AKARSH SHEKHAR
Differences between
MIXING AND
MASTERING
The differences: How to mix: How to master:
Mixing creates a balance between
individual elements whereas
mastering gives your track a final
polish. You can create a mix without
mastering it, but you can’t master a
recording without mixing it first. When someone’s done recording
individual tracks, it's the time to mix.
To make a rough mix, give each track
an informative name. “Ld Vox” is
easier than “audio_track_14.wav.”
Instantiate gain plug-ins on each
track to ensure that they are not too
loud, not too soft, and about the same
volume. Use your DAW’s faders to
roughly approximate the levels for each
track. Then, pan each track to create a
balanced soundstage, while also giving
each element its own spatial location. When your mix is finished, mastering
is done to polish your mix up to its
finest version and prepare it for
distribution on CD, vinyl, or the
internet. During mastering, you use
linear-phase EQs, compressors, brick
wall limiters, and vibe-enhancing
effects like character EQs, stereo
wideners, and tape saturation to give
your mix a radio-friendly sound.
Sufficient metering is also vital.
A simple rock or pop mixing can
contain 32 separate tracks, while
complex projects can have track
arrangements counts in the hundreds.
Mastering sessions consist of one
stereo or multitrack file per song,
or possibly multiple stems.
At both the mixing and mastering
stages, you’re striving to achieve
balance. During mixing, you’re
balancing individual instruments.
During mastering, you’re balancing
complete songs and spectral broad
strokes that affect the entire song.
The mixing process is about enhancing
the artist’s vision, making sure that the
original emotional intent is conveyed.
Mastering, on the other hand, is focused
on sound quality. It ensures that the
song sounds just as good (or better)
than everybody else’s initial intent.
Mixing gives you access to every
instrument in a song. During mastering,
you only have access to the final mix.
This makes altering the balance between
individual elements much more difficult.
Next, apply high pass filters, low pass
filters, and EQ to the tracks to carve out
space for each element and to establish
a tonally balanced mix. Compressors
are employed to manipulate and
contain each track’s dynamic range.
Additional EQ and compression, as
well as reverb, delay, modulation,
saturation, and other creative effects are
also applied to each track (and can also
be applied to the entire mix, depending
on your taste and preferences).
Throughout the mixing process,
you’ll be editing, adjusting pitch
and time, manipulating fades,
tweaking track levels, and applying
automation. It’s important that your
mix sounds equally great on a wide
range of playback systems. That’s
why it’s important to audition your
mix on headphones or earbuds.
Mastering is all about subtlety. If your
mix needs to be drastically transformed
to make it sound right, you should
probably go back to the mixing stage
and figure out what went wrong.
Aside from providing sonic sweetening,
mastering is the stage where an album
is assembled. Adjust the volume of
each individual song or add spacing
and fades to the beginnings and
endings of the songs — two seconds
is the standard (not mandatory).
Finally, label song names, add UPC/
EAN codes, CD Text, and ISRCs.
Lastly, wait for a while after your mix
is finished before starting the mastering
process. This helps you regain the
perspective and objectivity you’ve
undoubtedly lost while you were slaving
over your mix. Having somebody else
master your mix is an even better idea.
Both mixing and mastering are
complex subjects and now you
know their differences.
The
Score Magazine
highonscore.com
35