final master stage

Many people tend to have a misunderstanding or misconception of WHAT mastering really is…and the best way to describe it is by comparing it to building a car. Imagine gathering all the parts you need to build a car - that’s songwriting. Imagine putting the car together into a running machine - that’s recording. Imagine painting the car, putting in the upholstery, tuning the engine, adjusting the suspension, putting on some sick rims, etc - that’s the mixing.

BUT…your new car isn’t SHOW READY.

You know when you see amazing automobiles at car shows or on display, they look pristine! They’ve got a new gloss coat, polished and wax, the interior and exterior have been detailed - it SHINES. That’s mastering.

Where mixing is focused on all the little details, all the bells and whistles, mastering is focused on the overall, top-to-bottom sonic picture of the entire record.

LISTEN TO THE FINAL MASTER

This is an example of a final master from Smart Boy Studios.

TECHNICAL INSIGHT

Mastering requires a complete different set of tools from recording or mixing. Of course EQ and Compression are still part of the equation, but there is a heavier focus on dynamic EQ, multi-band compression, stereo width, limiting and clipping. Every adjustment is made across the record as a whole, every bit of processing effects every sound through the entire song.

There is a specific process that I picked up from MixedByAli (the engineer for TDE - Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, SZA, ScHoolboy Q). I can’t share that with you, but it’s important to keep in mind that industry standards for mastering are constantly evolving. At Smart Boy Studios, the goal is to always be improving and providing the best that we can!