Audio Mastering: the complete guide

We can describe mastering as the final process in audio and music production. In this stage, we optimize the track's mix and final volume to get a professional result. Mastering can improve the quality of a music production and get it ready for commercial distribution. This could be done for CD, TV, the Internet, video games, etc.

"A way of maximizing music to make it more effective for the listener as well as maybe maximizing it in a competitive way for the industry." -Bernie Grundman

"Mastering is the last creative step in the music production process, the bride between mixing and replication.. -Bob Katz 

Mastering aims to make your audio sound properly on any kind of audio system, device or application (home system, earphones, club, theaters, etc.). A well-mastered song will have the right volume, avoiding those unpleasant volume changes from song to song. Mastering also brings more clarity and punch to the music, so it can compete with other professional productions.

In this new course, you will learn the most common audio processes for mastering music. The concepts learned in this course can be applied to any kind of audio project. All this knowledge comes from the experience of great mastering engineers, like Bob Katz, Greg Calbi, Bernie Grundman, Bob Ludwig, Doug Sax, among others.

With practice and patience while following the recommendations, you will get better results each time and your music will sound more professional and well-finished.

A course designed for a step-by-step approach

This course has been designed to be clear and effective. Each lesson explains the most important topics related to music mastering in a clear and direct way. You can study a couple of lessons in just 15 minutes each day! It takes you in a step-by-step process, from file selection to audio bouncing for CD or web platforms (Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, etc.). The lessons include topics like:

• Monitoring considerations

• Audio file Editing and noise reduction

• Equalization techniques

• Dynamics processing

• Serial, parallel and multiband processing

• Compression techniques

• Control and balance of stereo image

• Stereo L-R vs M-S processing

• Use of reverb and harmonic enhancers in mastering

• Limiters and levels for CD and streaming platforms

• Loudness, LUFS and dBs

• Dithering

All these techniques can be applied on any music style: Pop, rock, latin, hip-hop, EDM, urbano, ballad, country, etc. The information in the course is also valuable for other kinds of audio productions, like:

• Video game audio

• Audio for Video

• Podcast production

• Audio for mobile or web Apps

• Multimedia

  
  

At the end of the course, you will get the knowledge and examples to start mastering your own songs and music productions. You will know how to use your available audio plugins (VST, AU, AAX, etc) in a mastering setup.

You only need any DAW (Logic, Pro Tools, Cubase, Ableton Live, etc.) and its native processors (plugins) to get started!*

Current students comment:

"A very complete course. Perfectly explained, there was no need to review again one lesson since it is explained on detail with visual examples and documentation. It is important that you must practice to improve your ear and be able to fully master the audio mastering." Daniel Hurtado

"This was just what I was looking for. I got a clear basic picture of what is the mastering process order and tools for it. Now it's up to me to start using it in practice, but at least I have a good basic course done as a foundation." Juha Mäkelä

"I am blown away by this course! By lesson 12 and using 12-year-old Garageband 09', I have been able to improve the quality of my very amateur indie tracks that I plan to release after this course." Lake Smith

You will be guided by a certified audio instructor, with more than 18 years of teaching experience at all levels, from seminars to college-level classes and a top instructor on Udemy, so academic quality is guaranteed. Join more than 12,000 students worldwide and learn more about audio!

*The course shows the use of specialized mastering processors, like iZotope Ozone, yet the use of these processors is optional.

**Este curso también está disponible en español.