Week 10: Intermediate Mixing and Mastering

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In this workshop we will review mixing and mastering for podcasts and audio papers, in particular the integration of skills in production, performance and research. 

Usually on the show we’re talking about mastering music for CD, download and streaming, but there’s another important final destination for the audio we work on – broadcast. And the difference with broadcast audio is – there are standards. Having said that, often there isn’t a dedicated mastering stage ! In this episode we dig into the whole fascinating topic with our guest Dallas Taylor from Defacto Sound, and host of the superb Twenty Thousand Hertz podcast. Dallas has a wealth of experience in sound design and mixing for broadcast on trailers and ads for shows like Game Of Thrones and games like Fallout, amongst many others. In a wide-ranging conversation we talk about: * Why sound design is like being a conductor * American versus British mixing style in drama * What are “emotional FX” ? * The loudness wars in broadcast * Dialnorm – what and why ? * How to make dragons talk
What is the correct way to setup a Mastering Session in Logic? Mastering in Logic Pro X can be easy if you know how to properly set up the session. Logic has I/O for analog gear, and EQ, a compressor and a limiter which can all be useful in mastering a well mixed track. Follow this tutorial to correctly setup your session so you can Master with the most versatility and ease.

I watched some YouTube videos on how to mix and master. I think the importance of the mastering would be listen to your audio paper on different machines, like speakers, bluetooth speakers, phone, computer speakers and ear phones. The more you try, the better it would work for the final EQ. I am not a massive reverb fan, I will definitely put on a compression and eq channel strip on my mastering process. A loudness plugin would be needed as well. I think it would be the thinking I am wondering right now.

Firstly, I will think to put on my audio paper in car speakers or cassettes: Live radio projects in resonance. I normally listen to broadcasts on cars and buses in china, and I am kind of enjoying it. A sound car audio system will give you a much better sound quality. It is hard to describe how better it will sound with the system. However, it is worth getting something that sounds as close to live music as possible. A new car audio system will help you achieve this. And thinking of the audience I would like to bring about… I have so many empty cassettes right now so it would be worth doing it.

Secondly, I will think to put it on a Soundcloud. I can see the diversity on sound cloud that people are sharing. ‘Ecoacoustics’ – composed documentary for Critical Waves Radio (2015) is amazing as I am looking at Derek’s blog. It is well explained, with very live SFX and I really enjoy the melodies in the first seconds.

Promotion ideas? I really don’t know. I would like people to focus on food waste as well as how bad the society is focusing on body shame. Food as a necessity, a cultural culture, and a way to gathering family and friends around, I think people already have put lots of effort in it so sometimes would be better to take out? In mental relationship, I am thinking sometimes we should realise is that our brain is Hungary or our body is Hungary…

Cally Spence experienced a lot on food field recording samples which had a big impact on me. He used lots of sounds like fires, water and electric noise to become percussion.