LB-Mastering Studios

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about our mixing and mastering services

42 Questions•6 Categories

Understanding Audio Mastering

Audio mastering is the final creative and technical step in music production before your tracks reach listeners. It's the process of taking your mixed audio and preparing it for distribution across all platforms—streaming services, vinyl, CD, digital downloads, and broadcast. Mastering involves critical listening, precise adjustments to frequency balance and dynamics, sequencing tracks in the correct order, setting appropriate spacing between songs, and ensuring your music translates well across all playback systems from earbuds to high-end speakers.

Why do these questions matter? Because mastering is often misunderstood, and the decisions you make before sending your music to a mastering engineer can significantly impact the final result. Understanding proper file preparation, knowing what to expect from the mastering process, and having realistic expectations about what mastering can and cannot do will help you get the best possible results. The questions below address the most common concerns artists, producers, and labels have when working with a professional mastering studio.

At LB-Mastering Studios, we've mastered over 100,000 projects across 44+ years, and we've heard every question imaginable. Whether you're releasing your first single or your tenth album, whether you're mastering for Spotify or pressing vinyl, whether you need a quick turnaround or have complex technical requirements—the answers below will guide you through the process. If you don't find what you're looking for, we're always available to discuss your specific project needs.

File Preparation & Upload

6 questions

Pricing & Payment

6 questions

Turnaround & Delivery

6 questions

Revisions & Quality

6 questions

Technical Requirements

6 questions

Vinyl Mastering

12 questions

Digital vs Vinyl Mastering Comparison

Key differences at a glance

Aspect
Digital
Vinyl
Loudness Target-14 to -9 LUFS-14 to -12 LUFS
Bass HandlingWide stereo OKMono below 150Hz
Dynamic RangeHeavy compression OK3-6dB headroom required
High FrequenciesNo limitRoll off above 15kHz
Stereo WidthUnlimitedLimited, mono-compatible
RuntimeUnlimited12-22 min per side
Track OrderNo impactCritical for quality
Phase IssuesTolerableMust be corrected
SibilanceStandard de-essingAggressive de-essing
Delivery FormatWAV, MP3, FLAC24-bit WAV, labeled by side

Pro Tip: Many artists create separate masters for digital and vinyl releases for optimal sound on both formats.

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