Mastering your production is the final stage in the production process of music production.
It is the process of taking a mixed and balanced track and preparing it for distribution, whether that be on streaming platforms or in a physical format.
Mastering is a crucial step, as it can make the difference between a good track and a great one.
In this article, we will explore some tips and tricks for mastering electronic music that can help you take your tracks to the next level.
Yoda Mastering Your Production
First and foremost, it’s important to have a good understanding of what mastering is and what it’s meant to accomplish.
Mastering is not about adding effects or changing the sound of a track, but rather about making small adjustments to the overall balance and tonality of a track.
The goal of mastering is to make a track sound as good as possible on as many different playback systems as possible.
Best Software For Mastering Purposes
- Izotope Ozone: This is a comprehensive mastering software that includes a wide range of tools for EQ, compression, limiting, and more.
- Waves mastering bundle: This bundle includes several mastering plugins, such as the L1 Ultramaximizer, C4 Multiband Compressor, and the Linear Phase EQ.
- Logic Pro X: This is a complete digital audio workstation (DAW) that includes a built-in mastering suite, with tools such as the Multipressor, the Linear EQ, and the Channel EQ.
- Ableton Live: this is another DAW that offers mastering tools with the built-in EQ eight, Compressor and Limiter.
- Pro Tools: a professional DAW widely used in the industry, it offers a variety of mastering tools such as the D-Verb, EQ III, and the Maxim.
- Adobe Audition: this software includes a variety of mastering tools including Multiband Compressor, Parametric EQ and the Adaptive Noise Reduction.
If every sound plays as loud as possible in a track its gonna sound like shit
One important aspect of mastering is understanding the loudness wars.
The loudness wars refer to the trend of making tracks as loud as possible, often at the expense of dynamic range.
While a track that is loud may sound good on some systems, it can often sound distorted and harsh on others.
It’s important to strike a balance between loudness and dynamic range, and to avoid over-compressing the track.
Reference Track
Another important aspect of mastering is to use a high-quality reference track.
A reference track is a professionally mastered track that you can use as a benchmark for your own tracks.
By listening to a reference track, you can get a sense of how your own track should sound and make adjustments accordingly.
Look for a track that really stands out in the quality and clarity area, and reference it as you progress through mastering your own track in attempt to mimic the same clarity in the mainstream mastered track.
Proper Equalization
EQ is another important tool in mastering.
EQ, or equalization, is the process of adjusting the balance of different frequencies in a track.
By cutting or boosting specific frequencies, you can make a track sound better balanced and more cohesive.
However, it’s important to use EQ sparingly and with a light touch, as too much EQ can make a track sound unnatural.
Sometimes Less is More
Compression is another important tool in mastering.
Compression is the process of reducing the dynamic range of a track.
By reducing the dynamic range, you can make a track sound more consistent and cohesive.
However, it’s important to use compression sparingly and with a light touch, as too much compression can make a track sound over-compressed and lifeless.
Studio Reference Monitors Time to Shine
Another important aspect of mastering is to use a high-quality set of monitors or headphones.
The monitors or headphones that you use can have a big impact on how a track sounds.
It’s important to use monitors or headphones that are accurate and neutral, so that you can make accurate judgements about how a track sounds.
End Result Should sound good no matter what its played through
Remember the goal here is to get the track as flat as possible.
Were not trying to make it sound good now we want the track to sound good on weather its played through an antique set of speakers or a hifi system someone spent more on than there house.
Leave the bass boosting and treble enhancements to the target audience.
The track should sound good on a variety of different systems, from small portable speakers to large studio monitors.
Ill even go as far as playing a track when its done on a few different devices just to check my work.
In conclusion, mastering electronic music is a crucial step in the production process.
It’s important to understand what mastering is and what it’s meant to accomplish, to avoid the loudness wars, to use a high-quality reference track, to use EQ, compression and monitoring equipment with care and to take the time to listen to the track on different systems.
By following these tips and tricks, you can take your tracks to the next level and ensure that when someone hears your tracks for the first time it wont sound like shit.