reason - master bus (master bus fxes)

[Rising Night Wave]

hi.

what is considered to be master bus in reason?
the record label told me to send them two files:
- original mix
- no fx on master bus

what does this mean? - which effects to disable?

[deeplink]

hi.

what is considered to be master bus in reason?
the record label told me to send them two files:
- original mix
- no fx on master bus

what does this mean? - which effects to disable?

Any compressor, limiter (or any other effects) that is in your Master FX section (including the master bus compressor).

[dan_g]

basically they want an unmastered mix. so just disable your masterfx inserts if you have any. maybe you have to lower your master volume so it does not clip the output.

some labels want to do their own mastering. or a master for another music platform is needed. who knows.

Daniel

[Rising Night Wave]

yes. exactly that.
i paid for the mastering. and then they wanted me to send them those two files.
i already sent them. it was all okey.

but any way i wanted to ask here for further releases.

okey. so mixer section is applicable for that matter. okey then.

thaks.

[huggermugger]

Master Bus FX would be all the inserts in the Master Section (you can turn them all of at once with the Bypass button), as well as the Master Bus Compressor.

[Rising Night Wave]

aha. that is then. okey. now it is more clear. thank you.

[selig]

I would only add that for some of us, the mix bus compressor is used for mixing, naturally! But I've used this approach for almost 40 years now, so I'm comfortable with the "mix" having bus compression (nothing else), and the mastering starting from that point going forward. To this day, I still consider the master compressor a MIX tool. I just sent a project out to Bob Olhsson with this approach, have never been told to do otherwise - but again, I've had tons of experience doing it this way and so it may be best to turn off the master compressor if you consider the master compression part of mastering. Meaning, if you added it at the end of the mix process, it's a mix related compressor. But if you didn't add it until you added any other mastering limiting etc. then it's a part of mastering.
As always, ask your ME about this IF it was a mix move, sending two un-mastered versions wouldn't be out of the question - even if the ME did replace it, having an example of how YOU used it would be helpful...

[Rising Night Wave]

aha, okey. thank you for explanation.

[stillifegaijin]

Turning off everything on your master bus is a pretty black and white rule that even the professional mastering engineers I work with and talk to don't expect. The more specific and useful rule is to turn off any final compressor and/or limiter that is specifically there to make the song "loud". As with Selig, I definitely use the mix bus compressor as part of mixing to shape the way the song feels. I also use various other things on my master bus like tape simulation, EQ, image shaping, and even a limiter - it does not make the song louder at all. it's used very minimally and only for tone. All of that processing is very much part of mixing because it shapes the actual sound and effects the levels within the mix. My mixes are not "loud" and are totally appropriate for any mastering engineer to work with. But if I turn all the master bus processing off it's not my mix anymore and there's absolutely no way that a mastering engineer would rebuild that exactly, nor is there any reason that they should. For years I was afraid of doing this sort of thing and my mixes suffered. It was partially a mastering engineer pushing me and supporting me in my quest to get better mixes that opened me up to this approach. Also, watching pretty much any videos with Tchad Blake or Andrew Scheps.

Sounds to me like someone told someone at your label to request "no FX on the Master bus" and they probably have no idea about the process so they just make the request not really understanding what they are asking for. In the end it's up to you what is and is not important to your mix. I mean, what if you ran the entire mix through massive reverb? Not sure there are many cases this that would be useful, but if it was the sound you were going for then there is no way you should turn that off before mastering.

[tomeotv]

It’s entirely your choice how to send it to them. The original mix would be your beat as it sounds after you are done with it, but I would give them some headroom like turning down master fader anywhere from 2-8 db. Before I master my mixes I typically lower no more than 2-4 db for my taste.

For the master bus fx turned off request, this is a bit tricky like the poster above me mentioned because it can be similar to a mix bus where you combine all tracks and set them to a new output bus so to apply any effects on the whole mix, for example light compression or whatever, except this is very similar to what a master engineer might do to your whole mix.

But simply put if it is essential to how you want your mix to sound, then think of it as it should a part of the mix.

Then imagine you send that in, then the ME uses that mix and puts his own effects on it, let’s call it the master or even his own mix bus. Also think of the master as just the final mix or version of the song. And mastering is very similar and goes hand in hand with mixing. The only difference is there are some extra concepts when it comes to the mastering of the whole song or in other words, the extra mix at the end that may have certain sound goals.

Also mastering can be simple or complex. If you really know how to mix, sometimes less is more. On some songs all I’ve used is the gain and limiter and on others I’ve used eq, compression, limiter, etc.

[Benedict]

When doing Mastering (and mixing) work for clients I want:

Guide Mix - as in what they already did so I can hear a) what they have and b) where they seem to be going with it. The Guide Mix is more a Mixing thing but if they have it already, as most do, then I will take it. More info is almost always better than less (and by that I don't mean lists of VST used as that is not really useful. I want to the Story & Feeling behind the song).

Pre-Master - as in the Mix with NO processing past the mix stage and to be sure there is some headroom. Many ask for 6dB. I don't care so long as it is not clipping. If they are an experienced Engineer (eg Selig) it is not a drama if they leave some Master Bus that is subtle, but mostly I want nothing as if they have done a nasty job, it cannot be undone. I've had to hand back jobs where things were already clipped, EQd, compressed and distorted... Not a happy moment but if the work is broken (and it is not part of the job) I can only do a bodge job.

So, as indicated, send:
- Wav of the final mix/master that you have already.
- Wav of the mix with all post-mix processing or fx bypassed, making sure there is comfy headroom

If unsure, talk to these people. If they can't talk you through this (and you are not being obtuse), they are probably not the right match for you.