Your Master Track

[Syncretia]

I'd like you to list the plugins (in chain order) that you use on your master track and why. Please explain the effect/style/genre that you are shooting for and the process that made you arrive at your particular set of plugins. Who told you to use those plugins? Did you arrive at this setup by experimentation? Do you use EQs or Compressors on your master track? Which ones? Do you use subtle compression, or fiercely savage, decibel squashing compression on your master track? Do you tend to use the same master track setup for every song? What makes you change the setup from song to song?

Also, do you use things like parallel compression or NY compression as part of your standard mix?

Thread Focus: Your master track setup and why you have it that way

Note: If you send your tracks off to a mastering engineer, please note this and explain what you use up until the point where you strip the track back to be sent off to the engineer. If you do send stuff off to engineers, please explain what kind of compressors / EQs etc. you request of the engineer to use (if any). Do you take all FX off the master track before mastering?

[memes_33]

only thing on my master track is an analyzer plugin.

i have occasional put a subtle eq or a compressor on the master channel when i just couldn't get results treating individual tracks or i just wanted to make a quick mix loud/balanced, but, for the most part, i leave stereo buss processing to the mastering engineer.

[Syncretia]

Thanks Memes. I understand what you are saying. I have ammended the opening post. The question is more about the process up to the point of mastering. Before you send your track off, you will probably use some compressors etc. to get a rough indication of what the song will sound like after mastering right? I'm interested in that setup - not the actuall mixed down files that you would send off to the engineer.

[memes_33]

still, i don't put anything on it. i generally try to separate the arrangement and mixdown processes as much as possible. i don't eq or compress any tracks (unless i need to carve out sounds or do some ducking) until i start to mix. then, i turn all of the pans and volume sliders to zero and start over for my mixdown, adding compression, eq and effects as needed.

for me, the more i try to shape the sound during arrangement, the more it effects my overall perception of the track. so if i keep the sounds raw to begin with so they don't sound mixed, the easier it is to not have that reference in mind when creating the finished product.

i've even gone an extra step and now only mix in reaper, so i don't have the temptation of fiddling while i'm mixing.

this is all born out of the fact that i have a very tough time mixing. anyway i can make it easier/quicker for myself, i'll take it. having a pre-established sound in mind for a track when i start mixing just makes it harder for me.

[polyslax]

I keep a waves ssl compressor on there for a little grab and glue and a waves l3 limiter just to stop overs.

[Tarekith]

Nothing on the master track here either.

[ollyb303]

Spectrum plugin only, no audio processing. Keep a nice clean signal, preserve all dynamics and leave any sort of compression/limiting on the overall mix for the mastering process. I also keep the master's peak level between -3 and -6 db to leave a decent amount of headroom for mastering.

[oddstep]

so MEMES.. are you saying you don't compress kicks or eq percussion. that you basically get the right sound, put it at the right level in the mix and do loads of fader riding to get a mix as loud as possible... so limiters and eq are virtually redundant? I've been thinking through this - how to make tracks really loud without them becoming a midrange over limited paint stripper; using compression seems easier, but that usually means I am being lazy.

[lunabass]

i dont put any fx on my master

[Syncretia]

Looks like people are pretty reluctant to put much at all on the master track. I guess that's fair enough for people who have the luxury of being able to send their tracks off to a good mastering engineer.

I've had certain people tell me that I should have all kinds of crap on my master track including things like compressors, ColorTone Pro, Vintage Warmers and so on. What should be said about these things?

[rdevries]

as a beginner I do everything myself (pop-rock), which means mixing and a sort of mastering, which is not really that I suppose, cause it consists of a fairly standard EQ8 (mostly boosting bass, cutting lowmid muddyness/boxyness and adding air), subtle compressor for loudness and a limiter inserted on the mastertrack.
So no loudness-levelling between tracks.
If I'm in a hurry I add a saturator on the master for rougher rocksongs, and although I don't know what a saturator does yet it mostly sounds good to my ears. Untill recently I also inserted a stereoexpander on the master but I found out that panning, L/R EQing and reverb gives much more control over the dimensions.
Have a listen at my results so far, maybe you can spot which devices were used on the master (the latest album has a lot less on the master):
http://vries.bandcamp.com/

[globalgoon]

I like to mix into a compressor/limiter of some sort. It's not way you're 'supposed' to do it, but I just prefer the sound that way.

I like cryosonic's spectraphy. I used to use vintage warmer, but prefer spectraphy now.
also, pre limiter, I put an eq to cut <30Hz and >16000Hz

I tend to EQ individual tracks rather than doing anything drastic on the master channel

recent trax: http://soundcloud.com/squawk/

(????)

[rdevries]

^^ mixing should be done without anything on the master.
A compressor on the master will influence the EQing of tracks differently, ie changing EQ on one track can change the sound of another track because the compressor on the master can behave different. (please correct me if I'm wrong)

[FlightPlan]

looks like Crysonic is having a huge sale - all the plugins for $46. Might be worth a go...

[memes_33]

so MEMES.. are you saying you don't compress kicks or eq percussion. that you basically get the right sound, put it at the right level in the mix and do loads of fader riding to get a mix as loud as possible... so limiters and eq are virtually redundant? I've been thinking through this - how to make tracks really loud without them becoming a midrange over limited paint stripper; using compression seems easier, but that usually means I am being lazy.

no, i will apply dynamics & eq but not until i'm in the mixing stage. i keep them very separate- i will make my arrangement with little-to-no eq/compression, then export those raw audio files to reaper. that's when i will apply eq & compression- as i'm making my final mix, and only as needed. i think i'm pretty conservative when it comes to compression- i usually just have a side-chain drum bus for compression & distortion (aka 'warming'), and some compressors or limiters on the upper instruments. i usually don't compress my basses, as they are mostly midi these days and i can adjust the velocity settings in order to even things out. i find that i mostly add compression pretty late, when i can't get the desired effect from eq/volume settings, and after i've listened to it in my car or home stereo and it needs some presence.

there are a lot of professional engineers who have a go-to compressor on the master bus, but only for mixing and there is a very specific reason/sound they use that particular compressor for. personally, i think compressors are something that should be applied as-needed, rather than something that you automatically put on tracks as a matter of course. but i know others feel differently and get great results. in the end, your ears should be the determining factor.