Mix Bus Plugs

[spaceman]

Getting to the stage where I might have to mix my own stuff in PT.

What do you guys put on the mix bus? At the mo I do it the Charles Dye way with AC1 on the bus as I mix.

Do you comp? Before or after you mix? How much?
Do you EQ on the mix bus?
Stereo widener?
Tape saturation plugs?

How much do you leave to the mastering guy?

It is very hard to compare mixes to commercial ones cos these have been mastered. Does anyone know a resource where I can get stereo mixes pre-master. I can then import these into my session and use them to reference my mix to.

thanks

[PeterB]

Leave as much as you can to the mastering engineer. Remember, he cannot undo inappropriate compression.
yes, lots of styles of music do use compression on the 2bus, but if you are unsure of what you are doing, it is better left until the mastering.
While I am mixing, if I want to compare a comercial CD, I import it and lower it's fader until it feels the same level as my mix. I try to listen to it in terms of frequency spectrum and it's sonic qualities, as opposed to how loud it is [usually too loud, but that's a different story]
Try bouncing your mix without too much treatment on the 2bus. You can always import it into a fresh session and try your hand at improving it when you and your ears are fresh. That way you still have a "clean' version

Good luck

PB

[spaceman]

cheers Peter

the problem with comparing the mix with mastered versions is that aswell as making it louder the mastering engineer
will doubtless also have put on EQ to sweeten the whole thing. I had mixes mastered at the Exchange that went in sounding less
than perfect. After a good master they came out sounding like a more polished record.

As far as I can gather from what I have heard and been in sessions on, alot of mixes are kinda mixed for the mastering guy. The best mixers don't get it sounding mega hi-fi, but enough so the mastering guy can work his tricks. Is this a fair point?

[pony]

Yo Spaceman-

It is a personal choice as to what you do on your 2 buss. Some say leave it clean and have the mastering engineer do his/her magic. I say hogwash!!!!!!!!!!!! The problem is too many people have abused the 2 buss in the DAW world. Smashing things to [bleep] and distorting their mixes. There is however a "Right" way to go about it all. Believe me if you follow what I am about to say perfectly you will indeed have that "sound" that you desire. Now I must admit I do have a pretty expensive 2 buss chain but don't worry even with one of the plug-ins I will mention you will have vast improvement on your mixes. Here is what I do:

Master Fader 2 Buss
Plug IN- TC Master X turn off Limiter and turn off exciter set comp to 2:1 ratio adjust output as needed usually -3.5db
Plug IN - DUY Tape adjust input and out to -6db
Insert Outboard Gear- GML 8200 (very slight sweeting) to DCL 200 Summit Audio
Plug IN - DUY Wide Very little "Wide" effect and adjust to input output to -6db
*Mix with this chain "ON" all of the time*

I keep my overall level output @ -6db I will pull down the master fader sometimes to achieve this.

This has worked for me and I have never pissed off a mastering engineer ever. As a matter of fact I get compliments all the time.
If you don't have any of the above I would suggest you get TC Master X.

[spaceman]

thanks Pony

the GMLs sound great, tho I have not got one myself!

seems quite intense for a mix bus. what stuff have you done? anything i might know about?
can you post links to your work?

ta

[pony]

Hey Spaceman-

I do music for film/tv shows.
Credits include:
3 wishes (new show trailer)
six feet under
The OC
Jack and Bobby
Smallville
Vegas
One Tree Hill
everwood
ally mcbeal
party of five
white chicks
the real world
road rules
and many more.
The music is AC to Pop/Rock