About Mastering and the Pre Master

[Brian Ffar]

With current technologies, there really isn't much of an issue with some peaks going into the reds on individual channels since most DAWs are using 32 bit floating point - the master channel is another story. This notion is a throwback to the digital mixing consoles if I'm not mistaken. No peaks on the master - keep it tidy.

Also, your master bus shouldn't much much if any processing on it when sending to a mastering engineer, and your master fader should be left at 0dB at all times.

Tarekith, another member of this board, gives an excellent description of proper levelling practices here: http://tarekith.com/assets/Leveling.html

[simonb]

Unless I'm misunderstanding this then... yes, just turn down the level of every channel (e.g. select all channels and move one of the sliders if you're using Ableton) so the master isn't clipping.

[deccard]

i bring the master channel down to about -6db as thats what my mastering engineer asks for.

just turning the master fader down or keeping the master fader at 0db and doing the mixdown that it does peak at max -6 db?

[XIII NRV]

A peak is 6db ?? It depends on the mix ...doesen't it ?????

[JonasEdenbrandt]

OP What the master fader is pointing at isn't what it's about, it's the peek level thats intresting, this is whats suposed to be at perhaps -6dB for the master engieneer to work with. Just put the master at whatever you have to to get it to peak at -6dB.

[LouisVee]

It is normal that your Master channel isn't at 0db. I always keep mine at -3 or -4 db to avoid clipping
I'm also not sure about your question?

You shouldnt move you master fader. This affects the summing, use the channel fader or buss (that is being feed by the channels) and lower it to around -4dB or to suit, this way you get far more headroom and can get a better mix. That in turn will give you a better master.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headroom_( ... rocessing)

Thanks!

[Subsequentstudio]

Hi Guys i've a problem with the mix of two tracks that i've to send to master.
Both, with the master channel @ 0, or @ -3, -4 too, go on CLIP (The red light that shines on the master channel).
Only with the master channel at -5 db they sound without "CLIPPING".
I think that i should put down every channel and let the tracks sound with the master channel @ 0 db without clipping.
Am i right?
Any Advices?

Hey, the simple answer is you're channels are generally louder than the DAW is expecting when it sums up it's master fader, not always a problem but check for:

- Individual Channels clipping
- Individual Plug-ins clipping

As you may well be driving things too hard across the board.

As for your question, should I turn all the channels down? probably not, unless the above is true, then you may need to re-adjust your mix in general.

There is nothing wrong with turning the DAW master fader down until you get enough headroom for mastering, it doesn't lose quality, but clipping your channels will.

PS. Make sure you're not "just under clipping" on the two track output for your ME also, it's all about headroom, I ask for -3dB usually, as it allows me to do most additive EQ I could ever want to pre-analogue chain!

Thanks.

Joe / Subsequent Mastering

[Subsequentstudio]

i bring the master channel down to about -6db as thats what my mastering engineer asks for.

you mean peaks are at -6db?

Important to differentiate! Well spotted, headroom is different to the fader position, fader position is a standard set by the DAW designer, not some kind of special dB calculation, much better to work in the dBfs readings, as in:

Your peaks should be around -3dBfs for.

As an example