Mastering EFX and Channel Batch Export...

Cubase
1

I am trying to determine whether Master Insert EFX are applied differently when one does a Channel Batch Export.

So, I have numerous “stem” busses set up. All my guitars go to a “STEM 1” group. The drums go to a “STEM 2” group. The piano goes to a “STEM 3” group, etc… And all of my Reverb and other EFX (e.g., delay) get sent to “STEM 8.”

Then each STEM is sent to another group which I call the “MASTER GROUP” which is where I apply (with inserts) assorted mastering EFX (multiband compression, limiter, etc…). This Master Group is then sent to the main Stereo Out.

So, when you solo, say, STEM 2, you will hear the Mastering EFX that are on it (yes, you will not hear the reverb sends because they are getting sent to a different group, but the Mastering EFX are being applied to the STEM (“later” in the chain though).

The question is, if I channel batch export all of my main stems (so they are all “playing” when you do the export), will all of the individual parts equal the sum of their parts?

In other words, how is Cubase processing things? Would it only apply the Master EFX to each track individually when doing a Channel Batch Export or is it still applying to the whole. Does that make sense?

For example, If I have a LIMITER and have a certain threshold set, well, it is only going to hit that threshold when basically everything is playing together. If you just solo an instrument, you may not trigger the threshold like the tracks do in the aggregate.

So, if I were to sum up all of my stems that were CHANNEL BATCH exported, will they be the same in summation as if I just outputted a STEREO OUTPUT?

Thanks, in advance, for your help!

2

Off the top of my head, I would say no, due to the issue you’ve already outlined; some of the “Master” processing will not work in the same way as it will not see enough level when your “stem groups” are mixed down individually. I would think doing some tests will show it for sure, but it sounds that way.

3

The master fx will not be applied during channel batch export…if you export group a) drums that’s all you get. Any effects that are inserted on master or later routed groups are excluded.

The only way to include these would be to solo each track and export the mixdown (not batch) one at a time.
And this way your effects would be reacting differently because only that track will be playing.

Oh…and even in channel batch export I don’t think ALL tracks are playing…pretty sure they process one at a time.

4

Yeah, I finally did some tests. I totally misunderstood how Channel Batch Export works.

yes, Grim, you are definitely right. I thought it would still apply stuff that happened “later” in the chain, but, no, it does not.

I thought this because when I soloed, say, my STEM 1, I would still hear it with all of the things that happened later in the chain (e.g., my Master EFX, volume changes). But, when you actually export out the stems, nope! Only what’s actually coming into Stem 1 at that point gets applied.

Well, that definitely makes Channel Batch Export not very useful to me at all! I thought I would be able to export stems of my project, but if I do wanna do that, I will still have to do it the old-fashioned way (i.e., solo a stem and export the mixdown).

The PROBLEM is, this is, yes, a mild inconvenience if you are working on, say, a song. You do 8 exports, it’ll take you 30 minutes or whatever.

But, I had been planning on doing this for a movie. So, if I wanna do 8 separate stems, it will take like 15 hours!

Does anyone have any suggestions of making this more feasible for a movie-length project (versus just isolating tracks and exporting the whole mixdown for each one)?

mike :wink:

5

I think you might find the functionality you need in MEAP.

6

Yeah, I saw that referenced somewhere. But apparently it is only for PC. I just switched to Mac a few months ago!!!

If you know of any similar MAC-based solutions, I am definitely interested…