.  )

Essentially what I was planning on doing was using an MFSL remaster (please don't hate me) that's really, really quiet (but chock-full of orgasmic dynamics) and apply the "Energizer - Subtle" Mastering effect in Soundbooth.

I'll probably redo a better "loudening" when Audition is released for OS X later this year (hopefully).

Does anyone have any advice other than to tell me that what I'm doing isn't actual remastering (which I know) and/or to not do it and just "turn the volume up?"

I would normalize, but I find it's just not consistent enough. I realise I'm going to lose the dynamics that MFSL worked so hard to bring through (though I'll probably be doing other albums that aren't MFSL remasters).



All you need to get started with your project is Audacity, which I believe is available for OS X.  Audacity includes a basic dynamic range compressor and equalizer which are the basic tools that professionals use for the purpose you intend to do.

Audacty supports VST plug ins, many of which are freely downloadable, Some are far more powerful and versatile than the ones that come with Audacity.