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

The mastering process allows you to perform final adjustments after you have mixed your multitrack recordings down to 2 stereo tracks (we'll leave quad and 5.1 surround-sound circumstances for another day.) Some changes are made to enhance a specific song's sonic quality. Others are made within the context of an album - guaranteeing that many songs strung together have a comparable sonic "consistency." Normal locations of concern for a mastering engineer are: equalization (eq), compression, levels (volume) relative from one song to the next, and spacing between tunes. Equalization: Often you'll wish to change the eq or compression on a mix after you've done the final mix. Or you may have 10 tunes mixed by three different engineers in 5 various studios.

Each song's eq might appear ideal by itself, but if you sequence them together, unexpectedly one tune sounds too brilliant (or too dull ...). Adjusting the eq can even whatever out. Pointer # 1: keep in mind that any eq changes to your stereo mix affect the entire mix - if you wish to cut 3 db at 80Hz because your mix sounds muddy, remember to examine how that affects all the instruments (e.g. the vocal), not just the bass guitar and kick drum. Pointer # 2: if you're uncertain about an eq decision during mixdown, understand that it's simpler to cut lower frequencies in mastering than to boost them, and much easier to improve higher frequencies than to cut them. Compression: In mastering, this is utilized not simply to control a mix or to include character, however also to "print" or send out as much level to the master as possible without clipping the signal. This can practically feel like a competitors for who has the loudest cd (" Trap Instrumentals my record sounded terrific until I listened on my CD carousel and Green Day was 5 db louder!"). However mastering engineers should balance level with sonic stability. Levels: Ideally, a listener can play your record and not need to get up to adjust the volume. This is addressed in mastering, after the record has actually been sequenced. Only then can you actually know how levels relate to each other as one tune ends and the next begins.

Spacing & Crossfading.

Spacing: there are various philosophies as to how one must approach the areas put in between songs on a record. Final pointer: you may be inclined to master the exact same recordings that you combined, whether it is for financial reasons, imaginative reasons, or merely due to the fact that you can. We strongly suggest that you get somebody else to master your project.


Common locations of issue for a mastering engineer are: equalization (eq), compression, levels (volume) relative from one song to the next, and spacing in between tunes. Or you may have ten tunes blended by three different engineers in 5 various studios.

Each song's eq may appear best by itself, but if you sequence them together, all of a sudden one tune sounds too bright (or too dull ...). Suggestion # 1: keep in mind that any eq modifications to your stereo mix affect the whole mix - if you desire to cut 3 db at 80Hz due to the fact that your mix sounds muddy, remember 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 out as much level to the master as possible without clipping the signal.

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