How to prepare a mix for mastering.

Prepare a mix for mastering by checking the balance, headroom, edits and full ending before you export. Mastering works on the stereo file, so resolve changes to individual parts in the mix first.

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On this page

The final-listen checklist
How much headroom should you leave for mastering?
Keep the decisions that belong to the mix
Listen once without touching anything

The final-listen checklist

HeadroomKeep the peaks below 0 dBFS with nothing clipped. Published guides suggest different peak levels; a clean, unclipped file matters more than hitting any one of them.
ClippingCheck the master output and the exported file. Repair accidental clipping before export.
Bus processingKeep processing that defines the sound. Bypass anything used only to make the mix louder and compare honestly.
Fades and tailsListen through the first transient and the complete ending. Preserve reverb and delay tails.
Noise and editsListen on headphones for clicks, count-ins, open mics, cut breaths, and noisy gaps.
Reference tracksCompare tone and impact at similar playback loudness. Do not chase another record's meter reading.
Mono and low levelCheck the mix in mono and quietly. Lead elements should remain clear without relying on volume.
Version and labelExport the approved mix and give it a clear version name before uploading.

When the mix passes the list, hear it mastered against the original. The preview is free.

Master a track, free

A real mix, before mastering

The final listen, with the places to listen marked.

First sound · 0:00 Loudest 3 s · 0:11 Ending · 0:46

Published readings of this file: integrated −15.06 LUFS · true peak −0.15 dBTP
Measured from this file: sample peak −0.18 dBFS, the largest sample in the shared sample data; length 0:46

1Fades and tails. Listen through the first transient and the complete ending.
2Headroom and clipping. Keep the peaks below 0 dBFS with nothing clipped; the dashed lines are 0 dBFS.
3Mono and low level. Check the mix in mono and quietly. Lead elements should remain clear without relying on volume.

Indie Sample, the mix before personal mastering, from the samples library · drawn at its actual levelMono sums left and right in your browser · Quiet plays 20 dB down (a listening level chosen for this demo)

How much headroom should you leave for mastering?

Start with an unclipped mix and keep peaks below 0 dBFS. Published guides suggest different peak levels; a clean file matters more than hitting a particular number. Check loudness and true peak with the LUFS meter, then use the export checklist for file settings.

Keep the decisions that belong to the mix

Vocal level, kick-to-bass balance, automation, arrangement, and effects timing are mix decisions. Mastering works on the whole stereo file. Some tools can nudge the vocal, bass or drums inside a finished mix, one at a time, but a change to one instrument is still better made in the mix.

Useful test

If the request names one instrument, return to the mix first. If it describes the record as a whole, mastering may be the right stage.

Listen once without touching anything

Play the full song from start to finish and write down every distraction. Make one deliberate correction pass, then export and stop. Repeated last-minute changes can trade a known issue for a new one.