Master Delivery Formats
A master handoff should state format, sample rate, bit depth and true-peak margin so nobody has to guess.
Related
Delivery is not dragging a file into a folder. Format, bit depth, sample rate, loudness and naming affect how others use the master.
The problem
Some send a 32-bit float session as the master and the distributor rejects it. Others upsample 44.1 to 96 kHz and get larger files with no new content. True peak is easiest to miss, since a file that does not clip locally can distort after encoding.
Goals and standards
A common master is a 24-bit PCM WAV at the mix sample rate, usually 44.1 or 48 kHz. Streaming accepts 24 bit, while CD uses 16 bit with a DDP. Keep true peak near -1 dBTP, leave head and tail silence, and name files with title, version and date.
Practice
Confirm the distributor's requirements first. Export the lossless master, the upload version and a 320 kbps preview with matching loudness and tails. Write title, artist and ISRC metadata, note limiting and true peak, then do a transcoded listen and a backup.
What to listen for
Hear whether the lossy version hardens highs, distorts lows or cuts the tail. The piano figure below compares attack and decay.
Common misunderstandings
32-bit float is not necessarily better for delivery; it suits production, while releases often want 24-bit PCM. Higher sample rates are not automatically better, since upsampling only adds size. An MP3 is for preview only.
Listen in the library
All tracks from midicn-lib — inline badge is the license tier (C1 commercial / C2 non-commercial / C3 study only).
Sources
- 母带交付的位深、采样率与真峰值规格，依发行与母带交付通识核查，未抄文本
- 元数据、命名与 DDP 的用途，依唱片制作与发行流程核查，未抄文本
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.