What You Need To Know
Have a question for us? Contact us or visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
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What is mastering? Why does my project need mastering?
Professional mastering is what makes recordings jump out of the speakers, adding crispness, punch, clarity, and often loudness, but also smoothing out rough edges – subtle or dramatic – and making songs within an album flow together.
We work hard to bring out the best in each mix, and to make sure the album (if applicable) flows well and feels like a cohesive product. After your project has been mastered, you can expect to hear any of the following, as is applicable:
- More definition
- Added depth, width, or space
- Cleaner or punchier low-end
- More open top-end
- Less “mud”
- More present lead vocal
- Increased overall loudness and presence
- Less obvious distortion
- Mitigated phasing issues
- Reduced room noise, hum, or clicks
- Elevated awesomeness
How is mastering different than mixing?
Professional mastering is what makes recordings jump out of the speakers, adding crispness, punch, clarity, and often loudness, but also smoothing out rough edges – subtle or dramatic – and making songs within an album flow together.
We work hard to bring out the best in each mix, and to make sure the album (if applicable) flows well and feels like a cohesive product. After your project has been mastered, you can expect to hear any of the following, as is applicable:
- More definition
- Added depth, width, or space
- Cleaner or punchier low-end
- More open top-end
- Less “mud”
- More present lead vocal
- Increased overall loudness and presence
- Less obvious distortion
- Mitigated phasing issues
- Reduced room noise, hum, or clicks
- Elevated awesomeness
What happens during the mastering process?
Professional mastering is what makes recordings jump out of the speakers, adding crispness, punch, clarity, and often loudness, but also smoothing out rough edges – subtle or dramatic – and making songs within an album flow together.
We work hard to bring out the best in each mix, and to make sure the album (if applicable) flows well and feels like a cohesive product. After your project has been mastered, you can expect to hear any of the following, as is applicable:
- More definition
- Added depth, width, or space
- Cleaner or punchier low-end
- More open top-end
- Less “mud”
- More present lead vocal
- Increased overall loudness and presence
- Less obvious distortion
- Mitigated phasing issues
- Reduced room noise, hum, or clicks
- Elevated awesomeness
Can my mixing engineer also master my project?
Professional mastering is what makes recordings jump out of the speakers, adding crispness, punch, clarity, and often loudness, but also smoothing out rough edges – subtle or dramatic – and making songs within an album flow together.
We work hard to bring out the best in each mix, and to make sure the album (if applicable) flows well and feels like a cohesive product. After your project has been mastered, you can expect to hear any of the following, as is applicable:
- More definition
- Added depth, width, or space
- Cleaner or punchier low-end
- More open top-end
- Less “mud”
- More present lead vocal
- Increased overall loudness and presence
- Less obvious distortion
- Mitigated phasing issues
- Reduced room noise, hum, or clicks
- Elevated awesomeness
What will my mixes sound like after mastering?
Professional mastering is what makes recordings jump out of the speakers, adding crispness, punch, clarity, and often loudness, but also smoothing out rough edges – subtle or dramatic – and making songs within an album flow together.
We work hard to bring out the best in each mix, and to make sure the album (if applicable) flows well and feels like a cohesive product. After your project has been mastered, you can expect to hear any of the following, as is applicable:
- More definition
- Added depth, width, or space
- Cleaner or punchier low-end
- More open top-end
- Less “mud”
- More present lead vocal
- Increased overall loudness and presence
- Less obvious distortion
- Mitigated phasing issues
- Reduced room noise, hum, or clicks
- Elevated awesomeness
How should I best prepare my mixes for mastering?
Professional mastering is what makes recordings jump out of the speakers, adding crispness, punch, clarity, and often loudness, but also smoothing out rough edges – subtle or dramatic – and making songs within an album flow together.
We work hard to bring out the best in each mix, and to make sure the album (if applicable) flows well and feels like a cohesive product. After your project has been mastered, you can expect to hear any of the following, as is applicable:
- More definition
- Added depth, width, or space
- Cleaner or punchier low-end
- More open top-end
- Less “mud”
- More present lead vocal
- Increased overall loudness and presence
- Less obvious distortion
- Mitigated phasing issues
- Reduced room noise, hum, or clicks
- Elevated awesomeness
What kind of guidance should I give the mastering engineer before starting?
Professional mastering is what makes recordings jump out of the speakers, adding crispness, punch, clarity, and often loudness, but also smoothing out rough edges – subtle or dramatic – and making songs within an album flow together.
We work hard to bring out the best in each mix, and to make sure the album (if applicable) flows well and feels like a cohesive product. After your project has been mastered, you can expect to hear any of the following, as is applicable:
- More definition
- Added depth, width, or space
- Cleaner or punchier low-end
- More open top-end
- Less “mud”
- More present lead vocal
- Increased overall loudness and presence
- Less obvious distortion
- Mitigated phasing issues
- Reduced room noise, hum, or clicks
- Elevated awesomeness
Do I need a physical master (CD/DVD), a digital master (DDP), or just WAV files?
Professional mastering is what makes recordings jump out of the speakers, adding crispness, punch, clarity, and often loudness, but also smoothing out rough edges – subtle or dramatic – and making songs within an album flow together.
We work hard to bring out the best in each mix, and to make sure the album (if applicable) flows well and feels like a cohesive product. After your project has been mastered, you can expect to hear any of the following, as is applicable:
- More definition
- Added depth, width, or space
- Cleaner or punchier low-end
- More open top-end
- Less “mud”
- More present lead vocal
- Increased overall loudness and presence
- Less obvious distortion
- Mitigated phasing issues
- Reduced room noise, hum, or clicks
- Elevated awesomeness
How much does mastering cost?
Professional mastering is what makes recordings jump out of the speakers, adding crispness, punch, clarity, and often loudness, but also smoothing out rough edges – subtle or dramatic – and making songs within an album flow together.
We work hard to bring out the best in each mix, and to make sure the album (if applicable) flows well and feels like a cohesive product. After your project has been mastered, you can expect to hear any of the following, as is applicable:
- More definition
- Added depth, width, or space
- Cleaner or punchier low-end
- More open top-end
- Less “mud”
- More present lead vocal
- Increased overall loudness and presence
- Less obvious distortion
- Mitigated phasing issues
- Reduced room noise, hum, or clicks
- Elevated awesomeness
Why should I select Vocal Mastering to handle my project?
Professional mastering is what makes recordings jump out of the speakers, adding crispness, punch, clarity, and often loudness, but also smoothing out rough edges – subtle or dramatic – and making songs within an album flow together.
We work hard to bring out the best in each mix, and to make sure the album (if applicable) flows well and feels like a cohesive product. After your project has been mastered, you can expect to hear any of the following, as is applicable:
- More definition
- Added depth, width, or space
- Cleaner or punchier low-end
- More open top-end
- Less “mud”
- More present lead vocal
- Increased overall loudness and presence
- Less obvious distortion
- Mitigated phasing issues
- Reduced room noise, hum, or clicks
- Elevated awesomeness
What other studios, producers, arrangers, and labels partner with Vocal Mastering?
Professional mastering is what makes recordings jump out of the speakers, adding crispness, punch, clarity, and often loudness, but also smoothing out rough edges – subtle or dramatic – and making songs within an album flow together.
We work hard to bring out the best in each mix, and to make sure the album (if applicable) flows well and feels like a cohesive product. After your project has been mastered, you can expect to hear any of the following, as is applicable:
- More definition
- Added depth, width, or space
- Cleaner or punchier low-end
- More open top-end
- Less “mud”
- More present lead vocal
- Increased overall loudness and presence
- Less obvious distortion
- Mitigated phasing issues
- Reduced room noise, hum, or clicks
- Elevated awesomeness
Vocal Mastering is the only dedicated mastering studio in the world that is focused exclusively on vocal music, from contemporary to choral.