Can't mirror on a master track?

[SpinningDisk]

Hi all,
I can mirror to my S/PDIF on audio tracks but can't on my master track. I want to send it to my recording deck.Do I have to output to a aux track and then mirror? Is that just the way it is or am I missing something.
Thanks to whomever. Hope all is well.

John

Intel IMac 2.2 ghz 4 gig ram, 001,003, Alesis Masterlink, Motif ES 8, T.C. Electronics, Byerdynamic, lexicon, DBX

[daeron80]

Yep, Master tracks are specific to one bus or pair of busses. That's because they don't "send" anything (note lack of sends) - they only process audio that has been sent to a bus/pair, and all processing is post-fader.

You can mirror each track to SPDIF or send them all to an Aux and mirror that.

[SpinningDisk]

Thanks daeron80,
I appreciate the quick reply. I'll try those two options. Is there any way I can click once to send them all to the S/PDIF or the aux track?
Hope all is well.

John

[daeron80]

Sure. Select the tracks you want to change, and press Option+Shift while changing one of them. I think that's right. I work on both platforms and get those mixed up sometimes. It's in the keyboard shortcuts pdf, too. Along with lots of other fun stuff.

[Brent_Sydney]

One of the other key differences with Master tracks, apart from only controlling a physical/soft output, is that all plugin effects on them are consequently post fader. Keep that in mind if you ever ride the gain on your master fader to effect your overall mix, it will consequently effect the level pre any effects, such as master buss compression which may alter the sound of your mix significantly.
Its a good idea IMHO to insert an aux pre master fader if you want to do main buss compression/mastering. I have that array set up in all my templates.

[SpinningDisk]

Hi Brent,
Thanks for bringing that up about the post fader Brent. Could you explain more about the aux pre master? I have something with an aux master fader,I think, I use it to send to my Masterlink and an adat. Not sure I understand the pre master fader stuff. I know one is before and one is after. Then I must be effecting my master track when fading out a song. Hmmmm.
Thank you. Hope all is well.

John

[djjazzy41]

Originally Posted by SpinningDisk

Hi Brent,
Thanks for bringing that up about the post fader Brent. Could you explain more about the aux pre master? I have something with an aux master fader,I think, I use it to send to my Masterlink and an adat. Not sure I understand the pre master fader stuff. I know one is before and one is after. Then I must be effecting my master track when fading out a song. Hmmmm.
Thank you. Hope all is well.

John

John--
The easiest way to do this (at least the way I always do) is just to create a stereo aux track (do not even create a master fader in the first place). Then set all of your individual track outputs (or groups, in the case of live miked drum mixes) to, say Bus 31-32 (whichever one of your buses is not being used; I prefer to use the last one). On the aux track you have just created, set the input to Bus 31-32 (the same as you have set all of your individual track outputs to). Then on that same aux track, set the output to interface 1-2 (or whatever your normal main outputs are). Now you have, in effect, routed every track to a single bus that is feeding an aux track that you can now use as a master fader. Since you used an aux track instead of a regular master fader, all of your inserts are now pre-fader, just like you want them, and the plug-ins you use on this aux track (now your master fader) are no longer affected by the movement of the fader. Hope this helps!

[daeron80]

But if you're dithering down to 16-bit, don't put the dither plug-in on that "master" aux track. It needs to stay at nominal level to do its job. Dither should always go on a master fader (and be the last plug-in on it) unless the audio/aux track its on stays at 0 dB FS the whole time.

[SpinningDisk]

To All,
Thank you, thank you. I'm beginning to understand it more. I knew something wasn't right. So, I am doing it right. Just add dither to the master fader when bouncing to disk not the aux fader?
Hope all is well.

John

[SpinningDisk]

Hi All again,
Now I am sort of confused now on what I really need the master fader if all I need it for is too check my levels. I set it up like you recommended djjazzy41 and I like it. So all I have to do is pull down the aux fader to fade out? Would I still be sending my master fader out to 1 & 2? Can I still use an aux track off the new aux track to send to my Masterlink and to my Adat? I want to have the best route for my final mix down. I just realized a couple days ago on how to be able to mirror. I just want to know when I am sending to my Adat and the Masterlink I'm still getting what I am hearing through my speakers. Does that make sense? Right now I'm bussing everything to the aux track and outputting it too my adat and masterlink. I've changed that to djjazzy41 way through the outputs to the aux track. From there I would buss to another aux track and output to my adat and Masterlink? It's not like I don't have it working, I would just like more control over my plugins and my final mix.
Thanks all for your help and Happy Mothers day.
Hope all is well.

John