What is mastering?
Mastering is the last stage before release. Working from the final mix, the engineer adjusts the tonal balance, the dynamics and the level, then prepares the files for streaming, CD or vinyl. It's also what makes an EP hold together from one track to the next.
What mastering actually does
Mastering carries two responsibilities. The first is technical: deliver a file that sounds right everywhere, from a club system to phone earbuds. The second is editorial: on an EP or an album, make the tracks follow one another without a jump in colour or volume.
It works in small moves. On a mix that's already solid, the corrections are fractions of a decibel. That restraint is what separates a master that breathes from one that's been squashed.
The stages of the processing
Critical listening. Before anything is processed, we listen to the mix closely. If something is going to limit the master, it's better to say so and revisit the mix than to compensate afterwards.
EQ. Broad, gentle corrections across the spectrum: clearing the low mids, opening the top, tightening the bass.
Dynamics. Light compression to pull it together, sometimes multiband when one area of the spectrum moves too much.
Stereo image. Widened or narrowed to suit the track, keeping the centre solid and mono compatibility intact.
Level. Limiting up to the target loudness, measured in LUFS and set for the platforms rather than for the volume war.
Delivery. Files in the formats you need, metadata, ISRC codes, and DDP when the project is going to be pressed.
Loudness and the platforms
Streaming platforms normalise volume on playback. A master pushed very hard will simply be turned down, and it keeps the damage: flattened transients, listening fatigue. Aiming at a sensible level gives you a track that keeps its impact once it's normalised.
Every project has its own target. A club techno track and a piano-and-voice record don't get mastered at the same level, and that's as it should be. See our mastering page for what the service covers.
Common questions
How much headroom should I leave on my mix?
Between 3 and 6 dB, with no limiter or maximiser on the master bus. If your mix is already limited, send an unprocessed version as well.
Is automatic online mastering good enough?
For a demo or a work-in-progress listen, it does a job. For a release, it doesn't know what the track is after: it applies an average curve without knowing whether your bass should weigh a ton or disappear. Our masters are done by hand.
Tell us about your project.
We take on a limited number of projects each season. We read everything that comes in.