The biggest things to remember about Mastering are:

1: Mastering by definition is the process of preparing an audio mix for distribution. It is merely the means of processing the audio for it's target delivery format, whether that's MP3/FLAC, Vinyl, CD, etc.

2: Mastering is not the stage where you make everything sound good. If it sounds bad before mastering, it'll sound bad after mastering.

3: Mastering is not something where you can get great results from a preset or automated system - it requires individual care and attention for each song as every mix is different.

4: Mastering is where you make minor adjustments to the final mix to maintain a consistent sound from song to song in an album. This can mean changes in EQ, compression, reverb, dynamic range, and loudness.

5: You'll get better results having someone else master your track than if you master it yourself. This is because, over listening to the mix repeatedly as you mix it, your ears become accustomed to it and you're far less likely to hear issues than a pair of fresh ears.

I personally think it is possible to get a great master from an automated system; however, the mix has to be consistent and sound good before you try to master it. Because of this, it's generally better to master tracks manually.

Last edited by Simon - PG Music; 10/13/20 06:47 AM.
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