Redsecta Mix & Master Chief of Operative Operations
Los Angeles, CA
Redsecta Mix & Master...’s Bio
I mix and master rap. I make a dope peach & walnut cobbler too.
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Redsecta Mix & Master Chief of...’s Answers RSS Feed
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For an album, do you make all the songs be the same level or how do you set the output for a complete album?
I've noticed that my favorite albums have a gentle "roller coaster" effect and that not all of the tracks have the exact same amount of loudness. The trick is to get them all in the same ballpark, paying attention to the feel of each cut. Listen closely to an album that you consider is good from start to finish and find the "money" cut, you'll probably notice that the song before it has a slower/mellower feel that may sound slightly lower in volume before the "money" jam comes on.
A good example that comes to mind (just listened to this yesterday) is Mos Def's "Black on Both Sides". If you listen to the track before "Ms. Fat Booty", called "Love", it has a smoother flavor and the level is just a tad bit softer that "Ms. Fat Booty". It feels like a prequel to a track that is more excited and I think this sort of effect makes listening to an album from beginning to end a better experience, so planning this sort of thing is cool if you want your listeners to listen to your album from start to finish. If the softer songs have a slightly lower average loudness, this is okay (as long as it's not obvious). -
Hey, cool modification of the Beyer 770s (http://tinyurl.com/2eedghg). I am very interested in this, but don’t know how to solder or anything. Would you be able to modify mine, if so, how much? How long does it take? (Via question to: help@redsecta.com)
This question came from someone a few days ago and had to think about the time, costs and efforts to do this modification and this is what I replied with:
Thanks! I should have probably said that this modification requires an “intermediate” level of soldering skills, not to mention a lot of patience.
You know, I wouldn’t want to do this mod on an existing pair of 770s because sometimes people abuse their headphones and the drivers can be damaged, so I would rather do this on a new pair of 770s. Currently these cost about $200 new. I’m a big believer of burning headphones in, each model can benefit from some “breaking in” with listening to music, and I constantly hear these particular cans sound best after at least 100 hours of breaking them in. This means I would first burn these in for 8 hours a day for about 2 weeks (I remember burning in my Sennheiser HD650s for about 200 hours and had different hip hop CDs played on them for about a month, some people like to use pink noise, but I prefer playing music through them).
After the two week burning-in period, I would then start working on the modification. I took my time with mine and it took me a few months to complete it, but if I were to work on this again, dedicating an hour or so every day, I could have it done in about a month (I’m mostly occupied with audio projects and would have to find time to do this without rushing). I would estimate that just doing the modification would take me a month, probably a little longer if I’m really busy with audio engineering projects.
This doesn’t include painting, I had a great time breaking out the airbrush and mixing paint again (I used Enamels), so I wouldn’t mind doing this but this takes a good amount of time as well. I lightly sanded all the plastic pieces (so the primer and paint would bond better) then I gave them a coat of primer, let the primer cure for about 5 days and then painted; I used two coats with another 5 days in between, and then sealed the pieces with Tamiya lacquer and remember giving it about 2-3 coats of that to protect the paint job. I can work on the rest of the modification while working on painting the parts, but still, this would add a couple of weeks to the whole project, so based on how much work this would take, and the amount of time, this is how much, how long it would take:
Modified DT 770 Pro 80 – Includes brand new headphone, modification, detachable cable, flight case: $700 (2 months wait time)
Modified DT 770 Pro 80 Painted – Includes above plus custom paint job to whatever color you want: $850 (2 ½ months wait time).
Because this is a custom project, payment would need to be sent up front, so I could then buy the headphone and all the necessary supplies and parts. Thanks for asking! -
How about 32-bit versus 64-bit? Is 64-bit better for music? I can't get a straight answer from people I've talked to about it. Thank U!
It doesn’t make a difference in audio quality whatsoever. The difference comes in the way computations are handled by the system. Depending on the work you do with your system, it could be beneficial to make the jump to a 64bit system, especially if you ask your computer to handle a lot of processes at one time (like multiple software synths and samplers).
The work I do doesn’t require as much processing as someone who is running various virtual instruments, so I can see why people would want a 64bit operating system. For example, for me, having a 4gb RAM limitation while mastering & mixing is not a big deal and one of the advantages of a 64bit system is that it can handle much more RAM, again, useful if you’re composing and performing with loads of processes on your system.
I haven’t kept up with this discussion in a while, but last I looked, one of the major drawbacks was lack of compatible drivers for a lot of the software and firmware for peripherals that people use so before you make the jump to a 64bit system, I would advise you to make sure everything you are using is compatible (and stable) in a 64bit operating system, but with regards to the quality of audio, 64bit doesn’t offer any audible improvements. Thanks for the question and good luck! -
Do you think consoles are better for mixing? Would you want to mix everyting on a console, and if so, which one?
Good questions! I'm assuming you're talking about Analog consoles. I don't think analog consoles are "better" for mixing, but for recording, I don't think it gets better than having a nice high end 24 (or more) channel console. Without getting into the qualities of a high end board (mic pres, dynamics sections), this is where consoles are king - for using them to record your tracks and have the console be the "brain" of your recording and routing set up.
For mixing, I prefer staying "in the box" because of the sonic neutrality, not to mention how insanely expensive it would be to have analog versions of all the processes I currently use for mixing and how easy it is to route tracks to effects in a DAW.
In a mixing situation, the console's master section is essential (having output control, the ability to mute and phase flip, route the master output to several sets of monitors, even have a talkback and dim section). I've taken care of this by using a Crane Song Avocet, which is a mastering-grade DAC and monitor controller, which has an outstanding control panel that does a lot of the same things that a high end console's master section does for output control, except it has a mastering-grade stepped attenuator (not usually found on consoles).
This said, one of the best things about using a console is the tactile control you have over tracks with faders, knobs and buttons. For this, I use digital consoles which allow me concentrate more on the music without having to stare at the screen and would definitely not like to be without them (my control surfaces use the same brand of faders and even the same function protocol as an SSL 4000). If I had the need for an analog console (I don't record) I would definitely want one as the brain of my setup. Thanks & good luck! -
I'm really trying to get better at mixing. Any suggestion on how I can get better at mixing? Anything I can read up on to learn how to properly eq, comp, pan and etc(I know it's different for each song, just want a starting place)?
Definitely. I personally can't vouch for this book but know a few people who say it's helped them understand things a lot more: The Mixing Engineer's Handbook by Bobby Owsinski.
Back when I started mixing, it was before there were in-depth books such as these, so most of what I know is from trial and error, which is also a great way to learn!
Another thing you might try as well is presets that come with digital effects (plugins); they are usually named after their intended uses like "Female Vocals" etc. I would advice you use these as starting guides only and trust your ears!
Thanks for the question and best of luck! -
I'm trying to get into mastering, but do you think that with so many digital plugins that are out there for mastering, that there will still be a need for people that do mastering in the future?
Good question, I had to think a bit about this before answering and I think it all depends on what people decide to do with music in the future. A good portion of the clients I get are people who have already tried doing everything themselves, or had a friend who wasn't very good at this work on the music with less than professional results.
A lot of times it takes people to go this route before they realize they need to hire someone who is better at this than them, but unfortunately, sometimes they approach people like me a little bit too late, or at a point where they aren't able to best utilize my services.
The biggest issue I'm seeing right now is the amount of over-processing people are already doing to their mixes (without having the necessary conversion and monitoring to make the best decisions). It's also typical to not be able to go back to the mix stage and make tweaks so often times, I have to work with mixes that are not optimal for mastering and under these conditions, it's impossible to get great results.
Hopefully in the future, people will be more aware and maybe even talk to a mastering engineer during the mixing stage, since consultation is part of the job (In all the time I've been doing this, I've only been asked to help oversee the mixing stage about three times). Just having a thousand plugins available doesn't mean you can get the same results as someone who has better conversion and more importantly, more experience at doing this.
I think people will eventually understand the above; I would say about 30% of the jobs I get are from people who say "if you need us to change the mix, just let us know" and I see this trend growing, which is great. Hopefully by the time you're ready to start your own mastering service, this will be common knowledge. Best of luck to you and thank you for the great question! -
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE BEST SKILL A MASTERING ENGINEER HAS BESIDES THEIR GEAR?
Good question, Ethics would be my top thing to look for if I were searching for a Mastering Engineer. You don't want to "overstep" your duties; don't try to be the artist or producer, always remember that your job is to get the best sound of the audio, nothing less, nothing more.
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Where are you from.? (:
Hi! I'm from Los Angeles and currently live in the North East part of L.A. The skyline portion of the logo on my site is a view of Downtown L.A. that I see at least 5 times a day from my part of the city.
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odd question, but when do you know you're "good" at mixing and mastering? also, thx for your articles on your web site, they're great!
Thank you! If people like what you're doing, this means that you're good at what you do. Especially if it's people who are just fans of the music and not engineers; most of the time other engineers forget about just listening to music and automatically like to pick it apart technically, so don't pay attention to what another engineer thinks of your work. From the point of view of a music fan, if what you're doing sounds pleasing and people listen to what you've worked on a lot, and your work doesn't hurt the ears from over-processing, to me that's a sign of a good engineer!
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Is Logic Express 9 A Good Program For Mixing & Mastering If You Cant Afford The Non Digital Equipment?
The DAW you use really isn't that important, unless the coding is horribly wrong, all DAWs are basically transparent. What is most important for both mixing and mastering is how you listen to what's coming out, starting with your DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter), then your speakers and your room and the placement of the monitors and speakers in your listening space.
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when is your tutorial page gonna go up, are u gonna have instructional videos on how to master?
No, I don't plan on doing videos showing people how to master. What I want to focus on is things that will aid people to get a better sound quality from stuff they already have.
The first tutorial (about 50% done at this time) is on how to modify a "classic" studio headphone, the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro, to make it more balanced and to upgrade the quality of the cable. Another one I'll be working on is on how to make a passive, high quality switcher (for use with headphones or other line sources).
I do plan on making videos eventually, but probably geared towards mixing rather than mastering. I personally don't see the point in doing critical mastering processing over something like YouTube as the quality is less than great and there's also a huge difference in what I'm hearing from my DAC versus what you may hear over your laptop's headphone jack (chances are you won't be able to hear fine +/- changes over those kinds of DACs).
The only way to do something like that efficiently is if it were played back through a high definition format and I don't plan on getting into that sort of thing anytime soon. -
Are you able to put names of tracks on a CD so the names will be displayed in itunes?
Two different things. CD-TEXT (the information that can be encoded on CDs) works only on CD players that support that feature, most commonly found in car systems. iTunes and other software players pull album titles and track names from online databases, like Gracenote and AMG.
It would make sense that software players like iTunes and Windows Media Player would fully support CD-TEXT but they don't (possibly because that would make online databases useless except for album cover art). There are a few software players that support CD-TEXT and will pull the data from the disc itself, and there's even a free plugin online that someone created as an add-on to Windows Media Player that will enable it to read CD-TEXT.
If you'd like to get your CD-TEXT encoded album into iTunes (assuming you have not yet submitted your album's name and track titles to the Gracenote database), the simplest way to do it is by finding the CD-TEXT plugin for Windows Media Player, and use that to rip an MP3 version of your CD, then add the MP3 version of the CD to the iTunes library. -
How is it possible you maintain a business charging so little? You must have a side job or somethin', LOL.
I wasn't going to answer this one, I usually delete the stupid questions, but I'll go ahead and answer this anyway:
I do have a day job in an Academic setting; Jesus' day job was being a carpenter, so there's nothing wrong with having a day job and having something on the side; not that Jesus was making cheese by preaching, I'm just saying.
At least I don't have to put up with mixing/mastering the latest Justin Bieber wannabe, or some weak ass band that wants to sound like the Sex Pistols to be able to pay the bills.
I appreciate the time you took to send the question though, now stop hating and step YOUR game up.
I charge "little" but I know you probably had to lower your rates to about what I charge because for years, I've been proving cats like you wrong. -
What's been your favorite project to work on so far, and can you say what tools you used on it? (Via questions (at) redsecta.com)
So far, Keelay & Zaire's "Ridin' High" because I've been working for these cats for over 10 years now, and since I mixed and mastered this project, it was a great experience for me to have been involved with their project from the production stage, and also got to see these cats really evolve into the sick producers they are today, hehe.
I mixed/mastered the album with pretty much all of the UAD plugins, SSL Duende (no longer own), an API 2500 compressor and Cranesong HEDD 192 as the converter. I bought the HEDD specifically for this project. -
Do you use the K System for metering? If so which one do you use, if not, what meters do u use? Thanks.
I don't use it. I know the idea behind it, and some of my meters are K-System capable, but I personally don't find them useful. The meters were introduced by Bob Katz in an attempt to standardize audio levels in the music industry in the same way the film industry has adopted a metering (Dolby) standard. Well, the Audio field is a different monster.
My most valuable meters are my ears to be frank, but sometimes (as busy people who work on Audio often times do) I am working while I'm tired, and that can skew your perception of loudness. I use the RNDigital Inspector package, which I have customized to give me alarms at the ranges I feel are needed while mixing and mastering.
I've set up two different kinds of meters/alarms. For mixing, I want an alert when my peaks reach -3dbFS and average levels get to around -15dbFS. For mastering, I want to know obviously when I've got an over (0dbFS) and average levels at -6dbFS. This is VERY loud, but hey, that's how hot levels get when mastering Hip Hop. I also keep an eye out on my AD/DA (HEDD 192) as that shows me when I hit an over and it stays that way until I reset the meter, which I find valuable.
These are used as a guide only, my ears make the final decision and there are times when I'm above and below my set alarm ranges.
Meters are useful, but in my opinion, not more important than your ears for making final calls. -
Do you always cut the low/high end when u master? If so, at what setting?
Not always, but very often. You have to be real careful how much of the low/high end you filter as you can kill a mix, especially if you think you should cut something every time.
In my opinion, the reason for filtering high and low frequencies is to "open up" the mix, so you have to evaluate each one and listen for any of those frequencies that may be sticking out a little too much; sometimes that means you don't cut anything at all.
As far as what "setting", that all depends on the mix and when I do find myself cutting the highs and lows, I tend to audition various types of filters (poles, butterworth, elliptic) as each one affects the mix differently.
Best advice I could give is don't filter because you think you have to, and always try to listen with an impartial point of view to see if what you're doing is actually helping, not hurting the mix. May the force (of a dope HP/LP filter) be with you. -
What's your turnaround on a mix, how much time do you need? (via email to redsecta.com, posted here for posterity - L).
Short answer: I can do a mix in about 6 hours, but if you want my best work, give me 3 days.
Long answer: If you tell me "We need this mix for the label by tomorrow", in all honesty, that puts me in fast mode and I won't try as many creative things as I would normally, and sure, your mix will be balanced, but it's possible it could have sounded better.
Why some engineers brag about how quick they can turn out a mix, is honestly beyond my scope of understanding. -
One engineer told me that mixing and mastering should be done by different people, what's your opinion about that?
Assuming that the person is doing both mixing and mastering on the same setup (monitors and processors), this is true.
If you have two separate listening platforms, as well as separate tools that are geared towards each process, then it depends on how experienced the individual is.
I personally mix and master with different speakers (nearfield monitors for mixing and full range speakers for mastering) as well as use processors designed for mastering at that stage only, while listening on my mastering set up.
That said, I also believe you have to be a great mix engineer before you can even think about mastering; part of the work I do is tell people what's wrong with their mixes so that they'll turn out to be great masters.
Most people only have a nearfield monitoring setup (in a lot of cases, not even properly set up) so mastering in this environment would not be recommended. -
Can you recommend some songs I can listen to to help me mix better?
I have been kicking around an idea, because I get asked this a lot. I don't want to ruin the surprise, but stay tuned to redsecta.com because in about 2 months, I'm going to have something pretty cool to better answer this question (hopefully).
