The following chapter has been brought to you by

Tim van Doorne, co-founder of Heroic and head of

Herooic Audio

If you want to learn more about how you can

professionally master you own music make sure to check
out his book.

The Mastering Bible

 7. T H E P L U G I N S

Plugins are great tools to enhance the sound of your music. You are

probably familiar with the 4 main plugins used for mixing: equalizer,

compressor, reverb, and delay. For mastering however, we use different

plugins.

With mixing we use plugins to alter and improve the separate elements

of a song. With mastering we use plugins to alter and improve the song

as a whole. This needs a different toolset of plugins that allow you to

make detailed alterations based on different frequency groups, volume

thresholds and stereo placements.

To recap on chapter 5 What You Need, the plugins often used for mastering

are:

• Equalizer

• Compressor

• Mid/side equalizer

• Dynamic equalizer

• Multiband compressor

• Multiband stereo imager

• Multiband exciter

• Maximizer

• Limiter

• Peak/RMS monitor

It is important that you fully understand what each of these plugins exactly

does, and how you can best apply them to your song.

Equalizer

An equalizer gives you control over the frequencies of the sound. You are

able to cut out frequencies and make them softer or louder.

A standard equalizer has different types of filters. There is a high-pass

filter (HPF), also referred to as low-cut filter, which cuts away frequencies

that are lower than the set frequency.

There is a low-pass filter (LPF), also referred to as a high-cut filter, which

cuts away frequencies higher than the set frequency.

Shelf (or shelving) filters, can boost or cut (make louder or softer) all

frequencies above or below a set frequency. High shelf filters alter all

frequencies above the set frequency. Low shelf filters alter all frequencies

below the set frequency.

Bell filters can boost or cut a group of frequencies that surrounds a set

frequency. By adjusting the Q-knob, the amount of frequencies in this

group can be altered. A higher Q means fewer frequencies in this group

(smaller range) – a lower Q means more frequencies in this group (higher

range). A bell filter with an extreme high Q is called a notch filter.

Compressor

A compressor decreases the difference between loud and soft sounds. It

compresses the louder sounds to be softer. To make sure that there is no

loss in volume of the overall sound, it amplifies the signal in the end of its

process. The result is that the softer sounds become relatively louder.

A compressor has generally 6 main knobs that can be adjusted: threshold,

ratio, attack, release, knee, and (makeup) gain.

The threshold determines how loud a sound has to be to be compressed.

By adjusting the ratio you determine how much that sound will be

compressed. The higher the ratio the more the sound will be compressed.

By adjusting the attack you determine the time it takes before the

compressor starts compressing after detecting volume peaks above the

threshold. The release determines the time it takes before the compressor

stops compressing after the peak of a loud sound, when the volume is

below the threshold again.

The knee determines how much the sound above the threshold reacts

to the compressor. With a ‘soft’ knee the louder sounds will be more

compressed than the less loud sound. With a ‘hard’ knee, all sounds above

the threshold will be compressed equally.

The signal within a compressor ends at the (makeup) gain. If you compress

a sound by 4 decibel, you want to amplify the plugin’s output signal by 4

decibel to make up for the volume loss.

Mid/Side EQ

A mid/side equalizer is very similar to a regular equalizer. Same as with a

regular EQ, it has a high-pass filter, low-pass filter, high shelf, low shelf,

bell, notch filter, and an adjustable Q knob.

The only difference, is that with a mid/side equalizer you can modify the

frequencies of the center of your mix differently than the frequencies on

the sides of your mix.

You can see it as two equalizers: one for the center, and one for the sides.

You can switch between equalizers with the mid and the side knob.
Dynamic EQ

A dynamic equalizer is an equalizer that can alter frequencies based upon

their volume.

Similar to a regular EQ, it has a high shelf, low shelf, bell, notch filter, and

an adjustable Q knob.

However, a dynamic EQ reacts based upon volume threshold, attack and

release - similar to a compressor. It also has an ”inverse” button.

The threshold determines how loud a sound has to be to be cut or boosted.

By adjusting the attack you determine the time it takes before the

equalizer starts cutting or boosting after detecting volume peaks above the

threshold. The release determines the time it takes before the equalizer

stops cutting or boosting after the peak of a loud sound, when the volume

is below the threshold again.

The inverse button allows you to switch between two modes. With inverse

off, the volume of the set frequencies will be decreased when the signal goes

over the threshold.

With inverse on, the volume of the set frequencies will be increased when

the signal goes over the threshold.

This allows you to alter frequencies in 4 different ways:

Inverse Off & Cut

The more the volume goes over the threshold, the more is cut from this

frequency group.

Inverse Off & Boost

The more the volume goes over the threshold, the less is boosted from this

frequency group.
Inverse On & Cut

The more the volume goes over the threshold, the less is cut from this

frequency group.

Inverse Off & Boost

The more the volume goes over the threshold, the more is boosted from

this frequency group.

Multiband Compressor

A multiband compressor is very similar to a regular compressor. Similar to

a regular compressor it works with threshold, attack, release, ratio, knee

and (make-up) gain.

However, a multiband compressor is divided in multiple bands (or groups)

of frequencies (often 4 or 5). This allows us to compress these frequency

groups differently from one another.

You could view it as multiple compressors, each altering a specific

frequency group.
Multiband Stereo Imager

A multiband stereo imager allows us to alter the stereo width of different

frequency groups.

It has a stereo width fader per frequency group that you can move between

fully centered (-100) and fully on the side (+100).

A multiband stereo imager often comes with a vectorscope that reflects

your audio’s stereo response.

Multiband Exciter

An exciter is used to add a specific sound color to the music. Most exciters

are modelled after classic hardware audio equipment, such as tape or tube

equipment. These older audio hardware would give a specific sound to the

music.

Digital exciters work by complex combinations of dynamic equalizing,

synthesizing odd or even harmonics, phase manipulation and harmonic

distortion to recreate the sounds of older hardware.

Most exciters have a few different types of excitement of which we can

choose, such as tape or tube.

A multiband exciter allows us to add this excitement to different frequency

groups, giving it a specific sound colour. If this is fit to the sound of the

song, we are able to make certain frequency groups sound richer by giving

them some excitement.

Per frequency group you can adjust the amount of excitement added with

the amount fader. Often you can also mix the dry signal (no excitement)

with the wet signal (with excitement) using the dry/wet fader or knob.
 Gain

A gain is the simplest plugin

we use for mastering. The gain

plugin amplifies or reduces the

volume of the sound signal. It

makes the sound louder.

The gain can often be controlled

by either a fader or knob.

Limiter

A limiter sets a limit to the

output level of the audio

signal. The limit can be set at

maximum at the 0dB ceiling

and can be lowered to several

dB in the minus.

A limiter works similar to

a compressor. It often has a

release knob and reduces the

volume of signals that go over a certain limit. With a compressor this limit

is the threshold the volume reduction is determined by the compressor

ratio. With the limiter this limit is the output ceiling and all signals above

this limit are reduced completely, so that nothing goes over this limit.
Maximizer

With the maximizer we can amplify the sound signal. A maximizer is a

clever combination between a gain and a limiter. It has generally 2 faders: a

threshold, and an output ceiling.

The threshold determines how hard the sound signal will be pushed

against the set output ceiling. The more you pull the threshold fader down,

the harder the sound signal is pushed against the ceiling (which we set at

0dB).
This chapter has been brought to you by Tim van
Doorne, co-founder of Heroic and head of Herooic Au-
dio

If you want to learn more about how you can

professionally master you own music make sure to check
out his book.

The Mastering Bible

GET THE BOOK