prep for mastering advice

[ElementAd]

Hello all


Just a question regarding preparation for mastering.

I've done a lot of demo recording myself over the years of my band, and have also been in a studio a couple of times to record and EP and a album.
I've done enough shitty demos to learn from my mistakes over the years and have watched the engineers each time to learn from what they do.

Im in the later stages of recording our new album and will be preparing the mix to be sent of for mastering over the next few weeks.

My question is this..

I use Logic Studio on Mac. When i have completed my mix, what should the peak volume db be on the master channel in order for them to master with good room to work with.

Ie if my out12 fader reads 0.0db but shows that its peaking at around 2.7, then looking at my master fader which is currently set to 0.0db is this ok for the mastering engineer to work with or should i grab all faders and bring them down together slightly?

OR is it just a case of bouncing (WITHOUT NORMALISER) but before bouncing bring the output12 fader down to say -5db?

Any advice with the above (probably obvious noob question) would be appreciated.

Cheers

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[Morgan C]

Just make sure its not clipping, bounce in 24bit, 44.1khz, no dithering.

They might want stems, in which case just solo each instrument (vocals, guitars, bass, drums, synths/effects/everything else) as above.

 

[AEL89]

I always make sure my mixes aren't peaking above -3dB - that's pretty standard. If you're peaking at -1dB then bring your master fader down 2dB... don't listen to anyone who suggests bringing every other fader down, you'll lose the balance you have and it will be a general pain in the arse with automation, pre-fader sends etc etc. The master bus has a fader for a reason... its fine to use it.

I also bounce to multiple mono rather than interleaved... Your system will convert it to interleaved which will then be undone when imported back in anyway - 2 pointless stages of conversion which I'd rather avoid.

 

[MetalJonesy]

i never get the stems issue, mainly caus i mix through a master buss compressor, so unless they are gnna use the exact same compressor/compression settings at their end its gnna mess up my mix :-S

im having a chat with a mastering engineer whos been doing it for years for big labels in a weeks time so i'll be more clued up!

 

[soundsunderground]

Just make sure its not clipping, bounce in 24bit, 44.1khz, no dithering.

No, you want to leave it whatever the session is and let the mastering engineer convert it to the final resolution and sampling rate at the very last stage.

 

[Morgan C]

No, you want to leave it whatever the session is and let the mastering engineer convert it to the final resolution and sampling rate at the very last stage.

True, but who doesn't work at 24bit/44.1khz now?

 

[ElementAd]

Thanks for all the replies. Thats pretty clear now regarding the db.

Once i get round to sending to the mastering engineer i will repost to inform the way in which he/she prefers to receive the files (stem or not stem etc etc).


Thanks everyone

 

[mva801]

True, but who doesn't work at 24bit/44.1khz now?

I don't a lot of the time. If I'm at the studio with PTHD and Apogee AD16 converters, I'll usually record at 88.2. At home on my Profire, 44.1.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Send it split mono (so mix L and mix R files).

Leave it at the sample and bit rate you did it at and don't use dither.

I usually end up with an RMS of -20 to -18 and I don't like peaking past -2db.

Leave the master fader at 0.

Fuck stems.

 

[pipaguapique]

Fuck stems.

Right on!!! haha

 

[mva801]

Fuck stems.

In the digital world, yes. But if you guys ever do an analog mix through a console with outboard gear, mixing down to stems can be a HUGE help. That way you don't have to recall any settings, and you can still play with levels/ automate stuff till its just right.

That's the beauty of working in a DAW: no time consuming recall of 10,000 knobs and faders...

 

[AerialThesis]

I like when the mix hits around -7 dBFS so that when I use plugins that emulates tape saturation, I don't have to trim your mix before.

 

[AerialThesis]

Is there something you need to get mastered ?