what is audio mastering?

Audio mastering is the final stage of the audio production process, where a finalised mix is prepared for distribution. It involves fine-tuning the sound, ensuring consistency across an album or project, and optimizing the track for various playback formats and devices. 

Here's a more detailed explanation

• Preparation for Distribution

  Mastering ensures that the audio is ready for various formats, including CDs, vinyl, streaming services, and radio broadcasts. 

• Consistency and Cohesion

  Mastering helps create a cohesive sound across an entire album or project, ensuring that tracks sound unified and avoid abrupt changes in volume or equalization. 

• Loudness and Dynamics

  Mastering involves optimizing the loudness levels of the track, often measured in LUFS, while preserving its dynamic range and ensuring it sounds its best across different playback systems. 

• Technical Refinement

  Mastering includes techniques like equalization (EQ), compression, limiting, and stereo enhancement to refine the sound and achieve the desired aesthetic. 

• Final Quality Check

  Mastering is the final opportunity to address any minor defects or inconsistencies in the mix and ensure that the track sounds polished and ready for release. 

• Distinct from Mixing

  Mastering is distinct from the mixing process, which focuses on balancing individual tracks within a song, while mastering optimizes the entire track for distribution

Audio Mastering at Luv-Hertz is £60 per hour and if you want a FREE quote simply get in touch below and send us a link to the audio you want mastered and let us know the type of release you have in mind such as, Digital masters for release to streaming sites, CD masters, Vinyl pre-masters, Cassette tapes, all of these or any combinations of these.