#Stereo master fader pro tools how to#

I can make sure the signal hitting the master chain is calibrated to the level I want automatically. Since I work in REAPER, and REAPER is Pre-Fader, I often use the HoRNet Track Utility for this task. This means if you’re hitting the master channel too hot in a Pre-Fader system, you can simply use a trim plugin before your other effects to turn down the signal and ensure that you’re feeding the appropriate level to your master bus chain. What most of these videos don’t tell you is that a standard trim plugin is linear and won’t change the sound in any capacity. This is why many videos about gain staging mention the need to keep signal from “piling up in the master channel”.

#Stereo master fader pro tools how to#

For example, If the master fader inserts are pre-fader, we’ll need to know how to control the levels of the signal hitting the master channel before any processing takes place. It’s important to know how this works in your chosen DAW for several reasons. Some DAW’s, like Harrison Mixbus, will allow you to choose between pre and post so you can pick whichever is more comfortable to you and makes the most sense to your workflow. Pro Tools works in a Post-Fader fashion while other DAW’s typically tend to be pre-fader. Changing the amount of signal can change the way processors react to the signal, so it’s important to understand this and find your sweet spot if your master fader is Post-Fader. This means you can use the master fader itself as a trim control, allowing you to control the amount of signal being fed to your master effects chain. “Post-fader” means the sound coming into the master channel will go to the fader first before it’s sent to the effect inserts of the master channel strip.