Mastering & Creating Your Final Mix Like the Pros (Mastering Process).

The mastering process allows you to perform final adjustments after you have blended your multitrack recordings to 2 stereo tracks (we'll leave quad and 5.1 surround-sound situations for another day.) Some modifications are made to improve a particular song's sonic quality. Others are made within the context of an album - ensuring that lots of tunes strung together have a comparable sonic "consistency." Common areas of concern for a mastering engineer are: equalization (eq), compression, levels (volume) relative from one tune to the next, and spacing in between tunes. Equalization: In some cases you'll want to adjust the eq or compression on a mix after you've done the last mix. Or you might have ten songs mixed by 3 various engineers in five different studios.

Each tune's eq might seem perfect by itself, however if you series them together, all of a sudden one song sounds too bright (or too dull ...). Changing the eq can even everything out. Suggestion # 1: remember that any eq modifications to your stereo mix impact the whole mix - if you want to cut 3 db at 80Hz due to the fact that your mix sounds muddy, remember to check how that impacts all the instruments (e.g. the vocal), not simply the bass guitar and kick drum. Suggestion # 2: if you're unsure about an eq choice throughout mixdown, know that it's much easier to cut lower frequencies in mastering than to improve them, and simpler to boost greater frequencies than to cut them. Compression: In mastering, this is utilized not just to manage a mix or to include character, but likewise to "print" or send as much level to the master as possible without clipping the signal. This can almost seem like a competition for who has the loudest cd (" my record sounded great till I listened on my CD carousel and Green Day was 5 db louder!"). However mastering engineers must stabilize level with sonic integrity. Levels: Preferably, a listener can play your record and not have to get up to adjust the volume. This is resolved in mastering, after the record has been sequenced. Just then can you truly know how levels connect to each other as one song ends and the next starts.

Spacing & Crossfading.

Spacing: there are various viewpoints as to how one should approach the spaces put in between tunes on a record. Some feel the downbeat of one song ought to fall at the start of a new bar, in the tempo of the previous tune (to continue the circulation.) Others think you should prevent this like the afflict, since it decreases the impact. In the end, do whatever feels. There is no requirement. Cross-fade your songs if you like, or location 6 seconds between them. (2-4 seconds prevails in a lot of popular, non-classical records, but it's up to you.) Final pointer: you may be inclined to master the same recordings that you combined, whether it is for monetary reasons, imaginative reasons, or merely due to the fact that you can. We highly recommend that you get somebody else to master your job. The neutrality and fresh ears they bring to the table invariably lead to a stronger, more cohesive album.


Common areas of concern for a mastering engineer are: equalization (eq), compression, levels (volume) relative from one tune to the next, and spacing between tunes. Or you might have ten tunes blended by Free Type Instrumentals Trap three various engineers in 5 different studios.

Each tune's eq might seem best by itself, but if you sequence them together, unexpectedly one song sounds too brilliant (or too dull ...). Pointer # 1: remember that any eq modifications to your stereo mix impact the whole mix - if you desire to cut 3 db at 80Hz because your mix sounds muddy, keep in mind to inspect how that impacts all the instruments (e.g. the vocal), not simply the bass guitar and kick drum. Compression: In mastering, this is utilized not simply to control a mix or to add character, however likewise to "print" or send as much level to the master as possible without clipping the signal.

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