Chapter 1: Understanding the Art
1: The Concept of Mastering
01. Goals of "Mastering in Cubase"
02. What is Audio Mastering?
03. Analog Mastering vs. Digital Mastering
04. Peak Volume vs. Average (RMS) Volume
05. Remastering Comparison
06. The Loudness War: Daring to be Neutral
07. Bit Depth: 16 Bit vs 24 Bit vs 32 Bit
08. Don't Throw Away Your Bits (Maximizing Dynamic Rang...
09. Sample Frequency (in KHz): 44.1 vs. 48 vs. 88.2 vs ...
10. Mastering for Different Musical Genres
2: The Tools of Mastering
11. My clients say, "Make it punchy, shiny, and LOUD!"
12. The "Top Speed" of Digital Audio is 0 (Zero)
13. Normalizing and Why You Shouldn't Use It
14. The Concept of Dithering
3: The Cubase Mastering Plug-ins
15. Mastering Limitations of Cubase Studio 5 and Lower
16. Plug-ins for Compression
17. Plug-ins for Tone (EQ)
18. Plug-ins for Limiting
19. Plug-ins for Dithering
20. Following Proper Mastering Plug-in Order
21. using the Cubase Plug-ins Reference Manual
22. What the Click? Mac OS vs. Windows Mouse Commands
4: Making a Master-ready Mix in Cubase
23. Inserting the Mastering Plug-ins
24. Monitoring the Mastering Plug-ins
25. Checking the Gain Stage of the Master Fader
26. Mastering after the Mix vs. During the Mix
27. Increasing Your Audio Interface Buffer During Maste...
28. Can I Use Mastering Plug-ins on Individual Tracks?
29. Using Your Ears, Monitors, Headphones and Car Stere...
Chapter 2: Understanding Compressors
5: The Controls of a Compressor
30. Creating a Cubase Project for the Next Chapters
31. Adding a Basic Compressor
32. Compressor are like Rubber Bands
33. Threshold
34. Ratio
35. Make Up Gain (Output) and Auto
36. Soft Knee vs Hard Knee
37. Attack, Hold, Release, and Auto
38. Analysis (Peak and/or RMS
39. Trying Different Compressor Presets
6: The Cubase Multiband Compressor
40. Full-Range Compressors vs. Multiband Compressors
41. Multiband Compressor Controls
42. Using the MUTE and SOLO Controls
43. Adjusting the 4 Frequency Bands
44. Adjusting the Output Gain
45. Trying Different Multiband Compressor Presets
46. Is the Multiband Compressor a Tone (EQ) Plug-in?
Chapter 3: Understanding Tone (EQ)
7: What is Tone?
47. Tone, EQ, and Equalization are Synonyms
48. Tone Controls Found on Consumer Electronics
49. Parametric EQ vs. Graphic EQ
8: The Cubase Channel EQ
50. The Concepts of the Cubase Channel Parametrics
51. Frequency and Gain
52. Q-Factor
53. Moving the Controls
54. Bypassing Individual Bands and Bypassing the Entire...
55. Trying Different EQ Presets
56. Is the StudioEQ Plug-in Identical to the Channel EQ...
9: The GEQ10 and GEQ30 Graphic Equalizers
57. The Concepts of the Cubase Graphic Equalizer Plug-i...
58. Sliders for Different Frequency Bands
59. Outputs, Flatten, Range and Invert
60. The Filter Mode Settings
61. Trying Different Graphic EQ Presets
Chapter 4: Understanding Limiters
10: What is a Limiter
62. A Limiter is like a C-Clamp
11: Using the Cubase Maximizer
63. The Maximizer Plug-in is a Mastering Limiter
64. Setting the Output Level Control
65. Using the Optimize Control
66. Soft Clip: On or Off?
Chapter 5: Dithering
12: Using the Appogee UV 22 HR Dithering Plug-in
67. Where to use the UV 22 HR
68. Choosing an Output Bit Resolution
69. Setting a Dither Level
Chapter 6: Mastering Your Project
13: Using the Multiscope Plug-in
70. The Multiscope in Frequency Spectrum Mode
71. Using the Multiscope in Phase Correlator Mode
14: Using all your Mastering Plug-ins on a Real Project
72. Setting up a Cubase Project for Mastering
73. Using the Multiband Compressor
74. Using the GEQ-30
75. Using the Maximizer
76. Adding a "Consumer Smiley Face" EQ
77. Export > Audio Mixdown
78. Statistical Analysis of the Mixdown
15: Matt's "Mixdown" Philosophy
79. Why 4 Mixdowns?
80. Exporting to High-Resolution without Mastering
81. Exporting to High-Resolution with Mastering
82. Exporting to CD Resolution with Mastering
83. Exporting to MP3 Resolution with Mastering
Chapter 7: Multi-Project Mastering
16: The Importance of Multi-Project Mastering
84. Multi-Project Mastering Concepts
85. Where to Put the Plug-ins
86. Comparing Tracks
87. "Feeling" the Transitions
88. Crossfading Mastered Files
89. Exporting Multi-Project Masters
17: Signing Off
90. Goodby and Good Luck