What Is Mastering?
Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device (the master), the source from which all copies will be produced (via methods such as pressing, duplication or replication). In recent years digital masters have become usual, although analog masters, such as audio tapes, are still being used by the manufacturing industry, notably by a few engineers who have chosen to specialize in analog mastering.
Mastering requires critical listening; however, software tools exist to facilitate the process. Results still depend upon the intent of the engineer, the accuracy of the speaker monitors, and the listening environment. Mastering engineers may also need to apply corrective equalization and dynamic compression in order to optimize sound translation on all playback systems. It is standard practice to make a copy of a master recording, known as a safety copy, in case the master is lost, damaged or stolen.
Why Is Mastering important?
As a recording artist/creative professional over the course of your career, you have probably heard the terms mixing and mastering and have come to the realization that you can’t have one without the other. But somewhere in the back of your mind you often wonder what is mastering and why is it so important in the record-making process and why do artist even do it. Well, let’s look at mastering as the finish polish on a car right before it gets to the dealership ready to be sold. That’s what mastering is, it’s the finish polish enhancing all the beauty of your record and making it ready to be presented to the masses. Mastering is important not only because it adds the final polish, but it also allows you the means to properly track the sales and distribution of your music and audio content as well as allows you the option to have your audio content as loud as it can be without violating various laws and regulations. By having your records mastered; it allows your audience to hear your content in an entirely new perspective and realm which in return will allow you to make more money and focus on what you love most which is creating. So let us take all the technical guesswork out of your project and leave all the mixing and mastering work to us. Thanks for reading, click the button below to get your song or audio project mastered and check out the audio examples below of a mastered and unmastered song.
