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#1
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Inactivating Master Track
Hi All,
Been using PT since mid 2000s. WIN 10, Apollo Twin USB. This may sound like a "noob" question - but I'm confused. Doing home recording, light jazz/pop/folk/bossa singer songwriter style music. Mic'd vocals and acoustic guitars, VIs for sweetening and percussion. I always set up my audio and instrument tracks to O/P to MON1/2 (my interface's main stereo outputs). I always added a Master track, and also set it's output to MON1/2. Then I'd insert my "mixdown" plugins on the Master Track. Well... I recently demoed a new interface and while hacking around, I set the Master Track's output to "no output" (which I had never done before). So I'm hearing the summed stereo output of all my tracks/channels at my interface's Main Outs (MON1/2) - *minus* any plugins that were on the Master Track. I also tried "inactivating" the Master track - and same result - hear my mix (minus any Master Track plugins) summed in stereo to my interface's Main Outs. OK. So, I get to thinking, then why do I need a Master Track? Why don't I set up an Aux Track (call it "Pre-Master" let's say), and put my "mixdown" plugins on that bus? Without a Master Track, everything appears to still get summed to my interface's Main Outs, and the "mixdown" plugs on this "Pre-Master" bus get applied to the output signal. Is the only reason for the Master Track then just a "convenient" way to raise/lower the overall output level? I always leave the Master Track fader at 0dB, and adjust the individual tracks/channel to get the appropriate level I'm going for on the Master Track VU meters. So what am I missing - if I use that "Pre-Master" as a mixdown bus, why do I need a Master Track? Thanks, Danny V. |
#2
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Re: Inactivating Master Track
Using an Aux track as your "Master" is actually a pretty common, and preferred, way to do it. The inserts on the "Master Fader" are post-fader, so if you automate a fade out on your master fader, you are lowering the signal into any compressors and limiters on that Master Fader, changing the way the compression/limiting is affecting the audio. Also, any latency caused by plugins on the Master Fader, is not compensated by delay compensation, whereas it is compensated on Aux tracks. I usually do keep a Master Fader visible, with no plugins on it, to monitor the level hitting the physical outputs on the converters.
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Scott Gatteño |
#3
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Re: Inactivating Master Track
The Master track is useful to insert the spectrum analyzer and other measuring plugins. That's the reason I use it.
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Dell XPS 8700. Intel Core i7-4770 CPU @ 3.40GHz. RAM: 16GB. Windows 10 Home x64. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 645. NI Komplete Audio 6. Pro Tools Software 2019 amagrasmusic.com |
#4
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Re: Inactivating Master Track
The I/O setup determines where the output is routed from/to, not a Master fader(you can have more than 1 master fader). I believe on average most people create and Aux "Mix" bus or "2" bus that everything else feeds into and gets all the "final" plugins, glue compression , etc.
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Dell XPS 8900 i7-6700K CPU @ 4.00GHz 64 Gig Memory:Seagate 2x 2TB, 4TB,500gb EVO OS Windows 10 pro PT 2023.3 Studio through an A&H Qu-32 |
#5
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Re: Inactivating Master Track
Good point. I sometimes put a Durrough or other meter on the master. But, since I work to picture most of the time, I have to be careful with un compensated latency that would affect sync to picture, and remove or deactivate, before outputting mixes or stems.
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Scott Gatteño |
#6
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Re: Inactivating Master Track
The master track as some have pointed out is pre the inserts on master track. This is both useful and not useful, it allows you to pull the overall level of your mix down if you find you’re too hot (can happen fairly frequently) but also you then can’t do a fade without affecting the level into your mastering chain.
Again, as others have said, using an aux track is a good way to get round this AND you can still use a master track (just assign it to the same input bus as your ‘master aux track’ and then voila, you can still adjust the overall level of your mix going into your aux track. You may also notice that you can create master tracks during playback without PT glitching. That is because the master track is there in the background anyway, the fader is just master volume control. ...i think that makes sense! James Welch Recording Engineer | Producer Masterlink Productions Mac Pro 5,1 (Mid 2010) | 3.46GHz Six-Core Intel Xeon | 32GB Ram | AMD Radeon R9 280X 3072 MB | 256GB Samsung SM951 SSD Blade (PCIe) System Drive | 1TB WDC Sample Drive | 4TB RAID 0 Seagate Audio Drive | UAD-2 Quad PCIe Sierra 10.12.6 | Pro Tools Ultimate 2018.10 | HDX | Avid Omni | Avid 16x16 HD I/O x2 | Digidesign 192 | Digidesign C24
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James Welch Recording Engineer | Producer Masterlink Productions Mac Mini 8,1 (2018) | 3.2 GHz 6-Core Intel i7 | 64GB Ram | Apple 27" LED Cinema | 2TB System Drive | LaCie Rugged USB-C 2TB SSD NVMe Audio Drive | UAD-2 Quad Satellite (Firewire) macOS Catalina 10.15.7 | Pro Tools Ultimate 2021.7 | Avid HDX TB3 Chassis | HDX | Avid Omni | Avid 16x16 HD I/O x2 | Digidesign 192 | Digidesign C24 |
#7
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Re: Inactivating Master Track
You don't assign an "output" to a master track. You are actually just assigning what the master track is. A master track is a representative of an internal bus that already exists. That's an important distinction between a master track and other tracks (other than VCA which is also assigning an existing group to a fader)
The main reason for a master track is a post-fader/pre-record insert. Notably DITHER. Dither needs to happen post fader but also printed down. So if you need to apply dither on an audio print, assigning that input bus that is going to the record-audio track to a master fader allows you to control the level being printed and put the dither after level adjustments but before it gets printed to audio.
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Pro Tools Ult 2024.3.1, HDX 2, MTRX/SPQ, RME BBF Pro + MADIface Pro • S1 x 2, Fire Max11 x 2, Dock, iPad Air5 • Mac Mini 14,12, 12 core, macOS 13.6.6 • RAM 32GB, SSD 4TB, GPU 19 core • QNAP TVS-872XT 148TB TB3 |
#8
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Re: Inactivating Master Track
Thanks for all the responses, exactly what I wanted to find out.
Where would you put something like "Sonarworks" - last plug on the PT Master Track? Thanks, Danny V. |
#9
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Re: Inactivating Master Track
Quote:
any plugin on an Aux track will be pre-fader I always use an final ( Aux track) which I label "2 Mix", that all tracks or sub bus tracks in the session are routed to via a bus labeled the same "2 Mix", so there is never any confusion ....it sits at the far right next to the Master Fader I put any Mastering plugins on the 2 Mix track because I want them pre fader
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System : Studio - Avid Carbon interface , PT Ultimate 2023.12 Mid 2020 (intel) iMac 27" Ventura 13.2 .1 Mobile - 2021 14 " MBP M1 Pro PT Ultimate 2024.3.0 --Sonoma 14.4 Enjoy the Journey.... Kev... |
#10
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Re: Inactivating Master Track
Quote:
As said, they are just not visible by default, and by default there are no (post-fader) plugins assigned and the fader is at unity. If you need to control the level of the output or want to use some plugins, you can set the master fader visible and do your trick. But even if you don't see them they are there.
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Janne What we do in life, echoes in eternity. |
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