Mastering involves taking a mix and adding final adjustments, such as boosting specific elements. This can entail tweaking volume, enhancing the stereo experience, and keeping an ear out for anything that might divert the listener’s attention from the music. A stereo mix’s sonic qualities should be balanced, and mastering should maximize playback on all platforms and media types. Traditionally, tools such as stereo enhancement, limiting, compression, and equalization are used for mastering. In summary, mixing is done in order to achieve balance within the song itself, while mastering aims to achieve balance with other songs.
However, with the introduction of artificial intelligence, computer algorithms are being trained by professionally mastered tracks to make sophisticated choices on EQ, compression, balance etc. The key point of dispute between AI and human mastering is how to attain a balance between efficiency and the precise touch of a knowledgeable mastering engineer. AI can be faster and more reliable than a human professional, but it might not have the same creative intuition or contextual understanding. Plugins such as Izotope Ozone 8 offer a ‘Master Assistant’ option, which essentially masters your track for you when playing your track from its peak level. As a result of this, it is increasingly assisting human engineers in their work, creating a hybrid approach that capitalizes on both of their strengths.
In a video about AI mastering, a mastering engineer experiments with LANDR, an online AI mastering tool which enables you to drag an mp3 in and gain a professional master. He heavily criticizes LANDR, stating that they don’t brighten the top end very much and it isn’t very balanced sonically. Also, they tend to over-exaggerate the low end, so it wouldn’t be ideal when working on differing genres, such as jazz or country.
Overall, I think this new-found knowledge will keep me away from AI mastering, forcing me to focus on bettering my own technical skills rather than taking an easier route in mastering tools.
Frampton, T. (2024) The future of mastering – immersive audio and emerging trends, Mastering The Mix. Available at: https://www.masteringthemix.com/blogs/learn/the-future-of-mastering-immersive-audio-and-emerging-trends (Accessed: 24 April 2025).
Stewart, I. (2023) AI & Automated Mastering: What to know, iZotope. Available at: https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/ai-mastering.html (Accessed: 24 April 2025).
Ai Mastering vs. Mastering Engineer? Landr Review (2023) YouTube. Available at: https://youtu.be/z8eA-oasp_k (Accessed: 24 April 2025).