Also, if you REALLY don't want to do much, you can do one of those online auto master services like EMastered or Landr. Not optimal for "pro" lever nerdery, but your tracks will be louder in the end. I think some of them are free if you don't want hires files like 24/96 but I've never used them. A friend, that has zero really recording knowledge uses it and I've heard worse from people actively trying to "master" a recording. I'd say it is comparable to the Izotope Ozone robot mastering thing. Hell, it's probably all it is.

I'll set aside the benefits of having a pro polish up your stuff when you're done with it, cause you probably already know, and some stuff that's not intended for mass consumption/sale needs a little oomph.

I don't see why you couldn't take a rendered stereo track and open it in the same software you mix in. Then put whatever effects you want to master with (assuming this would be some compression and/or limiting) on the master bus, or the single stereo track you've opened. The workflow will be slightly different than some mastering software, but not a big deal.

This also opens pandora's box of mixing with a compressor on the master bus, but I won't get into that.

Send it to Goosman.

Top notch fellow. Quality work.

Soundforge 13 is in humblebundle for cheap at the moment, if that's of any interest. Bundled with some other stuff too.

Ozone Essentials is also mega cheap usually. I'd be happy to transfer a licence if you want it. Assuming that's possible, and that I do indeed have a licence fir it!

losthighway wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 11:52 pm I don't see why you couldn't take a rendered stereo track and open it in the same software you mix in. Then put whatever effects you want to master with (assuming this would be some compression and/or limiting) on the master bus, or the single stereo track you've opened. The workflow will be slightly different than some mastering software, but not a big deal.

This is what I do in those scenarios, though I don't even render it first. I just get things to sound good from a mix perspective, then once happy with that add my "for volume sake only" plugs right at the end. (the Apple/Logic peak limiter is decent)

Of course it's great supporting mastering engineers and it'll likely sound better, but it's not practical to do that for every track you want to share and don't want to be super quiet. Hell, I'd be sending multiple songs a month off to mastering..

I am simply chiming in here to add to the cheers for Chris’s airwindows plugs. They do sound astonishing!

I've been meaning to start a catch-all Airwindows thread in the Tech Room, it's a good gospel to spread.

If OP is running an Mac mini from years ago as they indicated, I don't think Airwindows will work for them.
Or Soundforge, or any of the Izotope stuff for that matter.

I'm assuming if PT8 is at risk of being killed by an update, the Mac mini is possibly from 2008-2010?

brownreasontolive wrote: Fri Aug 06, 2021 3:25 pm If OP is running an Mac mini from years ago as they indicated, I don't think Airwindows will work for them.
Or Soundforge, or any of the Izotope stuff for that matter.

I'm assuming if PT8 is at risk of being killed by an update, the Mac mini is possibly from 2008-2010?

Another reason to just move away from the old PT and take the time to learn Reaper. It will run on that old machine. It already has a bunch of EQ and Comp/limiters + a bunch of other stuff (comes with like 200 plugins including all the Java plugs). you could do it all with he tools it comes with. Free to try, cheap to buy.

numberthirty wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 7:25 pm You could just Google Drive/Dropbox/Whatever it, and have someone do it with software they have.

Hell, I could take a crack at it just to see if a given piece of software gets you to where you want to go.

Thanks for the offer Randy, but I don't want to have to bother someone every month or so to quick master something for me.

Kniferide wrote: Fri Aug 06, 2021 3:45 pm

brownreasontolive wrote: Fri Aug 06, 2021 3:25 pm If OP is running an Mac mini from years ago as they indicated, I don't think Airwindows will work for them.
Or Soundforge, or any of the Izotope stuff for that matter.

I'm assuming if PT8 is at risk of being killed by an update, the Mac mini is possibly from 2008-2010?

Another reason to just move away from the old PT and take the time to learn Reaper. It will run on that old machine. It already has a bunch of EQ and Comp/limiters + a bunch of other stuff (comes with like 200 plugins including all the Java plugs). you could do it all with he tools it comes with. Free to try, cheap to buy.

Brownreasontolive is correct in that assumption.

I know I should just move away from it, but it would require an entire new setup for me. Computer, 8 input interface, software. And learning the new software, which I'm notoriously bad at taking the time to do. I'm just reluctant to go down that road. I also like PT because my bandmate uses a newer version and we can swap PT sessions instead of having to turn 14 tracks into stems.

I might try that auto upload thing you mentioned though. That sounds like it might work for my level of free goodnuff mastering.