So when you do your own Mastering...

[Dogbreath]

?

How many passes, on average, do you do?

I think I read somewhere that this guy would take his mixdown and run it back into another mixdown but strap a limiter across the buss with a couple db of boost. And then just repeat the process til he had like 12 or 14 db of boost.

Is this normal?

Up until fairly recently, I just slammed it in one pass and called it good. Which of course it wasn't...but since that was for my personal stuff it didn't bother me.
But now that I've got this 3 year project done, (which was mastered by someone who knew what he was doing  ) I'm going back to my stuff to do it for real.

Whudda you guys do?

[stainless]

for the most part I have someone else master- but for progress mixes I'll run the stereo L/R through Ozone or Peak and listen, bypass, listen. I watch the output and try to stay as close to -2dB as I can without peaking- if I have to step up the compression, I'll drop off on the input levels-

and I listen to make sure the dynamics still remain (to some extent)

and then when i think it's good- I'll burn a CD and take a short break and listen in my truck

[nicechuck]

I've found that i don't use alot of mastering effects, I've tried it both ways, of course it depends on the song or track, but if each track is eq'd well and the right effects etc. are used on each vocal/instrument, that makes the mastering much easier. Also, like Stainless, I'll master and listen to it, then if something needs fixed, I'll re-master it. 
  As said in other threads here, get great tracks to begin with, that makes a world of difference on the rest of the project.

[SafeandSoundMastering]

This is very much dependent on what needs to be done. The pre requisite for mastering is high resolution, full range, accurate monitors in an acoustically treated room. Until this is resolved there is little basis for action. Without knowing what is in any given audio/file or mix without the influence of mediocre monitoring/bad acoustics there is only guess work and little else.

cheers

[stainless]

sadly (it seems) many many people who get into home recording completely ignore acoustic treatment of their rooms, believing in a "fix it in the mix" mentality- this also extends to spending time getting the best sound while tracking

acoustic panels, bass traps and diffuser might be more attractive if they came with lights and knobs....

[SafeandSoundMastering]

LOL, it's true Stainless. You know I think the fact that it is a bit of a boring investment will very quickly change once people hear for themselves what a very big difference it can make to music mixes.

cheers

Barry