Mastering process is the last step in any music production process. It is highly recommended to master the tracks before it can be used for any commercial purposes. Why? What are the underlying reasons?:
1. Consumer music player is different from yours, so it can sound different from what you will expect it to be. Any severe deviation in audio, will annoy normal or average listener.
2. In the play list of any consumer audio or mp3 players, 100% of those tracks are mastered, so if your song will be put on that list, it will sound very different and odd. Example is that, it will sound so “weak”, compared to other tracks.
3. No one will like to buy a CD or download a song online that will sound so weak and with low volume compared to what is “loud” for them. This is very distracting to listen (as any listener will turn up the volume of the player every time your track will be played, so funny.)
It is important that you know how to assess the quality of audio mastering work as broadcast ready.
See images below for an example mastered wave:
Example of a mastered wave
Example of wave “NOT MASTERED”
Example of unmastered wave
Looking above, it is obvious; the mastered track will sound louder. But mastering is not only about making it loud, instead the primary aim is to have a decent balance between loudness, dynamics and tonal quality. Tonal quality can be achieved by EQ and compression process. You can read this very important post on the attaining quality loudness in audio mastering to get an idea how you would achieve a proper balance between loudness and dynamics.
Those are the above reasons you should master tracks.
Requisites for Good Audio Mastering at Home
Before you can master tracks what are the requisites? Of course, you cannot master a track if it is not mixed “properly” right? I emphasize this because a poorly mix track cannot be anymore saved in the mastering process, so in this case it should be re-mixed again. Mixing process is completely different from mastering process.
Requisites for a good mastering:
1. Properly Mixed track (no peaks above 0dB digital), you can call this a “clipped” track indicated by red indicator in your digital audio workstation. This is not allowed to be mastered as this will give horrible results! In relation to this, it is highly recommended you know the suggested mixing levels and headroom in preparation for mastering.
2. Master at highest resolution possible! Do not master using an MP3 version. Mastering is all about adjusting audio in digital domain so you should master at the highest resolution possible. In my case, I use the 24-bits/48KHz (this is higher than CD quality). If you read the post on the recommended sample rate and audio bit depth for recording projects. You will learn that the bit depth and sample rate used in recording/mixing is also the one that would be used for mastering. So if the recording is done in 24-bit/48KHz resolution, then the mixing and mastering should also be done in 24-bit/48KHz.
The final result in mastering is the finished master in highest resolution (e.g. 24-bit/48KHz or better) and CD audio master/MP3 master for distribution in 16-bit/44.1KHz resolution.
3. Good monitors with subwoofer, flat as possible. If you are in budget and looking for quality/flat frequency response monitor for home studio, you can read this post on the recommended studio monitors. You can have decent monitors for mastering starting around $300. Studio monitors for audio mixing can also be used for mastering.
4. Good acoustics, know the response of your room acoustics very well. Read this article to learn how to test your room acoustic response. . If you haven’t started treating your rooms, you can read this tutorial on home studio setup acoustic design.
Quick Steps/Procedure on Mastering your Tracks
1. Start with cleaning the tracks, you can remove noise, shortening gap in the beginning and ending. Read this guide on mastering for CD audio.
2. EQ, add presence like +2dB in 2 kHz, +1dB in 1 KHz and +1dB in 4 kHz. Q is 1.
3. EQ part 2, remove mud sound, by cutting -3 dB in 200Hz (use Q of 1), -3dB (high pass filter action) at 35Hz.
4. EQ part 3, add bass and lower punch for more pop and rock sound (not applicable for jazz and country genre). If at mixing, kick is boosted at 100Hz, add +2dB in 100Hz, +2dB at 65Hz. Use Q of 1 for this.
5. Final EQ, add gloss and shiny sound, boost at 15kHz, Q =1.0, +2dB.
6. Apply low pass filter at 16500 Hz (this will pass everything below that, and severely attenuates above that mark). This is optional.
RECOMMENDED: For more tips on achieving the desired tonal balance on your audio mastering project, you can read this very useful tutorial on typical EQ settings during audio mastering.
7. You can finally apply a brick wall limiter, I use L2 Wave effects, compress so that the average RMS audio level is around -13dB for pop and rock volume average. Read this guide if you are not familiar about RMS.
The resulting wave should look like a mastered wave, such as shown above.
8. Save your work, and DO NOT DESTROY THE ORIGINAL MIX DOWN (unmastered track) from the mixing studio. Listen always. Use your EARS! This is the most precious studio equipment. If you have some weakness in sharp listening, you need to undergo some ear training development exercises designed for mastering engineers.
9. Finally criticize your work, open up your audio player, add commercial tracks similar to the genre you are mastering, and then add your mastered track…Does it sound different? Or sound competitively similar? Repeat the whole process if it fails the test. Use your ears to tweak those settings.
10. Always keep the highest resolution finished. This will be your source material when you want to distribute your tracks in CD audio (see Red book tutorial link above) or distribute your tracks as MP3. You should also know the importance of dithering and sample rate conversion processes which are required when you will be distributing your masters to the public (e.g. such as an album or single release). Hope this helps a lot!
Content last updated on October 22, 2012