Mastering software

[mikehalloran]

I have DSP-Q but find that after getting everything the way that I want it in DP that Toast 11 works just as well for me.

The idea of loading up a CD mastering program with all sorts of plugins just … well … that's not how I work. I'll throw my mix into DP if it needs that. I might use a master compressor lightly but that's it. If I am mastering for K-LOVE then I squeeze the life out of it (better me than them).

[Timeline]

Hi Mike...

In answer to the previous post, I meant both actually. Bobs tip for DSP-Quattro was a good one so I bought it.

So far I'm on a long learning curve. I have completely mastered my album but ran into a couple of snags. 1. The two lists it keeps on song order have separately un-referenced itself from each other and songs are out of order plus i cannot cut a cd. The main list, which is based on the waveforms called Regions is perfect including cross fades, levels, insert plug treatments etc but the CD Track menu is mixed up. Amazing there. Had a problem accessing my RME for playback but working with the designer at the company he got me going. Not sure what to do next with it as i'm stuck. I emailed Shooshie but he's tied up and hasn't the time to get involved to sus it out.

The deal of $50 bucks to upgrade from peak is unreal for version 4 considering Sonic Studio asks $600 bucks for theirs.

Mike how well did you get into DSP-Q?

[mikehalloran]

The deal of $50 bucks to upgrade from peak

I remembered not paying $99. Now I recall that it was an upgrade from Peak for me, too.

[BobK]

Not sure what to do next with it as i'm stuck.

What are you trying to do?

[Timeline]

Not sure what to do next with it as i'm stuck.

What are you trying to do?

Look at the two lists and notice the CD Track list does not follow the Regions list
I have the Regions setup perfectly on this album but somewhere they lost track of each other when adding new tracks. How do I fix the CD tracks list to match the Regions? If you want a higher rez version of this browse to address is http://www.eirec.com/DSPQ.tiff

Thanks Bob.

My number is 262-720-7287 btw

[BobK]

Hmm-not sure...did you try playing back the tracks to verify that the ones in question weren't accidentally mis-named?

If you play back the tracks, and the sounds match the names in the regions list, then just double-click on the mis-named tracks in the CD tracks window and re-name them in the window that pops up. Might be as simple as that.

[FMiguelez]

I'm a little surprised Wavelab hasn't been mentioned so far...

I remember it was quite nice back from the days when I had PCs. It had this feature I loved that anything it deemed like a noise artifact got a marker automatically, and you could tab into them at full zoom, so editing them was a breeze.
I haven't used it since then.

Do you guys not like it? I thought it was a top contestant.

[Shooshie]

I'm a little surprised Wavelab hasn't been mentioned so far...

I remember it was quite nice back from the days when I had PCs. It had this feature I loved that anything it deemed like a noise artifact got a marker automatically, and you could tab into them at full zoom, so editing them was a breeze.
I haven't used it since then.

Do you guys not like it? I thought it was a top contestant.

The full Wavelab 8.5 looks amazing, and might be the mastering software of choice for someone doing this processionally. I really don't know, not being a pro-mastering engineer. It costs $499.99, which is reasonable for a professional tool of this caliber.

The "lite" version, Wavelab Elements, sells for $99.99, and while they talk of it as if it's the same technology, the interface doesn't resemble its big brother's.

I wonder if having so many features on Wavelab 8.5 is what I need, since most of what it does is what I've already done in DP by the time I output a 2-track. I've spent thousands on plugins that do the same kinds of things, so do I really need all that functionality?

On the other hand, would the lite version really be of the same quality? I'm not saying it isn't; just asking if anyone knows the answer. If so, it might be a good compromise for someone who does most of their mastering in DP.

Would the advantage of being able to do it all right there in Wavelab 8.5 be great enough to stop mastering in DP and go ahead and lay out the bucks for the whole shebang?

Shoosh

[bayswater]

Like Bob, I think I'd want to try a null test. Are you sure you didn't normalize one of them or something? (or maybe one normalizes automatically?) I just find it hard to believe that any mastering software that yields sound that is "not even close" would have such a great reputation as DSP-Quatro.

Back when we were talking about the sound of DP versus the sound of Logic, I moved loads of test files in and out of DSP-Q and did a lot of null tests. As far as I could tell, DSP-Q was completely linear.

[Shooshie]

Look at the two lists and notice the CD Track list does not follow the Regions list
I have the Regions setup perfectly on this album but somewhere they lost track of each other when adding new tracks. How do I fix the CD tracks list to match the Regions? If you want a higher rez version of this browse to address is http://www.eirec.com/DSPQ.tiff

You've definitely got some mismatch there. Have you considered just reloading the songs? I'm not sure what's going on. A couple of your CD tracks have lengths of 00.00.00, and it appears that LoveMeLoveMyDog and Sunset have the same start time, the first being one of those with a length of 00.00.00.

I don't think any of that is the fault of DSP-Quattro. I've only used it for three projects so far, but I didn't have any problems of this sort. (actually, no problems of any kind) I think it's easy to misname a track or to screw up the order if you're not careful, but that's just the nature of using software that lets the user make decisions. If you can't figure out what went wrong, I'd at least reload LoveMeLoveMyDog and LonelyGun, which is the other song with a length of 00.00.00.

You can always consider it a learning process and just start over. I did that years ago when first learning Waveburner, which actually resembles DSP-Q. I just haven't used DSP-Q enough to give you step-by-step advice, because I have to feel my way through it each time. Maybe after another project or two I'll know it better.

Shooshie

[Timeline]

Hmm-not sure...did you try playing back the tracks to verify that the ones in question weren't accidentally mis-named?

If you play back the tracks, and the sounds match the names in the regions list, then just double-click on the mis-named tracks in the CD tracks window and re-name them in the window that pops up. Might be as simple as that.

The playback is always from the regions window. The CD Tracks are strictly for making the CD , AFAIK. I have not been able to change anything in the Tracks window. All of the start, end and durations are completely wrong as well. You can delete all of the Tracks in this window and everything still plays from the Regions. There should be a way to select DSP-Q to remake the tracks window from the Regions but I have not found it. The guy in charge of developing the app, Stefano, has not contacted me since I asked him for a fix. Don't know but i think I started this in the Demo and something went astray after I opened it in the purchased version. Might have to just start over like you say Shooshie. One other thing. I may have been saving the CD Tracks info and not the project because it was at the top of the list. That could have messed me up, don't know. Yea Shooshie, learning experience. Using the UAD and Waves plugs on this has been outstanding and thanks to Bob, this will become my staple for mastering.

FM... Wave Labs is Yamaha right?

[BobK]

If it were me, I'd just start over with a fresh DSP-Q file - setting up these CD layouts is pretty quick. Like you said, maybe something got corrupted when/if you authorized the paid version mid-project.

[Timeline]

I'm doin it now. The Authorized version is a whole new file BTW. Thanks.

[mhschmieder]

Actually, I did mention WaveLab, and that it was too unstable on the Mac to use, but that this might have cleared up with the latest version (which is yet another complete rewrite).

I didn't have enough time with their limited demo, unfortunately, so had to draw a quick conclusion based on what still seemed a messy workflow and layout, but it definitely felt more "native" to me than the previous version, which was their first Mac-compatible release.

I made a note to self to keep watching it and see if the next version brings it to maturity. There was a lot it couldn't do, so I passed, but unfortunately now it's been awhile so I can't remember if CD Mastering was one of its missing pieces.

Good that BobK is providing help with DSP Quattro. I got it for $50 during the Peak cross-grade promotion as well, and like it pretty well, but haven't used it that much since going 64-bits. It did seem like it might have the most intuitive CD Mastering features. For audio mastering, it seems in between Peak and the former Wave Editor (now Triumph) in level of detail, workflow, and customization. I do hope it continues development!

[BobK]

DSP-Q is on sale for $49 (for everyone - this is not a crossgrade price). The sale ends in 2 days:

https://stacksocial.com/sales/dsp-quatt ... ng-program