Mastering

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Introduction
A good mix is the difference between a "poor" song and a professional-like one. Then we can say that the mix is the song, the final product ready-to-listen.

To get a good mix is not an easy task and it requires a lot of time, patience and ear-training (and why not, some tricks too).

Elements of the Mastering Phase
The most important tools used for mastering are the following:

1. Mixer

2. Compressor

3. Equalizer

Mastering Hints and Tips
About global final mastering...

1.	Listen your song without any soundcard EQ (i.e flat), otherwise you will be deceived about your EQ settings during mastering.

2.	Listen your song with as many different speakers in different situations as you can (headphones, desktop speakers, Hi-Fi speakers, in your car, speakers in a different size room etc.). You can test if the song will sound as you want, independently from your usual mastering situation.

3.	Listen your song in mono (left and right stereo channels mixed together - you can do this in Audacity or a similar program). This is a useful trick to detect frequency conflicts that can be hidden due to the stereo position (your song will sound better even if someone is listening to it in mono - many clubs play music in mono to avoid frequency interference).

About bass performance...

1.	Listen your bass part at low volume... if you can hear it properly, it is well treated. Be aware, however that this may depend on your speakers - good equalisation and compression will mean that you will still hear it in your mix without it sounding too loud or soft.

Final trick...

If it sounds fine... Why do you need to modify anything?

Credits
Angelus

TranceMyriad - fixed some spelling, grammar, condensed a couple of points, added a few things here and there - you can tell because I used British/Australian spelling, not American!

Page Version
2005.10.01-02:46GMT 2005.02.28-22:22GMT