Music mastering is a vital stage of the music production process. It allows you to enhance and balance the overall sound quality of your music project. In the past, music mastering meant going to a professional studio to get your music tracks polished. But now, mastering is possible online, and you can have your tracks mastered to a professional standard without breaking the bank. In this blog post, we’re going to take a closer look at the process of online audio mastering, and give you a step-by-step guide on how to achieve it.
Step 1: Choose a reputable mastering service online
When it comes to online music mastering, you’ll be spoilt for choice with the number of services available. It’s important to choose a reputable service that has a proven track record and testimonials from happy customers. Make sure you choose a service that guarantees high-quality results and allows you to hear a sample of their work before you pay for the service.
Step 2: Upload your tracks
Once you’ve chosen your online mastering service, you’ll need to upload your tracks. You can usually do this via a secure online portal or by using a file-sharing service. It’s crucial to ensure that your tracks are in the right format and that they meet the requirements of the service provider. Typically the tracks need to be in .wav or .aiff format, at a minimum of 44.1kHz with 16 or 24 bits.
Step 3: Provide information about your tracks
Your online mastering service will require some details about your music tracks before they start mastering them. Things like the genre, style, context of the music, and any specific requests you have about the end result, will be needed. Be sure to provide as much information as possible so the mastering engineer can understand what you want to achieve with your music project.
Step 4: Review the master
Once your tracks have been mastered, the online music mastering service will usually send you a final review copy so you can check the results. Make sure you listen to the tracks carefully to ensure that they meet your expectations. If you’re happy with the results, you can download the final version. But, if you’re not satisfied with any aspect of the master, make sure you tell the mastering engineer what you don’t like and what you’d like to change.
Step 5: Download the final master and use it
Once you’ve approved the final master version, you can download it and use it in your music project. Having your music project professionally mastered gives your tracks a consistent and commercial sound quality and will improve their overall sound quality. You can use this final version to distribute your music to streaming services, radio stations, and record stores.
Conclusion:
As you can see, the process of online music mastering is relatively straightforward and can save you time and money compared to traditional studio mastering. It allows you to achieve a professional sound quality that will enhance your music project. Just remember to choose a reputable service, give detailed information about your tracks, and review the final version carefully. By following these steps, you can achieve professional sounding music at a fraction of the cost.
