If you are trying to figure out the difference between mixing and mastering, then congratulations, you are at the right place.
What is the difference between mixing and mastering?
- The difference between mixing and mastering is that mixing combines multiple tracks into one cohesive product (final mono, stereo, or surround sound), and mastering polishes the final recording. Thus, you can mix without mastering, but you cannot master tracks without mixing them first.
- Mixing provides access to all of the instruments in a song, so even if you need a new lead vocal, this can be done. However, with mastering, you can only access the final mix.
- Even though mixing and mastering are both about achieving balance, there is a slight difference. With mixing, you balance the individual instruments, and during mastering, you balance complete songs and spectral content. In plain words, mixing makes instruments sound good, and mastering makes songs sound good.
- Mixing sessions can be immense compared to quicker mastering sessions. While mixing projects may contain 30+ tracks, mastering projects usually include one stereo or multitrack file per song.
- Mixing services are typically intended to convey and enhance emotions, and mastering services focus on improving the sound quality.
I hope this blog helps you figure out the differences. If you are looking for an online mixing and mastering service, check out the Audio Mixing Mastering services on our website.
We aim to help artists accomplish their dreams. At AMM: Audio Mixing Mastering, we will take your song from an idea and turn it into a completely mastered work of art for a fraction of the cost of other mastering studios. Recording studio time is often costly and time-consuming, but we offer you the same services and talented staff for less!
Furthermore, all of our producers, mixing, and mastering engineers have major label experience. We use a variety of tools to adjust levels and, in some cases, to change the space, structure, and positioning of the track components, and we call this “Dimensional Definition”. We add effects and tweak each element, either based on the customer’s demands, or we will just do what sounds good. But before you send us your audio track, be sure to separate each component (such as kicks, snares, synths…) and then send us the separated tracks so we can work on each instrument individually. Also, with vocals, please send us each vocal separately, such as lead vocal, background vocal, etc…
