Mix Challenge

Hello and welcome to the Mastering Challenge 004 - December 2018


This is the introduction post, where we directly link to the challenge corresponding files (source files, submission information, sponsors) and start of the evaluation process.



There has been a long hiatus with the Mastering Challenge due to various reasons. Let us try to get back into the groove with a 15 year old production by Kevin Gobin that could really need some love and fresh touch. This render is the only available version of this production, so you have to make due with what's available. So please try to repair and touch up the production as good as it's possible to you.

Please also refresh your memory on the Rules and Guidelines. The Mastering Challenge is more strict with simulating a client-to-business scenario. If the edit is not according to specs, this would cost the client a lot(!) of money due to a misprint/wrong mass distribution in the real world. So please pay attention to detail and check your files multiple times.

You've got one shot at this - make it count!



Please take note of the following

• IMPORTANT: It is now mandatory to provide WAV and encoded files (MP3 currently), files need to be accessible/downloadable, and please document your edits
• IMPORTANT: please use the following naming convention: MastC000_-_ArtistName_-_TrackName_-_ContestanttName.wav/mp3. The order of the tags might change in upcoming challenges - though this is up for debate
• It is highly encouraged to give feedback to each other, to share tips and tricks. Ideally, this should happen after the initial Mastering Round has ended, to not influence each other during the main competition round

Also please take note of the following

• We're desperately looking for new source material for future competitions. Please follow our official campaign. No new tracks mean no more challenges! Please reach out!
• Social Media accounts can be found via the handles @MixChallenge (Twitter) and MixChallenge (Facebook). Please spread the word!
• if you like what the Mix Challenge (community) has been doing in recent months, please consider supporting us.

This post will be updated with the corresponding links as we progress, and of course the suitable thread headlines. So please watch this spot:


Submission Period: General Information, Source Files, Sponsors
Results of the Mastering Challenge 004: Winners announced

CURRENT CHALLENGE - GENERAL INFORMATION

Time Frame: Monday, 01st October 2018 to Sunday, 14th October 2018 (14 days)

Challenge submission will end on 14-10-2018, 11:59pm CEST/GMT+2 (Germany) - until further notice.

Want to find out if you're still within the deadline, please consult the following options:
The Global Countdown on it's dedicated page or the countdown on the home page. You can also consult the World Clock at the top of the forum or alternatively the following tool - in this case please select "Berlin (Germany)" as location 1, and your location as location 2: Time and Date - World Clock Meeting Planner. We do post reminders via our Twitter account and Facebook page.



Song Provider: Kevin Gobin
Song Name and Length: Nouvelle Donne, 4:05min
Song Information: 120 BPM / Signature: 3/4, E min
File Format: WAV, 44kHz, 16bit


Preview of the Song:
Preview via DropBox



A word from the song provider:

Kevin Gobin wrote:This is a 15 years old production.

I lost the original project and raw tracks (as well as a lot of other productions) because of a backup accident... A friend of mine got a mixdown from this production from me (I do not remember what support he had, and that version of the mixdown was obviously not my best). So he sent it back to me. So this is unfortunately the only existing original now.

That definitely means that the challenge here would be to repair, rescue, remaster or do whatever magic that can salvage or enhance the track because... I still like it!

-14LUFS seems perfect.


I will totally understand if you consider this mixdown as not good enough to work with.

However, the challenges here are aimed at to be emulations of real life scenarios. I could have asked a mastering studio to rescue that music - they would try to do the same.

I am very excited by this experience from the client perspective.

Good luck everybody, and see you soon,

Kevin.

Please also consult the TXT files that are bundled in the source files package below.

Add-On Rules / Target Values:

• Loudness Target: -14LUFS ILk
• Maximum allowed digital peak: -1dBTP
• Release Medium A: Redbook CD /Streaming (all via one file)
• Release Medium B: <currently not desired>
• File Formats: WAV and MP3

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Source Files:

Main Mix Package - Mirror on the Mix Challenge Homepage (39,58 MB, LZMA compressed, zip)



The provided files were packed as ZIP with LZMA compression.
File size extracted: 43,22 MB, packed 39,58 MB (ZIP, LZMA)
In order to extract the files, we can recommend these programs:

Macintosh:
The Unarchiver - get it here
Keka (open source) - get it here

Windows:
7zip - Installation / Portable


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Please take note of the official rules - they can be found at the following thread:
Mastering Challenge - Official Rules and Guidelines

Please address any OT question in the official Gossip thread:
Mastering Challenge - Gossip and Discussion

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SPONSORS (Prizes):

Prizes for Mastering Challenge participants:

Note: All licenses are NFR (Not-For-Resale), except where noted.
Changes to available prices on short notice may be possible and will be announced separately.



Acon Digital is kind enough give away a license of their editing, mastering and restoration host Acoustica 7 / Premium Edition (until Q3/2018)
License will turn into NFR
More info on Acon Digital: http://acondigital.com



MuTools is kind enough give away one license of MUX Modular of winners choice (until Q1/2018)
License will turn into NFR
More info on MuTools: https://www.mutools.com/



NUGEN Audio is kind enough give away any one plugin of winner's choice from the "Master Pack"
License will turn into NFR
More info on NUGEN Audio: https://www.nugenaudio.com/



THANKS FOR THE LICENSE DONATIONS!
And also a thank you to all former contributors as well.

If you want to sponsor content (please have a focus on mix plugins, bundles and the likes), please get in touch with the Mix Challenge staff.

Please spread the word of the challenge on social media.
For example with our dedicated Twitter Account or Facebook Page

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Good luck to all participants.
And most importantly, have fun!

I haven’t seen any submissions yet, but I just thought I’d say that I am working on mine. Hope lots of others are too. This is a pretty cool and unique challenge.

I thought it was a little weird that the track is -9db lufs with peaks at 0 db but the client wants it mastered to -14lufs that peaks at -1db.

The goal here is to repair the production.

If you pull it down to -14LUFS ILk (modern day standards) and do appropriate edits, chances are you also change the transients or rather "create new ones" which can result in a higher so called "Peak to Loudness Range" (or PLR in short).


As mentioned in the introduction posts - paying attention to detail is absolute key in the Mastering Challenge.

Dear Kevin Gobin and the Mix Challenge community,

Below, please find my submission for the MastC004 Mastering Challenge:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/boe60dra03w8r ... f.wav?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8ypt6w3ffx7gt ... f.mp3?dl=0

As requested, the WAV audio file is -14LUFS (integrated) and below -1dB (true peak), and printed at the Red Book CD standard of 44.1kHz/16bit. An MP3 file is also provided for reference.

Regarding my process (everything was done ITB):
I began by doing general repairs in RX6 (iZotope). De-clip was used to pull down to re-shape the slammed transients and bring down the overall gain. De-click was used to kill the clicks and pops from the tape. Spectral Repair was applied here and there to reduce the warbling, wow and flutter.

The audio file was then loaded into LPX for further processing. My chain went something like this:

• J37 (Waves) - to try to enhance and even out the already present tape saturation,

• Kotelnikov (TDR) - used for parallel compression to give weight to the overall mix, especially the drums,

• Neutron 2 Equalizer (iZotope) - a high-shelf in dynamic mode at 10kHz to tame the hi-hat, and a band shelf dip at 137 (also in dynamic mode) to help the bass and kick drum relationship,

• Ozone 8 Equalizer (iZotope) - a second eq to do some subtle additive and subtractive edits,

• Ozone 8 Imager (iZotope) - used in 3-band mode to battle phase correlation issues: lows below 250Hz got centered, mids between 250Hz-6,000Hz got a slight boost, and highs above 6,000Hz got a slight dip,

• And finally, Ozone 8 Maximizer (iZotope) - used as a final brick-wall limiter. Ceiling set at -1dB (true peak enabled), and threshold was adjusted until the LUFS was at -14 (integrated).

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions/ comments/ or concerns.

Thanks for listening, thanks for the opportunity, and best of luck to all of the contestants.

Best regards,
Jeffrey Wornhoff

A friendly reminder:
Including today, 7 days left to submit your edit / master.

Hi Kevin thanks for the opportunity to help save this awesome tune! This song has a very cool "Jeff Beck" vibe to it from his late 70's hits. Here is my submission.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ayfbratxcw3zz ... e.wav?dl=0

To help breath some life to this mix I used a mid/side processing approach to shape the image and depth. Here is the set-up that I used.
ProTools 12
2 Elysia eq'sone Mid Only other Side Only (each on their own buss)
2 BSS DPR402 Comps from Waves one Mid Only other Side Only (each on their own buss)
Main Channel: SPL Vitalizer Mk2-T (Plugin Alliance) feeding the four busses
Master Buss: L3 16 Ultralizer for loudness and a WLM Plus Meter (Both by Waves)

The idea was to have the ability to control every aspect with faders to bring more balance to the master.

Hi, here's my take with this nice song.

Bass tamed in low mids.
I tried to bring up the kick and snare a little bit.
I tried to tame Cymbals without loosing the brightness.
Some transient control and little bit expander.
Some low harmonics added.

I mainly used bx_dynEQ, TDR Nova GE, bx_digital V2, PulseTec

I wrote the ISRC code to wav-file with HOFA CD-Burn & DDP and to mp3 file with kid3 program.

I used Reaper Loudness plugin to check the loudness
Integrated -14.0 LUFS
Range 4.5 LU
True peak -1.4 dBTP

MP3: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Vs5Dl ... cLURUTJnVF
WAV: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jL4sy ... 4RvEVtGpsH

Hello

Here is my proposal for this beautiful song a little unbalanced ...

There is a lot of work on this restoration in my opinion, which I did:

Various editing with IZOTOPE RX converts the file into 32 bits and configures it in STUDIO ONE.

I used a lot of ACUSTICA-AUDIO plugins for EQ, such as IVORY3, AZURE, GOLD2, for compression I used TIM PETHERICK N4 VARI-MU, IVORY MAC-3, MELDA PRODUCTION for the stereo image and limit it to DMG Limitless in multiband mode.

I realized everything in the box without external devices

New upload 13-10-2018

WAV: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1GmuIH ... Jo7JOPEPru

MP3: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1beDAy ... qXg3NYHP1t

New upload 20-10-2018

MP3 with tag: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XaU5- ... pNaknxxNwt

Good listening to all

Patrick