Best Way to Fade a Song

[slangification]

Ok, I realize this is a basic question, but I'm just thinking there must be a better way.

I have a song that has maybe 30 tracks in it. At the end of the song, there are edits on various track and some end before the song ends. I want to create a nice smooth fade on the overall mix there at the end (just like you can do by pressing Apple-F on an individual track).

I'm having to draw in the fade on the master fader, and it just doesn't sound as smooth.

Isn't there a better way?

[Mixchump]

Short Answer? Don't.

If this is for an album project, and you're taking it to a Mastering Facility, don't do it. Give the Mastering engineer the time when you want the fade to start, and when it should be out. Don't do it. If you were to call every World-Class Mastering facility in the US, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a place that is mastering their records in Pro-Tools. It's just not the right tool for the job. Fading in PT always sounds chunky.

Answer you really wanted? Use a Master Fader and drop in some breakpoints to shape the fade, or better yet, use your control surface and do it old-school (actually fading it by hand!).

Sorry for the bitterness, but I just found out that yet another record that I care about is going to get mastered by a guy who uses protools. So now I know that all the fades are going to sound like S*&t.

Don't get me wrong, it's the perfect tool for music production, I use it every day, and I love it. I make my living on it. But, once you've had somebody Master a record for you with SADiE, or Sonic Solutions, or Sequoia, or AudioCube (Wavelab) PT won't even come close.

[HDUser13]

You could bounce the mix down to a stereo track, then do a command+f on the end of the mixed file, consolidate it, then shift+command+k to export the finished product to your choice of format. Proper use of dither can really make a big difference in the smoothness of faded endings as well, but what Mixchump said pretty much sums it up, you just can't get mastering house quality fades out of PT at this point. I get passable fades by drawing them in by hand, and taking great care in working with the break points near the very end of the fade. If you crank your monitors up loud, and work with the very end you can hear the nasty nasty.

[HDUser13]

One other thing I forgot to mention. Don't use any kind of plug's on your master fader inserts. Instead get in the habit of creating a stereo aux, and setting all your tracks to submix through this master aux via a pair of busses. Insert all your final stage mix sweetening plugs on that master aux, dither being last, and use the master fader only for fading. Cheers.

[Tony Shepperd]

There are just about as many ways to do this as there are people who do it.
The bottom line is to find a way that works for you.

Unlike the previous posters, I believe:
1. You can put a great fade on the master. ("Fading in PT always sounds chunky.)"
2. Put as many plugins on the master fader as you need to. ("Don't use any kind of plug's on your master fader inserts.")

I only mix in the box and I do both of the statements above.

Use your ears!

There are many of us who mix in the box and then ship products to mastering who make this work everyday.
If you can't make it sound right, check with someone who is doing it in your area, go by there place and see how they are doing it.

[Rail Jon Rogut]

Just remember that Master Fader inserts are post fader.. so a fade would affect any compression plug-ins inserted on the Master Fader. I recommend not doing a fade if you're using any compression on the Master Fader insert.

Rail

[tonicjeff]

Just remember that Master Fader inserts are post fader.. so a fade would affect any compression plug-ins inserted on the Master Fader. I recommend not doing a fade if you're using any compression on the Master Fader insert.

Rail

So is there no way to make the insert prefader on the master?

[Rail Jon Rogut]

Use an Aux Track as a pre master fader subgroup.

Rail

[HDUser13]

Use an Aux Track as a pre master fader subgroup.

Rail

Wow, what a great idea....

[Rail Jon Rogut]

Rail