Mike Bozzi Mastering "New Magic Wand" by Tyler, The Creator

Summary

In this detailed transcript, a mastering engineer discusses the intricate process of working on a track by Tyler, emphasizing the balance between sparseness and aggression in the music. Tyler's approach includes dynamic shifts, with subtle elements building up to intense moments that demand careful attention in the mastering process. The engineer describes using techniques like soft saturation and clipping to maintain energy and impact, ensuring that sections with powerful low end and intricate vocal layers are properly balanced. Throughout, the focus is on accentuating dynamics and capturing the visceral emotion of the track.

Takeaways

• 😀 Tyler's genius lies in how elements in his tracks gradually emerge, creating a sense of surprise and dynamic movement.
• 😀 He blends quiet, sparse sections with intense, blown-out sounds, such as powerful low-end elements and female vocal choruses.
• 😀 Tyler's mastering request to make tracks 'gross' is unconventional, emphasizing raw, aggressive qualities rather than clean or polished sound.
• 😀 The mastering process involves focusing on the peak energy of a track, especially in busy sections where many elements are at play.
• 😀 The engineer masters the levels based on the most energetic part of the track, adjusting EQ and dynamics to preserve energy throughout.
• 😀 For this track, the first half is sparse, while the second half becomes denser, with more focus on the low end and aggression.
• 😀 The engineer checks specific sections to ensure that low-end elements do not distort, ensuring the balance between power and clarity.
• 😀 The track features dramatic shifts in dynamics, with heavy low-end sections that explode into wide open, minimal sections.
• 😀 Tyler's attention to dynamics is crucial in his work, and the engineer emphasizes accentuating these dynamic shifts wherever possible.
• 😀 The mastering process also involves using soft saturation to enhance the track's presence, with careful clipping to avoid constant distortion.

Q & A

What makes Tyler's tracks unique, according to the speaker?

Tyler's tracks are unique due to the way elements gradually emerge and evolve within the music. His music often begins with sparse, beautiful parts and then introduces more intense elements like blown-out low end or bright, percussive elements that build on the atmosphere.

What did Tyler mean by wanting the track to be 'gross' in terms of mastering?

Tyler's request to make the track 'gross' was a desire to create a sound that was intentionally rough or aggressive, as opposed to trying to make it clean and beautiful. This contrasts with the usual goal in mastering, which is to enhance clarity and beauty.

How does the speaker approach mastering for a track with varying energy levels?

The speaker masters for the peak of a song by identifying the section with the most energy and using that as the reference point for setting levels. This approach ensures that the track can accommodate both the quieter, sparser moments and the louder, more energetic parts.

How does the energy shift in the track, and how does this affect the mastering process?

The energy in the track increases towards the end, becoming heavier with more low-end frequencies. The speaker considers whether to leave the front section sparse and gradually build intensity, or to have a constant level throughout. In this case, they chose to maintain a consistent approach with an emphasis on the powerful low end towards the end.

What is the significance of low-end frequencies in Tyler's track?

The low-end frequencies play a key role in giving the track a visceral, powerful, and aggressive feel. Tyler wanted to accentuate the low-end in certain parts of the track to create a dynamic contrast with other sections that are less intense.

What role does the speaker’s use of soft saturation play in the mastering process?

The speaker uses soft saturation to slightly clip the audio, creating a light flicker in the red signal indicator. This subtle clipping adds warmth and texture to the track without causing constant distortion, allowing for an enhanced, balanced sound.

How does the speaker check the levels when mastering a track?

The speaker checks the levels by playing back sections of the track with the most energy, ensuring that the low-end frequencies and other detailed elements don't distort. They also adjust the levels as necessary when adding EQ to avoid overloading the mix.

What specific section of the track did Tyler and the speaker find most beautiful?

The section with the most complex mix of low-end information, vocal detail, and percussive upper mids was the most beautiful, according to both Tyler and the speaker. This section was also where the speaker checked their levels to ensure it sounded balanced and clear.

What does the speaker think about the dynamics in Tyler's tracks?

The speaker appreciates how Tyler plays with dynamics, particularly how the track switches between heavy, intense sections and lighter, more open moments. These dynamic shifts create an engaging and evolving listening experience.

How does the speaker ensure the track doesn't distort when adding EQ?

The speaker first checks the levels before adding EQ, especially in sections with significant low-end information. They ensure the EQ adjustments don’t push the track into distortion by carefully managing the levels before and after the EQ is applied.