Record the Master track inside the project

Hello, do you know how to record the Master track on a separate audio track inside the project. This is in order to have a reference track for my mixing. thank you

Hi,

What do you imagine from the Master track, please? What is supposed to do?

Hi Martin, so for example, I have 10 tracks in my project which are all routed to the Master track (Stereo Out). What I want is to create an audio track that will retrieve and record the sound from the Stereo Out track.

Whilst there are ways to achieve this which might vary depending on the Audio interface etc you use, the easiest way is surely just to export an Audio mixdown and then import it back into the project.
I must admit though, that the idea of using a mixdown of the current track you are working on as a reference track for the track that you are working on is strange to me, perhaps I have mis-understood your intentions. :slight_smile:

Hi,

Enable the Create Audio Track option in the Export Audio Mixdown > After Export and export the Audio Mixdown, please.

Hi SurrealistBunny, i have already worked with two sound engineers for my EPs, and each time after importing the WAV tracks into their mixing session, they “print” the Master track on another audio track (to have a reference of the song unmixed), looking at them it seems to be an extremely simple manipulation that they do directly inside Pro Tools or Ableton.

Yes I know this option, it’s not exactly what I want to do. To have a comparison, sometimes I group several tracks in the same group/bus, I create an audio track to which I assign this group as input, and when I click on record (on the empty audio track) it records the output of the group, like a Stem. It’s this manipulation that I want to do again, but instead of just taking a few tracks in a group, I want to take the Stereo Out output. Is this possible on other DAWs, because I’ve seen sound engineers do it, I’m just looking for a way to do it on Cubase, I can’t believe it’s not possible …

Yes, after typing my response, I thought about it a bit more and realised I had probably got the wrong idea of what you were trying to achieve, sorry. :slight_smile:

It is possible to select a group as an input to record directly onto a new audio track though. So is making a new group track to send the other groups you wish to record to an option?
For instance i use direct routing, summing mode on, to send various tracks to a parallel mix bus. I am then able to select my parallel bus as an input and record it directly onto an audio track if I choose too.
Sorry if I’m still confused about what you wish to achieve. :slight_smile:

Yeah, but you need to create Master Group channel, to which you will send all the tracks you want then you create a new audio track and select the imput from the Master Group then you can record it on that track.
The best is to set a template with Master Group to which everything is sent by default insted of the Stereo Out. Like a pre-stereo out type of channel. By the way I know it is crazy that those options are not available in Cubase, I have made a feature request about direct input recording feature and I was met with instant backlash about this and told to use Ableton instead. Shocking…

Create a stereo audio track.
After creating it, select it, go to the Inspector and change the Output to “No Bus” and the Input to “Stereo Out”.

You have to change the Output before you change the Input.

grafik

However, any recording on this track will yield the same result as using the Mixdown feature. So you can spare yourself the time and hassle.
There are some people in the ProTools world that preach to record a mixdown rather than to render/print it. I don’t know exactly why, though.

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I do this kind of process quite often. For quickly capturing/printing an effects chain, or making loops, etc. Doing it this way allows me to manually change stuff as it prints… effects/filters/whatever.

I swear I don’t have that Stereo Out option available as an input. I’d love to know how to get it.
(i’m using the control room feature, if that matters)

I have created a bus and routed everything thru that bus, which is then available as an input… but in my workflow, this is kind of a pain.

So instead I use the RME loopback feature to do the same thing (and I guess it’s good enough for now)

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The important step is to not route the track for the recording, since this would produce a feedback loop, what Cubase prevents.

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This is the important step:

So in order:
1- create the new track to record to
2- set the output to NONE
3- then I will find the STEREO OUT available as an input?

(sorry if I’m derailing here)

Yep, and it is what I wrote already above.
As @st10ss pointed out correctly, Cubase prevents you from building a feedback loop through routing. If you set the output of an audio track to No Bus it can get any input.

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Before somebody asks how to listen to the recorded track afterwards: First change the Input of the track to “No Input”, then change the output to your desired output bus.

Thanks @Johnny_Moneto it’s exactly what I want to do :pray:

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Hi Voxango, thanks a lot for your answers, i thing @Johnny_Moneto solve my problem. Thanks for your time :v:

Thanks @Kearley for your answer :v: