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10 Critical Mastering Mistakes You Should Avoid | Are You Listening? Season 6, EP 1
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Aspiring and intermediate audio engineers seeking to refine their mastering workflow.
TL;DR
Jonathan Wyner shares mastering pitfalls like over-relying on EQ matching, ignoring gain staging, and chasing loudness targets. He advises using references loosely, preserving mix intent, and prioritizing listening over visual tools. Practical Ozone demos illustrate common errors.
Key Takeaways
- Fixing issues in the mix yields better results than relying on mastering to correct problems, as mastering should enhance rather than repair.
- Using reference tracks to match EQ curves exactly can ruin a master; references should guide general tone and dynamics, not dictate precise matches.
- Targets like -14 LUFS or tonal balance curves are guidelines, not rules; following them blindly can stifle creativity and produce subpar results.
- Gain staging is largely irrelevant in modern DAWs due to floating-point math, but it matters when using analog emulations that respond to input level.
- Always start a mastering session by listening critically to the track before relying on visual tools, as over-reliance on meters can distract from artistic intent.
- Headroom is essential when processing analog emulations; starting with peaks near zero dBFS forces you to reduce level to avoid unwanted coloration.
- Match EQ tools can reveal tonal differences between tracks, but applying them with smoothing and reduced amount yields subtle, useful adjustments.
In This Video
- 00:00Welcome to Season Six
Jonathan Wyner introduces the episode about mastering mistakes and creative freedom.
- 00:52Fix It in the Mix
Avoid relying on mastering to fix mix issues; address them earlier for better results.
- 01:37Using References Wisely
References help guide tone and dynamics, but don't match exactly; use them for general sense.
- 03:06Match EQ Demonstration
Shows how to use Match EQ in Ozone and warns against over-matching tracks.
- 05:28Beware of Targets
Loudness and tonal balance targets are guidelines, not strict rules to follow.
- 07:14Gain Staging in Modern DAWs
Gain staging matters for analog emulations but not for digital processing.
- 09:59Listen Before You Look
Always start by listening to the track before relying on visualizations and tools.
Questions & Answers
What are common mastering mistakes?
Jonathan Wyner discusses mistakes like trying to fix mix issues in mastering, over-relying on EQ matching, and ignoring gain staging for analog emulations.
How to use reference tracks in mastering?
Use references to inform tone, dynamics, and level, but avoid matching exactly. The Match EQ tool can show differences, but apply smoothing and subtle adjustments.
Should I match loudness targets like -14 LUFS?
No, don't set all masters to -14 LUFS. Streaming targets are for services, not your master. Your artist may want a hotter level.
Is gain staging important in modern DAWs?
Gain staging is less critical with floating point math, but for analog emulations, keep levels around -16 RMS with headroom to control coloration.
How to avoid over-processing in mastering?
Start by listening, not looking at visuals. Use subtle EQ and compression, and don't try to fix mix problems in mastering.
Key Terms
- Match EQ — A tool in Ozone that compares tonal balance of a track to a reference, but should be used with smoothing and subtlety.
- Gain staging — Managing signal levels to avoid distortion or unwanted coloration, especially in analog emulation plugins.
- Loudness normalization — Streaming services adjust playback level to a target (e.g., -14 LUFS), but masters shouldn't be limited to that.