Online Mastering Sound & Features
Mastering gives a final polish to the overall sound of your music or audio. It also ensures that your material sounds consistent across various platforms and playback systems. Waves Online Mastering applies advanced techniques and expertise to optimize your tracks for different playback formats. Our meticulous approach to mastering ensures that your music translates well across different devices and environments, resulting in a professional and cohesive listening experience, no matter where your audience chooses to enjoy your songs.
No. While loudness is one aspect of the mastering process, mastering also involves other critical elements such as dynamics, tonal balance, stereo imaging, and more. Waves Online Mastering takes a comprehensive approach, incorporating custom-tailored processing techniques and advanced technology to enhance all these sonic characteristics of your music.
We give a 30-second preview of each uploaded track for free so you can understand what to expect from a full master. To export the final master, you will need to purchase credits. We have several pricing options catering different needs. You can choose a credit pack (1. 5. 15 credits) or a yearly subscription. Please see our pricing page for more details.
You can upload the following files:
You can export mastered files in the following formats:
Please note that we support stereo tracks only. We do not master surround mixes. (We do support mono tracks, though that is not the recommended format for contemporary mastering.)
If you need technical support, please submit a ticket here.
Track length must be between 5 seconds (minimum) and 12 minutes (maximum).
File size must be between 400 KB (minimum) and 554 MB (maximum).
Although the service doesn’t have a designated section for setting LUFS levels, you can upload a reference track and guide the service to your intended loudness values.
NOTE:The Reference feature extracts other properties in addition to loudness, so make sure you upload a track that is similar to yours in instrumentation, style, energy and dynamics.
Yes. If you already have a Waves account, simply use your regular user name and password to log into Waves Online Mastering.
If you do not yet have a Waves account, open one for free here.
Access the service and your mastered tracks on the Waves Online Mastering app page. Log in to your account on that page (if you already have a Waves account, simply use the same login info), and you will be able to access and download all of your final mastered files.
Yes, your tracks will be saved for future use, for the following time periods:
Yes, you can help shape the sound of the final master, using the Style and Tone sections of the service, as well as by adding a Reference Track to guide our processing.
You can choose between three Styles: Precise (our optimal suggestion in terms of well-balanced levels and well-defined tonal qualities), Organic (applying slightly less processing), and Elevating (applying slightly more processing for a brighter, more immersive sound).
In the Tone section, you can choose to add more Presence to our default suggestion; add more Depth; or add both Presence and Depth.
The master you receive will be sonically ready for release. The service is specifically designed to provide high-quality, professional audio mastering that meets industry standards, making your tracks ready for various distribution platforms, including streaming services, online stores, and physical media.
When a track is uploaded twice, the same processing will be applied. If you wish to adjust the results, you can use the service’s Style & Tone sections, or upload a Reference track to guide the service to the sonic character you want to reach. You can deactivate the reference track or change it as many times as you’d like.
If you are exporting a final mix from your DAW, follow these guidelines to best prepare it for mastering:
For more tips about to best prepare a final mix for mastering, watch this video with acclaimed mastering engineer Piper Payne.
You have unlimited time to refine and revise your masters during the preview stage. You do not have to commit to a master until you are satisfied with the result you hear in the preview. However, after you finalize and receive the final master, the credit is not refundable.
Waves Online Mastering utilizes the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, renowned for its high security standards, ensuring that both your original and mastered audio files are safely stored. These files are managed in accordance with our storage policy. You have complete control over your files and can delete them from your library at any time.
Waves will never use or claim rights to your audio files. For more detailed information, please refer to sections 5-6 of our Website Terms of Use.
Absolutely! We’ve prepared educational videos with expert mastering engineer Piper Payne to assist you in mastering your music effectively and making the most of the platform. You can watch the videos here, or inside the service after you upload a song.
Waves Online Mastering is a web service, not a plugin. Therefore, it is not directly integrated into digital audio workstations (DAWs). To use the service, upload the tracks you wish to master to the Waves Online Mastering web app.
Using a reference track can be highly beneficial. The system compares your song to the reference track you upload and shapes the mastering process with a better understanding of your desired sound.
That being said, if you don’t choose your reference accurately you will guide the system towards goals that are not optimal. We strongly recommend that you choose a reference track that is similar in energy, tempo, instrumentation, and arrangement to the song you are mastering.
Waves Online Mastering provides professional high-end results, quickly. We still encourage learning about mastering with Waves plugins if you wish to explore mastering techniques on your own. You can find our mastering plugins here, and check out courses about mastering with Waves plugins here and here.
Waves Online Mastering Subscription & Credits
No, purchased Waves Online Mastering credits do not expire.
There is no trial period, but you can hear a free 30 second preview of as many songs as you want mastered by the service. This gives you a chance to hear the sound quality before subscribing or purchasing credits.
Yes. You can cancel your subscription at any time directly through your Waves account settings. Your subscription will remain active until the end of your current billing cycle.
Please note: Any unused credits will be revoked once your subscription ends or is canceled. Be sure to use any remaining credits before your billing period expires.
Any unused credits in your account will be revoked once your subscription period ends. To retain your credits, make sure your subscription remains active.
As long as your subscription is active, your unused credits will roll over and accumulate for the following subscription period.
Your existing credits will remain in your account. If you're subscribed to the Standard tier, your 36 annual subscription credits will be used first and only then will your pre-subscription credits be used.
Our unlimited plan includes reasonable usage limits to keep the service reliable and fair for all users, offering 240 credits per month. Please refer to the Fair Usage Policy for complete details.
While your Pro tier subscription is active, your credit-based balance is hidden. Once the subscription ends or is canceled, your previously unused credits will reappear in your account.
If you renew your subscription, your unused credits will accumulate and you’ll receive 36 new credits for the next year. If you choose not to renew, any remaining credits will be revoked at the end of your subscription term.
The Pro tier provides unlimited mastering (under Fair Usage Policy). Once you upgrade, any remaining credits from the Standard tier will no longer be visible or usable during the Pro subscription period.
Your Pro tier will remain active through the end of your current subscription period and will continue to offer unlimited use. If you downgrade, your next renewal will grant you 36 Standard tier credits, and Pro access will no longer be available.
You can purchase additional mastering credits at any time or upgrade to the Pro tier for unlimited access.