Building a Mastering Chain: Stages, Plugins, and Pro Tips
Mastering is the vital final stage in the production of a song, bridging your final mixdown to the wider world. It provides an opportunity to compete technically with other music while also creatively adding color, vibe, and cohesion.
At the heart of the mastering process is the mastering chain - a collection of processors (digital and analog) designed to polish and perfect the track.
But what exactly goes into a mastering chain? What’s the best mastering chain order? And what are the best mastering chain plugins to use?
In this guide, you’ll discover the answers to all these questions and learn how to build the ultimate mastering chain.
TL;DR - Ideal Mastering Chain
- You can follow basic templates for mastering chains, but it’s always best to craft something unique for the song.
- Learn how processors interact with each other to understand what is the logical order for plugins.
- Using mastering-grade plugins helps you to achieve higher-quality results with less effort.
- Mastering is an art and science that takes experience and experimentation to learn.
Read on to get into more detail when it comes to rolling your own mastering chains.
What is a Mastering Signal Chain?
A mastering signal chain is a collection of audio processors - whether analog or digital - which are used to process a final stereo mix.
These are typically applied sequentially on a single master bus. Unlike the mixdown process, which can use hundreds of plugins spread across individual tracks, a mastering chain generally uses a smaller selection of specialized processors.
Each plugin or processor in the chain builds upon the previous ones, creating a powerful cumulative effect.
However, the order of processors must be correct…
Why Mastering Chain Order Matters
Using the correct mastering chain order is essential for creating high-quality masters - and getting it wrong can make a total mess of your track. The ordering of processors needs to be calculated to suit the purpose of each tool, based on how its processing will affect subsequent tools.
Incorrect processor ordering is a common mastering mistake made by beginners.
For example, placing a boost EQ before a compressor means that the compressor will react more heavily to the boosted frequency range. This may work in your favor or against, depending on what you’re trying to achieve. On the flip side, placing an EQ after the compressor results in the EQ reacting to a dynamically controlled signal.
Neither approach is innately right or wrong; it’s just a matter of working on what order makes sense based on your aims.
Using plugins in the wrong order can create unwanted artifacts, make issues more obvious, or completely wreck the tonal and dynamic balance.
Experience, experimentation, and clear goals are key when it comes to working out the best mastering chain order - although there are some standard practices and basic mastering chain templates to follow for a solid foundation and to avoid guesswork.
Typical Stages in a Mastering Chain
While it’s important to remain flexible and craft mastering chains that work for the sound you’re creating, most mastering chains can follow a general logical progression. By understanding the purpose of each stage, you can pick the right tools for the job
1. Pre-Gain Staging and Metering
Before applying any impactful processing, the pre-master signal must be at a good level, so you have enough headroom to work with.
Typically, the signal should be peaking around -6 to (max) -3 dB. This provides decent headroom and signal-to-noise ratio while avoiding clipping.
Using accurate metering plugins ensures that your levels are in the right place.
2. Corrective EQ
Corrective EQ is generally the first active stage of a mastering chain. It’s where you can fix any frequency imbalances, unwanted resonances, or issues with clarity. Usually, this stage is focused on subtractive, reductive EQ. You want to cut problem frequencies early in the chain so they don’t affect subsequent processors.
Mastering-grade equalizer plugins are the best choice here, letting you clean up frequencies before your signals hit compressors and other tools. You’ll want to use a linear phase EQ for the most transparent processing.
3. Compression and Dynamic Range Control
With a cleaned-up signal, you can begin to control the dynamic range using compressor plugins. Depending on the genre and style you’re creating, you can use compressors with low ratios for gentle glue and dynamic taming, or crank it up for a punchier, more aggressive feel.
It’s important to create a relatively consistent dynamic throughout the track for a professional, finished feel. Sometimes this may require subtle automation of parameters to balance dynamics throughout the arrangement’s verses, choruses, and intros.
4. Saturation and Harmonic Exciters
This stage is more optional depending on the style of the master, but it’s the right place to add warmth, character, and grit. Saturation can also increase the perceived loudness without bringing up peak levels.
Subtle use of saturation and distortion plugins can bring a rich, analog tone that is often lacking in digital productions, adding some high-end polish and a more organic feel while gluing elements.
Saturation can be applied before or after a compressor.
5. Colorful, Creative EQ
After the dynamics have been controlled (before, and or after saturation), you can apply more creative, colorful equalization, where you add subtle boosts to the signal to bring out satisfying resonances.
A lot of engineers favor a broad frequency boost on the low end for some extra weight, with some finer enhancements of high and mid frequencies for clarity and presence. Be careful not to overdo it here, though, as you can easily make a track muddy or harsh.
6. Stereo Imaging
For added interest and immersion, use stereo imaging plugins to expand the width and depth of a track. Use stereo enhancement with precision, and check the phase after (and mono compatibility), as excessive widening can create phase issues.
7. Limiting
The final and arguably most critical processing stage of mastering is the limiter, which serves multiple purposes. Limiters prevent the signal from clipping into digital distortion, while also maximizing the perceived loudness. You don’t want to aggressively compete in the loudness war, but you want to stand up against similar music.
Mastering grade limiter plugins are the standard tool for engineers looking to achieve transparent loudness maximization without noticeable distortion.
8. Final Metering & Loudness Correction
At the very end of the mastering chain, you need another loudness metering plugin to monitor the final output level. Use this in conjunction with the limiter to check that your master meets the loudness specs of the release format. For example, masters for Spotify and other streaming services need to be around -14 LUFS.
This basic mastering chain order provides a solid foundation, but it isn’t a strict rule. Some engineers will layer multiple plugin types throughout the chain to achieve their desired results. Ultimately, you need to listen carefully to the master, determine what you’re aiming for, and apply processors in a logical order.
Factors When Building Your Own Signal Chain
Creating the perfect mastering chain takes more than just copying a standard flow. You need to understand the nuances of your environment, music, and goals.
- Your Mastering Environment & Setup - When mastering in an environment that hasn’t been acoustically treated, you’re going to be second guessing against the room. Using correctly configured monitors in a neutral acoustic space is essential for accurate mastering. If in doubt, use a pro studio or an online mastering service.
- Fix In The Mix - A perfect master requires a perfect mixdown. Don’t try to fix issues via mastering where they can be fixed in the mix. You’ll compromise the final quality.
- Genre and Distribution Destination - Musical styles tend to have variation in loudness and dynamic expectations. Dance music tends to be louder and less dynamic than instrument-based music. Likewise, the release format (streaming, CD, vinyl, radio) will determine the final loudness target.
- Reference Tracks - Using high-quality, commercially released reference tracks as a comparative benchmark helps to guide your decision-making and removes some second-guessing. If it holds up against music that sounds good to you, then it’s probably working.
- Ears and Experience - Your ears are ultimately the most important tool in the mastering chain. Learning critical listening skills and developing your knowledge of how audio processing works takes time and practice - but it’s worth the effort.
Recommended Mastering Chain Plugins
With countless plugins available on the market today, it can be a bit of a headache to work out which plugins are good for mastering and which aren’t. Some plugins are specifically designed for mastering, favoring higher resource usage in exchange for improved quality - perfect for mastering situations where latency doesn’t matter.
At Waves, we have a comprehensive range of plugins that are seen as industry standards in the mastering community.
- WLM Plus Loudness Meter - For accurate loudness measurement, the WLM is an essential tool. It provides real-time LUFS, True Peak, and range metering, ensuring your masters comply with broadcast and streaming standards.
- L4 Ultramaximizer - Designed to achieve maximum competitive loudness while also preserving musicality, the L4 is a uniquely powerful mastering limiter with adaptive clipping, oversampling, and gain matching.
- J37 Tape - The J37 is a classic when it comes to vintage-style saturation. Modeled after an iconic Abbey Road tape machine, this plugin provides rich, organic analog character and glue for the master bus.
- CLA-76 and CLA-2A Compressors - Modeled on legendary hardware units, these analog-style compressors are perfect for taming dynamics, adding punch, and bringing some authentic grit to your master. For transparent, precise dynamic control, a mastering compressor like the C6 Multiband Compressor is also recommended.
- Mastering Equalizers - Precise, transparent equalization is essential for corrective mastering EQ. The F6 Dynamic EQ is a modern solution that avoids issues created by static EQ processing, while the Waves Linear Phase EQ is an industry standard to avoid phasing and coloration.
- Some other honorable mentions include:
- PuigTec EQs - For vintage, colorful additive EQ.
- Renaissance Compressor - A versatile compressor.
- Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain - An all-in-one, modular, vintage solution.
- API 2500 Compressor - A modern classic for more aggressive bus compression.
- Waves Ultimate - A comprehensive selection of 240+ mixing and mastering tools, containing all of Waves’ most popular plugins.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Building Mastering Chains
What Makes a Mastering Chain Different from a Mix Chain?
The main differences in mixing and mastering chains are in their purpose and goals. Mixing chains are applied to individual instruments and groups, generally aiming to achieve the optimal sound for each layer.
Mastering chains are applied on the final stereo mix bus, and process all tracks together (from the pre-mastered mix file). The goal is to present the final track cohesively and technically correct.
Do All Songs Need the Same Mastering Chain?
No, songs need the right mastering chain to suit their style and mix. There is no one-size-fits-all mastering chain. While you can use templates as starting points, the final mastering chain must be adapted to the material.
What Sample Rate Works Best for Mastering?
You want to record, mix, and master audio at the highest sample rate possible, and then sum down to the highest sample rate accepted by the release format (using dithering if needed). While subtle, there are still benefits to be gained from applying mastering processes in a higher sample rate than the pre-master. The science is too complex to get into here. But generally 48kHz is the minimum, with many using 96kHz.
Should a Mastering Chain Use Analog, Digital, or Both?
The type of mastering chain depends on your resources, the style of music, and your artistic goals. If you have access to analog hardware, you’ll probably want to use it. That said, analog emulation plugins are basically indistinguishable from the real hardware these days.
In Conclusion
Building a technically correct and artistically powerful mastering chain is a skill that people pay high prices for, so don’t beat yourself up if you can’t get solid results quickly.
Learning master chain construction takes time, experience, experimentation, and understanding. Study the fundamentals of sound, audio processing, and digital audio.
Become comfortable with the tools, and train your ear and critical listening skills to understand how to master and why to take certain actions.
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