You’ve sat in front of a compressor plugin for 20 minutes, nudging the threshold, second-guessing the ratio, and trying to decide if 4 dB of gain reduction is “too much” on your vocal. You’re not alone. Most producers have been there. But there’s one number sitting in plain sight on your peak meter that answers … Read more
Mono compatibility is one of the most important checks in mastering. This guide explains why mono still matters, what to listen for when you fold your master to mono, and how to catch and fix phase problems before export.
The limiter is the most impactful plugin in any mastering chain. This guide explains how to use it correctly, what settings to use, how to read loudness meters, and why pushing a limiter too hard always makes a master worse.
Different genres need different mastering approaches. This guide covers the specific settings, loudness targets, and tonal considerations for hip-hop, pop, rock, metal, R&B, electronic music, and acoustic genres.
Stem mastering gives the mastering engineer more control than a stereo bounce without needing the full mix session. This guide explains what stems are, when to use them, how to export them correctly, and what stem mastering can and cannot fix.
Before mastering, your mix needs to meet specific technical requirements. This checklist covers headroom, gain staging, mono compatibility, low-end checks, and export format so your mix is ready to be mastered correctly.
The mastering chain order determines how well each processor works with the ones around it. This guide covers the correct order for EQ, compression, limiting, and optional tools like saturation and stereo widening.
LUFS is the measurement unit used to set loudness levels for music on streaming platforms. This guide explains what LUFS means, why it matters, and what numbers you should be targeting before you master.
Michael Brauer’s multibus compression uses four separate buses (A–D), each with its own compressor and tone. You send different groups (drums, strings, guitars, vocals) to each bus. This gives you control over tone and dynamics in each group, so nothing fights for space. This type of bus compression adds energy, color, and polish without squashing the whole mix.What … Read more
Andrew Scheps has a strange but effective trick. He glues and shapes his entire mix without using compression. Instead of squashing the sound, he lets it breathe. This mix bus chain keeps the energy alive, makes the chorus hit harder, and gives the mix a nice lift in both width and tone. It works with any genre and … Read more