Ive gotten into the habit of compressing and eqing each track separately (my computer literally starts breaking a sweat) because I feel like each track wants to accentuate and attenuate different frequencies
That is called "mixing"... very common.
and also because i like to adjust compression a lot during mixing.
typically, in "mixing" each track is treated on its own based on its own characteristics and issues and needs.
I I'm wondering if anyone has made it a practice to eq and compress the master track? I almost never do.
This is something typically mart of the "mastering" process.
...but you can compress and EQ the master. It has a very different result from EQ'ing and compressing an individual track. Difdferent purpose. Different sound. Different result.
If you are asking whether it is based on the particular circumstance, then, yes... like everything in music making, everything comes down to what you need in a particular situation... every mix is different.
Do you compress & eq the master track as well as each individual track?
one does not take the place of the other. Like i said above, they produce different results.
Think about this:
There is a big difference in sound between compressing a whole entire overall drum loop and compressing each individual drum separately.
If you understand how both of those scenarios are different, then you understand the difference between compressing individual tracks, groups of tracks and the master bus.
All very different things done for different reasons.
If you do use these effects on the master track, is it done before or after mixing? or both? I'm down to hear whatever thoughts any one has these techniques.
You can "mix into a compressor" or into an EQ... but then , when you remove it, your mix levels will potentially be all over the place and your mix will potentially not make any sense.