Audio Mastering Procedures

Gain Adjustment - Set the level of the track to target loudness, generally -16, -14, -12, or -9 LUFS integrated
depending on the target medium.

Youlean Loudness Meter 2 shown with specified settings

Corrective EQ – Reduce frequencies that are consistently problematic.

- Low Cut anywhere up to 50Hz 6 dB/octave bandwidth to tighten up perceivable bass
frequencies.
- Low Mid Cut 100-350Hz if the track sounds boomy, dense, muddy, or lacks clarity and definition.
- Vocal Clarity boost in the 1kHz-5kHz range for vocal clarity in the mid channel, while cutting the
same frequencies in the side channel.
- Reducing Stereo Low Frequencies below 200Hz in the side channel tightens up the stereo
balance and bass response in mid channel.

UAD bx digital V3 shown with specified settings, also try Fabfilter Pro Q3, TDR SlickEQ M, UAD MDWEQ-5B, UAD Cambridge, and
UAD Oxford EQ
Multiband Compression/Dynamic EQ/De-Esser - Use to correct intermittent mix dynamic or
frequency anomalies.

Fabfilter Pro MB show, also try TDR Nova, UAD Precision Multiband and UAD Oxford Dynamic EQ

Clean Compression - Gently tames transients and reduces dynamic range and peak-loudness ratio.
- Common settings: ratio 1.5:1, attack time set between 20 and 40ms, release at 100ms
- Release time can be set to slightly longer than a beat: divide 60,000 by your track’s BPM

UAD Elysia Alpha Master shown, also try TDR Kotelnikov or Fabfilter Pro C2

Color EQ - Analog EQ enhances the tonal character of the track.

- Low-end shelf boost below 100Hz.
- Low-mid boost in the 200-500Hz range can give a fuller sound.
- High-mid boost in the 1kHz-7kHz range can bring out the vocals, snare brightness, and overall
increase in clarity.
- Top-end Air shelf boost above 8kHz can give the track an airy, crisp sound or add a "glossy sheen."

UAD Manley Massive Passive MST shown with specified settings, also try UAD EQP-1A, UAD Dangerous BAX EQ Master, UAD
Chandler Limited Curve Bender, UAD Millenia NSEQ-2
Color Compressor - Analog compressor enhances the tonal character and further reduces the dynamic
range and peak-loudness ratio.

UAD Manley Variable Mu shown, also try UAD Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor, UAD API 2500, UAD Fairchild 670, UAD Tube-
Tech CL-1B, UAD Summit Audio TLA-100A

Stereo or M/S Widener - Expands the stereo spectrum of the track to make it seem bigger.

UAD Precision K-Stereo Shown, also try BX Solo or Voxengo MSED

Harmonic Exciter - Adds high-frequency presence to an otherwise dark or dull-sounding track.

UAD SPL Vitalizer MK2-T shown, also try UAD Precision Enhancer Hz, and UAD Precision Enhancer kHz

Limiter - Prevents the audio from exceeding a specified threshold, usually -1dBfs.

UAD Oxford Limiter shown with specified limiter and dither settings, also try UAD Precision Limiter, Fabfilter Pro L 2, or TDR Limiter 6
Dither - Reduces bit depth from 24-bit mix resolution to 16-bit resolution using TPDF shaping.

General Tips:
-Constantly bypass your processing to compare your moves to the original track in order to make sure
that your processing is actually making the track sound better.
-Gainstage through each processor carefully to ensure you are objectively hearing differences instead
of being fooled by “louder is better.”
- Typically, no more than 2 dB of compression or EQ is added or removed during mastering. If more
than 2 dB is needed, this generally reveals that there is a problem in the mix.

Mastering Compressor Tips and Tricks

Following are some tricks and tips for mastering compressors:
•Gain changes on the compressor caused by the drums can pull down
the level of the vocals and bass and cause overall volume changes in
the program.
•Slower release settings will usually keep the gain changes less audible but will also lower the perceived
volume.
•A slow attack setting will tend to ignore drums and other fast signals,
but will still react to the vocals and bass.
•A slow attack setting might also allow a transient to overload the
next piece of equipment in the chain.
•If the source is too percussive or has loud drums in the mix, try
adjusting the attack and release controls.
•Sometimes fast attack and medium release help tame drums.
•Fast attack and release settings tend to reduce transients.
•Usually only the fastest settings can make a unit pump.
•Slower release settings tend to be the most inaudible.
•The more bouncy the level meter seems, the more likely that the
compression will be audible.
•Generally speaking, the trick with compression in mastering is to use
a slow release and less (usually much less) than 5 dB of compression.
•Quiet passages that are too loud and noisy are usually a giveaway
that you are seriously over-compressing.