When it opens the Song for the Update Master File it is in fact doing a mixdown of the stereo out. Me thinks its saving that mixdown you just did to update the Project when you close the SONG
I may be wrong but that makes sense to me

daniellesaux wroteWhenever I make a change to a mix, I save the Song file, open the corresponding project file and as expected, it asks me to update the mastering file before proceeding. Once I'm done with my project session, I save the project file. When I close my Song file however, Studio One prompts me to save the changes before closing, even though I haven't changed anything (as stated above, I had already saved the Song file before opening the project file). Why does Studio One do this?

The Save alert can happen with or without sending, or updating (performing the mixdown) to the Project page. Its a bit of an annoyance. You save to put a stamp on the fact the song is secure, now you update the song into Project. As it now alerted you to update (if the song is already in Project). Done. Now you close down. The song page then asks you to save (yikes). When that occurs, do not save. Because now you've just signaled Project to alert you you have a to update the next time you open it. 😆 A viscous cycle.

There are times the Song when closing won't alert you. It's one of those things where if you save, then ever so subtly retrigger the song's "Save" in the drop-down menu, by perhaps as resizing the timeline, re scaling, and so forth. It then wants to re save. When I'm at the end of a project and doing that so many times, I recall a way to avoid the notice, but I forget at the moment.

Bottom line, you're doing the right thing by saving first in the Song page first.

It's something Studio One has always done.

As an alternative to saving a song, but not alerting Project to update, simply Save As, with an alternate name like adding a suffix to indicate the level of the song. Then you can send to Project and replace or compare with the existing version. Just be careful that you have a newer version, because you've now bypassed Project alerting you that particular song needs updating.

Thanks for your replies. It is indeed an annoyance. I always second guess myself (did I change something?) At least I'm not the only one. I do like the synchronization between the Song and the Project though. Very slick!

Hi,
I am currently mastering an album and ran into this issue as well. One song out of 13 was always asking me to update the file. Drove me nuts and burned a lot of time. When I went into the song to save it, I didn't realize the audio bend icon was engaged so I clicked it off. Once I did that the issue was gone. So, maybe it has something to do with the menu bar and what is active. The only icons I have engaged are the arrow tool and auto scroll. Anyway, just thought I'd share.

I think the ideal way to work with master files is to update the master from the song after making changes to that song, and then save it. That way the project will use the updated master automatically, without having to open the song.

The alternative method, to save and close the song after changes but without updating the master file will make a project using that song open it, update the master file, and close it without saving. Next time you open the song you'll have a save 'pending' for that master file update.