how does sending a mixdown to a mastering studio work?

[takman]

Two part question here...

is it better to use little or no EQ and compression before sending a song out for mastering? Just set the levels, add in whatever effects and thats it? Let the mastering studio add EQ and compression?

Second question...

how does the whole process off sending say a song out for mastering. I'm using cubase. Would i just send them the cubase file? What if i used plugins and the mastering studio doesnt have them?

Or do i just send all the individual exported tracks of the song to them? Or the entire exported mixdown?

[Lagerfeldt]

I wrote this detailed FAQ which should answer all your questions
http://www.onlinemastering.dk/pdf/mi...ering-tips.pdf

You'll find many if not most mastering engineers will have some kind of FAQ that answers your question, just take a look here:

24-96 MASTERING
Telegraph Audio Mastering | Mix Preparation Guidelines PDF, Red Book Masters, Replication Discs, ISRC

The list goes on.

[Odeon-Mastering]

Originally Posted by takman

Two part question here...

is it better to use little or no EQ and compression before sending a song out for mastering? Just set the levels, add in whatever effects and thats it? Let the mastering studio add EQ and compression?

Second question...

how does the whole process off sending say a song out for mastering. I'm using cubase. Would i just send them the cubase file? What if i used plugins and the mastering studio doesnt have them?

Or do i just send all the individual exported tracks of the song to them? Or the entire exported mixdown?

If the EQ and compression are there, only for "creative" reasons, then you might as well leave them there. Since you are the mixing engineer, I suggest you send 2 versions. One with your proccessing and one without and let the ME decide what to use for the final master.

On the second question:
Usually we receive stereo files of the mixdown...(so export the mixdown to whatever rates you used while mixing and send it off)
There is, also, something called stem mastering, which I performed 3 days ago for the first time(although I had only 2 stems bass gtr+ track without bass gtr) and it involves sending out stereo tracks of groups, of the musical elements that you mixed(like bass gtr, drum kit, gtrs and synths and vocals)but I do not prefer this method and I will only suggest it, for seriously compromised mixes

In any case, feel free to call and chat (in GREEK) I will Pm you my studio number.