Mastering for Beginners: Complete Guide

🎯 What Is Mastering?

Mastering achieves 3 goals:

1. Tonal balance: Fix frequency issues across the full spectrum
2. Loudness: Match commercial release levels
3. Consistency: Glue the mix together, prepare for distribution

Key rule: Mastering fixes small issues. If your mix is broken, go back and fix the mix (mastering can't save a bad mix).

🔗 Standard Mastering Chain

1. Metering (LUFS meter)
2. EQ (broad strokes)
3. Compression (glue)
4. Stereo Enhancement (optional)
5. Saturation (optional warmth)
6. Limiting (final loudness)
7. Dithering (if exporting to 16-bit)

1️⃣ Mastering EQ: Subtle Corrections

Approach

• Broad Q: Wide bell curves (0.5-1.0 Q), not surgical cuts
• Small boosts/cuts: ±1-3dB maximum
• Linear phase: Avoid phase issues (FabFilter Pro-Q, iZotope Ozone)

Common Adjustments

• High-pass filter: Cut below 30Hz (remove rumble)
• Low-end: +1dB at 60-80Hz if thin
• Mud: -2dB at 300-500Hz if muddy
• Presence: +1-2dB at 3-5kHz if dull
• Air: +1dB at 10-12kHz for brightness

2️⃣ Mastering Compression: Glue

Settings

• Ratio: 1.5:1 to 3:1 (subtle!)
• Threshold: -3dB to -6dB
• Attack: Slow (30-50ms) to preserve transients
• Release: Auto or match song tempo
• Gain reduction: 1-3dB maximum (NOT 6-10dB like mixing!)

Plugin Recommendations

• SSL G-Master Buss Compressor: Classic glue
• FabFilter Pro-C 2: Transparent
• Slate Digital FG-Grey: Color

3️⃣ Stereo Enhancement: Width

When to Use

• If mix sounds narrow/mono
• Electronic music (techno, house)

How to Do It Safely

• M/S EQ: Boost sides at 8-12kHz (+1dB max)
• Stereo width plugin: 105-110% max (NOT 150%!)
• Check mono: Always fold to mono to ensure compatibility

Warning: Too much width = phase issues + weak on clubs/phones.

4️⃣ Saturation: Warmth & Glue

Why Add Saturation

• Adds analog warmth
• Generates harmonics (perceived loudness)
• Glues mix together

Plugins

• Soundtoys Decapitator: Aggressive color
• Slate Digital VTM: Tape emulation
• iZotope Ozone Exciter: Subtle harmonics

Settings: Drive low (10-20%), mix at 20-30%.

5️⃣ Limiting: Final Loudness

What Is a Limiter?

A limiter is a brick-wall compressor (∞:1 ratio) that prevents peaks from exceeding 0dBFS.

Settings

• Ceiling: -0.3dBTP (true peak) for streaming
• Input gain: Increase until target LUFS reached
• Release: Fast (auto) to avoid pumping

Best Limiters

• FabFilter Pro-L 2: Transparent, industry standard
• iZotope Ozone Maximizer: Intelligent limiting
• Waves L2: Classic aggressive sound

📊 LUFS Targets for Streaming

What Is LUFS?

LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) = perceptual loudness standard used by streaming platforms.

Target LUFS by Platform

Recommendations

• Streaming release: -14 LUFS integrated (Spotify standard)
• Club banger: -8 to -10 LUFS (more punch)
• Dynamic genres (jazz, classical): -16 to -18 LUFS (preserve dynamics)

How to Check LUFS

• Youlean Loudness Meter (FREE)
• iZotope Insight 2
• Waves WLM Plus

6️⃣ Dithering: Final Export

What Is Dithering?

Dithering adds noise to reduce digital distortion when converting from 24-bit to 16-bit (CD quality).

When to Dither

• YES: Exporting to 16-bit WAV (CD, streaming upload)
• NO: Staying in 24-bit (archival master)

Settings

• Type: TPDF or POW-r 2
• Noise shaping: Moderate (pushes noise above hearing range)

Important: Dither ONCE at the very end. Never dither twice.

✅ Complete Mastering Workflow

1. Import mix: Ensure -6dB headroom (NOT hitting 0dBFS)
2. Add LUFS meter: Monitor loudness
3. EQ: Broad corrections (±1-2dB)
4. Compress: 1-3dB gain reduction for glue
5. Saturate (optional): 10-20% drive, 30% mix
6. Limit: Push to target LUFS (-14 for streaming)
7. Check: Mono, different speakers, reference track
8. Export: 24-bit WAV (master), 16-bit with dither (distribution)

❌ Common Mistakes to Avoid

• ❌ Over-limiting: -6 LUFS = lifeless, distorted
• ❌ Too much compression: Should be 1-3dB, not 10dB
• ❌ Extreme stereo width: Phase issues in mono
• ❌ No headroom in mix: Start with -6dB master level
• ❌ Fixing mix problems: Mastering can't fix bad balances