Mastering is, without a doubt, one of the most critical stages of the music production process. It's the final step that transforms your creative work into a polished, professional sound that’s ready to shine on any platform, from streaming services to high-end sound systems. Often misunderstood as a quick fix for a bad mix, the true purpose of mastering is to enhance an already solid mix, adding the final touches that elevate it to its fullest potential—bringing out excitement, clarity, detail, openness, and balance, all ready for distribution.

As the last step before your music reaches the listener’s ears, mastering ensures your track sounds incredible on every system, whether it’s played through a phone speaker, a high-end stereo, or a major event sound system. We take this responsibility seriously, treating every track with the respect it deserves. We work closely with our clients, always considering the creative vision, while delivering exceptional results with precision and care.

Our degree-level mastering service is bespoke, tailored to your specific needs. Each project is approached individually, ensuring that we meet the highest standards for both digital and vinyl formats. We pride ourselves on making sure you are 100% satisfied with the final product.

From ensuring consistency across albums or EPs to spectral balancing, stereo field enhancement, and industry-standard loudness, we use multi-stage processing to maximise the impact of your music. The goal is always to to ensure that all our work meets the highest industry standards for clarity, balance, and consistency. And while we work quickly, we never compromise on quality. Every track is treated with the attention and expertise it deserves, resulting in a master that truly reflects your artistic vision.

Please provide clean unmastered copies of your mixdowns, ie. no plugins on the master bus.

A text file with the following:
Song Title(s)
Artist
Genre

Also if you could provide any of the following:
BPM
ISRC codes
Artwork
Remixer, publisher, any other relevant info

Output levels should not exceed -0.3dB throughout the mix (Audible peaks will not be magically hidden by the mastering process). This will allow enough headroom to deliver outstanding results.

In preparation for submitting your mixdown, please ensure that all channels not requiring sub frequencies (such as lead riffs, hi-hats, snares, etc.) have either a low cut filter applied or the low shelf reduced. This will help eliminate any unnecessary bass frequencies, preventing muddiness in the low end and providing additional headroom for optimal loudness and punch in the final mix.

We are capable of working with any bitrate and sample depth. While sample rate conversion is possible, to avoid potential aliasing during the process and to ensure optimal quality, we typically deliver the file in its original format unless otherwise requested.

Please watch the following video for more tips on preparing your mix ready for mastering:

At LEK Productions, we prefer to focus on the positive. However, we feel it's important to inform potential clients about a concerning trend: a significant number of unqualified individuals, often referred to as "cowboys" have entered the field. These individuals typically download free plugins, or an AI powered 'fix everything' plugin, then select an appropriately named preset, lacking a deep understanding of the mastering process. Despite this, they market themselves as mastering engineers, offering services at rock-bottom prices in order to make a quick profit. Unfortunately, this often leads to the irreversible damage of your music, They may attempt to perform mastering in a way that is oversimplified, overly aggressive, or lacking in attention to detail. These individuals typically cut corners, often with the intention of producing fast results or offering cheap prices, but the results are usually subpar.

While it may sound "louder" on your device, louder does not necessarily mean better. In fact, these individuals often lack the deep understanding required to properly analyze a mix, and expand its soundstage into the wide stereo field while preserving punch. Additionally, they may not account for the necessary adjustments that ensure the track sounds great across all platforms, including vinyl. A poorly executed master is comparable to purchasing an expensive Hasselblad medium-format camera, only to attach a cheap $2 plastic lens filter, completely negating the quality of your investment.

Another common misconception is the use of "one-size-fits-all" mastering plugins or automated web-based mastering services, such as those offered on platforms like Soundcloud. While many of these services are increasingly powered by AI, it’s essential to remember that these machines are not sentient. They cannot make informed decisions regarding mid-side EQ or adjust attack and release times for parallel compression in a way that complements the specific genre of your music. These tools will never replicate the nuanced, thoughtful approach of a seasoned human engineer. A professional with a trained ear brings invaluable expertise that machines simply cannot replace.