Audio Mastering: the complete guide

Course details

We can describe mastering as the final process in audio and music production. In this stage, we optimize the track's mix and final volume to get a professional result. Mastering can improve the quality of a music production and get it ready for commercial distribution.

"A way of maximizing music to make it more effective for the listener as well as maybe maximizing it in a competitive way for the industry." -Bernie Grundman

"Mastering is the last creative step in the music production process, the bride between mixing and replication.. -Bob Katz 

In this new course, you will learn the most common audio processes for mastering music. The concepts learned in this course can be applied to any kind of audio project. All this knowledge comes from the experience of great mastering engineers, like: Bob Katz, Greg Calbi, Bernie Grundman, Bob Ludwig, Doug Sax, among others.

A course designed for a step-by-step approach

This course has been designed to be clear and effective. Each lesson explains the most important topics related to music mastering in a clear and direct way. It takes you in a step-by-step process, from file selection to audio bouncing for CD or web platforms (iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, etc.). The lessons include topics like:

• Monitoring considerations
• Editing and noise reduction
• Equalization
• Different compression techniques
• Control of stereo image
• Use of reverb and harmonic enhancers in mastering
• Limiters and level metering
• Dithering

All these techniques can be applied for any music style: Pop, rock, latin, hip-hop, EDM, ballads, country, etc.

At the end of the course you will get the knowledge and examples to start mastering your own songs and music productions. This will improve the final quality of your music, videos, podcasts, video games, recordings, etc.

You only need any DAW (Logic, Pro Tools, Cubase, Ableton Live, etc.) and its native processors (plugins) to get started!*

You will be guided by a certified audio instructor, with more than 15 years of teaching experience at all levels, from seminars to college-level classes, so academic quality is guaranteed!

*The course shows the use of specialized mastering processors, like iZotope Ozone, yet the use of these processors is optional.