Separations - The Format

Separations are easy - no added equipment or plug-ins are necessary! You can benefit by creating from 2 to 8 Separations. Here's an example of 4 Separations,. Start by making a folder on your hard drive and label it with the name of the song you're working on [Your Song].

1) Simply record your normal completed 24 bit stereo mix. Name the file [Your Song] Mix.aif (or .wav, SDII, etc.) and put it into the [Your Song] folder (no brackets needed!).

Then without changing any level, any plug-ins or anything else -

2) Simply mute (or disable) all tracks except the drums and record the drums-only portion of your mix to a separate 24 bit stereo file (with all drum-related reverbs and effects). Name the file [Your Song] Drums.aif (or wav, SDII, etc.) and put it into the same [Your Song] folder.

3) Mute (or disable) all tracks but the bass - record the bass-only portion of your mix separately (in 24 bit stereo with all related bass effects). Name the file [Your Song] Bass.aif (or wav, SDII, etc.) and put it into the same folder.

4) Mute (or disable) all tracks but the remaining instruments - record the instruments portion in 24 bit stereo separately with all related effects. Name the file [Your Song] Instr.aif (or wav, SDII, etc.) and put it into the same folder.

5) Mute all tracks but the vocals - record the vocals portion separately (24 bit stereo with effects). Name the file [Your Song] Vocals.aif (or wav, SDII, etc.) and put it into the same folder.

You have now recorded five files including four Separations into the [Your Song] folder.
Hint: If you know your song order, number the folders 01 [Your Song]; 02 [Your second song]; 03 [Your third song] etc.

Important! Be SURE you leave your computer automation ON for each Separation so that every sonic move you make in your stereo mix is retained in the Separations. In cases where you can't change your mutes (because of the automation), use solos or highlight-select the tracks you are separating. Some engineers solo the tracks they are separating - drums, bass, etc. Use either solos or mutes -- so long as every element in your mix, every plug-in, every automation move, every musical component goes into a unique Separation.

Separation Mastering - The Technique

Separation Mastering allows us to reconstruct your mixdown using the Separations - to enhance separate elements - without compromising other elements within your mix! It's more precise than applying traditional program equalizers and compressors to a complex locked-down 2-channel waveform. Separations do what multiband compressors DREAM they could do!

Separations give you the flexibility to open up the sound and improve the transients and dimension. Each layer can be made to have more articulation and musicality than a standard stereo format. We listen to your 2-track mix and A/B compare it with your Separations to ensure that the intentions of your original mix are honored. We use non-destructive, totally recallable mastering enhancements to make an amazing - practically transformed final master for you.

Separations are different than "stems."

"Stems" are for a variety of uses.
• Stems can be confusing because they refer to different kinds of sub-grouping used in different ways
• Stems can aid mixing by assigning groups of "dry" tracks to a single fader, but the reverbs and effects often return into the mix through separate Aux Return channels
• Stems are used to deliver grouped tracks to be mixed into video and film production
• Stems are used in live sound applications -- with or without the associated effects returns
• Stems are used for summing "outside the (computer) box" with an analog console or summing box - outboard reverbs and effects may return into the mix via separate input channels on the "box"
• Stems can be used to put a single processor across many tracks while the individual track sends are unaffected by that particular single processor
• Stems have been used as a backup plan in mastering to modify or fix a final mix. Adding back in a stem can correct balance issues. Here's a visual example from 1998 when we did a last-minute rebalance of a vocal in the mastering of Juice Newton's "American Girl" CD.

"Separations" are for mastering.
• Separations are an easy-to-understand first-up delivery format for the purposes of mastering. They are not the back-up plan. They are non-destructive, recallable and allow greater creative control and better last-point objectivity
• Separations are a complete format because it includes the 2-track stereo mix - insuring that the process honors the artist's original intent. It's refining - like traditional mastering, but it adds the ability to restore and revise - unlike traditional mastering.
• Separations always include the reverbs and effects returns that belong with the corresponding instruments or vocals (drum verb with Drum Separation, vocal reverb/delay with the Vocal Separation, etc.)
• Separations reduce the worry associated with acoustic masking of details in non-ideal mixing environments.
• With Separations, you tend to orient your thinking more similarly to the way the mastering engineer listens. By knowing that you aren't locked down to two tracks, you mix with a slightly different purpose - to balance your elements correctly and musically.
• You tend to let go of that "last minute obsessing" knowing that the mastering process will accommodate your final musical intentions. You will never get the dreaded "go back and remix it" message from the mastering engineer!
• Separations can take advantage of both digital and analog tools -- possibly rivaled only by ideal engineering, consoles and ideal acoustic environments. This format can "level the playing field" for engineers, producers, labels and artists who don't have time for trial-and-error projects.
• Separations just make sense.

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Do not think of Separations as remixing - however...

• If the record company wants some last minute edits or level adjustments, you're ready to go.
• If you've mixed for months and you still feel the blend can be better, refinements can be made.
• If you can't sort out certain balance issues or low-end problems, more precise control is here.
• Communication is the key! Letting us know your preferences and references makes the difference!

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If you're the artist, A&R person or producer, we highly recommend that your mix engineer reads this page from top-to-bottom. Why? To save you time and money. Also we want to make it clear that it's best to submit 24 bit stereo files. Even if your system is 16 bit, make 24 bit Separation files. Do NOT change the sampling rate from the original mix session! If your system is 48k, make 48k-24 bit files. If your system is 44.1k, make 44.1k-24 bit files, etc. Bringing in a hard drive with your Separation folders is fine, and we recommend also bringing either DVD-Rs (DVDminusR) or CDRs as well. It you use CDRs, one song per CDR is helpful (and be sure to write the artist name on every CDR or DVD prior to burning the disc).

Note on loud rock projects: We HIGHLY recommend that you separate your drums into two Separations: [Your Song] Drums.aif and [Your Song] OHs.aif (overheads). Your Overhead Separation should include ALL hi hats and cymbals that you have blended in your mix. The Drum Separation should be ONLY drums. We encounter more issues with cymbals than any other drum-related sound. This recommendation makes an amazing difference in the sound and it can save money and time needed to process drums. (P.S. For a bigger drum sound, have the drummer hit the cymbals softer...)

Separation Mastering projects exhibit a more open and "airy" sound. The small number of Separation tracks gives better width and depth than large numbers of tracks being mixed and summed digitally. We find that digital summing "in the box" seems to represses the transients and collapses the openness of the sound. If nothing is changed and we're simply using Separations as your source for mastering, you have already achieved an improvement - sometimes as much as reclocking with a precision low-jitter clock.

About the cost: The mastering cost factor can be the same as traditional mastering when pro's bring in commercially competitive mixes. Example: If the lead vocal needs de-essing, it's easier for us to de-ess the Separation than it is to de-ess the whole blended 2-track mix in the traditional fashion. It's better to de-ess the vocal Separation because we don't have to think about compromises when a de-esser can dull the cymbals, snare or other instruments in a locked-down 2-track mix. Example: If we need to roll low end off the kick drum, it's just as easy to apply a high-pass filter to the drum Separation as it is to do it to the whole mix, and the tone of the bass (if separated) and rhythm instruments won't be altered. We won't be spending time with compromises that can occur when you only have a 2-track source.

What if you want some optimizing of the mix balance?

As a part of our service, we can rebalance the mix for another level of improvement if the client requests it. This can be as simple as a few tweaks, or it can be very creative and powerful - which can take time and can add to the cost. Note that if you are in the beginning phases of your engineering career, a 20-to-30 year engineering veteran in the mastering room can work wonders on your project. But we don't recommend that you mix with the intention of having us add your reverbs. We prefer that you get your mixes the way you want them -- but yes, we can add high quality reverb (or even delays) or make creative edits if you request it.

Interesting: Some engineers, once they start making Separations, hear things they didn't hear previously while mixing. It's tempting to tweak more when you hear the tracks separated from the others, but it's a mistake to change anything unless you go back and re-printing the Full Mix. Example: Doing additional gating of drums or changing the levels or processing on the tracks upon hearing them separated! Remember, every aspect of your mix must be there in the Separations.

Key: If you change anything in your Separations, go back and remake your 2-track stereo mix. Your stereo mix must be exactly the same. Double-check!

More on cost: When we are asked to get into deeper sonic crafting, the cost is proportionate to the work. Volume draws to create a more consistent vocal blend can take time. Fine-tuning drums with eq and level correction can take time. Edits and defect removal can take time. But considering the time it takes to book more mixing time, A-List mixing engineer expenditures, scheduling, transportation and coordination issues.... Separations can leverage a proportionately short amount of time into a very large sonic advantage for you. Just remember, your budget plan should match your product goals -- given the level of mixing experience and acoustic accuracy of your facility.

Even more advantages

Separations give you insurance against mix burnout as well. As Quincy Jones said (paraphrased), "We never finish our projects. We simply abandon them." Now when you're finished, you can rest easier knowing that the mastering session can resolve any final debates. Separations replace the need for cumbersome alternate mixes. It's a total package that gives a secure guideline for anyone who want A-List sound but doesn't have the time for trial-and-error projects.

New development: A response that we get more and more is that clients tell us "Now that I know what you can do in the mastering room, I'll mix my next project differently. It will be easier because I don't have to be so obsessive over details that are better addressed in mastering."

This is cool because what they are saying is that they can do "less" in their mix and get "more" in the mastering room. We've all heard the engineering phrase, "Less is more." which really means that "less" of one thing will leave space for "more" of something else (kinda like the teeter-totter principle). Less pressure at mix time (due to Separations) can mean less of a tendency to over-process. Just remember to use your best judgment because you should love your mix when it leaves the recording studio and comes here. Separations are re-defining and expanding the role of mastering -- as well as the results you can expect to achieve.

Recording insights about Separations

What if your mix is perfect without Separations?

Some projects are mixed so well that we simply leave the Separations set to unity gain and only apply standard outboard processing. Sometimes Separations aren't preferred because the engineer has dialed in a sound that works better in stereo. Different flavors of sound are not right or wrong -- any more than chocolate and vanilla are right or wrong.

"A-List" engineers often utilize a large format console, exotic gear, or perhaps analog summing boxes and great D-A converters - all of which contributes to mixes that are amazing from the first note. Sometime a more dry, "glued-together" sound is preferred over a wider, more distinct stereophonic sound. Remember, the 2-track mix is included in the Separations format so you always have that option available at the push of a button.

But consider this: Most A-List engineers are already mixing with subgroups even when the 2-track mixdown is the only intended source for mastering. Given the cost and difficulty involved in perfectly recreating a mix after everything's been dismantled and reset, archiving stems and Separations make perfect sense as a back up plan when BIG bucks are being spent.

KEY: If you are listening to the entire album during the mastering session, you'll be able to hear which songs if any need to have level adjustments possibly made. Before, you were stuck with what you had (er... unless you went back to remix)!

If the client requests, we can still sum the Separations in the digital domain and use a particular digital stereo buss plug in. Separations also allows us to use our Discrete Class-A Commander analog summing mixer. (Tip: want to have that exotic hardware stereo Fairchild on the stereo buss? Instead of buying one, rent it for the mastering session!) Plus we use D-A converters, audio interconnects and power cables that are all high-end audiophile for the best possible sound.

We encourage your questions!

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Here are some Separations guidelines using a contemporary song format:

1. Drums in stereo with any drum verbs and effects (be sure no other reverbs or effects - other than drums - are on this separation). Remember, if your project is a loud rock CD, we highly recommend that you separate the drums from the overhead/cymbals/room sound.
2. Bass in stereo with verbs and effects (be sure no other reverbs or effects - other than bass - are on this separation)
3. Remaining instruments in stereo with verbs and effects (be sure no other reverbs or effects - other than these instruments - are on this separation)
4. Vocals in stereo with verbs and effects (be sure no other reverbs or effects - other than vocals - are on this separation)
5. Your full, final approved stereo mix

Name each song like this (for example the song title is "Good Vibrations":
Good Vib Drums.aif
Good Vib Bass. aif
Good Vib Instr.aif
Good Vib Vocals.aif
Good Vib Full Mix.aif

If there are particular issues you are concerned about, then separate those elements. For instance if you're not sure about the blend between the backup and lead vocals, then separate those two musical elements in the same manor as the others:

Good Vib LdVoc.aif
Good Vib BGVS.aif

If you're not sure the brass tracks are blending right with the piano/strings/synths, then separate out the brass from the other instruments.

Good Vib Brass.aif
Good Vib Instr.aif

But don't go wild and send 24 Separations! Don't send stems (which may or may not have effects/verbs on them)! Keep to these guidelines and the resulting quality will amaze you. You should be able to load the full mix and the Separations into a new mix project and toggle between the 2-track mix and the Separations, and be able to hear everything in the mix, except that the Separations will sound wider and more open than the 2-track version by itself. Remember to use excellent cables and a revealing monitoring system. Once we load your project into our system, the results will be even more dramatic! Remember, even the simplest Separations (• all instruments • all vocals) make a difference.

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Key: When you mute all your groups, there should be no sound coming out of your stereo mix. This is a good test to be sure that you have assigned every track and every related effect to a group.

IMPORTANT: Include a click or some peak sound just before the song begins. The same exact click at exactly the same volume should be heard at exactly the same time at the beginning of every recording pass. Each pass will become a separate file that we will line up sample-accurately. Everything has to play in sync. This isn't necessary if you are certain that you are starting each and every pass at EXACTLY the same time. However, the click is an excellent backup plan and we highly recommend it.

The Recording Process

• Record your stereo mix as you normally would and save it into a Separations Folder that is named specifically after each song. The corresponding file could be named something like [your song]full_mix.wav or [your song]full_mix.aif (We prefer SD11 files.) You don't need to put the brackets in the actual file name.

• Make another recording pass, but mute or disable all tracks (or groups) except the drums. Be sure there are no effects from any other tracks being heard on this group, other than drum effects. Remember to include that reference click before the song starts. Be sure that there is no reverb from that click. You've now created your drum Separation. Name the file something like [your song]drums.wav or [your song]drums.aif (SDII is preferred.)

• Make another recording pass, but mute or disable all tracks (or groups) except the bass and it's pertinent effects. Include the reference click and you've made your bass separation file. Name the file [your song]bass.wav or [your song]bass.aif (SDII, etc.) Leave off the brackets.

• Make another recording pass, but mute all groups except the rhythm instruments. Check the effects.... include the click. Name the file.

• Make another pass in a similar fashion for the lead vocal group.... and so forth till you've recorded and named all the Separations.

• Each pass must start from "time zero" even if the sound on it doesn't occur till the middle of the song! Once there is no more sound on that group, you can stop recording it.

• In some cases, effects that are sent "pre-fader" will still be generating that effect, even if the faders are muted, which is why all related effect returns must be sent to the group they go with. You can also "disable" or "freeze" tracks so that no pre-fader effects bleed into the wrong separation.

• Record each pass and "Save As" 24 bit, if your system will allow - even if you were at 16 bit in the recording process. Don't ever record at 44.1 just because "it's going to end up on a 44.1 audio CD." Always record at the highest resolution possible for your needs. The files for your Separations should be stereo interleaved when possible.

• Store each pass into the Master Separations folder. Be sure to CLEARLY and systematically label or name all of the files - these are your Master Separations. It is important that you make separate folders for each song and clearly mark what song and what files are within that folder.

• Use the 3-D's. Document, Describe and Detail. Organize your materials and files! Include a plain text or Word file in the folder with any notes you have about each song - questions you may have - any notes for the mastering engineer. The Separations eliminates the need for time consuming alternate mixes - vocal up, vocal down, etc. because your notes to the engineer can explain any options you would like explored during the mastering session.

Be sure to include the stereo mixdown in that folder! That is the critical reference that ensures that everything meets or exceeds the sound of your final mix. We will line up and A-B compare your Separations with your 2-track stereo mix to be sure that any mastering enhancements retain the integrity of the mix - as would be the case in traditional mastering. In the analog domain we can use the Nautilus Commander which is perfect for these A-B comparisons. The A-B process is KEY in this whole process and it's part of what makes this a holistic system - not just another name for stems.

Tip: it's usually good to have a master fader on your DAW mixing "console" to check your levels for digital overs (clipping) but then remove the master fader when you are making your final mix and your Separations. Very helpful: DO NOT try to max out your stereo output level in order to make a "hot" mix - leave a couple dB of headroom. You can always put your finished stereo file back into a digital editor or Masterlink and bump up the level. The sound is what's important, not the final level. (In fact, hotter pre-slammed mixes can box the mastering engineer into a corner, if not done carefully.) The mastering process will achieve your volume level goals.

Important: Do not change ANY levels in those subgroups when you are making your Separations. Change nothing. Only mute (or disable) the various groups required to reveal each one being recorded separately. When we line up your Separations in our source DAW, all the levels you created will be the same in our system so long as this procedure is followed correctly. You might even wish to confirm that your files are correct ahead of time by opening up a new mix session in your DAW system, loading in your Separation files, and listen to be sure you've recorded everything correctly.

If you're using a common SEND going to your outboard effects, that shouldn't affect Separations. You simply keep the returns going into the mix each time. The send level should keep the same amount of effect whether you're mixing certain tracks to stereo separately or together. If you want to test Separations, simply make a set and recombine them in your DAW along with your stereo mix. If you mute your stereo mix and listen to the separations, you should be able to SOLO the stereo mix (all settings at -0- and hear a comparison between the two formats on your own system. That way you can check to see if all effects elements are coming out the same in both formats.

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