

Depending on the quality of your mix, you might need some high Q value, surgical reduction on certain frequencies. Mid-side EQ is especially useful for taking out bass on the side channels. Reductive EQ – Take out the unnecessary frequencies, especially in the sub bass areas.

Add the following plugins ON YOUR PRE-MASTER TRACK – NOT THE MASTER BUSS!! If you do, they will affect the ghost track, too, which makes it completely useless for reference. Reference your ghost track every step of the way. Also, add a spectrum analyser onto each track so you can compare frequencies (SPAN by Voxengo is free). Match the levels with a VU metre so they sound of similar loudness (I use the Klanghelm VUMT metre), and bump it around 0 with a -18DB calibration. Load in a comparison (or "ghost song") into a second track, of the same genre, with similar musical elements, that sounds how you want your finished master to sound. AIFF file of your song to be mastered into a track in your DAW. Nothing can substitute a great mix BEFORE the mastering stage.Įvery track you master requires different treatment, but the mastering chain is usually similar. You'll get the maximum benefit from the video with good quality monitors or headphones.

In the video, I’m mastering a house track, but the fundamentals can be applied to ANY genre of modern music, e.g. Here's a link to the vid ( ) which pretty much goes through the following steps: I've also included my 7 step process I use to master pretty much any track. I've recorded a video-walkthrough of a mastering project I recently undertook for a record label.
