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HD Separation Mastering provides
unprecedented control to optimize and enhance your music. Appropriate refinements are
made to separated
portions of your mix. This method helps preserve the musical
tone or dynamics of your music more than any other process. It works on
the needs of the music, not the
needs of overall volume.
It's more precise than applying traditional
equalizers and
compressors to a complex locked-down 2-channel waveform. Separations do
what multiband compressors DREAM they could do!
Problem:
Making a loud CD master
requires that the highest dynamic peaks of a mix (usually
the drums) must be lowered (limited) in order to raise the
overall volume of the audio (to avoid clipping distortion). Often this
changes the tone or
apparent level of the drums in the master. This kind of peak
limiting is almost never needed for vocals or support instruments.
HD Solution:
Process
the drum
peaks/transients differently than the vocals. This eliminates
unnecessary artifacts imposed on the vocals by the drum processing. The
warmth and natural character of
the vocals and other instruments are retained.
Problem:
Vocal de-essing (removal of high
frequency "ss" or "sh" bursts) is commonly needed in mastering,
particularly when a full mix needs more clarity. Drums, however, are
often muffled
when de-essing is "globally" applied to a full mix.
HD Solution:
Vocals can be
de-essed and clarified without changing the tone and dynamics of the
drums or other instruments. Support instruments are warmer and more
musical when they do not "share" the same processing chain
as the vocals or drums.
Traditional
Mastering
A
2-track mix is processed through a single audio path - into a stereo
mastering system
Separation
Mastering
2
or more separated portions of your mix (example: instruments, a
cappella vocals) are summed in a source computer and processed through
a
single
audio path - into a stereo mastering system
HD
Separation
Mastering - Exclusively at Vestman Mastering
2
or more (preferably 3 to 6) separated portions of your mix (example:
drums, bass, instruments, vocals) are processed through 4 independent
Discrete Class-A analog
audio paths - into a separate, unique
proprietary summing
device and high-precision
stereo mastering system |
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Make Separations:
Using Digital Audio
Workstations or audio consoles,
no
additional equipment is needed
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First,
receord/bounce your final stereo mix as you would normally
This should
be a 24 or 32 bit stereo file at the same sampling rate as your
session. The output level should be around
-3dBFS on your 2-track stereo meter.
Create a
folder on your
hard drive and label it with the name of the
song you're working on [USE THE NAME
OF YOUR SONG].
Name
the file [YOUR_SONG_NAME]
Mix.wav and
put it into the [YOUR SONG NAME]
folder (no brackets needed). DATE THE FOLDER.
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Then without
changing
any
levels, any plug-ins,
automation or
anything else
1) Make a drum
Separation
Mute
(or disable the outputs of) all
tracks except the drums.
Record (or bounce)
this drums-only
part of your mix
to a 24 stereo
file (with all drum-related reverbs and
effects). Go through your stereo buss exactly as you would for any
normal mix. Don't change any settings. Name the file YOUR_SONG_Drums.wav
(meaning use your song title).
Put it in
the same folder [Your Song Name] as the stereo mix. Using your song
name(s) helps identify and organize the Separation tracks.
2) Make a
bass Separation
Mute (or
disable the outputs of) all tracks but the bass track(s). Record/bounce
this
bass-only Separation "mix" (in 24 bit stereo - not mono - with all related
effects) using your normal stereo buss (including any stereo buss
processing).
Name this file (the actual song name) YOUR_SONG_bass.wav and
put it in the same folder as your approved stereo full mix. Do not make
a mono track.
3) Make an
instruments Separation
Mute (or
disable the outputs of) all tracks but the
remaining
(non-drum/bass) instruments. Record/bounce
this instruments-only Separation "mix" (in
24 bit stereo with all related
effects) using your normal stereo buss (including any buss processing).
Name the file YOUR_SONG_Instruments.wav and
put it in the same folder as the other separated tracks. Use the actual
name of the song (YOUR SONG is just for illustration).
4) Make a vocal Separation
Mute (or disable) all
tracks but the vocals.
Record/bounce
the vocals
portion
separately (24 bit stereo
with effects) through your stereo buss. Don't change any plug-ins. Name
the file YOUR_SONG_Vocals.wav and put it in
the same folder. Use the name of your song.
• Want it
simpler? Make 3 Separations: a stereo Drum Separation, an Instruments Separation
and a stereo Vocal
Separation (along with the full stereo mix).
• Want it
even simpler? Make 2 Separations: a stereo Instruments Separation
and a stereo Vocal
Separation (along with the full stereo mix). There are many benefits to
just doing these 2 Separations.
• Efficiency? This method adds about 15 - 20 minutes of mastering per
song on an
excellently recorded and mixed project. In some cases, it is faster
than
traditional 2-track mastering. Every project is unique.
• Want to save money
and time? After making Separations, open a new DAW session and import
these new Separation tracks. Listen to be sure you have included
everything that's
in your stereo mix.
• Want to save more
money
and time? Don't make lots of Separations. These basic 4: drums, bass,
instruments and vocals are ideal. If you have serious DOUBTS about
something in the mix, separate it. But generally less is more.
• Separations are for
refining, stems are for remixing. We can take a "remix"
approach if you want us to, but you will need to have the budget for
the time required for that amount of work.
• Yes, Separations
give you more options. Often people use this to their advantage. It
sounds great. It can be simple or diverse. Your goals come first!
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If you separated the
bass as well as the instruments, vocals and drums, you have now
recorded five
files including four
Separations and the stereo mix into one
[Your Song] folder. All files must be in stereo - each
bounced the same way through your
stereo buss output.
(Your Song) Full Mix.wav
(Your Song) Drums.wav
(Your Song) Bass.wav
(Your Song) Instruments.wav
(Your Song) Vocals.wav
Important!
Be
SURE you leave
your computer automation ON for each Separation so that every sonic
move you make in your stereo mix is retained in the Separations.
• Don't
change any aspect of
your mix - this
is only a process
of turning off and on tracks
(disabling/enabling).
• Start
the song at the exact same place at the beginning of the song
• Organize your files -
each song should be "Saved As" a
Separation session. Take your original song's session and "Save As"
[YOUR SONG] Drums • [YOUR SONG] Bass • [YOUR SONG] Instr • [YOUR SONG]
Vocals. Possible issues can be avoided.
• If you
are recording "wild" onto a separate computer or Masterlink, clone
a
cue "tick" (like a drum cross-stick or other percussive sound) at
the
beginning of one track that is within each set of Separation tracks.
We will line up your tracks using your sound cue.
Key: KEEP
A COUNT OF ALL THE TRACKS YOU ARE
MUTING/TURNING OFF. Every element in your mix, every
plug-in, every
automation move, every
musical component
should go into the Separations. When recombined together, they exactly
add up
to the stereo mix. (Note: if you've used stereo buss compression, each
separation will be less compressed than the full stereo mix. When
recombined in mastering, this compression will be restored.)
Check your Separations: Load them into a new mix session. The combined
Separations should sound the same as your stereo mix file, but just
more open and less compressed. You may see "overs" in your stereo
meters from the
Separations because the transients come through more. This is normal,
although "overs" are not
as common when a good amount of headroom is left in the original stereo
mix.
• KEEP ALL
SEPARATION TRACKS IN STEREO
- MONO TRACKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED
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MP3's, zip or
rar files are not accepted. Use uncompressed wav's or aiff's.
• Copy your files to a flash drive, data CDR(s), DVD-(minus)R
iPod or other data drive for delivery to the studio
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• KEY: The better you like your stereo mix, the fewer Separations you
need.
More concerns about your mix, make a greater number of
Separations.
• The maximum Separations accepted is eight (plus the stereo mix). Four
- five is
best. On a budget? Use fewer Separations.
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Vestman
High-Definition
Separation Mastering - The
Technique
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HD Separation
Mastering
allows us to
reconstruct your mixdown using the Separations - to enhance separate
elements in the analog domain - without compromising other elements
within your mix.
HD Separations
open up the sound and improve
the transients, musicality and dimension. Each layer can be made to
have more
articulation and better imaging than a standard stereo format. (More about WHY here.)
We
listen to
your 2-track mix and A/B compare it with your
Separations to
ensure that the intentions of your original mix are honored.
We
use non-destructive,
totally recallable mastering
enhancements that enable us to
produce everything from light sonic retouching all the way to
practically transforming
the final master for you.
Save time and money:
•
Submit
24 or 32 bit
stereo
interleaved files. Even if
your system is 16 bit, make 24 bit stereo mix and stereo Separation
files. Even if it's a mono bass part, make a stereo Separation.
•
Do NOT
change the
sampling rate
from the original
mix session! If your
system is 48k, make 48k-24 bit files. If
your system is 44.1k,
make 44.1k-24 bit files, etc.
•
Flash drives are the most convenient, but you can also bring
in a hard drive with your
Separation folders. If you bring in DVD-R's
use
DVDminusR... not
DVD+R.
• NEVER make zip,
rar, or any kind of compressed files. Uncompressed audio always sounds
better.
Note on
loud rock projects:
We HIGHLY
recommend that you separate your drums into two Separations: [Your
Song] Drums.aif and [Your Song] OHs.aif (overheads). Your
Overhead Separation should include ALL hi hats and cymbals that you have
blended in your mix. The Drum Separation should be ONLY drums.
We
encounter
more issues with cymbals than any other drum-related sound. This
recommendation makes an amazing difference in the sound and it can save
money and time needed to process drums. (P.S. For a bigger
drum sound, have the drummer hit the cymbals softer...)
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Vestman
HD Separation
are better because they:
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• Eliminate the need
for alternate
mixes - gives you more creative control
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• Produce a more
musically
pleasing, more transparent 3-D sound
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• Restore elements
that can be
lost when "slamming" levels are desired
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• Resolves mixing
debates, eases
studio deadlines and creative burnout
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• Practically
eliminates
compromises associated with traditional mastering
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• Maximizes the
benefits of ideal
acoustics and expert mastering engineering
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• Can give you the
sound of analog
summing in the mastering room
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"Separation Mastering is a
non-destructive process. In the hands of a competent mastering
engineer, Separations can deliver much better results."
- Grammy winning engineer, Erik
Zobler (Dianne Reeves, George Duke,
Anita Baker, etc.)
"The clarity, punch, and definition is amazing. You made the
project sound world-class."
- Joe DiBlazi, renowned guitarist, producer, LA, California
"Separations simply BLEW THE
ORIGINALS AWAY! I was astounded."
- Caleb Magnino - Engedi - Bakersfield, California
"Separation Mastering is
simply amazing. It's definitely the wave of the future."
- The
Artist Grace - O.C. California
"Separations is quite a
'jaw-dropping' thing to hear. I'll never have anything mastered another
way."
- Scott Menefee - Copperdown
- Texas
"This
format makes
so much sense for
Indy artists who want a competitive edge."
- Laurie Morvan,
The Laurie Morvan Band
- Award-winning blues rock recording artist
"Separations made a
huge difference in our final product."
- Stayce Roberts, Smalltown/Hit City Records
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