Mixing versus Mastering
Mixing builds the internal balance, while mastering makes the finished record translate to the outside world without changing its intent.
Related
Mixing and mastering are separate stages. The mix builds the record inside; mastering makes it meet the outside world.
The problem
Some engineers put a limiter on the mix bus and compress while balancing, until transients vanish and the vocal drifts. Others leave frequency clashes and a vague image for mastering.
Goals and standards
A mix aims at balance, space and emotion, and every individual choice belongs there. Mastering aims at overall loudness, tonal consistency and delivery specs. A mix for mastering usually leaves 4 to 6 dB of headroom, with no final limiter or dither, and a note on bus processing.
Practice
Solve clashes, dynamics and panning in the mix, and export at the session rate and 24 bit. In mastering, make global changes only; if one instrument is wrong, return to the mix. Share one reference and one brief.
What to listen for
Compare the mix and master for vocal position, low-end tightness and drum attack. If the vocal moves back or drums flatten, processing has overstepped.
Common misunderstandings
A mastering engineer will not remix for you, and mastering should not repair one track. A maximizer on the mix bus early removes room to judge later. A loud mix is not a finished master.
Listen in the library
All tracks from midicn-lib — inline badge is the license tier (C1 commercial / C2 non-commercial / C3 study only).
Sources
- 混音交母带的余量、采样率与是否含总线处理的惯例，依后期制作通识核查，未抄文本
- 母带只做全局判断而不重混的原则，依母带工程教材通识核查，未抄文本
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.