top of page
Writer's picturePhil McDonald

Preparing your music for mastering


Preparing your music for mastering involves a number of important steps to ensure that the final product is of the highest quality. Here are some general steps you can follow:


Choose the right mastering engineer: Choose an experienced and reputable mastering engineer who has the skills and expertise to enhance the sound of your music.


Mix your tracks: Make sure that your tracks are mixed properly and sound good in their individual form. The mastering process is not meant to fix a poorly mixed track, so make sure that your mixes are as good as they can be before submitting them for mastering.


Leave headroom: Make sure that your mixes have enough headroom to accommodate the mastering process. Leave at least 3-6 dB of headroom to allow the mastering engineer to work their magic.


Use high-quality files: Submit high-quality, uncompressed files for mastering. WAV or AIFF files at a minimum of 44.1 kHz/24-bit are recommended.


Check for any errors: Before submitting your tracks for mastering, make sure that there are no errors, such as clicks, pops, or clipping.


Create a reference track: Create a reference track that represents how you want your final master to sound. This can help the mastering engineer understand your vision and preferences.

Provide notes: Provide notes and feedback to the mastering engineer about your preferences, the desired sound, and any specific elements you want to highlight or de-emphasize.


By following these steps, you can help ensure that your music is prepared properly for mastering and that the final product is of the highest quality.




11 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page