The Master Section strip

The Master Section is where all your audio track and mix channels are mixed down to the Master Out bus. The Master Section strip contains a bus compressor and Insert FX section, both of which process the master bus, as well as send/return master level and pan controls for the eight FX Sends. Any processing applied to the master bus affects all channels that are routed to the Master Section.

Master Compressor section

The Master Compressor is perfect for providing the final “fairy dust” to your mix. It can add punch and cohesion, and generally make the mix sound bigger and more powerful. The compressor is very straightforward in operation and features make-up gain as well as program-adaptive Release.

The Master Compressor can be applied pre or post Master Insert section - see “Master Inserts section”.

The parameters are as follows:

| Parameter	| Description	| Range
On button	Activates/deactivates the Master Compressor.
Meter	The meter shows the amount of gain reduction in dB.	0dB - 20dB
Threshold	This sets the level at which onset of compression occurs. The lower the Threshold, the more compression will be applied.	-30dB to 0dB
Ratio	Ratio specifies the amount of gain reduction applied to signal levels above the set threshold. A 2:1 compression ratio effectively means that a signal level 2dB above threshold will have a signal gain of 1dB.	Fixed Ratios: 2:1 / 4:1 / 10:1
Attack	This governs how quickly the Master Compressor will react when signals rise above the set threshold.	Fixed settings (in ms): 0.1 / 0.3 / 1 / 3 / 10 / 30
Release	When the signal level drops below the set threshold, this determines how long it takes before the compressor lets the sound through unaffected. If set to “Auto”, the Release time will be program adaptive, so the Release time is automatically increased following long peaks and decreased following short peaks.	Fixed settings (in s): 0.1 / 0.3 / 0.6 / 1.2 /Auto
Make-Up	Make-Up gain compensates for level reduction caused by compression and helps maintain a steady output level.	-5dB to 15dB
KEY button/External Side Chain	When a cable is connected to the Sidechain inputs on the back of the Master Section device, the KEY button is activated automatically and the Master Compressor will now be triggered by the external signal instead of the master bus signal. When a sidechain source is connected you can turn the KEY button off to monitor the sidechain signal. See “Using compression sidechaining” for a description of how sidechaining can be used.

FX Send section

This section controls the master levels of the FX Sends. Send effect devices are connected to the Master Section via the eight FX Send and eight FX Return connectors on the back of the rack device.

See “Send FX” for a description of how to set up an use Send FX.

The Send bus can be monitored via the Control Room output - see “Control Room output section”.

The section contains the following items:

| Parameter	| Description
Level 1 - 8	Adjusts the FX Send master level. The master send levels are normally left at default 0dB. if you wish to increase/decrease the effect balance, this is best done by increasing/decreasing the send levels for the individual channels using the effect.
Meter	Shows the signal level of the send bus.
EDIT button	This brings the connected effect device in the rack into view for easy editing of its parameters.
Name label	This automatically shows the name of the connected effect device. If you enter a new name for the label, this overrides the automatic naming. Deleting a manually entered name will bring back the automatic naming.

Master Inserts section

The Master Inserts Section is identical to the Insert FX section in the channel strips, except that it affects the master bus, i.e. the whole mix. You can load Combinator effect patches, which can include anything from a single device to a complex array of multiple devices, to process the master bus.

The Master Insert slot is ideally used to apply mastering effects for finalizing the mix.

Devices that belong to the Insert effect patch are added to the Master Section device in the rack.

The main parts of this section are the assignable rotary knobs and buttons. Combinator Effect patches in the Factory Sound Bank will have various parameters and switches assigned to these controls, and each label will have a name describing the assigned parameter/function.

The Master Insert effects can be placed ahead of the Master Compressor in the signal path. By default, the Master Insert effects are placed after the Master Compressor in the signal path. This makes sense, as you usually add a Maximizer or Mastering Combi patch as a Master Insert effect, and this must be last in the signal path to avoid clipping on the output. However, if necessary, you can place the Master Insert effects before the Master Compressor, by activating the "Inserts Pre Compressor" button.

Loading Insert FX patches is done using the patch browser located at the bottom of the Insert FX section.

Insert effects in Combinator format can be loaded.

•	See “Insert FX” for descriptions of how to work with Insert effects.

The Inserts section in the Master Section contains the following parameters:

| Parameter	| Description
Bypass	Bypasses the loaded Insert effect(s).
Rotary knobs 1-4/ Buttons 1-4	The four rotary controls and buttons are programmable and provide control over selected parameters and functions in an effect patch. Assigning parameters to the controls is done in the Programmer for the Master Section rack device - see “Insert FX”.
Patch browser	This is a standard patch browser for Master Insert FX where you can select/save patches in the Combinator Effect patch format.
Edit Inserts	This will bring the Master Section device into view in the rack, with its Insert FX container opened, allowing you to edit the effect devices.
Signal Path button	If activated, the “Inserts Pre Compressor” button will place the Inserts before the Master Compressor in the signal chain. If the Master Insert effects contain a maximizer or limiter, the inserts should normally be last (this button should be left in the off position).

FX Return section

This section controls the master levels of the FX Returns. Send effect devices are connected to the Master Section via the eight FX Send and eight FX Return connectors on the Master Section device. See “Send FX” for a description of Send FX.

Send/Return connectors on the Master Section device.

You can monitor the Return bus via the Control Room output - see “Control Room output section”.

The section contains the following items:

| Parameter	| Description
Level	Adjusts the FX Return master level. The master return levels are normally left at the default value, 0dB. If you wish to increase/decrease the effect balance, this is best done by increasing/decreasing the send levels for the individual channels using the effect. You can, however, use the FX Return level to change the overall balance of a send effect in the mix.
Pan	Pan adjusts the return signal stereo balance.
Meter	Shows the signal level of the return bus.
EDIT button	This brings the connected effect device in the rack into view for easy editing of its parameters.
Mute (M)	This mutes the return signal for the send effect.
Name label	This automatically shows the name of the last effect device in the send signal path. If you enter a new name for the label, this overrides the automatic naming. Deleting a manually entered name will bring back the automatic naming.

Master Fader section

The Master Fader controls the final output level of the mix to be recorded or exported to a file. It should normally be set to 0dB. The Master Fader should never be used to adjust the monitoring level - this is what the Control Room bus is for (see below).

The section contains the following items:

| Parameter	| Description
Master Fader	Adjusts the level of the Master Out bus.
Meter	Shows the level of the Master Out bus.
Mode	The Mode button switches the meter between VU/Peak/PPM modes - see “The Big Meter”.
Reset	This resets the meter, deleting any registered peaks.

Spectrum EQ (Spectrum Analyzer) Window button

Below the Meter is a button for bringing up the Spectrum EQ Window. Since there are no Filter or EQ sections in the Master Section, the Spectrum EQ Window is used only for displaying the frequency content of the Master Section.

Control Room output section

The Control Room outputs are located on the back of the Master Section device. To use the Control Room output section, the outputs have to be connected to your monitor system. This can be done by manually patching cables from the “Ctrl Room Out” connectors to a separate output pair on the Reason Hardware Device - see “Manual audio routing”.

The Control Room outputs, which are separate from the Master Out bus, are the outputs that you should monitor (listen) from. This allows you to monitor the main mix and to adjust your monitoring level without affecting the Master Out bus. You can also monitor the FX Send or Return buses in this section.

The section contains the following items:

| Parameter	| Description
Monitor display/selector for Master/FX Send 1-8/FX Return 1-8	Click the display to bring up a list where you can select what to monitor on the Ctrl Room Out jacks. You can select between Master, FX Send 1-8 and FX Return 1-8. One bus can be monitored at a time.
Control Room Out Level	Adjusts the level of the Control Room Out bus.

Delay Comp

Click the Delay Comp button (or display) to activate delay compensation in the Main Mixer.

The total delay of the Main Mixer signal (at the Master Out) is displayed below the display. See the “Delay Compensation” chapter for more information about delay compensation in Reason.

Master Section Header

The Header is always visible at the bottom of the Master Section. It contains the following items:

| Parameter	| Description
SEQ / RACK buttons	The RACK and SEQ buttons allow you to switch to the Master Section rack device or automation track directly from the mixer - see “Switching between channels, rack devices and tracks”.
Mute/Solo All Off	This allows you to switch off all channel Mute or Solo buttons in one go.
DIM -20dB	This simply dims the Master Out level -20dB. Use this to temporarily lower the output level when answering the phone, etc.