Master for Spotify or Youtube

General

• How to Master and Prepare a Track for Spotify or Youtube (-14 LUFS Integrated)

Look at Integrated like this

• Balanced Quiet Passages vs Balanced Chorus Passages Across Song = Integrated Sits in the Middle of Lowest and Highest Levels

• Very Quiet 2 Minutes vs 1 Big Boom = Integrated is Measured Towards Very Quiet (as it Lasts Longer)

• Many Chorus Passages vs Little Quiet Passages = Integrated is Measured Towards Louder Chorus Passages (as they are More Dominant)

• so All what e.g. Spotify Does, is to Put Everything Close Enough to -14 LUFS, e.g. a Song that Reads an Integrated Level of -5 LUFS will be Automatic  Lowered by -9 LU

Workflow

1) Create a Easy Setup in Cubase of an Original “Untouched” Mixed Version vs Mastered Version to be Able to Compare Changes

• Optionally you can also Route the Master Chain to a New Audio  Track to Record (Print) it in Real Time when Finished (Instead Bouncing / Rendering)

2) Insert a Complete Metering Tool that is Able to Detect True Peaks and Setup Loudness Targets (Insight 2, Nugen Mastercheck or Maat DR Meter)

• this Goes to the Main Out or Better Cubase Control Studio Inserts 

3) Play the to be Mastered File Back and Increase Level (or Decrease) so it Reaches the -14dB LUFS (can Go to 13.5 Occasionally)

• Do this for the Reference and Original if you Do Not Use Nugen Mastercheck

• Increase Either Level via Fader Level, the Clip Level or Use a Gain Plugin (e.g. Relay which will also Link to Insight)

• Notice the Value of Gain you Add here as it will be Used in Limiter as well

4) Start Mastering by Inserting a Limiter as Last in the Master Chain with the Same Amount you Pushed the Level to Match the -14dB LUFS

– i.e. when you Increased the Mixed Version by 4dB then Dial in Threshold or Gain (Depending on Limiter) to 4dB

• this will Avoid Clipping and Uses the Headroom we Originally had

5) Insert a Decent EQ (HPF at Minimum Phase) as the First Plugin in the Master Chain with a Low Cut at Around 20Hz with a 12dB Slope

• this is Not a Must, but it May Sound Cleaner and Saves Headroom

6) Use Digital EQ on the Sides (Stereo Section) to Lower at Around 300Hz and 1800Hz (i.e. Remove Distortion Parts)

• then on the Mid (Mono Section) to Lower at Around 120Hz (i.e. Remove Rumbling Parts)

7) Use a Character M/S EQ (e.g. Sort of Bax EQ or Hoser) but Only on the Mids (Unlinked)

• Open Up Mids a Bit at Around 1kHz on the Mids

• Open Up Low End via Shelf a Bit at Around 25Hz – 35Hz on the Mids

8) Optionally Continue with the Same Character M/S EQ (e.g. Sort of Bax EQ) but this Time Only on the Sides (Unlinked)

• Try to Open Up Sides a Bit with a Shelf at Around 1.5kHz to 4kHz

• but Do Nothing on the Sides if Not Better or Unsure

9) If Something Changes the Picture Too Much or Enhancements Bring Out Problems, Go Back to the Digital EQ etc. and Optimize

• i.e. Use First the Surgical EQ to Compensate or Other Previous EQs etc. to Separate the Work Area and Balance Out Frequency vs Frequency 

10) Use a Pultec EQ Style of EQ at Around 2 kHz to 5 kHz (or in EDM More Around 4-5 kHz) in Peak Mode to Bring Out “Whispers” and Sounds Such as Human Breaths 

11) Use Main Pultec EQ to Boost the Lows at 20Hz / 30Hz About 2dB to 3dB

• Again, Eventually Match Stuff Before to Make it Work Even Better (e.g. Lower Bass in BX Digital EQ and Enhance in Pultec)

• also Check the Loudness Level Meter etc. if Target of -14 LUFS is Still Intact

12) Now Insert a Compressor of Your Choice and Re-Balance the Weight / Depth According to Track

• but Put / Insert the Compressor Right After the Digital EQ

13) Add a Saturation Tool (Tape Saturation or Waveshaper Style) of Your Choice and Enhance Harmonics According to Track

• Put / Insert Saturation Tool Right After the Pultec EQ

14) Add a De-Esser of Your Choice and De-Ess According to Track

• but Put / Insert the De-Esser Right After the Digital EQ and Before Compressor

15) Finally it is Time to Match the Spotify Integrated Target of -14 LUFS

– with -14 LUFS Integrated and True Peaks Not Over -0.5 you are on the Safe Side

16) If for any Reason the Master is Too Quiet (or the Client says so), you would Simply Drive More into the Limiter and then Reduce Limiter Ceiling / Output Gain Accordingly to Match- 14LUFS again

• this will Make the Sound Thinner, Looses Kick and Crushes Transients

• Notice that you can Adapt the Target also to Youtube (or Others) at this Stage

• i.e. for Youtube you would Go to Something Like -12 or -13, thus Increase Gain into Limiter by that etc.