15
Slate Digital FG-‐X Virtual Mastering Console
o
Absolute
: use this mode to read the absolute level on the meter scale.
o
Relative
: use this mode to read the level in a relative way. The 0dB of the
scale is set according the "Reference RMS level" setting.
•
Range
: select the range according to the RMS dynamics of the song.
•
Needle Velocity
: adjust it to slow if you need a more average display, and to fast
if you need
•
Reference RMS Level
: You can choose for each setting to use the Global
Reference RMS Level or to set a particular Reference RMS Level.
VI.
A N
OTE FOR
M
IXING
E
NGINEERS
The FG-‐X is essentially a mastering tool. But it can also be used effectively in the mixing
stage, either as a buss compressor (using the FG Comp module) or as a powerful tool to
give your clients a reference mix that is competitive with professionally mastered mixes.
To this end, please be aware of your final plans once the mix leaves your hands. If the
song is intended for mastering, you should remove FG-‐X before sending it to mastering,
or if you are using the FG Comp as a buss compressor, you should bypass the FG Level
module. Otherwise your mastering engineer will not have enough headroom to work
with, since your FG-‐X processed mix will be reaching -‐10db, rather than the -‐20 to -‐
15dB FS preferred level of an unmastered mix.
VI.1.
RMS L
E V E L
RMS, or “root mean square,” is considered the standard for measuring loudness in
audio. Typically, a mix should have an average RMS value of -‐20 to -‐15 dB FS (FS for Full
Scale, i.e. 0dB or 16/24bits digital maximum). This leaves plenty of headroom for you to
process the mix further in the mastering stage. By printing a mix higher then -‐15dB, you
are not leaving enough room for the mastering stage processing. Mixes need to be
MIXES, not MASTERS. If you are comparing your mix with a reference of an already
mastered mix, lower the mastered mix by roughly 8dB. Do not try to match a mastered
song’s level during the mix stage.
Leave loudness processing to the mastering stage.
Mastered songs have an RMS of -‐11 to -‐8 dB FS. Some masters are pushed louder to -‐7
or even -‐6 dB FS. While the FG-‐X can certainly make these types of loud masters sound
better than typical limiters have in the past, there is no way it will sound as dynamic,
punchy, and “big” on the bottom end as a -‐10 dB FS RMS.
