"OFF" is my favorite setting on a MBC unless it's needed for something specific.

Then, whatever setting the mix is asking for is the setting I start with. You can't just put one on and hope there's a setting that works - You have to have the end sound in mind. No presets. Especially on something as "radical" as maul-the-band compression.

It's pretty rare that you can use the same setting through an entire tune, much less have a "preset" that works - It's completely dependent on what the mix needs (most of the time it's dependent on what was screwed up during the mixdown that MBC is needed in the first place).

wizaynecarter wrote: I have been fooling around with a few.... I was just wondering what everyone else thought? or is there another comp plug that you would recomend.

I'll use the LinMB when I want to compress something but leave a certain band alone, or only compress a certain band.. for example, only compressing the low end of a piano, the high end of an acoustic. In other words, when I'm using the LinMB, I'm rarely using compressing all five bands, and the majority of the time I'm only compressing one. I like the LinMB a little bit better than the C4, because the first Waves bundle I got was the Masters Bundle, and the LinMB was quite hyped. Now, I'm rather comfortable with it, but it's definitely more of a specific tool to me. I'd much rather use the L2 for limiting purposes, and I'd rather use the RComp for simple compression tasks.

The only time I use it on a mix is for the lowest and highest bands, and generally in a very subtle way. If I have to use radical settings with it, I've obviously not done my mixes very well.

I definitely don't consider myself a mastering engineer, but I have mastered a couple of projects for friends, and have a couple upcoming.. and I dread it. I hate not having control over the mix. I'd make a horribly stressed out ME :)

The compression plugins I use are the Waves L2, PSP VintageWarmer, Waves RComp, Waves C4 (I like these on acoustic guitars for some reason), and Waves LinMB. I just got the PSP MasterComp, but haven't had enough time to work with it just yet, but I absolutely love the VintageWarmer. Whether using it in a subtle or brick wall manner, I think it really adds something.. maybe it's grit, maybe it's beef, maybe it's shit.. but I like it.

bypass

alot of tutorials that I have read say to use the linnmb..... for example http://www.har-bal.com/mastering_process.php .. is the way that this tutorial using the linnmb the same way that you use it..... would you say that it is even correct at all. I really just want to learn how to work this plug better.

thanx

(A) I have no idea why the HarBal guys would assume that people actually interested in HarBal would have a $3800 suite of Waves plugins...

(B) They're telling you to use your eyes... That's not the way it works.

(C) If you fix things during the mixing stage, you'll probably never need it anyway.

The whole point (I hope I'm not sounding like a broken record) is to figure out what is needed, then just do it. If the lows are too dynamic but everything else is fine, find a good crossover point and start working with the lows.