before getting something mastered....?

[gregorybj]

I am using reaper and I have recorded some flawless material...however, I added compression and eq to several tracks in my mix, especially vocals. It sound really great with the added compression and effects.

My question is if what I record in my home studio is to be sent off and mastered ( say to discmakers), should I leave my tracks untampered with and bare?

thanks!

 

[kevinhifi]

Do what you need to the tracks to make the mix sound exactly how you want it. Just don't do anything to the whole stereo mix.

Some people will put an EQ profile and/or stereo compression on the final mix, and that just makes the mastering engineer's job difficult.

 

[Amp360]

take everything off, send them a version to listen to with your processing to give them an idea of what you want

 

[devinb]

Don't take things off the individual tracks within your songs. You may want to take any sort of buss compression or stereo EQ off, but I suspect you aren't using that.

 

[straticus]

Leave whatever you have on the individual tracks but don't have any EQ or compression on the stereo bus.

If you're like me, the mastering house is set up much better than our studios to deal with whatever final overall EQ and compression is needed.

 

[drfrankencopter]

Leave in any processing that influenced your mix decisions...this includes buss compression, buss eq, buss stereo wideners, etc. If you added these things near the start of your mixing process, and mixed into them, then that has influenced your mixing decisions...and your mix might fall apart if you take them off.

By contrast, do not try to master the material yourself prior to sending it out. Don't add add buss compression/limiting/eq at the very end of your mix process in effort to make a 'hot' mix. Doing these sorts of things is fine for pressing mixes for client approval, but not the sort of thing you give your mastering engineer.

Cheers

Kris

 

[SideBMusic]

I agree that you should mix your tracks to your liking and don't put any effects on your final output channel, such as compression and EQ. Also, set your output volume below 0dB; I've heard everything from -3 to -12. Personally, I set mine between -3 and -6dB. This gives the mastering engineer some headroom since he/she would likely be adding compression which will affect the overall volume.

 

[gregorybj]

Leave in any processing that influenced your mix decisions...this includes buss compression, buss eq, buss stereo wideners, etc. If you added these things near the start of your mixing process, and mixed into them, then that has influenced your mixing decisions...and your mix might fall apart if you take them off.

By contrast, do not try to master the material yourself prior to sending it out. Don't add add buss compression/limiting/eq at the very end of your mix process in effort to make a 'hot' mix. Doing these sorts of things is fine for pressing mixes for client approval, but not the sort of thing you give your mastering engineer.

Cheers

Kris

thanks guys! what is buss compression? and how do I know that I did not add that to the entire mix?

 

[drfrankencopter]

thanks guys! what is buss compression? and how do I know that I did not add that to the entire mix?

I should have been a little more clear. I meant 2-buss (or main stereo buss) compression, or more precisely, effects that you put on your master fader channel (which work on the audio directly after all your individual tracks have been summed together).

Cheers

Kris

 

[Big Boss Man]

You should probably ask the mastering engineer what they want in your mix. I would assume they don't want compression, eq, etc on your main mix. I would ask them though what they want before sending anything to them. Hopefully they would tell you what to include in your pre-mastered mix if you don't ask.

 

[Wheeler004]

take everything off, send them a version to listen to with your processing to give them an idea of what you want

Bingo. As good as you may be able to make the mix sound using plugins, these guys are professionals and know what they are doing. It's fine to give them an idea of what you want, but let them take care of EQ, compression, and other processing. It's what you are paying them for.

 

[kevinhifi]

Bingo. As good as you may be able to make the mix sound using plugins, these guys are professionals and know what they are doing. It's fine to give them an idea of what you want, but let them take care of EQ, compression, and other processing. It's what you are paying them for.

They way I'm understanding the question, there aren't any plugins being used on the final stereo mix. The OP's question addresses plugins used on individual tracks, which, if they work for the mix, must be left in. The mastering studio isn't going to be dealing with the individual tracks at all, right? Now, if you're going to send this to a mixing studio, that's a whole different story...

 

[gregorybj]

They way I'm understanding the question, there aren't any plugins being used on the final stereo mix. The OP's question addresses plugins used on individual tracks, which, if they work for the mix, must be left in. The mastering studio isn't going to be dealing with the individual tracks at all, right? Now, if you're going to send this to a mixing studio, that's a whole different story...

true that. I have only used eq and compression plugins on a few tracks and have had some music industry majors at the school studio help with mixing.

 

[gregorybj]

if I follow some of the other advice on here, how can I mix things properly if all compression and eqs were taken off. Wouldn't that mean that all of my recordings would sound like mush when I send it in for mastering?

 

[Sunbreak Music]

if I follow some of the other advice on here, how can I mix things properly if all compression and eqs were taken off. Wouldn't that mean that all of my recordings would sound like mush when I send it in for mastering?

They're not telling you to take the track EQ and compression off--just anything you might have on the "2 buss", "master buss", "when's the next bus"....

In other words, "global" eq and compression if you're using it (that includes limiters).

 

[devinb]

To put it in more real world terms:

Compress, EQ, and whatever else you like the sound of to the individual tracks of each song, i.e. the guitar track, the vocal track, etc.

If you added (which I don't think it sounds like you did) compression or EQ to the final mix, meaning the compressing the collection of tracks that make up the song, you probably want to take that off prior to sending it to the Mastering House.

As suggested, you can certainly send the mastering engineer a reference of what you like in buss compression or whatnot if you are using it.

 

[SideBMusic]

To put it in more real world terms:

Compress, EQ, and whatever else you like the sound of to the individual tracks of each song, i.e. the guitar track, the vocal track, etc.

If you added (which I don't think it sounds like you did) compression or EQ to the final mix, meaning the compressing the collection of tracks that make up the song, you probably want to take that off prior to sending it to the Mastering House.

As suggested, you can certainly send the mastering engineer a reference of what you like in buss compression or whatnot if you are using it.

Well said.

 

[gregorybj]

Thanks for clarifying that! BTW, what is "buss compression"?

To put it in more real world terms:

Compress, EQ, and whatever else you like the sound of to the individual tracks of each song, i.e. the guitar track, the vocal track, etc.

If you added (which I don't think it sounds like you did) compression or EQ to the final mix, meaning the compressing the collection of tracks that make up the song, you probably want to take that off prior to sending it to the Mastering House.

As suggested, you can certainly send the mastering engineer a reference of what you like in buss compression or whatnot if you are using it.

 

[gregorybj]

They're not telling you to take the track EQ and compression off--just anything you might have on the "2 buss", "master buss", "when's the next bus"....

In other words, "global" eq and compression if you're using it (that includes limiters).

I was planning to put a limiter on my vocal track where it spiked in some places. Should I just leave that off then? Thanks!

 

[loudboy]

I was planning to put a limiter on my vocal track where it spiked in some places. Should I just leave that off then? Thanks!

No.

Make the mix sound as good as you can.

Try to avoid using a lot compression/limiting, etc. on the "2-buss" or master output.

I'll almost always use a little bit, and then send the mastering guy both versions. Pretty much every time they've used the compressed one, but I'm not hitting it hard at all, just a little glue and and I use an analog compressor (Drawmer 1968.)