Mixing with Plugins on Master Bus?

[ShamStalin]

I love gClip. I should state for the record, that when I said "mixing on the master bus" I meant subtle things, not like putting an Ozone preset on it, then mixing to make it sound good in there. I mean a light compression. I like a pumping mix, and it seems the only way to get everything to move as one unit, is to effect it on the master bus. (I call it that, cause that's what I named it in Sonar.) I try to get all my master level to sit around -6. Then I add a little compression to make it pump, then a dash of EQ, then after that I put gClip on it to boost the volume. This probably isn't the correct way to do it, but it sounds ok to me...

Hurm, I still don't get why do people compress that hard during mix on master bus, -3/-4db sometimes -6/-8 thats alot of GR =O. Do they increase the makeup gain after having lots of GR?

 

[bryan_kilco]

Sort of on the same topic....

What is the main difference between, say, Mastering in the same session as your mix, compared to bouncing down and mastering in a new session? Of course, a lot of times the mix is sent out to a ME, but if you were doing it on your own, wouldn't you want the option to be able to make changes to the mix while mastering? (if you had to...)

 

[Mesa4x12er]

Sort of on the same topic....

What is the main difference between, say, Mastering in the same session as your mix, compared to bouncing down and mastering in a new session? Of course, a lot of times the mix is sent out to a ME, but if you were doing it on your own, wouldn't you want the option to be able to make changes to the mix while mastering? (if you had to...)

A lot of people do master in the same session. Unless you're sending it off the only benefits I could see from bouncing and then doing it is either that you want to use a standalone app that can't be used in your DAW or if you wanted to sequence your stereo tracks in another session and treat them all at once as opposed to doing full on mixes in the same session and doing the same thing.

 

[Tommy Gun]

i know that and i have nothing against a comp in the masterbus. that is just personal preference.
my point is mainly in my second sentence above. if i mix into an SSL bus comp (plugin), i would still take it off, because the ME could have a real one (or something in similar quality).

That's what I was addressing. If you mixed INTO or through a buss comp, you might TRY to take it off before giving to your ME, but I assure you it would sound like a muddy, mushy mess. If you mixed INTO it, it's part of your mix and would destroy your mix if removed. Again, yeah the mastering engineer should have better comps (maybe), but the point is that Mix Buss Comp has NOTHING to do with the mastering stage when applied correctly.

Again, I don't use MBC currently. That may change in the future, but even if it does, the most my ME will notice is that I maybe sent him a slightly more dynamic mix. That's all.

 

[Dollarosa]

i always start with this on my master buss

slate vcc (britN)
api comp (subtle settings)

mix straight into the comp, seems to get results quicker.

 

[acappa]

Prior to get my mini tube console, I always had Waves SSL Comp and Vintage Warmer in my master bus chain, sometimes an EQ (I end up always killiing some 300-450 hz area, and boosting lows and hi mids, don´t know why...XD). Now I have the tube console to add some warmth, a hardware GSSL Bus Comp and a Neve Eq (waiting for a Pultec&1176).

 

[Giacomo]

Always ssl clone on master buss and ozone after tracking stage, same when sending rought mixes to musicians, the same in the studio where I am assistant, with finalizer + L2 hardware

 

[Toxic_Lord]

i have a question about it:

I put:

- First, an Eq ( nebula 3 Master Eq) only move on 5 kHzs, try it, its amazing!
- Compressor ( Nebula 3 or Tube tech )
- Stereo enhacer ( if is needed, not usually)
- Nebula 3 Tape emulation ( 80`s analog tape )
- BBe Sonic Maximizer ( not allways)

Can somebody experienced tell me what think about my preferences???

PD: Eq can be after comp sometimes!