Mixing vs Mastering: Understanding the Key Differences

Understanding the difference between mixing vs mastering is critical for any serious music producer. While both play roles in audio finishing, they serve different functions. Think of mixing as sculpting the shape of a track, and mastering as applying polish.

What Happens During Mixing?

Mixing is the process of combining individual audio tracks into a stereo or surround format. Here’s what’s typically involved:

• Balancing volume levels across all instruments and vocals.
• Applying EQ to make space in the frequency spectrum.
• Using compression to manage dynamics and improve cohesion.
• Panning to create stereo image and separation.
• Adding effects like reverb, delay, or modulation.

Mixing is where the track gets its identity. Creative decisions are made to guide the listener’s experience.

What Happens During Mastering?

Mastering ensures that the mixed track sounds polished across all playback systems. It is the final step before distribution:

• Adjusting overall loudness to competitive levels.
• Applying subtle EQ and compression across the entire mix.
• Limiting to prevent clipping and increase perceived volume.
• Ensuring stereo width and proper phase alignment.
• Embedding metadata, ISRC codes, and setting final format output.

While mixing is a creative and technical process, mastering is mostly technical with minor creative adjustments.

Minimalism in Both Stages: Over processing in either stage can harm your mix. Minimalism ensures clarity:

• Avoid unnecessary plugins.
• Use only what serves the track’s intent.
• Reference professionally mastered tracks.

Use Cases for Each: Mixing vs Mastering

• Mixing is best handled with access to multitrack sessions and a DAW like Ableton Live or Logic Pro.
• Mastering is often done in a separate session, using tools like iZotope Ozone or FabFilter Pro-L.

  Visual Chart: Mixing vs Mastering – Tools & Workflow

  Aspect	Mixing	Mastering
  Goal	Balance and shape individual tracks	Polish and finalize the stereo mix
  Main Tools	EQ, compression, reverb, delay, panning	EQ, multiband compression, limiter, stereo widener
  DAWs Used	Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, FL Studio, Reaper	Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase
  Processing Type	Track-level (per element)	Full mix processing (single stereo track)
  Plugins	Waves, Native Instruments, Soundtoys, Tokyo Dawn Labs	iZotope, SSL, Analog Obsession, Fabfilter
  Automation Use	Frequent (volume, pan, FX sends)	Minimal (volume, limiter threshold, stereo field)
  Meters Referenced	Peak, RMS, LUFS, spectrum analyzer	LUFS, True Peak, Stereo Imager, Phase Correlation
  Output Format	Session file or stem exports	Final WAV, MP3, FLAC with embedded metadata
  File Prepared For	Further editing or mastering	Distribution (Spotify, Apple Music, etc.)

Working BPMs Across Genres: No matter the genre, mixing vs mastering applies universally.

• Pop: 100–120 BPM
• Techno: 125–135 BPM
• Hip-Hop: 85–100 BPM
• Jazz: 60–120 BPM
• Dub: 60–90 BPM

Final tip: mixing and mastering should never be rushed. They require fresh ears and attention to detail. Check out these other resources for more information on mixing and mastering services (iZotope Mixing Guide, Mastering the Mix Blog).

For bookings, consultations, and questions, please send me an email through my contact page.