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De-Essing in Mastering: A Complete Guide to High Frequency Control


Article by: Alessandro Fois

Biografia di Alessandro Fois

Alessandro Fois, born in Cagliari, is a musician, composer, pianist, arranger and sound engineer. Since 2014, he has also been a writer, blogger and webmaster. After living in Oristano and Cagliari, he moved to Ivrea, where he runs Lycnos, an audio, video and web services studio, and the Glamour Recording Studio. He studied piano, music theory and composition at the Cagliari Conservatory, specialising in sound recording with Fonoprint and Sony Italia. He perfected composition and arrangement with Mogol at C.E.T.. He has explored various musical genres, including classical, jazz, blues, pop and progressive, composing for Italian artists and participating in live concerts. He released the album 'Dialogue', while his new project is 'Kaleidoskope'. He is co-author of the Sardinian-language musical 'Boghes de Domo', also directing and performing. He has written soundtracks for RAI, advertising music and for prestigious events such as those of Ferrari. For over 25 years, Fois has managed the

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De-Essing in Mastering: A Complete Guide to High Frequency Control

The de-essing is an essential technique in mastering, used to attenuate unwanted high frequencies, such as vocal sibilance or excessively bright transients. Unlike mixing, in mastering the de-esser acts on the entire stereo mix, requiring more targeted intervention to preserve overall integrity. This article offers a comprehensive guide to the main controls of a professional de-esser, describes the most common practical applications, and provides strategies for managing the risks associated with each context.


The fabFilter Pro-DS. Simple and complete, with a pre-listening system of the frequencies to be limited, the lookahead 'circuit' and a stereo link control that, by making the two L-R channels independent, makes the de-essing action more selective and less invasive: three additional features that are very important in the mastering phase but not always provided in many similar plug-ins.


The Main Controls of a Professional De-Esser

1. Threshold

Description:
The threshold sets the level above which the de-esser begins to intervene. If set too low, the de-esser can act constantly, unnecessarily dampening the mix; too high a value, on the other hand, risks not attenuating problematic sibilants.

Risks:

  • Low threshold: It can flatten the mix and reduce the overall brilliance.
  • High threshold: It could leave annoying sibilants intact, rendering the intervention ineffective.

2. Frequency

Description:
The frequency identifies the specific band on which the de-esser intervenes, usually between 3 and 10 kHz. The use of sidechain pre-listening is essential to precisely identify problem areas and isolate unwanted sibilants or transients without involving other components in the mix.

Risks:

  • Incorrect selection: It can alter unproblematic elements, compromising the timbre of instruments or voices.
  • Failure to use pre-listening: It leads to ineffective or random interventions.

3. Mode

Description:
The main modes of operation are:

  • Wideband: Attenuates the entire signal when the level exceeds the threshold. Maintains the natural timbre of the mix, but being less selective can introduce audible dynamic shifts.
  • Split-Band Bell: Acts on a narrow band around the selected frequency. It offers attenuation precision without altering dynamics, but can adversely affect the timbre of high frequencies.
  • Split-Band Shelving: Attenuates the selected band and all higher frequencies with a shelving curve. It combines selectivity and naturalness, often being the most versatile choice in complex contexts.

Risks:

  • Wideband: It can generate perceptible dynamic surges.
  • Bell: It risks changing the timbre of high frequencies unnaturally.
  • Shelving: If badly calibrated, it can excessively reduce the overall brilliance of the mix.

Comment:
The choice of mode depends on the situation: wideband is ideal for general interventions, bell for specific, localised problems, while shelving is a balanced solution for wider applications.


4. Attack and Release

Description:
They define the start and end speed of mitigation. A fast attack captures fast sibilants, while a slow release ensures smooth transitions.

Risks:

  • Slow attack: It does not intercept fast sibilants.
  • Quick release: It can generate artefacts or pumping effects.

5. Lookahead

Description:
The lookahead allows the de-esser to anticipate the signal, ensuring a smoother and more precise intervention. It is particularly useful in dynamic mixes with sudden sibilance.

Risks:

  • Lack of use: It can lead to late and inaccurate interventions.

6. Stereo Linking

Description:
It allows you to decide whether the de-esser acts on the left and right channels together or separately. Working on separate channels can preserve stereo balance in complex mixes.

Risks:

  • Incorrect linking: It can cause dynamic or timbral imbalances.

Recommended Plugins

In addition to the FabFilter Pro-DS and Waves Renaissance DeEssertwo other excellent plugins are:

  1. iZotope RX De-Esser: Ideal for surgical and highly controlled operations.
  2. DMG Audio Essence: Renowned for transparency and operational flexibility.

Practical Applications in Mastering

1. Controlling Vocal Sibilants

Scenario: Prominent vocals invade the mix.

  • Procedure:
    1. Use pre-listening to locate the band (5-8 kHz or even higher).
    2. Applies split-band shelving mode to selectively attenuate.
    3. Adjusts rapid attack and moderate release for smooth interventions.
  • To avoid damage to the mix: Check the result in bypass mode to preserve the naturalness of the voice.

2. Chamfering the Drum Dishes

Scenario: Crash and overly bright cymbals fatigue the listener.

  • Procedure:
    1. It identifies frequencies between 6 and 12 kHz or even higher.
    2. Use the wideband mode for even attenuation.
    3. Configure the threshold to act only on the most obvious peaks.
  • To avoid damage to the mix: Keep main transients natural by accurately adjusting release and range.

3. Correction of Solo Instruments

Scenario: Violins or flutes produce intrusive high harmonics.

  • Procedure:
    1. Applies the split-band bell mode to attenuate narrow bands (7-9 kHz or even higher).
    2. It limits the range to preserve the natural timbre.
  • To avoid damage to the mix: Use automations for localised interventions and balance high frequencies with an equaliser if necessary.

4. Attenuation in Dynamic Transitions

Scenario: Rapid transitions highlight annoying high frequencies.

  • Procedure:
    1. Activate the lookahead for precise interventions.
    2. Set the split-band shelving mode for soft attenuation.
  • To avoid damage to the mix: It uses gradual releases to maintain dynamic coherence.

5. General High Frequency Balancing

Scenario: Overall, the mix appears too bright.

  • Procedure:
    1. Use a wideband de-esser with moderate threshold.
    2. Adjust attack and release for gradual and uniform intervention.
  • To avoid damage to the mix: Test the result on different listening systems to ensure that the balance remains natural.

Conclusions

De-essing in mastering is a delicate operation that requires technical precision and critical listening. Each application must be carefully calibrated to solve specific problems without compromising the balance of the mix. With advanced tools such as the FabFilter Pro-DS and DMG Audio Essence and a methodical approach, professional and transparent results can be achieved while preserving the brilliance and tonal consistency of the project.


Here are the main versions of Waves' R-DeEsser: on the left the split-shelve set at 3399 hz and on the right the split-peak (which here focuses on a narrower frequency range around 6290 hz.


For more on Digital Audio Mastering

https://www.alessandrofois.com/prodotto/manuale-di-audio-mastering-digitale/

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