When I prepare a track for mastering, I make sure none of the channels individually clip.

I then look at my master fader and collectively drop all the channels of the song (as mixed) until I see no more clipping on the master output channel whatsoever.

Once there is no clipping present on the master channel I then proceed to add my mastering chain to the master channel/fader.

I start with EQ, then add the vintage warmer but I only add a little bit of bottom & high end, turn on the "FAT" setting and do I not touch the "GAIN" knob, I also make use of the "Brick-wall" limiting on this plug-in.

I then proceed to add iZotope's OZONE. I do multi-band compression but very slightly and then finally I boost the track using OZONES maximizer. I get a RMS volume that reaches just above -10dB.

My reason for describing my method is to ask whether or not the experts on this forum can tell me if it is ok if the processes that get added (EQ, Vintage warmer 2, Multi-band) are allowed to boost the overall volume of the song past the 0.0dB mark before the maximizer is finally added?....in other words when adding any mastering plug-in (alteration of sound and tone) to a pre-master (that has no clipping) is it ok if these processes (excluding the maximizer) allows the song to clip? Or must it not clip even when you add the processes to affect the tone etc. of the pre-master?

Your help and insight is much appreciated.

Not a "pro"....


... but it depends. Depends on how the plug was designed, how the DAW was designed. It can be no problem with one plug, but a disaster with another, so technically it's safer to stay without clipping, but I wouldn't get hung on that.

It's simple, use your ears!

A) This is mixing, not mastering.

B) I'd highly recommend NOT using ANY sort of "mastering" processes during the mix. MIX when you mix. If you have ANY track that's even CLOSE to clipping, you're WAY too hot. It's very likely that you TRACKED way too hot - And there's nothing that can fix that - That lack of focus and clarity, the added noise and distortion - those are permanent.

If your 2-buss is close to clipping, you're still too hot.

C) The Vintage Warmer and other sorts of buss processing should be in place before you start a mix -- Not added later - especially if it's some sort of "default" thing... Anytime anyone says "I do (this)" it makes me nervous -- I never decide on a thing until I've listened to what I'm working on - The mix tells you what it needs - not the other way around. If every mix you do sounds better with the VM on the 2-buss, find out why.

D) If you need maul-the-band compression on your mixes, same thing - Find out what's wrong with the mixes and fix it there.

Clipping / limiting aside...

John knows the shit! Really...think about it....if you use multi band comp you're basically admitting that the mix is sub par, and you really don't know what it needs......it's a cheap bandaid for those who haven't learned to "hear" what the master could use as far as EQ cuts or bumps. you just can't go pulling or pushing large groups of freqs like that .......for Example- bumping the 4th grouping of a 5 band comp!? you just messed with the snare, guitars, keys, vox, kick attack, bass fret noise etc etc