KVR Audio

jazzimprov · Post by **jazzimprov** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:32 pm

Can someone explain why you would have 2 different DAWS to Mix then Master on?

I see people saying they mix in Sonar then master in Samplitude for example.

Why wouldn't you just mix and then master on the same DAW?

I understand that one may be better suited for mastering but wouldn't it then be fine for mixing as well??

Thanks!

Jim

jancivil · Post by **jancivil** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 5:35 pm

to my view it's a completely artificial, arbitrary distinction driven by marketing.

Amon1973 · Post by **Amon1973** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:03 pm

To my knowledge, mastering DAWs have features like CD formatting (standards like RedBook, etc.), track marking, PQ editing and so on.
Some mixing DAWs di have those features (like Studio One, if I'm not mistaken), but do miss in other major hosts, like Cubase.
That said, I've done some mastering with Cubase.

LawrenceF · Post by **LawrenceF** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:06 pm

Usually it's just the casual observer not fully understanding the process they're observing. Not unusual in this case because we don't really "master" (professionally)... we just call it that.

Produce and mix all your songs in say... Cubase. You need to deliver a DDP image and sheet to the duplication plant, but Cubase doesn't do that (afaik), so you might as well master in software that actually does that, like Reaper.

Produce and mix your songs in say... Reaper. But you need to deliver your 13 song album digitally, fully tagged with everything that implies including song and album art, but Reaper doesn't do that, so you might as well master the collection in Studio One if you have it since you'll have to tag everything in another application anyway.

Pick the best tool for the job.

jazzimprov · Post by **jazzimprov** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:16 pm

Thanks for the fast replies...

So then--- don't mean to be dense, but....

*********************************************
"Produce and mix all your songs in say... Cubase. You need to deliver a DDP image and sheet to the duplication plant, but Cubase doesn't do that (afaik), so you might as well master in software that actually does that, like Reaper."

.....So then why not just mix all your songs in Reaper then and do it all in one shot?

--surely you can mix a song in Reaper....

*******************************************************
"Produce and mix your songs in say... Reaper. But you need to deliver your 13 song album digitally, fully tagged with everything that implies including song and album art, but Reaper doesn't do that, so you might as well master the collection in Studio One if you have it since you'll have to tag everything in another application anyway."

.....So then why not just mix all your songs in Studio One then and do it all in one shot? --surely you can mix a song in Studio One...

..or Mix and Master in Samplitude?

ok--thanks!

Appreciate the responses!!

Jim

djanthonyw · Post by **djanthonyw** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:23 pm

There is really no point in having more than one. Some like to claim it's workflow. I always say good workflow involves being focused instead of moving files around.

jancivil · Post by **jancivil** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:23 pm

"DDP image" etc means that you provide a way for another person to adjust the gaps between songs and so forth.

I don't do that, I want a gapless album where I have total control over the effect of, as an album, as an integral unit. If I want a timing betwen songs I build it into the song as rendered, simply by setting cycle markers.

But in the 'professional', commercial world people do things quite differently apparently. That would be part of mastering. I wouldn't have thought tagging artwork was mastering however, but I'm ignorant.

LawrenceF · Post by **LawrenceF** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:32 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_Description_Protocol

Anyway...

The "moving files around between different apps" thing is 100% irrelevant in most cases where you're dealing with mixes that have been created over long periods of time, like say... maybe a 6 months or a year? All you're doing when mastering your CD is importing all of the mix files into a software app. Any software app. It's not any easier or any harder to import them into the app you produced and mixed them in as it is to import them into any other software app like say... Wavelab.

It's not rocket science. Some applications have been specifically designed to make the mastering process much easier, that's all. Nobody has to use them... but that's why some people do use them... for that.

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 6:43 pm

LawrenceF wrote:Some applications have been specifically designed to make the mastering process much easier, that's all. Nobody has to use them... but that's why some people do use them... for that.

Exactly.

jazzimprov · Post by **jazzimprov** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:13 pm

sounds like a matter of convenience or ease rather than needing 2 DAWS.

Thanks fellows!

Appreciate the information!

LawrenceF · Post by **LawrenceF** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 7:31 pm

jazzimprov wrote:sounds like a matter of convenience or ease

Uh... yeah. That's kinda the entire point of software, ease and convenience, relatively speaking.

To use a very worn out tool analogy... "Sometimes you get the work done faster with a ball peen hammer and sometimes you get it done faster with a claw hammer." It depends on what you're doing.

I do wonder how often people look into a plumbers tool bag and say...

"Hey man! Do you *really* need 6 wrenches?"

siriusbliss · Post by **siriusbliss** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 8:24 pm

I do everything front-to-back in Samplitude.
Have been for years now.

Am considering getting Sequoia.

So yes, it's possible to do everything in one DAW

Greg

80bit · Post by **80bit** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 11:19 pm

I think ,

Mixing Daw : Magix Samplitude PRO X - RML Sawstudio 5 - Merging Pyramix Native 7 Music Bundle ( 96 stereo )

Mastering Daw : Merging Pyramix 7 Mastering - Magix Sequoia 12

dgkenney · Post by **dgkenney** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 4:19 am

jazzimprov wrote:sounds like a matter of convenience or ease rather than needing 2 DAWS.

Thanks fellows!

Appreciate the information!

Well part of it is convenience and part of it is capability. Studio One Professional is set up to do both in one DAW. In addition to the standard DAW mixing and arranging page, it has a brilliant Project Page that allows you to "master" your selected compilation of music with red book criteria for CD burning or DDP image or digital release. It gives you the ability to apply effects to individual tracks as well as overall compilation and of course try different sequences, cross fades, etc all with some serious metering capapbilities. The ideas is to allow consistency among tracks.

One of the best features is that the Project is automatically linked to the mixed file and any changes to the mixed file will be automatically signaled in the project page for easy update. No moving of files, no wondering if this is the latest release. Truly well thought out.

I guess if you "master" one song at a time it really doesn't matter and it seems there is a growing tendency to "master-as-you-go" by hanging any number of fxs on the master buss as one mixes. The Studio One model is more feature laden approach and allows the tweaking of a common sound/feel/arrangement of a multi-song release that we used to call albums.

Dan

metamorphosis · Post by **metamorphosis** » Sun Feb 12, 2012 4:41 am

There is no reason to do this whatsoever.

Mixing DAW -- Mastering DAW