The Illegal Mastering Engineer
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- Опубликовано: 6 фев 2025
- Instagram: / georget_music
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In todays video I take a look at mastering engineering Brian Big Bass Gardner and how he transformed the mastering of certain hiphop records.
Brian Gardner is a legend, and I’m incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with him and am immensely proud of the work we created together.
sup purafied i like the SLP 538 EQ
Big Basssssss
There's a very good reason why blink-182 are one of the only bands from the late 90s who have never remastered their old material. Because Brian did such a fantastic job in the first place and cared more about sound quality rather than just loudness
There are other reasons those are remastered though. Business reasons, look into it.
.... what? Definitely not the reason but sure
That’s not all true. The Untitled album was remixed and remastered (it was too compressed I bellieve?) and there’s fan-made masters of some of their other albums that sound better than the original.
I highly doubt they have any control over their music being remastered and released
The untitled album cost over a million dollars to record, produce, and master. There's a reason that album was a masterpiece.
i think the janet jackson control album was somehow inadvertently pushed into the red and when the test pressing arrived everyone loved it -
regardless of stylistic choices it is definitely much easier to make things louder without distorting than it was back then
Facts. Clippers, Linear Phase EQs and saturated really changed everything.
Saturators *
@@TimothyBornAgain ITB plugins sound pretty bad though, that's why there is such a stigma about loudness these days, because most bedroom producers simply overcook everything (I was also guilty of this). Plugins simply can't compete to pushing a high end Converter like Prism/Lavry etc.
@@EricBlair-jg2ux Yeah except no. ISOxo, Knock2, WINK, Sharks, etc. All super clean, and pushed to -4 / -3 LUFs through the method described.
@@EricBlair-jg2ux you can overcook it sure, and alot of people do, by choice even. when you are dealing with high bitrate and oversampling etc then technically clean is dead easy depending on the source material and plugins used. to say it must sound bad by default is incorrect, but anything can sound bad if you use it incorrectly.
Brian Gardner is a mastering legend. Doing some of the biggest Hip-Hop records, him, Bernie Grundman and Mike Bozzi relied on the Lavry DA924 D/A Converter and the Lavry MK A/D Converter. Those units really have a legendary sound.
The trick was changing the power supply. Bernie always had his own engineer, I think they call him Beno, he is the son of one of Bernie’s associates that passed away many years ago. And it was an external one, it didn’t fit in the original chassis.
Brian, is the one that inspired me to pursue mastering. Man is a legend!
I’ve had Brian master a few of my tracks. Definitely a legend…
Brian is an absolute legend he has worked on everything.
I love Brian´s Standpoint because, even thought Bernie has a very respectable classic approach to mixing and mastering. Bernie Understands that music is actually culture that can be change and so it will. Loudness wars is something that would happen anyway. It´s a boundary to be tested and pushed.
Love his masterings, but a big part of those records was also the fact that they were very well mixed and not just everything smashed to hell, with some records everything is just so maxed out you almost don't even hear the compression anymore, because every instrument has it pushed too hard. It's much better when it's aplied tastefully and in a way that "jumps out"
Pioneers.
We're in 2024 WE have hard clipper and 32 bit floating by now !
Always get a waveform analyzer to see what you are doing to your sound, add a spectrum analyzer, don't shut down your ears, use references and VSX headset if possible.
That's it ! you are pretty good to go for mixing in the modern era with no more than a monitoring headphone and a good sound card !🥳
holy, Bernie's the Walter White of music production. hes gotta keep everything pure and only works for the bets of the best
"the ultimate dude to master your shit" lol
"... Fuckin tape be stacked up like pancakes in a fat man's house" 😅😅
cla vooooocaaaals
Amazing reference
All the way
Chris Lord-Alge vocals plug in?
@@masterragebaiter yea.. its a meme.. kinda
@@theonenonlybass I’m out of the loop 🔁 🤣 good plug in tho. I enjoy Waves
I got to sit in the couch behind Bernie when he did mine. He had a black machine with four giant round dials on it, that was all he touched.
@@RYRHYMES yeah well most things are old 30 years after I do them, "Life Coach".
I didn't laugh and neither did you.
Before he was known for Hip Hop mastering Brian also mastered a lot of 80s RnB and Funk records. S.O.S. Band albums “On The Rise” and “Just The Way You Like It” has some really tasteful loudness and bass for its time… all done by Big Bass Brian.
ruclips.net/video/P2MaOeDibps/видео.htmlsi=8rlEUDguiDFTWJSI
Some kind of distortion or lo-fi is not bad when it's stylized and controlled, depending on the music style idea. The bad thing is when it destroys the musical elements of the track. I'm still learning how to save balance 🙆🏻♂️
There is a huge difference between digital clipping distortion and analog distortion. If you are careful it can enhance the mix but you really need to walk a fine line or it can ruin a song.
All of this is driven by attention spans for music and digital convenience. These guys kept up with the changing world, they didn’t drive those changes. People used to listen to entire albums on good systems, giving the artists time and undivided attention, and often on systems that could reproduce most of the frequency spectrum. Today with streaming on mobile devices, artists need to grab a listener’s attention quickly or they’ll skip to the next song and usually artist. And the most common speakers today are iPhone earbuds, which also restricts artists. That’s what created the loudness wars, and that’s why so many artists hate them.
I agree that the attention span thing sucks ass but that has nothing to do with loudness.
Now, you’re able to take music with you everywhere, and a non negligible amount of people buy at least decent earbuds or headphones.
If people have to wait to have $50,000 to buy a whole studio setup and have their rooms treated acoustically to listen to music, almost no one would listen to music. Shitty speakers are better than no speakers at all.
@@No.17TypeS You say attention and loudness aren’t related but offer nothing to support that. I still disagree and think they’re definitely related. Also there’s a lot of room in between earbuds and control room mains. Before people listened to music on their phones the size, weight and mobility of speakers weren’t nearly as prioritized. Owning some decent bookshelf or tower speakers at home used to be pretty common. Todays its soundbars, at best, and often not even a sub. Trust me the speakers component here is critical; I watched these changes taking place and lived through them.
@@russcontact This is valid criticism. Hopefully, you won't mind reading several paragraphs, I like discussing stuff and have a lot to say haha.
I didn't find any studies about louder mixes and listening fatigue or attention span, so I might be wrong. But I don't think I am. As anecdotal evidence, I am quite into loud music in general, metal, EDM, breakcore and whatnot, and despite having ADHD, I have no trouble giving all my attention to a song or even a whole album. But again, anecdotal.
Firstly, especially these days, music is limited to -14 LUFS by all major streaming platforms, so most songs won't have enormous volume differences. In any playlist with fairly popular songs, you'll mostly have a constant volume and at worst, some quieter tracks.
Secondly, Even if there were monstrous differences in volume, I doubt anyone without hearing loss would just sit through a song suddenly playing at 95dB into their earbuds, or even through their phone, when the previous one was just around 60dB. There are people who love to blast their ears off but those ones would definitely increase the volume if they were listening to a track mixed at a lower volume. People do use their volume buttons.
Thirdly, live shows routinely play at 100dB or over, which has been a thing since way, way back, and people have no trouble staying in the moment. Granted, the social aspect plays a part, but if loudness was really that significant, we would see some effects.
Lastly, even if loudness plays a part in reduced attention spans, there's something way, WAY more significant that actually affects attention spans, and there have been numerous studies about it: social media and streaming platforms. Venus Theory talks about it in his video "The Playlistification of Music" (I think). As you said, people used to listen to whole albums. This is entirely due to how we consume music (term which I hate using but accurately describes what's happening). Everything has to happen now, in seconds, and if people don't like something, they can just skip to the next track, and the next, and the next, until they get their fix. And it doesn't help that people don't have to pay for it, unlike CDs and vinyls before.
Also, somewhat anecdotally, I feel like more people put music as background noise these days, instead of actually listening. But that would have to be verified.
Now, about speakers... I'll admit most of what I can say about them is hearsay. However, I can say that even with the best studio monitors, if you have an acoustically awful room and bad speaker placement, they won't sound much better than a pair of somewhat high-end Bluetooth speakers in that same room. Source: I have decent studio monitors in a mostly untreated room and 100Hz makes everything else suck; a friend has high-end live speakers in a bunker, it sucks; every engineer I've heard said the same: room treatment is essential.
Which brings me to my last point: people never cared about sound quality. Back then, they were buying stereo speakers for their homes because there was nothing else available in the same price range. And once again, they put that in untreated rooms. Now, UE Boom speakers cost $100 or so and have very good sound quality, especially for the price, and you can take them anywhere, and share music anywhere, whenever. Honestly, the more I look into it, the less reasons I see for average people to buy high-end speakers.
That said, a lot of brands have horrible practices (looking at you, Dolby Atmos), which penalizes everyone in the end. IMO, they're also the reason why a lot of people don't have better speakers. Everything goes into marketing, and every cent they can spare by decreasing the quality of their products, they'll take. But really, we're starting another debate here.
@@No.17TypeS Nah I appreciate the response. Later on when I’m on a keyboard and not my phone I’ll reply with some detail.
Short and cool video, would love some more in-depth of this!
this is an essential history lesson for the producers and sound engineers of today 🙏
Mixing is an art and is a skill. And sadly the ones dictating how something has to sound and wanting it to be the loudest, don't understand once it is already loud.... you cannot turn it up anymore. Even if you turn the final loudnesswar-mix down.. it will still be loud... and aggressive.... and absolutely flat and unappealing.
What happened to your Mike Dean Mixing Secrets video? 😢
Legend
If I could give away one truly helpful advice it would be to stop mixing and mastering for loudness and change your mindset to acchieve bigness. Dre's 2001 sounds small compared to most hiphop hits of today.
Great advice. Nowadays I notice I'm wanting more heaviness and bigness in my mixes, as you said
How many albums have you sold?
@@Tai-DyeRed Hot Chili Peppers Californication is a loud album. I was bummed out when I played it on the system. It sounded so compressed.
@@masterragebaiterthere is a 100 percent chance that he’s sold more or an equal amount to you 🫠
I’d argue that 2001 is rather simplistic, rather than ‘small’
Hey man, do you still have the discord? none of the links in past videos work?
Are old studios still around? Like what if i wanted to make a song sound like from the 70s?
Highly compressed and limited audio is fatiguing. It also lacks the importance that dynamics afford.
Thanks, I always new distortion could be good but not from point of view of mastering a tune
wya brodi
Distortion/saturation is a great tool to use, but my god, there are a lot of genres relying on it too heavily.
Tasteful distortion is the way.
Tasteful anything is the way 😊
Playboy Carti Whole Lotta Red (Album)
Lance Foux - RONALDINHO (Extremely distorted song)
How does Rick Rubin fit into this discussion?
GOAT video
great video :).
The BIG Boss ,Bryan
The biggest problem with extreme volumes is when you run into speaker limitations and end up with feedback distortion at max volumes, even on iPhones and iPads.
It’s only the reference levels that are being mixed a bit higher than normal. This has minimal impact on sound systems since we are only talking a +4dB difference while speakers can accommodate much louder.
Likely what you are referring to is the simultaneous relative levels in the bass range have gone way up as well. We compress bass to hell now to slam them way up in the mix. And many systems will not be able to produce those frequencies.
But your ears are like reverse speakers, so the real killer is on those. Kids are going deaf and getting tinnitus from the compression effects of those slammed signals hitting their drums over and over. The irony is it’s less safe to listen to todays loud music even at levels equal to old recordings, so to save your ears you have to listen lower than you’d like.
The biggest problem with extreme volumes is feedback distortion at max volumes? That's not a very coherent thought, but it's definitely wrong. 😂
interesting!
Do you think an Aston Halo makes sense because of the cardiod pattern of the mic?
Do you have a mastering chain? Or at least some go to plugins or hardware gear you use for mastering?
if you wanna do it yourself best thing to get is ozone
Inspiring thanks!!! -PREXENTS
He da goat
When we are totally in control, we lost control completely. Thank you for sharing your artwork.
bro is the walter white of music !
"Its a sound now" to destroy the audio to the point that you can't hear the music anymore and it just sounds like noise. That's great lol. I like square waves better anyway...
Good video!
You have to differ beetwen the possibilities of analog and digital distortion.
Serban ghenea video !!
The hard part is keeping it
Red is Good!
I disagree.
Buy any mainstream electronic record off beatport and i guarantee you it'll be redlining at least a little bit, but modern tools have made it easy to clip without distortion.
Why did you remove the Mike dean studio video😔😔🤧😭
Who?
@@SPAZZOID100 Mike Dean😭
How does that initial sound make you feel?
red is good.
There are no rules.
"cutting our s*** deeper" shows ignorance. When cutting a lacquer, amplitude is horizontal modulation not depth. It's why the inverse r'ship between side length and level exists.
The king is still Bob Ludwig! Peace.
Who can professionally master a song better then me the legendary evulholic any song I touch I can make sound great welcome to the new world order
Legends may exist but the followers that try to capitalize off of others’ talents rarely hit the mark and just sound gross and forced.
Don’t always try to shoot for -8 you will ruin your dynamics and it’s best to be safe than ruining your craft, I always shoot for at least -9 but amazing video
You should yap more in your content
So it is loud it doesn‘t mean it is good. But distortion is a Sound now. LOL
Saturation can work wonders.
Red is good
most music today is mastered so loud and tinny with no depth. Played loudly on a good stereo, it sounds like a loud phone.
No
We make music for the public...if they like it. " i love it
So what the hell is "illegal"???
Clickbait should be illegal!
Now we know who ruined music. Thriller had great sonics, though. Nothing left to do but explore noise, I guess.
Does yall know what console is Bryan using?
custom built
I literally master at +15 LUFS. Yes that’s PLUS 15. Red isn’t just good, it’s the minimum. I am the real illegal mastering engineer. Real ones know my name
Calm down lil bro. You ain’t it.
@@hansmemling7605 send me your song and I’ll master it for free to prove you I’m legit
@@hansmemling7605 my offer stands
@@hansmemling7605😂
Wavelab
Then Kanye came along and changed everything.
Wait…. Hasn’t most of his work been… re-mastered? To be louder? Lol
Clipping the master and distorting is Easy faster costs less money then getting shit perfect
money? everything is free these days, stop being lazy and learn how to mix first so you barely have to master.
Dr Dre's Mastering Secret ITB : ruclips.net/video/be2gNtZ2v1s/видео.html
Swag
thumbs down. no subscription. dislike. I WAS PROMISED CRIMINAL MASTERING!! YOU LIED FOR CLICKBAIT! (jk, liked.)
5 minute clickbait
Just because you can, that doesn't mean you should.
These quotes dont apply to music, if it sounds good its good period.
I am a recording company owner This is interesting stuff but the narrator doesn't know production. There is no right or wrong way to produce or master anything. For example what worked for nirvana would never work for the beatles.
This is limited thinking
louder isn't better.
Technically it is, if you hear two mixes and one is at a louder volume you will automatically like the louder one better.
The trick is to make your track louder but without the didtortion
@@Durkhead no. louder causes fatigue which will make you switch off after less time.Getting the right volume and dynamic range is far more important than loud and fuck distortion. The hip hop mastering of the 90's was the 90's we have moved on.
@@mollyoko thats what i said numnuts
Louder can be better, but it also can be worse. Depending on the song
So um, no. It'll just make you adjust your volume knob if it hurts lol. Welcome to 2024, where clippers, linear phase EQs and saturators have made it more than possible to easily hit -6 LUFs without distortion or sonic mush.
Brian is my guy the other dude go master some classical music bud
Well if he mastered Micheal Jackson’s stuff it sounded flat as f and the records sounded like crap. The Egyptian lover can master his stuff much better go get one of his records and go get anything mastered by this guy and you will hear a big difference
I'm sure some boomer purist complained about the first guy to play an electric guitar with distortion too
Youre not wrong. Link Wray - The Rumble.... first song with distorted guitar. They banned the song (its an instrumental) saying it would incite violence.
The first people to use guitar distortion on purpose were from the silent generation. The oldest boomers were still babies.
Thriller was overrated ... Off the Wall was a much better record.
In comparison to what? Just other mj stuff? 😅
@@marsmith1907 Well .. If you could read I compared it to Off the Wall. I'm talking about Thriller the record in a general sense. It's always been overrated. He blew up with that one and I think Off the Wall is actually a better record. Thriller is mediocre at best, .. and most everything he did after that was pretty meh. Just an opinion. Don't know why using 'laughing emojis' makes you believe you've made a clever argument?
@@Fiveash-Art For sure, well it had so many top names working on it and I'm sure the record company was gonna blow it up no matter what just because of the names associated with it. Record labels know how to exploit and it time for the indie artist market their own path. Especially with today's technology. It's to Saturated, Good Music is Scarce.
The conversation is about sonics, not your subjective personal musical taste, the sonics of Thriller far outclass that of Off The Wall.
@@EricBlair-jg2ux Then why are in you this comment thread? I think the original post is what's being discussed. Shoo Fly. Complaining about subjective tastes while posting about your own personal tastes. 😂👍🏻And what you're describing is exactly why production isn't always the end all metric when it comes to music quality. You don't know what you're talking about.. but keep squawking if it makes you feel 'cool'.
@2:41 the homie @dustyvisiontv