User Manual

Chapter 43: Basic Mixing 923
Unlike inserts on audio tracks and Auxiliary In-
puts, Master Fader inserts are post-fader. This
lets you insert a dither plug-in, or similar plug-
in, on your master mix, and affect its processing
with the Master Fader level (for more informa-
tion, see “Dither” on page 963).
Master Fader Meters
Meters on Master faders always show post-fader
levels, regardless of the Pre-Fader Metering set-
ting in the Options menu.
Master Faders and Paths
Master Faders can be assigned to main or sub-
paths as defined in the I/O Setup. Multiple Mas-
ter Faders cannot be assigned to the same path.
Active and Inactive Master Faders
When a Master Fader track is inactive, its associ-
ated plug-ins, I/O assignments, and their re-
sources are made inactive.
When a Master Fader output assignment (path
assignment) is made inactive, the Master Fader
no longer controls the master gain of that path.
When you duplicate a Master Fader track, the
duplicated track’s assignment will be inactive.
Common Uses for Master Faders
Master Faders can be used to:
• Control and process output mixes
• Monitor and meter an output (such as a bus
or hardware output) to guard against clip-
ping
• Control submix levels
• Control effects sends levels
• Control submaster (bussed tracks) levels
• Apply dither or other inserts to an entire
mix
Use Master Faders to control submix levels, send
level masters, and other outputs. Master Faders
can control either output or internal busses. You
can use a Master Fader track assigned to an Out-
put path as a master volume control. You can
also use a Master Fader track assigned to a bus to
trim the inputs to Auxiliary Input tracks for sub-
mixes to avoid clipping.
Using a Master Fader
To use a Master Fader as a stereo master volume
control:
1 Create a stereo Master Fader track.
2 Set the outputs of all audio tracks in the ses-
sion to the main output path (for example, out-
puts 1–2 of your primary audio interface) and set
the panning for each track.
3 Set the output of the Master Fader to the main
output path.
To use a Master Fader to trim the input to a
submix:
1 Create an Auxiliary Input track.
2 Bus the signal from audio tracks in your ses-
sion to the input of the Auxiliary Input track.
If you absolutely must have a pre-fader in-
sert on your Master Fader signal, set up an
Auxiliary Input before the Master Fader. For
example, if you want compression on the
mix, but you also want to fade out the mix,
insert a compression plug-in on the Auxil-
iary Input track and insert a dither plug-in
on the Master Fader track that is assigned to
the Output path of the Auxiliary Input
track. Then you can fade out with the Mas-
ter Fader without changing the compression
threshold for the mix.