In Short
a. use a Gain Plugin,
b. invert one channel,
c. make it mono.
Result: clicks are better to hear.

You may use
Gain from Logic Pro,
4U Meter Fader MS-Pan from hofa,
PHA-979 from Voxengo (use mono mix, not force mono),
and others…

What and Where:
On fresh tracks, check for clicks;
After massive effects, check for unwanted clicks;
On a rough mix, check for clicks and imbalances;
Before rendering, check a stem or a bus;
When mastering, check input files.

Why?
Clicks in recorded material are mostly from clipping due to too high recording levels. Two best practices to avoid this: use a 32bit-interface, level correctly.
Inappropriate handling of 32bit-files. Use a 32bit cabable editor when importing such files. Not all DAWs can handle them properly.
Popping a sensitive membrane with an explosive burst of air is beyond the capabilities of most microfones. Use a good pop screen (not simply stockings, but double layer very fine weave).
Static discharge. Always be grounded.
Any modeling plugin has some nonlinear behavior. If pushed too hard, clicks might be the result of the modeling process. Know what you are doing (aka know your plugins, know your DAW).
Cuts not made when waveform crosses zero, no fade around cut area.

20230809 TG

Bus mastering. Making the best from a (stereo) bus.
Stem mastering. Having some more (stereo) stems to go even deeper.

The classic way to master a track is from its stereo sum. Making subtle adjustments to width, tonality, distortion, and dynamics will make a master
more competitive, matching, assertive, or loud.

Using stems opens up another level of opportunities for the masting engineer to apply his magic. Being able to target mastering techniques to individual stems.

20230322 TG

Ever heard of loudness war?
Still want to participate?
Here is how to prepare yourself.

• Make stems.
• Balance them perfectly.
• Make about 6 to 8 of them.
• Send them to me for masterful mastering.

Going one step back in mastering opens up possibilities for room, dynamics, and loudness.
The one step before the stereo sum are the comprising stems. Instead of mastering only a stereo bus, we now have 6 to 8 detail busses that can be „mastered“ separately.

Well yes, there is much more masterful mastering knowledge to this method than this.
That’s why we’re here.

20230320 TG

LMSR? left right mid side momentary short term?

The majority of our mixing is in stereo.
As you might know, in stereo there are two channels called Left and Right.
Maybe the L and R in LMSR might have the meaning of Left and Right?

Left and Right can be expressed as (and mathematically translated to) Mid and Side.
Although Mid and Side signals are used for some mixing purposes, they are nothing else as Left and Right with a little bit of math.

Absolute levels are from utter importance, especially in the digital domain.
As far as auditory perception is concerned, the concept of loudness is much more important.

Loudness and dynamic range are the major concepts when it comes to mastering.
Short term and Momentary max. levels according to a standardized measuring method give a clue of the dynamic and overall loudness of a track.

Most metering apps/plugins have a combined meter, that shows Left and Right levels and the loudness range as a combination of momentary and short term levels.

20230131 TG

Make a stem of one tonal entity.
Lead vocals, background vocals, drumset, percussion, FX, guitars, keyboards, pads etc. all make good stems.
Every stem is made of parts belonging together, that are not to be mixed or mastered separate.
Stems consist of tonally similar parts, that are already balanced together as one.

Parallel compression.
If you used it, you might want to make a separate stem.
E.g. „guit“ and „guit_pc“.

Reverb.
You might want to make separate stems for reverb.
E.g. „voclead“ and „voclead_rev“.

If your stems are named systematically, there is no additional charge to handle them.
The chance to make balancing easier and more efficient is even higher with stems so well prepared.

20230131 TG

Different DAWs use different terminology.
Bouncing stems might be called bouncing, exporting, saving, rendering, stems, tracks, groups.
On some DAW you have to bounce one subgroup after the other, other DAWs allow to select multiple subgroups and bounce them in one go.

Regardless of what your tracks are, the bounced stems should have32 bit depth floating point.
Remember: adding up tracks or even using a plugin makes intermediate 32 bit floating point signals.
If you reduce them to less bits, a quality degradation occurs. This is no good.
Don’t reduce bit depth on intermediate signals or bounces if at all possible. Use 32 bit float.
If other mixing mastering services do not tell you so, they either do not know or do not have the tools to work with 32 bit float files.

Use a lossless file format: WAV, AIFF. Do not use MP3 as production files.

Turn off all normalizing options. Do not limit. Do not fade.
Do not dither when using 32 bit float.

Bounce full length tracks. Do not cut off leading or trailing parts when bouncing.
Leave enough trailing for decaying reverb.
But make sure all stems are time aligned at the beginning.

These are the settings to use:
AIFF 32 bit (float) LPCM or PCM
WAV 32 bit (float) AutoWAV/RF

Keep markers and regions, that are useful for mixing and mastering or that you refer to.
Remove if not useful.

Make meaningful names.
„kwdhgi45z98jsdkas_v319.hhh“ is not a meaningful name.
„miller_mysong_voclead.wav“ is a meaningful name.

Our studio is equipped with a complete toolbox.
We charge an hourly rate regardless of equipment used.
Some standard tasks have a price estimations.
Everything is mixed in the box.

Macintosh
Universal Audio Apollo
Genelec
Yamaha
PSI Audio

Logic Pro
Pro Tools
Reaper
WaveLab
SpectraLayers
RX10

UAD Plugins
Waves
iZotope
FabFilter
Voxengo
Melodyne
ReVoice

Time alignment of tracks.

AutoTuning of tracks.

Time stretching of tracks.

Convert, resample, dither.

Removing unwanted audio from tracks.
Clicks, clipping, buzz and hum, wind noise, ambience etc.

Remove amp hum, squeaks. pick sound.

Isolate vocals in dialogs.
Remove mouth sounds, de-essing.

Remove crackle, hiss, noise from old tracks.

Some seconds of pure unwanted audio are needed.
Do not remove trailing or leading parts.

Make time aligned tracks or stems.
Include all FX.
Do not normalize when bouncing.

Use a lossless file format (e.g. WAV) and full bit depth.
Send your rough mix.
Send up to 3 reference tracks.

Put all audio files in a folder „audio“.
Put additional files in a folder „info“.
Put both folders in a project folder.
Pack project folder as archive (e.g. ZIP).

Name all files and folders like this:
„artist_project_title“
No spaces, punctuation, special characters.
All names are work names.
Publication naming may differ.

Send project archive file via WeTransfer to
leon@lmsr.online

20230128 TG

Prepare information and files into a folder, pack folder as archive.
Send Archive via WeTransfer.
Write an email an describe, what you want to be done with your files.
We will check your files and send you an estimation.
You will receive a MP3 file for evaluation. Send us an email with things to change.
If evaluation is to your liking, you send the payment.
After receiving your payment, we will send you the files via WeTransfer.
The files will be archived for at least four weeks after complete finish of the project.

20230127 TG