Audio Mastering Course

Lesson 1 • Loudness, Dynamics, and Perception

Explains how human hearing perceives loudness and dynamic contrast. Connects psychoacoustic principles to practical mastering decisions.

Lesson 2 • What Mastering Actually Does

Defines mastering as the final creative and technical step before distribution. Establishes how it differs from mixing and why it matters for commercial releases.

Lesson 3 • Setting Up a Mastering Session

Covers DAW configuration, file import standards, and session organisation for mastering. Proper setup prevents technical errors before any processing begins.

Lesson 1 • Choosing and Calibrating Monitors

Guides selection of studio monitors and headphones and explains calibration to a reference SPL. Calibrated monitoring ensures consistent loudness decisions across sessions.

Lesson 2 • Ear Training for Mastering

Trains frequency identification, dynamic sensitivity, and stereo imaging perception. These skills directly accelerate EQ, compression, and width decisions in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Building an Accurate Monitoring Environment

Covers room acoustics, speaker placement, and acoustic treatment principles. A neutral monitoring environment is the prerequisite for trustworthy mastering judgments.

Lesson 1 • EQ Types and Their Characteristics

Surveys parametric, shelving, high-pass, and linear-phase EQ designs and their sonic signatures. Knowing each type's behaviour guides appropriate tool selection for every mastering task.

Lesson 2 • Mid-Side EQ Processing

Introduces M/S EQ to treat the centre and sides of a stereo mix independently. M/S EQ solves problems inaccessible to standard stereo EQ and expands creative options.

Lesson 3 • Creative and Tonal EQ Shaping

Uses broad, musical EQ moves to enhance air, warmth, and presence in a master. Creative EQ elevates the emotional impact of a track beyond mere correction.

Lesson 4 • EQ Gain Staging and Workflow

Covers output gain compensation, A/B comparison, and EQ order within the mastering chain. Disciplined EQ workflow prevents cumulative level errors and biased listening.

Lesson 1 • Compression Fundamentals for Mastering

Explains threshold, ratio, attack, release, and knee in the context of mastering a full mix. Mastering compression requires subtlety that differs significantly from mix bus compression.

Lesson 2 • Limiting and Loudness Maximisation

Covers brick-wall limiting to achieve competitive loudness while preserving audio quality. Limiting is the final dynamics stage before metering and export.

Lesson 3 • Expansion and Transient Shaping

Uses expanders and transient shapers to restore dynamic life to over-compressed mixes. These tools complement compression by adding back attack and release character.

Lesson 4 • Multiband Compression Techniques

Teaches frequency-specific dynamic control using multiband compressors. Multiband processing solves low-end pumping and high-frequency inconsistency without affecting the full spectrum.

Lesson 1 • Stereo Width Enhancement Tools

Covers stereo wideners, M/S processors, and Haas-effect tools for expanding the stereo image. Each tool has specific use cases and risks that must be understood before application.

Lesson 2 • Stereo Field Fundamentals

Explains stereo width, phantom centre, and the relationship between mono and stereo content. A solid understanding of the stereo field underpins all imaging decisions in mastering.

Lesson 3 • Phase Coherence and Mono Compatibility

Identifies phase issues that cause cancellation when a master is summed to mono. Phase-coherent masters translate reliably across all playback systems.

Lesson 1 • Dynamic Range Preservation Strategies

Balances competitive loudness with sufficient dynamic range to maintain musical expression. Preserving dynamics differentiates high-quality masters from over-limited releases.

Lesson 2 • Broadcast and Physical Media Standards

Explains loudness standards for broadcast television, film, and physical formats such as CD. Meeting these standards is mandatory for professional delivery in non-streaming contexts.

Lesson 3 • Streaming Platform Loudness Targets

Covers the integrated loudness normalisation targets used by major streaming services. Mastering to platform targets prevents unwanted gain reduction that diminishes dynamic impact.

Lesson 1 • High-Resolution and Lossless Formats

Covers 24-bit and 32-bit float delivery, high-sample-rate masters, and lossless codec requirements. High-resolution formats demand stricter gain staging and dithering discipline.

Lesson 2 • Spatial Audio and Immersive Formats

Introduces Dolby Atmos and binaural mastering workflows for immersive audio delivery. Spatial formats require new monitoring setups and loudness targets distinct from stereo mastering.

Lesson 3 • Vinyl Mastering Considerations

Explains the physical constraints of vinyl cutting and how they shape mastering decisions. Vinyl masters require specific low-end, stereo, and loudness adjustments unavailable in digital formats.

Lesson 4 • CD and Physical Media Mastering

Addresses Red Book CD standards, track spacing, PQ coding, and DDP image creation. Physical media mastering requires precise technical compliance beyond standard audio processing.

Lesson 1 • Building a Consistent Processing Chain

Defines a logical processor order and explains the rationale behind each placement decision. A consistent chain reduces decision fatigue and produces predictable, repeatable results.

Lesson 2 • Album Sequencing and Cohesion

Covers track ordering, level matching, tonal consistency, and spacing across an album master. Album mastering requires cohesion decisions that go beyond processing individual tracks.

Lesson 3 • Delivery, Documentation, and Client Communication

Covers file naming conventions, delivery formats, revision handling, and client reporting. Professional delivery practices distinguish reliable mastering engineers from technically skilled but disorganised ones.

Lesson 4 • Quality Control and Final Checks

Implements a structured QC checklist covering technical specs, playback tests, and metadata. Rigorous QC prevents costly recalls and protects professional reputation.