Mastering: The Basics
Mastering prepares a finished mix for release. It involves judging the overall sound, making any useful final adjustments and checking the delivery file. For an album, it also includes listening to how the tracks sit together. A louder file is not automatically a better master.
- Whole-mix decisions
- Loudness and peaks
- Check the export
keep practicing
Compare a limited and unprocessed version at similar playback volume. Describe what changed besides loudness.
What belongs in the mix, and what belongs in mastering?
| What needs attention | Usually the better place to start |
|---|---|
| The vocal is too quiet in one phrase | Adjust that vocal in the mix |
| One snare hit is painfully sharp | Edit or process the snare track |
| The whole mix feels slightly too dark | Assess a broad tonal adjustment during mastering |
| One album track jumps out beside the others | Compare the tracks during mastering |
| The exported ending is cut off | Correct the export range or fade and export again |
Most conventional mastering works on the combined stereo mix. An EQ change therefore affects every sound in the selected frequency area. If the guitar alone needs a correction, returning to its track gives you more control.
What do the meters tell me?
- LUFS
A loudness measurement that accounts for frequency balance and measurement duration. Integrated LUFS describes the measured program as a whole; short-term readings help show how loud a passage is.
- Sample peak
The highest stored sample value. It helps you check the digital signal level but does not describe how loud the whole song feels.
- True peak
An estimate of the reconstructed signal's peaks, which can occur between stored samples. It helps you allow headroom that a sample-peak reading alone may miss.
Where do these measurements come from?
The underlying loudness and true-peak measurement methods are defined by ITU-R BS.1770. A meter supports listening; it does not tell you whether the vocal communicates or the chorus feels convincing.
What does streaming normalization change?
Loudness normalization adjusts playback level to reduce jumps between recordings. When a loud master is turned down, its compressed transients and any distortion remain. Normalization changes the gain; it does not rebuild the dynamics you removed.
Consider two versions of a drum-heavy mix. One uses more limiting, so its peaks are smaller relative to its average level. At similar listening volume, it may sound denser but have less attack. Decide whether that change suits the track before choosing it.
Should every master be -14 LUFS?
Spotify currently recommends -14 integrated LUFS, with true peak below -1 dBTP; for masters louder than -14 LUFS, it recommends below -2 dBTP. These are Spotify's published mastering tips, not a universal requirement for every release format.
Playback also depends on settings and device support. Spotify notes that its web player and some third-party devices do not apply normalization. Check the current guidance of each streaming service and your distributor's delivery requirements rather than treating one number as the definition of a finished master.
What should I listen for when using a limiter?
A limiter reduces peaks that would exceed its working limit, allowing you to raise the level around them. Increasing the amount of limiting can change the impact of drums, sustain and perceived density.
Listen to the loudest section and any exposed, delicate passage. Does the kick still have a clear attack? Does a sustained bass note become rough? Do cymbals or vocals swell unnaturally when the drums hit? Those changes may matter more than gaining another unit on a loudness meter.
Compare the processing fairly
- Keep an unprocessed versionSave the mix before mastering changes so you can return to it.
- Match listening volumeReduce the louder version's playback level until the comparison is reasonably close.
- Switch during the same passageCompare clarity, attack and tonal balance. Keep the processing only when its effect serves the music.
What should I check in the final file?
Listen to the exported file from start to finish, outside the project if possible. Check the opening, fades, reverb tails and any silence between tracks. Look for clipping, accidental mutes and an incorrect export range.
Confirm the file format, sample rate and bit depth required by the recipient. If reducing to a lower integer bit depth, check the export tool's dither options and avoid adding dither repeatedly at different stages. Keep a clearly named copy of the approved master and the project that produced it.
Should I master my own track?
You can, especially while learning. Take a break from mixing and compare with suitable reference music at a similar volume. An experienced mastering engineer offers another judgment of the sound as well as technical preparation.
For an important release, agree on the intended sound and delivery formats before work begins. If the engineer identifies a mix problem, a small revision to the mix may be more effective than a complex repair to the stereo file.