So osmo? your saying that if I have a mix where the master fader is at 0db (untouched) that is peaking at -0.1db

vs

The same mix but the master channel pulled down by 3db and the rest of the faders boosted by 3db so effectively the same mix but the fader volume and master volume difference is reversed.

they will sound different?

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Processing a highly structured and complex pattern of sensory input as a unified percept of "music" is probably one of the most elaborate features of the human brain.....understanding how music is perceived and how it may elicit intense sensations is far from being understood.

Man, I wish I'd had this thread when I read an article in Electronic Musician (I think) by an engineer who said to go ahead and lower the master. I have done that for pretty much every song I've made, although I also had a bit of a convoluted process on my old system for making music which compensated for any loss of fidelity once I started mastering a mix.

I'm using Sonar 8.5 on a new Quad Core versus Project 5 on a five-year-old Pentium 4, so I don't have to be very conservative with EQ and compression plug-ins for individual tracks, anymore.

I don't know if I would have changed my guerrilla-ethos production style when I was in the composition process of production but this thread is some great food for thought, now.

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troll detected

Sonic you can mix your tracks however you want, i only spoke up in this thread because i used to reach for the master fader whenever i had clipping, and in a real world project (not your over simplified example case), it caused me problems.

When i stopped being lazy by using the master fader all the time, and concentrated on getting the channel mixes right before they hit the master bus, i got better results. I believe it's better practice to do it that way, i've fully qualified my reasoning, that is my advice and i stand by it.

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quote:

Originally posted by Osmodiar troll detected Sonic you can mix your tracks however you want, i only spoke up in this thread because i used to reach for the master fader whenever i had clipping, and in a real world project (not your over simplified example case), it caused me problems. When i stopped being lazy by using the master fader all the time, and concentrated on getting the channel mixes right before they hit the master bus, i got better results. I believe it's better practice to do it that way, i've fully qualified my reasoning, that is my advice and i stand by it.

For what its worth i agree with you that getting the right mix first is important. You can definately do it both ways! and i often do your way and my way in different projects. So I never said your way of working was wrong just was trying to clarify that you can get loud mixdowns regardless of master fader position due to gain structure.

your not saying im a troll?

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Processing a highly structured and complex pattern of sensory input as a unified percept of "music" is probably one of the most elaborate features of the human brain.....understanding how music is perceived and how it may elicit intense sensations is far from being understood.

I was beginning to think you were just trolling for the sake of argument because i thought i clarified what i said pretty well, but ok fair enough, i see your point

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Ok cool, but you only just joined so you dont know me yet but I am anything but a troll. I contribute and its very rare that i even debate like this. I definatley would never troll especially for trollings sake.

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Processing a highly structured and complex pattern of sensory input as a unified percept of "music" is probably one of the most elaborate features of the human brain.....understanding how music is perceived and how it may elicit intense sensations is far from being understood.