Steams export solution in studio one 6?

[Ale78]

Hi everyone, this is my first post

I'd like to send the audio steams to my master engineer, but I'm having a big problem.

My KICK bus goes to the BASS bus, and I use the KICK bus signal for sidechain compression on the LEAD bus. When the LEAD bus plays, I use it as an external sidechain signal for a dynamic EQ on the PADS bus.

If I export the KICK bus audio steam as a channel option, I lose the plugins/effects on the BASS bus, and the steam doesn't follow the mix path.

If I export individual LEAD bus tracks as tracks in the steam export options, they follow the plugins/effects loaded on the LEAD bus, but I lose the dynamic EQ sidechain signal.

If I export the LEAD bus in SOLO as mixdown, I lose the KICK bus sidechain signal.

Does anyone have a solution for exporting a bus that follows all the events in the mix path?

Thanks!

 

[lokeyfly]

Hi everyone, this is my first post

I'd like to send the audio steams to my master engineer, but I'm having a big problem.

My KICK bus goes to the BASS bus, and I use the KICK bus signal for sidechain compression on the LEAD bus. When the LEAD bus plays, I use it as an external sidechain signal for a dynamic EQ on the PADS bus.

If I export the KICK bus audio steam as a channel option, I lose the plugins/effects on the BASS bus, and the steam doesn't follow the mix path.

If I export individual LEAD bus tracks as tracks in the steam export options, they follow the plugins/effects loaded on the LEAD bus, but I lose the dynamic EQ sidechain signal.

If I export the LEAD bus in SOLO as mixdown, I lose the KICK bus sidechain signal.

Does anyone have a solution for exporting a bus that follows all the events in the mix path?

Thanks!

Since your stems are as complex as you say they are, i.e. sidechaining, bussing, dynamic EQ, etc. It would be most reliable to export one channel at a time. You could perform that by stemming off of the channels only, and not the tracks themselves. Or, you could send each channel as a single mixdown. Either way, it will probably be most reliable to stem individually, since a lot of your tracks are multi dependent through various effects & DSP. otherwise, you're likely experiencing either leakage, or altogether different sounds from each other stem or track.

Another option that could work for you is to create seperate busses where you can and see how they sound, before stemming.
.the single overall problem to all of this is, the inherent overall mix later on could still be different. Its simply the nature of how everything sounds NOW. That is why, when typically stemming (either to a mix engineer, and not necessarily some other co collaborator), you'll want to stem both the dry tracks (track only, no effects), and the resultant channel stem (effects included, pre fade). While that sounds like a lot, its really the nature of now extracting properly what you have so that you maintain those dynamics you have. And they can be extremely subtle, and still be difficult to fix at a later time. With the benefit of dry stems (tracks) included, they can help you get back your desired mix. If that is what you're going for.
There's really no easy out, unless you were shooting for something simpler.

Then, the simple solution is to stem channels only, but I think you'll get other track leakage, or skewed results that way.

Fortunately, and if you named your tracks clearly, Studio One makes stemming both tracks and channels (including sudechaining) very easy. It will be up to your mix engineer, and what theyre asking for, to pick up the pieces. If he/she's competent, they'll want the included dry stems.

 

[Ale78]

Since your stems are as complex as you say they are, i.e. sidechaining, bussing, dynamic EQ, etc. It would be most reliable to export one channel at a time. You could perform that by stemming off of the channels only, and not the tracks themselves. Or, you could send each channel as a single mixdown. Either way, it will probably be most reliable to stem individually, since a lot of your tracks are multi dependent through various effects & DSP. otherwise, you're likely experiencing either leakage, or altogether different sounds from each other stem or track.

Another option that could work for you is to create seperate busses where you can and see how they sound, before stemming.
.the single overall problem to all of this is, the inherent overall mix later on could still be different. Its simply the nature of how everything sounds NOW. That is why, when typically stemming (either to a mix engineer, and not necessarily sone other co collaborator), you'll want to stem both the dry tracks (track only, no effects), and the resultant channel stem (effects included, pre fade). While that sounds like a lot, its really the nature of now extracting properly what you have so that you maintain those dynamics you have. And they can be extremely subtle, and still be difficult to fix at a later time. With the benefit of dry stems (tracks) included, they can help you get back your desired mix. If that is what you're going for.
There's really no easy out, unless you were shooting for something simpler.
Then, the simple solution is to stem channels only, but I think you'll get other track leakage, or skewed results that way.

Thanks for the reply.

I probably need to rethink my mixing method. I know that the bus export process in other DAWs follows the entire mixing path, so if I export the KICK bus, steam will take both the plugin/send of the next processing bus and the plugin/send of the master out.

Now, in any case, I'm losing something.

If I export a track, I have to export all the individual tracks, but I lose the sidechain bus signal; if I export a channel, I get the sidechain signal, but I lose the plugin/effects signal of the next bus on the mix path.

One solution could be to set up an external sidechain based on a single track and not the bus signal, then export all the tracks and finally import them into another project, recreate the bus, and export the bus steams.

Another simple method... learn to master a song myself

 

[lokeyfly]

Hah, yeah, I started to add more to assist on providing the mastering engineer more fodder. If and when possible, give them the best two, both dry and wet examples of each track. Theyll know what to do or then ask for. It would be hugely beneficial to sit in on the session, providing you dont bug them. Lol.
It's all good and sounds like you took care in getting the right sounds from your tracking! Share the results when you can in the "Made in Studio One" part of the forum.

 

[lokeyfly]

Now, in any case, I'm losing something.

If I export a track, I have to export all the individual tracks, but I lose the sidechain bus signal; if I export a channel, I get the sidechain signal, but I lose the plugin/effects signal of the next bus on the mix path.

By stemming dry (check the tracks box in the export stems window) and wet (channels box in that windows of the same export stems window), you'll also see any sidechain created stems. Where things get difficult for the mix engineer is often too much reverb. Thats why the dry stems are crucial to fix things. If you chase those issues to fix your sound, it may be still something on their end to adjust, so dry tracks have the most cache for the fix.

One solution could be to set up an external sidechain based on a single track and not the bus signal, then export all the tracks and finally import them into another project, recreate the bus, and export the bus steams.

Sure, just keep your naming structure in-line with those same relevant tracks for the engineer to decipher. Great idea.

Another simple method... learn to master a song myself

Sounds like you could be qualified. Jump in, the waters fine!
Good luck my friend, and welcome to the forum!
Check out my YT channel when you have a chance. Link is in my signature.

 

[SwitchBack]

Maybe stating the obvious but mastering in general is on the final mix, so on just a stereo or Atmos export of the main mix. That would include all the sidechaining and dynamic EQ'ing etc.

If the idea is to send stems then the dynamic cross-track stuff falls to the engineer who gets to work on those stems, which isn't mastering yet. You can send your current main mix as a suggestion of the direction you want the mix to go, then remove all the side-chaining etc. before exporting the stems. Sending stems with cross-track stuff in them that works just so has the mix engineer work with one hand behind his back.

 

[parityflux]

My KICK bus goes to the BASS bus, and I use the KICK bus signal for sidechain compression on the LEAD bus. When the LEAD bus plays, I use it as an external sidechain signal for a dynamic EQ on the PADS bus.

This part throws me just a little: KICK bus -> BASS buss, because you also talk about side-chaining other components, and I am uncertain if you are simply passing the KICK bus into the BASS bus (in which case the KICK bus is a sub-bus in this structure), or if you are sidechaining, or both.

It is ideal for me to have every bus I want to deliver laid out linearly already (none feeding into another), so each one contributes to the final reference mix. Again, these busses should not feed into each other (except any sidechaining you want to do)
Sample final busses:
GTR ---
KEYS |
VOX | -------> STEMMIX (--> Main)
DRUMS |
BASS ---
The STEMMIX gets set at unity and has no effects or processing (except analytics like final metering or spectral viewer).
Export all of them at the same time: Session -> Export Stems -> check off ONLY these 6 busses.

You have to ensure that everything you want to capture feeds into these final busses eventually. Just follow everything from tracks to busses (and fx to busses) all the way to your final "stem" busses. Sub busses -> sub busses are no problem, just no crossover on the final set. You can solo STEMMIX as that is the final, though you don't need to Solo during export (in fact I would not). For a lot of my sessions, the only thing that ever goes to Main is the STEMMIX and miscellaneous stuff (reference tracks, clicks, dialog if it is for film/media ... stuff I just never accidently want in my mix haha).

You should end up with everything you need to send off, including the reference mix. Just be sure again there is no processing on STEMMIX and the fader is at unity. Side note: If you import all the stems (including the mix) and reverse the polarity of the mix, you should hear absolute silence. That shows that each stem contributes to mix and the mix is accurate and your scheme is working. The mastering engineer can pull in the stems, set all faders at unity and they will have a perfect recreation of your mix. Then can do any stem-specific treatments and adjustments (this is still mixing), and then master the final mix for you.

If the engineer wants that kick as a stem for a particular reason, then make sure it is in line with the others, and not contributing to other busses:
GTR ---
KEYS |
VOX | -------> STEMMIX (--> Main)
DRUMS |
KICK |
BASS ---

The editor messed with my spaces in my diagram, so to be clear, each final stem bus goes to the STEMMIX bus, and STEMMIX goes to Main.