Mastering is the process of putting tracks in order and making them sound uniform. If you thought your job was done with the mix, think again.
Instructions
1. Put the songs in order. This means adding a space between songs. Sometimes you might want a countdown for each song: 3-2-1-start. Sometimes you might want one song to run into the next, ala side two of "Abbey Road."
2. Fix any distortion-pops, clicks, or other noises. If it wasn't fixed in the mix, it can be fixed during mastering, but not always. Remixing may be necessary.
3. Sweeten the mix. This is the core of mastering. Using compressors, EQ, and limiters to broaden the sound and make it more rich. In a sense, this is where you mix the mix. Experiment--major changes in the amount of compression or EQ levels can change the dynamic of a song.
4. Make sure each song has-generally-the same sound and same level. You don't want one song to be louder than another.
5. Transfer the master to a type of media that can be replicated-usually a high-quality CD-R. In the old days, DATs were popular, but not so much anymore.
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