Automatic Audio Mastering System software

[Yamaha Man]

Okay, here's a fun song I just mastered in LANDR....

http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...&q=hi&newref=1

[Joseph Hanna]

I was reading an article the other evening about a new product/software that was about to go to market from a group of ex MIT students.. I think it was called "MindPhaz". Essentially it was a sort of skull cap with nuro-sensors running through it and attached to a computer running software (MindPhaz). The idea is apparently humans are most musically creative while they sleep so the MindPhaz software captures your very best musical ideas and translates/transcodes them to the software. The software then assigns various instruments i.e. piano, guitar, cello or any other instrument MindPhaz intreprets you as dreaming about and then creates a session from that. They're saying it can't yet transcode vocals but they're currently indicating a beta of the software with vocal capabilities will be released by Thanksgiving and they're working closely with Antares on auto/0-tune capabilities. I believe Apple must be involved in this as well because the software looks a lot like Logic.

After MindPhaz creates the session it does a quick pass at mixing (you can of course go in later that day and re-mix a bit if you're not happy with the MindPhaz mix but most report somehow the mix is just fabulous) it then automatically spits out a playable MP3 file to you desktop. You just get up in the morning and hit "play".

I'm bettin software this sophisticated could also be programmed to auto send the MP 3 to Landr and from there auto send the Landr'd MP3 to Tunecore. That would be really cool cause at that point you really wouldn't have to do anything.

The miracle here is all of this can be completed before you even get out of bed. It seems to dramatically streamline the entire songwriting/recording process and very little (if any) work is required.

I'm just curious as to what MindPhaz is gonna come up with after those Saturday evenings when I have two or three Burbons?

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Martin Maniac

There's a lot more going on than just fixing volume. There's EQ adjustments, multi-band compression , limiter...but most importantly, the parameters are created by somebody else. Yes I can run it thru Audition's mastering tools, which I have done in the past with mixed results, but this is more precise. I get different results which is a good thing. And for $40 bucks A YEAR, it's a bargain.

Last night I ran 4 songs into the program, and now have 4 finished tracks. The results on each track are very good. The bottom line is "Howzit sound?" I think it sounds pretty good. Next stop, Tunecore.

If you are happy with the results then ultimately that is what matters. However what people are trying to explain is some of things you are saying as to reasons why you are pleased with results are perhaps based on some erroneous assumptions.

"but most importantly, the parameters are created by somebody else." While true, the parameters for the algorithm (not the music) is written by someone else, yet that fact is meaningless in terms of the entire "musical aspect of Mastering" and should not be confused with being "an objective fresh set of ears on the music"

It is not possible for a pre determined algorithm to be anything remotely like a "fresh set of ears".
First an algorithm is simply mathematics and as such can only analyze the relationship of the 0's and 1's and make technical mathematical adjustments based on math , BUT cannot possibly analyze what the music actually sounds like, or make aesthetic decisions based on the balance and relationships involved with the sound of the actual particular "music" involved. Which BTW is in fact what Mastering is actually all about.

Take the example you gave of the "bass synth". The fact the "algorithm" determined that the detected the level of frequencies where the synth was producing the most db's was above a predetermined level and or was digitally clipping (another math calculation) and adjusted that frequency/s down is not a "Mastering" adjustment, it is a mathematical adjustment and nothing more.
What people are trying to explain to you is, you or a mastering engineer could have made the same adjustment with EQ and made the adjustment based on how the music sounds, and determined if that particular adjustment actually works for that particular music or not , something the math cannot possibly do.

And to clarify because of the physical science involved in the way human hearing works with respect to loudness perception, (and somewhat also related to the way the "equal loudness contour" works). We will always perceive even a slight increase in level as sounding better (up to the point of excessively loud) . Which means it is not possible to determine which actually sounds better, between two versions of the same music with two different (mismatched) levels. Only when the levels are matched can one determine if one actually sounds "better" or "improved" . If the levels are mismatched then it is only possible to determine which one is perceived as louder.

[ukejon]

Originally Posted by Joseph Hanna

I was reading an article the other evening about a new product/software that was about to go to market from a group of ex MIT students.. I think it was called "MindPhaz". Essentially it was a sort of skull cap with nuro-sensors running through it and attached to a computer running software (MindPhaz). The idea is apparently humans are most musically creative while they sleep so the MindPhaz software captures your very best musical ideas and translates/transcodes them to the software. The software then assigns various instruments i.e. piano, guitar, cello or any other instrument MindPhaz intreprets you as dreaming about and then creates a session from that. They're saying it can't yet transcode vocals but they're currently indicating a beta of the software with vocal capabilities will be released by Thanksgiving and they're working closely with Antares on auto/0-tune capabilities. I believe Apple must be involved in this as well because the software looks a lot like Logic.

After MindPhaz creates the session it does a quick pass at mixing (you can of course go in later that day and re-mix a bit if you're not happy with the MindPhaz mix but most report somehow the mix is just fabulous) it then automatically spits out a playable MP3 file to you desktop. You just get up in the morning and hit "play".

I'm bettin software this sophisticated could also be programmed to auto send the MP 3 to Landr and from there auto send the Landr'd MP3 to Tunecore. That would be really cool cause at that point you really wouldn't have to do anything.

The miracle here is all of this can be completed before you even get out of bed. It seems to dramatically streamline the entire songwriting/recording process and very little (if any) work is required.

I'm just curious as to what MindPhaz is gonna come up with after those Saturday evenings when I have two or three Burbons?

Can they set it up so my dream composition is completed and uploaded to my iPhone so that it then is what wakes me up as my alarm notification in the morning?

[Yamaha Man]

Yes, a mastering engineer possibly could do a better job. And what does he charge for his services ?? A quick look on the web says the cost is about $50-$100 PER SONG !!!!!! Plus there's a time delay there. I can get similar results instantly for $40 bucks a YEAR !!!!!

Mastering engineers don't work for free.

Maybe I should call up Bob Clearmountain and he'll master my tracks for free ??

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Joseph Hanna

I was reading an article the other evening about a new product/software that was about to go to market from a group of ex MIT students.. I think it was called "MindPhaz". Essentially it was a sort of skull cap with nuro-sensors running through it and attached to a computer running software (MindPhaz). The idea is apparently humans are most musically creative while they sleep so the MindPhaz software captures your very best musical ideas and translates/transcodes them to the software. The software then assigns various instruments i.e. piano, guitar, cello or any other instrument MindPhaz intreprets you as dreaming about and then creates a session from that. They're saying it can't yet transcode vocals but they're currently indicating a beta of the software with vocal capabilities will be released by Thanksgiving and they're working closely with Antares on auto/0-tune capabilities. I believe Apple must be involved in this as well because the software looks a lot like Logic.

After MindPhaz creates the session it does a quick pass at mixing (you can of course go in later that day and re-mix a bit if you're not happy with the MindPhaz mix but most report somehow the mix is just fabulous) it then automatically spits out a playable MP3 file to you desktop. You just get up in the morning and hit "play".

I'm bettin software this sophisticated could also be programmed to auto send the MP 3 to Landr and from there auto send the Landr'd MP3 to Tunecore. That would be really cool cause at that point you really wouldn't have to do anything.

The miracle here is all of this can be completed before you even get out of bed. It seems to dramatically streamline the entire songwriting/recording process and very little (if any) work is required.

I'm just curious as to what MindPhaz is gonna come up with after those Saturday evenings when I have two or three Burbons?

hopefully old time rock and roll, with the occasional love song or power ballad, connected by brief but meaningful modulating symphonic interludes.

getting back to the brilliant Mindphaz™ idea, maybe a smart alarm clock could subsequently download it from tunecore, then use it as wake up music. how cool would that be?

[mc1]

Originally Posted by ukejon

Can they set it up so my dream composition is completed and uploaded to my iPhone so that it then is what wakes me up as my alarm notification in the morning?

hey! i stole your idea.

i think we need to dive deep here. you could also put yourself to sleep with your favorite dream music from other nights.

one could recover duets with oneself.

or you could use this technology to overdub guitar solos on classic hits that have had the guitar solo aurally removed.

it's karaoke meets air guitar!

[mc1]

Originally Posted by Martin Maniac

Okay, here's a fun song I just mastered in LANDR....

http://www.soundclick.com/player/sin...&q=hi&newref=1

it's good to have this as a reference. how close can you get with using any auto-mastering software?

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Martin Maniac

Yes, a mastering engineer possibly could do a better job. And what does he charge for his services ?? A quick look on the web says the cost is about $50-$100 PER SONG !!!!!! Plus there's a time delay there. I can get similar results instantly for $40 bucks a YEAR !!!!!

Mastering engineers don't work for free.

Maybe I should call up Bob Clearmountain and he'll master my tracks for free ??

There is no question a "good" mastering engineer could do a more targeted to your music specific job and probably no question that it would sound noticeably better. And of course it will likely cost $100 and often more. BTW $40 per year is also not free. And no the results are not likely to "similar"


AND again with a modicum of practice you could "possibly" and probably do a better job. And probably with tools bundled with your DAW software

Pretty sure Mr. Clearmountain is a "mix" engineer/producer but you could call him and ask what mastering engineers he might recommend. Then ask them if they do pro bono work.

[ukejon]

Originally Posted by mc1

hey! i stole your idea.

i think we need to dive deep here. you could also put yourself to sleep with your favorite dream music from other nights.

one could recover duets with oneself.

or you could use this technology to overdub guitar solos on classic hits that have had the guitar solo aurally removed.

it's karaoke meets air guitar!

Or....I could collect data for two weeks and then just spit out an album (can they fake a live concert?).

[mc1]

Originally Posted by ukejon

Or....I could collect data for two weeks and then just spit out an album (can they fake a live concert?).

real artists don't brainsynch.

[Yamaha Man]

Originally Posted by KevWind

There is no question a "good" mastering engineer could do a more targeted to your music specific job and probably no question that it would sound noticeably better. And of course it will likely cost $100 and often more. BTW $40 per year is also not free. And no the results are not likely to "similar"


AND again with a modicum of practice you could "possibly" and probably do a better job. And probably with tools bundled with your DAW software

Pretty sure Mr. Clearmountain is a "mix" engineer/producer but you could call him and ask what mastering engineers he might recommend. Then ask them if they do pro bono work.

No, $40 bucks a year is not free, but amortized over a bunch of songs it's dirt cheap compared to $50 bucks PER SONG.

LANDR puts out a reasonably good sounding track fairly fast. Good enough for TuneCore.

While you guys are busy making jokes, I've been posting mastered tunes on TuneCore...So now I'm in business. Yes, that fast.

Now that I have the system worked out...I can record, mix, master and publish songs for sale in a very short time. UUUya...


Years ago, the music publishers who worked at record companies would put almost anything, and let the public decide what they want to buy. In today's music business, you have some punk who thinks he's cool deciding on what to put out. If he doesn't like it, it doesn't get released, which trashes a lot of music, without even giving it a chance. TuneCore puts the ability to release music into the artist's hands.

[Joseph Hanna]

Originally Posted by ukejon

Can they set it up so my dream composition is completed and uploaded to my iPhone so that it then is what wakes me up as my alarm notification in the morning?

According to the developers you absolutely can. You can set the auto-timer so it distributes your song to any number of social media outlets as well. You can also set it up to distribute the tune to friends and relatives via e-mail.

Honestly this thing really seems to take the work out of the equation and allows the user to skip all the mundane stuff like actually recording and learning the skills needed to advance your craft. Instead of calling it "plug-n-play" they're describing it as "plug-n-sleep" although they are warning that if the end user is taking Ambein results could be disturbing and shouldn't be shared with children under the age of 15.

It's subscription based (which I'm not real fond of) and it's gonna be $79.00 a month for the basic software and $99.00 a month if you want the vocal and auto-tune capabilities. Although I'm not positive (how could you be?) I'm fairly sure I sing out of tune when I'm sleeping based on the fact I sing out of tune when I'm not sleeping so I'm going' with the vocal/auto tune version.

This is gonna bring on a whole new reason to take naps more often.

[ukejon]

Originally Posted by Joseph Hanna

According to the developers you absolutely can. You can set the auto-timer so it distributes your song to any number of social media outlets as well. You can also set it up to distribute the tune to friends and relatives via e-mail.

Honestly this thing really seems to take the work out of the equation and allows the user to skip all the mundane stuff like actually recording and learning the skills needed to advance your craft. Instead of calling it "plug-n-play" they're describing it as "plug-n-sleep" although they are warning that if the end user is taking Ambein results could be disturbing and shouldn't be shared with children under the age of 15.

It's subscription based (which I'm not real fond of) and it's gonna be $79.00 a month for the basic software and $99.00 a month if you want the vocal and auto-tune capabilities. Although I'm not positive (how could you be?) I'm fairly sure I sing out of tune when I'm sleeping based on the fact I sing out of tune when I'm not sleeping so I'm going' with the vocal/auto tune version.

This is gonna bring on a whole new reason to take naps more often.

I need the version that offers assistance with complicated chord structures and melodic passages that I can't play in real life but maybe could if you actually take me out of the playing and production process. This should be worth a monthly fee. Off to sell my recording gear and guitars.....

[Joseph Hanna]

Originally Posted by mc1

Mindphaz™ idea, maybe a smart alarm clock could subsequently download it from tunecore, then use it as wake up music. how cool would that be?

Very, very cool.

I'm of the notion however if they develop this software enough we may never really have the need to wake up at all. I picture myself just lying in bed all day not moving my limbs and still creating mixes like Hugh Padgham. All for $99.00 a month. Think of the money I've saved.