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[Limonatus]

In your opinion-there are differences between put down master bus track in PT and/or put down individual tracks in the session when master bus is overgaining? I usually put down master from 0db to -8dB/-9dB... whats is better in your opinion?
FC

[djwaudio]

This begs a discussion about gain staging.  If stages are being overloaded early on, you'll be just pulling down the distortion with the the level if using the master fader. 

[Limonatus]

So, no differences beetween put down single tracks or put down master fader? Its the same result?

[John Scrip - MASSIVE Mastering]

In most floating-point DAWs, it should be the same. 

HOWEVER --

(A)  It's (IMO) incredibly "bad form" -- There shouldn't be issues like that.  If you're even in the same ZIP code as "in the red" then a whole lot of things didn't go right from the start. 

(B)  If you're using any of a plethora of analog emulation plugs or even aux sends and/or inserts that are set up post-fader and you pull your faders down...  I'm sure you see where I'm going here. 

But long story short -- IMO (again), I'd bring the faders down and deal with the fader-associated issues before touching the master fader.  I suppose if there's just a few taps here and there and everything else is roses I might drop the master if it's only a dB or so --- Oh, who am I kidding...  No I wouldn't.  Not even for a dB.  8 or 9...?  I'd pull 'em all down and deal with the consequences. 

But again, that's just me...   

[Limonatus]

Just tried to do the two differents things...

1) Put down the master bus...no red! track seems sound good,just put a limiter amd no problem
2) master fader at 0db...clipping.Selected ALL by group...and just put down all tracks a bit down. No reds on the master...so, the sound is very great too.


CONCLUSIONS
1) the sound is great, but it seems to much digital, too much hi-end
2) more low end than first-track sound a bit better...very little the differences but in my opinion put down all differents tracks is better.
Kudos

[CbMedia]

"Oh, who am I kidding...  No I wouldn't.  Not even for a dB."

I LOL'd!

My stance has always been in exact agreement; pull the faders down if you have to... and if you have to do it regularly, then put a step in your process right at the beginning where you start at a much lower volume; getting a idea of how you use gain staging naturally will both help you combat the issue before it happens and get you started on the wonderful path of strategizing your gain staging for specific reasons (some engineers like to start with certain tracks in particular facets of the dynamic range they are using for the mix). In short, take control of your dynamics instead of letting them control your mix process.

Most modern DAW's , especially ones running at higher internal bit rates, do have safeguards in regards to headroom and internal peak management, some have limiters placed on the master automatically (not mentioning any names here, but it is frustrating how many time I've had to explain this to a client)... but none of that makes up for proper level management from the start.

Also, there used to be the fear of bit depth depletion;  pushing your mix into a lower resolution by lowering the value of the master fader. I suggest you do this test on your own to get a first hand experience of it... grab a bit meter and place it on the master output... then try both methods (lowering master fader and lowering individual channels) and see which one provides you with the highest resolution.

[Limonatus]

Resolution seems the same. The step to put down singulars tracks give at the mix more low end than putting down master fader...talked with my engineer friend that produced music for sony/emi here in italy he adviced me to put down singulars tracks and left master to 0db....he give the final tracks to the master with -15/-16 RMS... probably the best solution s to put down singular tracks than master fader..

[KAyo]

I would agree, lowering individual tracks can be the ticket, but, just sometimes, the flare in which they all come together at the stereo buss [the sparks coming out of the whole summation] can be the tone and colour, I want.. then lowering the faders can change and has changed the tonality of the whole mix on some occasions. [the vibrancy, the smack, the gravel edge of the mix etc..]

I learn't early, that staging the mix and concentrating on its headroom throughout the process and bringing all other attributes  to stay on the chosen trajectory [where I like the tone etc], was paramount from the starting point of the mix itself.

Experience goes a long way, while mixing.. The more you do it, the more layers become visible and the matrix of mixing gets clearer and the possibilities understood.

Remember, there is no method or a particular way to mix, it’s the desired sound being chased. Of course there are norms to seek the same, as discussed here.

Keep at it.

Cheers..
KAyo