In the music industry, there are a variety of software programs and services that are considered to be industry standard for mastering audio. This article will provide an overview of some of the most popular and widely used mastering software programs and services. Mastering is the process of taking recorded audio and making it sound its best before it is released to the public. This includes adjusting the levels, EQ, compression, and other audio properties. A good mastering engineer will have a keen ear for detail and know how to use the various tools at their disposal to make a track sound its absolute best.
There is no one industry standard mastering software service, although there are a few that are widely used by professionals. These include Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and WaveLab. Each has its own unique features and workflow, so it's important to choose the one that's right for you and your project.
After doing some research, it is clear that there are three main industry standard mastering software services: iZotope Ozone, Waves, and Audacity. All three software services have their own unique features that make them stand out in the crowd. However, all three software services have one thing in common: they are all used by professionals in the music industry to help them get the best sound possible.
Most people don’t have access to high end mastering equipment. With the growing popularity of SoundCloud and YouTube, doing your own mastering is becoming more important. Many artists simply can’t afford to pay a mastering service to do their mastering every time they bounce down a mix.
This book demonstrates how to achieve a commercial sounding finish using software found in any home/project studio. You may wonder if that’s possible but I know it can be done. I started an audio mastering business using nothing more than standard plugins and clever techniques. I must have been doing something right as customers kept coming back. Over time as my business built up, I was able to buy more expensive equipment, but I still stick to the techniques that I know will get a commercial sound, no matter what tools are used. Here’s why:
About the first 90% of getting that commercial sound is technique. The final 10% is the tools you use. So before you go and buy the most expensive compressor and EQ, it’s a lot more financially worthwhile to instead invest some time rather than money into learning the techniques used to get a commercial sounding finish. It can be done with what you already have!