Mastering is almost equal to using Photoshop for audio. The monitoring is the most important step in mastering the audio. The room and speakers you are using to listen to is important. Several professional mastering studios possess speakers equal to the cost of a huge family car. They will have room several times they spend on the acoustics only. Most people wonder why it is important to master the song. It is not possible to master your own creation, especially without a room and speakers.
When you possess an exceptional quality audio system and listen to music through that system, you can easily identify the errors and flaws in the sound. There is a lot of difference between listening to the sound in the laptop speakers and in the exceptional quality audio system.
EQ and compression
As you understand the goals and ideas of mastering, you should also understand EQ and compression. The compression helps to add power, warmth and punch to the mix. Several mastering engineers make use of a particular kind of compression like multiband compression. It is actually a bit complicated subject.
Do it yourself
With the development of mastering plug-ins and high-end software, several project owners are trying to master their own audio works. However, some of the experienced mastering engineers have improved and enhanced their talent and skill by several years of practice. If you wish to experiment on own, it is sure you can experiment and gain valuable experience.
Mastering and mixing
If you have plans to approach a professional, you should be prepared what to obtain from them. Most people confuse mastering with mixing. Mastering is completely different from mixing. Mastering does not involve track levels, panning and other features of individual track in the mix. Mastering engineer defines the course of a talented producer or songwriter. It is completely an art form.