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Audio Mastering Essentials

Learn the basic skills needed to master songs for today’s major formats and streaming platforms
Price $49.99
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24 Videos
2 Hours
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Learn How to Master Your Music Professionally

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Learn how to master professional-sounding tracks that will stand out on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music and all streaming platforms

  • Critical listening: How to adopt the mastering mentality
  • The 4-step mastering signal flow for wide, punchy, dynamic masters
  • Mastering for streaming: How to stay competitive on all platforms
  • Gain staging in mastering: How to keep your master chain in check
  • Problem solving in mastering: How to identify and fix problem areas
  • Mastering for different genres: How genre affects your decisions
Watch Course Intro

Course Highlights

  • Critical Listening: The Mastering Mentality

    The “mastering mentality” is different from your mindset when producing or mixing. Learn how to listen to your master track with a clear, methodical mind, how to use references properly, and how to adopt the more objective mindset needed when mastering.

    Features: Glue Mixes without “Squashing”
  • The 4-Step Mastering Signal Chain Flow

    Everything you do when mastering affects your entire track. So everything you do must be calculated and well thought out. We show you how to organize your mastering process systematically around four “blocks” of actions: 1. Headroom, 2. Shaping, 3. Coloring, and 4. Leveling.

    Features:
  • Must-Know Mastering Techniques

    Learn how to craft master tracks that are punchy, wide, dynamic, and exactly as loud as you need them to be: from proper gain staging of your mastering chain, to solving frequency issues, to creating pleasing color, warmth, saturation and tone, to smart automation techniques.

    Features: Fast and Efficient Operation
  • How to Meet Streaming Standards

    Make sure your final tracks are competitive with what’s out there: Learn to prepare your master tracks for the loudness standards, file format specs, and other requirements of the most popular streaming platforms including Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music.

    Features: From Vocals to “The Ringo Drum Sound”
  • Mastering for Different Genres

    Many core principles of mastering remain the same across genres. But approaches may vary depending on whether you are mastering a modern hip hop, pop or electronic production vs. an intimate acoustic track. We cover the differences and provide you with a different set of mastering templates for each.

    Features: Multiple Modes Fit Different Material
  • The Waves Mastering Template

    Save precious time while mastering, and easily practice every step shown in this course, with the included mastering templates for Pro Tools, Logic, Ableton Live, Cubase, and Studio One.

    Features: Precision Modeled Transformers
  • Get Your Waves Mastering Certificate

    Complete the course and all the included multiple-choice tests, and get your official Waves Education Certificate for Audio Mastering Essentials.

    Features: Multiple Modes Fit Different Material
Full Course Outline
24 Videos
2 Hours
5E17467C-04A9-4E87-B4D9-83F89C2115628 Plugins

This course is based on materials covered in the Waves Mixing Foundations course, which is included FREE with your purchase. To get the most out of Audio Mastering Essentials, it is highly recommended that you first complete Waves Mixing Foundations course.

  • 1.
    Choosing the Right Plugins for Mastering
  • 1.1
    Introduction to Audio Mastering Essentials
  • 1.2
    Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain: A Modern Mastering Classic
  • 1.3
    Mastering Equalizers: Introduction to the Waves PuigTec, RS56, and Linear Phase EQs
  • 1.4
    Colorful Bus Compressors: The Waves PuigChild 670 and API 2500 Compressors
  • 1.5
    Metering & Limiting: Waves WLM Plus and the L1, L2, and L3 Limiters
  • 1.6
    Test your knowledge - Module 1
  • 2.
    The Mastering Process & Creating a Dedicated Listening Environment
  • 2.1
    The Role of the Mastering Engineer: A Historic Overview
  • 2.2
    The Mastering Studio: Standards & Requirements
  • 2.3
    Your Monitor Controller and Listening Levels
  • 2.4
    Test your knowledge - Module 2
  • 3.
    Preparing the Session & Adopting the Proper Mastering Mentality
  • 3.1
    File Types: What You Need to Begin the Mastering Process
  • 3.2
    Critical Listening: The “Mastering Mentality”
  • 3.3
    Frequency Analysis: Where Are the Problems Hiding?
  • 3.4
    Test your knowledge - Module 3
  • 4.
    The Waves Mastering Template and Plugin Chain
  • 4.1
    Introduction to the Waves Mastering Template
  • 4.2
    Mastering Signal Flow Explained: Headroom, Shaping, Coloring and Leveling
  • 4.3
    Gain Staging Throughout the Chain
  • 4.4
    Test your knowledge - Module 4
  • 5.
    Mastering Different Genres: Artistic and Technical Considerations
  • 5.1
    Mastering Electronic Dance Music
  • 5.2
    Mastering an Intimate Acoustic Song
  • 5.3
    Automation in Mastering: Getting Better Gain Stage Control
  • 5.4
    Test your knowledge - Module 5
  • 6.
    File Formats: Delivering Your Files Professionally
  • 6.1
    Stem Mastering: A Flexible, Modern Approach to Mastering
  • 6.2
    File Formats and Streaming Platforms: Format Specs for Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
  • 6.3
    Test your knowledge - Module 6
  • 7.
    Music Business Tips: Surviving Client and Music Industry Relationships
  • 7.1
    Giving Your Feedback on the Mix: Understanding Your Place
  • 7.2
    The Feedback Chain of Command: Understanding Who is the Boss and Avoiding Novice Mistakes
  • 7.3
    Email Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts When Communicating with Your Client
  • 7.4
    Don’t Get Lost in Translation: Transforming Feedback into Actions
  • 7.5
    Deadlines: Strategy, Communication, and Surviving Impossible Timeframes
  • 7.6
    Test your knowledge - Module 7
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