Ensuring Each Song Has The Sound You Want (While Maintaining A Cohesive Master)

[psom0ne]

Hi everyone -

I've scanned the boards but I'm not sure that I've found the answer I want. First of all, I'm using Presonus Studio One 4 and I'm in the Project Page. I have about 7 songs that I'm putting together for the final master. Each song I imported has subtle differences in EQ, compression, etc. and each one needs to be treated individually to bring out the best in each track. So, what I'm doing is setting up a unique (but mostly similar) chain for each song and then, after I have done that, I plan on gluing it all together for that cohesive sound that doesn't make the whole sound hodgepodge and fragmented.

My question is simple I guess, though I would think everyone has their own approach to this. One - do you think it's alright to do it? Is it "normal" to do so? I use pretty much the same chain for each track, but each track demands EQ, compression, etc., variations. For example, for track 1, I might use different EQ parameters than I do on track 2. Same w/ compression, limiting, and so forth. I've tried leaving the tracks as they were and then treating them as a whole at the end of the mastering process, but I can hear the differences. Maybe it's because I created them and I can hear things that others might not, but is this something you recommend?

[vurt]

yeah that sounds about right.
each song on a track, with minor eq and comp differences.
get each one sounding as good as possible.
then a final mastering chain to glue it all together in to one cohesive "album"

the most important thing to remember, when it sounds right to you, save it. turn it off.
come back tomorrow when your ears are rested, if it still sounds right youre good to go, or you may hear minor bits.
repeat the above, making sure to rest ears when you think its right!!!

and enjoy the process

[psom0ne]

Thanks vurt. You're absolutely right about resting the ears, too. I've overdone it countless times and ruined it and had to start from scratch. Thanks. Yeah, my main concern was not to chop all the tracks up and make it sound like a K-Tel collection of singles.

[MrMagneto]

Yes, you should bring out the best in every track but make sure to leave enough room for later "album-treatment". Example: don't overcompress, because later you are forced to compress the other tracks to match the dynamics.

In my opinion, the easiest way to get 80% of the work done, is to get the tonal balance right. Listen to professional material and figure out where those tracks usually peak at different frequency bands. I built a max for live device for myself that analyzes it, but you can do it in another simple way.

Send the track into 4 different audio channels. Use every channel to seperate the frequency bands (with an equalizer).
Channel 1 --> bass under 120Hz
Channel 2 --> 120 - 400
Channel 3 --> 400 - 4000
Channel 4 --> 400 - 20 000
Of course you can adjust the bands as you see fit.

Now you can apply all sorts of metering tools to the different frequency areas. You can see where they peak, you can see the RMS, you can check the dynamic range,...

If you manage to get the different band-RMS-levels anywhere close throughout all your tracks, you're good to go. Make sure that the overall RMS levels also match.

Edit: I attached a file that shows my device. Hope it worked.