Mastering And Mixing: Are They Different?
Mastering and mixing. Two terms that are often used interchangeably, but whose nature is diametrically opposed. What’s the real difference? Although both terms belong in different stages during the audio post-production process and share similar characteristics, they have marked differences.
The mixing process normally refers to what the vast majority of audio professionals call a ‘multi-track recording’, whereas the mastering process is basically delivering the final touch — the final touch sound and audio professionals apply to the whole mix. Let’s elaborate a bit more:
Mixing
As mentioned above, the mixing process ensures that all tracks and audio elements in a project work with each other as they’re supposed to. For instance, if we were talking about mixing a musical album, the mixing process would focus on getting all instruments and voice lines to work as a song. Mixing, simply put, is making sure that every sound, regardless of its nature, works together with other sounds and other sound elements.
Once the audio professional responsible for carrying out the mixing process considers the mix is good, the mastering process begins.
Mastering
Once the mixing process has been fully finished, the mastering process can begin. Think of this stage as giving the final touch. In fact, there’s no better analogy than to think about both mastering and mixing as if they were a car that’s about to pay a visit to the mechanic: the mixing part would mean getting all the parts working together again, and the mastering part would mean getting the best car wash ever.
The mastering process is supposed to take a much closer look at every sound element in the mix and make them sound in harmony; however, this has not always been the case. Back in 1948, when the first mastering engineers were born right when then magnetic tape recorder was booming, there was practically no master copy at all. Since records used to be recorded directly on 10-inch vinyl, having the chance to take a second look at how all those sound elements were working with each other was impossible.
10 years after the stereo vinyl came out, around 1956–1957, mastering engineers started to come up with ways to make all records sound a bit louder. In fact, the term “loudness” was kind of a big deal back then, and even considered an essential factor for attaining a much better radio playback and higher record sales. In parallel, all of these efforts to make records sound louder also ended up marking the birth of what we know as the loudness war that still goes on today.
Around 1982, 30 years after the events described above, the compact disc marked a historical turning point in the way the mastering process had been initially conceived. Vinyl masters were totally replaced by the digital era, although many analog tools remained the same. Be that as it may, around 1989, with the arrival of the first digital audio workstation (DAW) and the first mastering software, that reality changed — by offering a mind-blowing and high-end alternative to the traditional mastering process, the digital turned everything upside-down.
Deconstructing The Mastering Process
Mastering, as part of the whole audio and sound post-production process, comes with its own complexities and intricacies. Here are some of the most common and traditional techniques applied by audio professionals today:
Audio Restoration
This technique is about fixing all possible alterations in the original mix. A mastering engineer or sound professional takes a closer look at the mix looking for noises, clicks, pops or hiccups. It’s also a way to correct minor mistakes or alterations that can be noticed when enough amplification is applied to the un-mastered mix.
Stereo Enhancement
An audio or sound professional is responsible for dealing with the spatial balance (left to right) or of the mix being mastered. When carried out right, stereo enhancement allows audio and sound professionals to widen the mix, making it possible for such mix to sound bigger and much better.
Equalization
EQing or equalizations takes care of all spectral imbalances, improving all those elements that are supposed to stand out once enough amplification is applied on the mix. An ideal master should strive to be well-balanced and, of course, proportional. This means that no specific frequency ranges are going to be left sticking out. A well-balanced mix is a piece of audio that should be able to sound right on any platform, system, or device.
Compression
This technique allows sound and audio professionals to correct and improve the dynamic range of the whole mix. By keeping an eye on all louder signals, mastering engineers can make quieter parts stand out a little bit more in order to reach a certain balance. This way the mix can finally have the required level of uniformity.
