Free Automatic Mastering Tool
- jb
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Free Automatic Mastering Tool
https://www.landr.com/
Mastering with an MP3 output is FREE! I tried it on a song and here are the results. I am fairly pleased and will use this for Song Fight entries and other demos in the future.
ORIGINAL: LANDR:
Mastering with an MP3 output is FREE! I tried it on a song and here are the results. I am fairly pleased and will use this for Song Fight entries and other demos in the future.
ORIGINAL: LANDR:
blippity blop ya don’t stop heyyyyyyyyy
- Niveous
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
Interesting program. I think I'll check that out.
"I'd like to see 1984 redubbed with this in the soundtrack."- Furrypedro.
NUR EIN!
X-Tokyo
Lucky Witch and the Righteous Ghost
NUR EIN!
X-Tokyo
Lucky Witch and the Righteous Ghost
- fluffy
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
When I listen to the LANDR version all I hear is a bunch of thuddy bass. Are you sure it doesn't just sound "better" because it's louder?
For quick-and-easy mastering I just use Logic's "Broadcast Ready" preset and then tweak the hard limiting and EQ, and maybe the compression if it needs it.
For reference, here's that mp3 run through Logic's "Broadcast Ready" preset with just the defaults.
For quick-and-easy mastering I just use Logic's "Broadcast Ready" preset and then tweak the hard limiting and EQ, and maybe the compression if it needs it.
For reference, here's that mp3 run through Logic's "Broadcast Ready" preset with just the defaults.
- jb
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
Well, when I listen to the LANDR version, I feel like the vox and other pieces are a bit more clear. Yeah it's louder and the bass is more present, but I was hoping for some more clarity in that mix and from my brief testing on one pair of speakers, it seemed to do that.
Haven't listened to the Logic test you did yet, fluffy.
YMMV of course!
JB
Haven't listened to the Logic test you did yet, fluffy.
YMMV of course!
JB
blippity blop ya don’t stop heyyyyyyyyy
- ken
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
I don't love that the free version only allows Mp3s in and Mp3 out. Then you have to have a subscription to master WAV files. I almost wish they just had a 99cent person song deal where you submit a wav and get back a mastered wav and high bit rate mp3.
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i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
i would just like to remind everyone that Ken eats kittens - blue lang
- jast
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
And here's what a mastering engineer has to say about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAiiHritYfo
(The level-matched comparison somewhere past 10min is where it gets interesting, and it's followed by an analysis of the differences)
According to the video, the medium intensity is what you get in the free version.
PS. in case this inspires you to look for a plugin monitoring inter-sample clipping, how about this free one: http://www.stillwellaudio.com/plugins/bitter/
(The level-matched comparison somewhere past 10min is where it gets interesting, and it's followed by an analysis of the differences)
According to the video, the medium intensity is what you get in the free version.
PS. in case this inspires you to look for a plugin monitoring inter-sample clipping, how about this free one: http://www.stillwellaudio.com/plugins/bitter/
- jb
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
I think you can upload a WAV, but you can only get back an MP3.ken wrote:I don't love that the free version only allows Mp3s in and Mp3 out. Then you have to have a subscription to master WAV files. I almost wish they just had a 99cent person song deal where you submit a wav and get back a mastered wav and high bit rate mp3.
blippity blop ya don’t stop heyyyyyyyyy
- fluffy
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
bitter is interesting, but Schope looks like it would be really handy for the A-B testing type stuff referred to in the other thread in which Ian Shepherd came up. Also useful for investigating what different things do to your signal, visually at least.jast wrote:And here's what a mastering engineer has to say about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAiiHritYfo
(The level-matched comparison somewhere past 10min is where it gets interesting, and it's followed by an analysis of the differences)
According to the video, the medium intensity is what you get in the free version.
PS. in case this inspires you to look for a plugin monitoring inter-sample clipping, how about this free one: http://www.stillwellaudio.com/plugins/bitter/
- Billy's Little Trip
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
I'm a Ian Shepherd fan. I get everything he said about Landr. Also, knowing jb after all these years here on SF, he wasn't promoting it as the end all mastering "pill". It is what it is, it allows a guy/girl to slab it through the Landr magic play-doh factory and out comes a more dynamic version in seconds.jast wrote:And here's what a mastering engineer has to say about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAiiHritYfo
(The level-matched comparison somewhere past 10min is where it gets interesting, and it's followed by an analysis of the differences)
According to the video, the medium intensity is what you get in the free version.
PS. in case this inspires you to look for a plugin monitoring inter-sample clipping, how about this free one: http://www.stillwellaudio.com/plugins/bitter/
Real human mastering is a "practice makes perfect" skill. I ran a song through Landr the day jb posted this thread. It was interesting enough that I ran more songs through it in different genres to see how it was treating each song based on soft/loud, etc. It did seem to do the same thing to every song like Ian said. It boosted the volume levels, limited without completely trashing the dynamics (the free version) and did a very similar scoop in the mids making the lows and highs more apparent, thus able to boost the overall volume. Kind of like all old school rock.
I also put it up against my own mastering chain and flow. I might be biased, but I liked mine much better. But I spent at least a half hour + on mine and Landr did theirs in seconds.
I'd recommend Landr to those friends that absolutely will not take the time nor have the time to learn how to master their music. I have spent way too much time and will continue to put time into perfecting my craft because I really enjoy it.
- jb
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
Not to mention the 7/10 songs submitted to Song Fight that just need SOME kind of finishing even if it's by a robot. If only to make them tolerable enough to listen the whole way through-- remove just the slightest bit of "production fight".
(Also, what do you expect a mastering engineer to say about something that purports to do his job automatically? All his points are thoughtful, but still, he is NOT going to come down in favor of LANDR, any more than a review of an iPhone by Android Magazine is going to come down in favor of iOS.)
JB
(Also, what do you expect a mastering engineer to say about something that purports to do his job automatically? All his points are thoughtful, but still, he is NOT going to come down in favor of LANDR, any more than a review of an iPhone by Android Magazine is going to come down in favor of iOS.)
JB
blippity blop ya don’t stop heyyyyyyyyy
- fluffy
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
Surprisingly, in the end of his video he ends up more or less agreeing with what you said. He thinks that LANDR, at least on the 'low' setting, is actually a reasonable substitute for a mastering engineer for hobby projects, and it's better than nothing. He'd prefer if musicians go to a mastering engineer or at least learn how to do basic mastering themselves, but he was way more positive about LANDR in the end than I'd have ever expected.jb wrote:Not to mention the 7/10 songs submitted to Song Fight that just need SOME kind of finishing even if it's by a robot. If only to make them tolerable enough to listen the whole way through-- remove just the slightest bit of "production fight".
(Also, what do you expect a mastering engineer to say about something that purports to do his job automatically? All his points are thoughtful, but still, he is NOT going to come down in favor of LANDR, any more than a review of an iPhone by Android Magazine is going to come down in favor of iOS.)
- jast
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
Yeah, I was a bit surprised, too. In fact, his main issue with LANDR is that medium intensity is what you get in the free version, and medium indeed has noticeable degradation (to me, anyway). And well, yeah, of course he's going to prefer his own master over LANDR's, and of course human work can always take more musical decisions into account. Still, the video is interesting even if you don't view it for deciding whether to give LANDR a try.fluffy wrote:he was way more positive about LANDR in the end than I'd have ever expected.
- jb
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
Someday, in our dream version of Song Fight's submission process, you'll have a checkbox to select and we'll automatically run your crappy song, or at least your crappy mix (I'm feeling charitable since people just revealed all those AMAZING COVERS of some of my songs), through LANDR on LOW. And then we'll automatically put it on all the digital outlets for you, and puppies will chirp and butterflies will fly out of my ass like some kind of alternate-world Chipotle eventuality.
blippity blop ya don’t stop heyyyyyyyyy
- Billy's Little Trip
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
For fun, it could be a challenge for a song fight title. Must run through LANDR before submitting. Or must submit 2 version, 1 LANDR and 1 as you normally do. Although that might be a lot of songs, but would be cool to hear a side by side. It might even open some minds to make people want to explore further and take their skills to the next level.
I think the majority of entries would sound better ran through LANDR. Not mine, of course.
I think the majority of entries would sound better ran through LANDR. Not mine, of course.
- fluffy
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
As long as it also fixes the terrible id3 tags!jb wrote:Someday, in our dream version of Song Fight's submission process, you'll have a checkbox to select and we'll automatically run your crappy song, or at least your crappy mix (I'm feeling charitable since people just revealed all those AMAZING COVERS of some of my songs), through LANDR on LOW. And then we'll automatically put it on all the digital outlets for you, and puppies will chirp and butterflies will fly out of my ass like some kind of alternate-world Chipotle eventuality.
- Billy's Little Trip
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Re: Free Automatic Mastering Tool
I did a test using about the simplest and least production in the present fight. Girl and guitar.
I just used EQ, limiting and compression. Pretty much like LANDR does. I had to hold myself back, because I really wanted to go full production. But for testing, here we go.
I matched up average volume for all 3 versions to keep things honest.
The original version:
http://www.tunescoop.com/play/333037353 ... -level-mp3
The LANDR version:
http://www.tunescoop.com/play/333037353 ... -level-mp3
My version with EQ, limiting and compression:
http://www.tunescoop.com/play/333037353 ... -level-mp3
At the 1:22 mark is the killer peak! LANDR handled it pretty good without squashing the whole mix to make up for it. That's impressive. You'd think it would just normalize the whole track or something. But nope, it treated that peak the same way I had to do it manually.
Again, for how fast LANDR gives you back a basic mastered song with no skill needed, it's serving it's purpose. I spent over 30 minutes on mine and could have sent a lot more time if I wasn't in a rush. The LANDR version is a bit muddy in the mids, but not compressed all to hell, which is nice.
I just used EQ, limiting and compression. Pretty much like LANDR does. I had to hold myself back, because I really wanted to go full production. But for testing, here we go.
I matched up average volume for all 3 versions to keep things honest.
The original version:
http://www.tunescoop.com/play/333037353 ... -level-mp3
The LANDR version:
http://www.tunescoop.com/play/333037353 ... -level-mp3
My version with EQ, limiting and compression:
http://www.tunescoop.com/play/333037353 ... -level-mp3
At the 1:22 mark is the killer peak! LANDR handled it pretty good without squashing the whole mix to make up for it. That's impressive. You'd think it would just normalize the whole track or something. But nope, it treated that peak the same way I had to do it manually.
Again, for how fast LANDR gives you back a basic mastered song with no skill needed, it's serving it's purpose. I spent over 30 minutes on mine and could have sent a lot more time if I wasn't in a rush. The LANDR version is a bit muddy in the mids, but not compressed all to hell, which is nice.