What Is Mastering?

The three main aspects of Mastering are:

• Quality Control: checking/correcting issues and errors, providing mixing feedback.
• Enhancement: making the mix sound at its best and highlighting key elements.
• Delivery: ensuring the technical aspects are correct for the final distribution destination.

Mastering is the final step of audio post-production. The purpose of mastering is to balance sonic elements of a stereo mix and optimise playback across all systems and media formats. Traditionally, mastering is done using tools like equalisation, compression, limiting and stereo enhancement.

What Is Mixing?
Mixing is the stage after Production that comes before final Mastering.

While Production is the creation of sounds and arrangement, Mixing bridges the gap to ensure everything created is balanced and sitting together in perfect harmony before Mastering provides the final polish.