Do you use a mastering chain while your producing mixing writing?
I voted no.
I might add something to the master right at the end to give me an idea of how it could sound mastered, but other than that I ignore the master channel.
I dont do a very good job, but I try to make it sound as good as poss without any general bus boosting etc
I’m with Bang never till I finish the mixdown - just out of habit more than anything else
i used to do it but when i realized how much it was colouring the track i had to stop
had to totally revise the mixdown on a track and still having trouble getting it right
it had sounded perfect previously
see i used to have it on all the time but the past few days ive started to think the sound is better without much on it at all…
I actually used to produce with stuff on my mastering chain, but then when i took it off once, everything sounded sh*t!
Don’t forget you need to take your compressers / limiters / etc off when you’re sending your track to get mastered so really it’s better to be producing without it all on there.
What I usually do now is leave a switched off ‘mix gel’ compressor on there along with a switched off mono utility, then i’ll A / B every now and then just to check how it’s sounding.
But yeah really I’d probs advise to steer away from mixing with all the stuff on there because of the likely hood you could end up with a **** mix once everythings off.
Get your mix sounding great before the need for a mastering chain.
Just had a “doh!” moment - I’ve been using stuff on my master! Just grouped it all up and switch it off and it sounds poo! This production lark is starting to get me down 
I do what Roben does.
[quote]jonsloan (08/02/2011)[hr]I do what Roben does.[/quote]
That could mean many, unthinkable things.
I only really flick it on for “vibe” moments or A/B against other tracks
sometimes i forget its on tho. 
My autostart template has a compressor on the master
Sometimes when the mastering engineer does his job sounds in the mix can jump out and others hide. using a compressor on your master to A/B helps you get better mix levels and pan positions so that you don’t get such a shock when the track is mastered.
i just put a limiter on cos i dnt like seeing my meters go red and causing possible clipping.