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<li id="toc-Pre-1940s" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Pre-1940s"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1</span> <span>Pre-1940s</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Pre-1940s-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Emergence_of_magnetic_tape" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Emergence_of_magnetic_tape"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2</span> <span>Emergence of magnetic tape</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Emergence_of_magnetic_tape-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Electro-mechanical_mastering_process" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Electro-mechanical_mastering_process"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3</span> <span>Electro-mechanical mastering process</span> </div> </a> <ul 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aria-controls="toc-Engineer-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Engineer subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Engineer-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Education_and_experience" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Education_and_experience"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.1</span> <span>Education and experience</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Education_and_experience-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Equipment" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Equipment"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.2</span> <span>Equipment</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Equipment-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Aspects_of_their_work" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Aspects_of_their_work"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.3</span> <span>Aspects of their work</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Aspects_of_their_work-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Notable_audio_mastering_engineers" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notable_audio_mastering_engineers"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3.4</span> <span>Notable audio mastering engineers</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notable_audio_mastering_engineers-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Notes" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Notes"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>Notes</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Notes-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" 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type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 31 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-31" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">31 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A5%D9%86%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%A1_%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%AE%D8%A9_%D8%B1%D8%A6%D9%8A%D8%B3%D8%A9_(%D8%A5%D9%86%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AC_%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%AA%D9%8A)" title="إنشاء نسخة رئيسة (إنتاج صوتي) – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="إنشاء نسخة رئيسة (إنتاج صوتي)" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masteritzaci%C3%B3" title="Masterització – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Masterització" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cs mw-list-item"><a href="https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering" title="Mastering – Czech" lang="cs" hreflang="cs" data-title="Mastering" data-language-autonym="Čeština" data-language-local-name="Czech" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Čeština</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering" title="Mastering – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Mastering" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering_(Audio)" title="Mastering (Audio) – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Mastering (Audio)" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-et mw-list-item"><a href="https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masterdamine" title="Masterdamine – Estonian" lang="et" hreflang="et" data-title="Masterdamine" data-language-autonym="Eesti" data-language-local-name="Estonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Eesti</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masterizaci%C3%B3n" title="Masterización – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Masterización" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%86%DA%AF" title="مسترینگ – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="مسترینگ" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering" title="Mastering – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Mastering" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EB%A7%88%EC%8A%A4%ED%84%B0%EB%A7%81" title="마스터링 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="마스터링" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pengindukan_(audio)" title="Pengindukan (audio) – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Pengindukan (audio)" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering" title="Mastering – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Mastering" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%92" title="מאסטרינג – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="מאסטרינג" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ka mw-list-item"><a href="https://ka.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E1%83%90%E1%83%A3%E1%83%93%E1%83%98%E1%83%9D_%E1%83%9B%E1%83%90%E1%83%A1%E1%83%A2%E1%83%94%E1%83%A0%E1%83%98%E1%83%9C%E1%83%92%E1%83%98" title="აუდიო მასტერინგი – Georgian" lang="ka" hreflang="ka" data-title="აუდიო მასტერინგი" data-language-autonym="ქართული" data-language-local-name="Georgian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ქართული</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lb mw-list-item"><a href="https://lb.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering_(Audio)" title="Mastering (Audio) – Luxembourgish" lang="lb" hreflang="lb" data-title="Mastering (Audio)" data-language-autonym="Lëtzebuergesch" data-language-local-name="Luxembourgish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lëtzebuergesch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hu mw-list-item"><a href="https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maszterel%C3%A9s" title="Maszterelés – Hungarian" lang="hu" hreflang="hu" data-title="Maszterelés" data-language-autonym="Magyar" data-language-local-name="Hungarian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Magyar</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pengindukan" title="Pengindukan – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Pengindukan" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering" title="Mastering – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="Mastering" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9E%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%B0" title="マスタリング – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="マスタリング" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering" title="Mastering – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="Mastering" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering" title="Mastering – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Mastering" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masteriza%C3%A7%C3%A3o_de_%C3%A1udio" title="Masterização de áudio – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Masterização de áudio" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B3" title="Мастеринг – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Мастеринг" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-simple mw-list-item"><a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering_(audio)" title="Mastering (audio) – Simple English" lang="en-simple" hreflang="en-simple" data-title="Mastering (audio)" data-language-autonym="Simple English" data-language-local-name="Simple English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Simple English</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sk mw-list-item"><a href="https://sk.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering" title="Mastering – Slovak" lang="sk" hreflang="sk" data-title="Mastering" data-language-autonym="Slovenčina" data-language-local-name="Slovak" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Slovenčina</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ckb mw-list-item"><a href="https://ckb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%95%D8%B1%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%86_(%D8%AF%DB%95%D9%86%DA%AF)" title="ماستەرکردن (دەنگ) – Central Kurdish" lang="ckb" hreflang="ckb" data-title="ماستەرکردن (دەنگ)" data-language-autonym="کوردی" data-language-local-name="Central Kurdish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>کوردی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fi mw-list-item"><a href="https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%84%C3%A4nen_masterointi" title="Äänen masterointi – Finnish" lang="fi" hreflang="fi" data-title="Äänen masterointi" data-language-autonym="Suomi" data-language-local-name="Finnish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Suomi</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering" title="Mastering – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Mastering" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mastering" title="Mastering – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Mastering" data-language-autonym="Türkçe" data-language-local-name="Turkish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Türkçe</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-uk mw-list-item"><a href="https://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B3" title="Мастеринг – Ukrainian" lang="uk" hreflang="uk" data-title="Мастеринг" data-language-autonym="Українська" data-language-local-name="Ukrainian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Українська</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-zh mw-list-item"><a href="https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%AF%8D%E5%B8%A6" title="母带 – Chinese" lang="zh" hreflang="zh" data-title="母带" data-language-autonym="中文" data-language-local-name="Chinese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>中文</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q421031#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div id="p-associated-pages" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-associated-pages" 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audio post-production</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Reel-to-ReelTapeBigHub.agr.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/Reel-to-ReelTapeBigHub.agr.jpg/220px-Reel-to-ReelTapeBigHub.agr.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="219" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/Reel-to-ReelTapeBigHub.agr.jpg/330px-Reel-to-ReelTapeBigHub.agr.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/66/Reel-to-ReelTapeBigHub.agr.jpg/440px-Reel-to-ReelTapeBigHub.agr.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1010" data-file-height="1006" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Magnetic_tape" title="Magnetic tape">Magnetic tape</a> was commonly used to create master copies.</figcaption></figure> <p><b>Mastering</b>, a form of <a href="/wiki/Audio_post_production" title="Audio post production">audio post production</a>, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the <a href="/wiki/Audio_mixing_(recorded_music)" title="Audio mixing (recorded music)">final mix</a> to a <a href="/wiki/Data_storage_device" class="mw-redirect" title="Data storage device">data storage device</a> (the <a href="/wiki/Master_recording" class="mw-redirect" title="Master recording">master</a>), the source from which all copies will be produced (via methods such as pressing, duplication or <a href="/wiki/Replication_(optical_media)" title="Replication (optical media)">replication</a>). In recent years, <a href="/wiki/Digital_master" title="Digital master">digital masters</a> have become usual, although analog masters—such as audio tapes—are still being used by the manufacturing industry, particularly by a few engineers who specialize in analog mastering.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Mastering requires critical listening; however, software tools exist to facilitate the process. Results depend upon the intent of the engineer, their skills, the accuracy of the speaker monitors, and the listening environment. <b>Mastering engineers</b> often apply <a href="/wiki/Equalization_(audio)" title="Equalization (audio)">equalization</a> and <a href="/wiki/Dynamic_range_compression" title="Dynamic range compression">dynamic range compression</a> in order to optimize sound translation on all playback systems.<sup id="cite_ref-mixmagazine_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mixmagazine-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It is standard practice to make a copy of a master recording—known as a safety copy—in case the master is lost, damaged or stolen. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: History"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Pre-1940s">Pre-1940s</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Pre-1940s"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In the earliest days of the recording industry, all phases of the recording and mastering process were entirely achieved by mechanical processes. Performers sang or played into a large <a href="/wiki/Acoustic_horn" class="mw-redirect" title="Acoustic horn">acoustic horn</a> and the master recording was created by the direct transfer of acoustic energy from the <a href="/wiki/Diaphragm_(acoustics)" title="Diaphragm (acoustics)">diaphragm</a> of the recording horn to the <a href="/wiki/Mastering_lathe" class="mw-redirect" title="Mastering lathe">mastering lathe</a>, typically located in an adjoining room. The cutting head, driven by the energy transferred from the horn, inscribed a modulated groove into the surface of a rotating cylinder or disc.<sup id="cite_ref-Auld_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Auld-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> These masters were usually made from either a soft metal alloy or from <a href="/wiki/Wax" title="Wax">wax</a>; this gave rise to the colloquial term <i>waxing</i>, referring to the cutting of a record.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>After the introduction of the <a href="/wiki/Microphone" title="Microphone">microphone</a> and <a href="/wiki/Electronic_amplifier" class="mw-redirect" title="Electronic amplifier">electronic amplifier</a> in the mid-1920s, the mastering process became electro-mechanical, and electrically driven mastering lathes came into use for cutting master discs (the cylinder format by then having been superseded). Until the introduction of tape recording, master recordings were almost always cut <a href="/wiki/Direct_to_disc_recording" class="mw-redirect" title="Direct to disc recording">direct-to-disc</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Auld_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Auld-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Only a small minority of recordings were mastered using previously recorded material sourced from other discs. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Emergence_of_magnetic_tape">Emergence of magnetic tape</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Emergence of magnetic tape"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In the late 1940s, the recording industry was revolutionized by the introduction of <a href="/wiki/Magnetic_tape" title="Magnetic tape">magnetic tape</a>. Magnetic tape was invented for recording sound by <a href="/wiki/Fritz_Pfleumer" title="Fritz Pfleumer">Fritz Pfleumer</a> in 1928 in Germany, based on the invention of <a href="/wiki/Magnetic_wire_recording" class="mw-redirect" title="Magnetic wire recording">magnetic wire recording</a> by <a href="/wiki/Valdemar_Poulsen" title="Valdemar Poulsen">Valdemar Poulsen</a> in 1898. Not until the end of <a href="/wiki/World_War_II" title="World War II">World War II</a> could the technology be found outside Europe. The introduction of magnetic tape recording enabled master discs to be cut separately in time and space from the actual recording process.<sup id="cite_ref-Auld_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Auld-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Although tape and other technical advances dramatically improved the audio quality of commercial recordings in the post-war years, the basic constraints of the electro-mechanical mastering process remained, and the inherent physical limitations of the main commercial recording media—the 78 rpm disc and later the 7-inch 45 rpm single and 33-1/3 rpm <a href="/wiki/Gramophone_record" class="mw-redirect" title="Gramophone record">LP record</a>—meant that the audio quality, <a href="/wiki/Dynamic_range" title="Dynamic range">dynamic range</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>a<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and running time<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>b<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> of master discs were still limited compared to later media such as the <a href="/wiki/Compact_disc" title="Compact disc">compact disc</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Electro-mechanical_mastering_process">Electro-mechanical mastering process</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Electro-mechanical mastering process"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>From the 1950s until the advent of digital recording in the late 1970s, the mastering process typically went through several stages. Once the studio recording on multi-track tape was complete, a final <a href="/wiki/Audio_mixing_(recorded_music)" title="Audio mixing (recorded music)">mix</a> was prepared and dubbed down to the master tape, usually either a single-track <a href="/wiki/Monaural" class="mw-redirect" title="Monaural">mono</a> or two-track <a href="/wiki/Stereo" class="mw-redirect" title="Stereo">stereo</a> tape. Prior to the cutting of the master disc, the master tape was often subjected to further electronic treatment by a specialist mastering engineer. </p><p>After the advent of tape it was found that, especially for pop recordings, master recordings could be made so that the resulting record would sound better. This was done by making fine adjustments to the amplitude of sound at different frequency bands (<a href="/wiki/Equalization_(audio)" title="Equalization (audio)">equalization</a>) prior to the cutting of the master disc. </p><p>In large recording companies such as <a href="/wiki/EMI" title="EMI">EMI</a>, the mastering process was usually controlled by specialist staff technicians who were conservative in their work practices. These big companies were often reluctant to make changes to their recording and production processes. For example, EMI was very slow in taking up innovations in <a href="/wiki/Multi-track_recording" class="mw-redirect" title="Multi-track recording">multi-track recording</a><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>c<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and did not install 8-track recorders in their <a href="/wiki/Abbey_Road_Studios" title="Abbey Road Studios">Abbey Road Studios</a> until the late 1960s, more than a decade after the first commercial 8-track recorders were installed by American independent studios.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Digital_technology">Digital technology</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Digital technology"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Optimum-mix-levels-for-mast.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Optimum-mix-levels-for-mast.jpg/240px-Optimum-mix-levels-for-mast.jpg" decoding="async" width="240" height="320" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Optimum-mix-levels-for-mast.jpg/360px-Optimum-mix-levels-for-mast.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Optimum-mix-levels-for-mast.jpg 2x" data-file-width="400" data-file-height="533" /></a><figcaption>Optimum Digital Levels with respect to the Full Digital Scale (dBFSD)</figcaption></figure> <p>In the 1990s, electro-mechanical processes were largely superseded by digital technology, with <a href="/wiki/Digital_recording" title="Digital recording">digital recordings</a> stored on <a href="/wiki/Hard_disk_drive" title="Hard disk drive">hard disk drives</a> or digital tape and mastered to <a href="/wiki/CD" class="mw-redirect" title="CD">CD</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Digital_audio_workstation" title="Digital audio workstation">digital audio workstation</a> (DAW) became common in many mastering facilities, allowing the off-line manipulation of recorded audio via a <a href="/wiki/Graphical_user_interface" title="Graphical user interface">graphical user interface</a> (GUI). Although many digital processing tools are common during mastering, it is also very common to use analog media and processing equipment for the mastering stage. Just as in other areas of audio, the benefits and drawbacks of <a href="/wiki/Comparison_of_analog_and_digital_recording" title="Comparison of analog and digital recording">digital technology compared to analog technology</a> are still a matter for debate. However, in the field of audio mastering, the debate is usually over the use of digital versus analog signal processing rather than the use of digital technology for storage of audio.<sup id="cite_ref-mixmagazine_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-mixmagazine-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Digital systems have higher performance and allow mixing to be performed at lower maximum levels. When mixing to 24-bits with peaks between −3 and −10 dBFS on a mix, the mastering engineer has enough <a href="/wiki/Headroom_(audio_signal_processing)" title="Headroom (audio signal processing)">headroom</a> to process and produce a final master.<sup id="cite_ref-bob_katz_9-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-bob_katz-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Mastering engineers recommend leaving enough headroom on the mix to avoid distortion.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The reduction of dynamics by the mix or mastering engineer has resulted in a <a href="/wiki/Loudness_war" title="Loudness war">loudness war</a> in commercial recordings.<sup id="cite_ref-Shelvock_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Shelvock-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Process">Process</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Process"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Manleyvarimu.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Manleyvarimu.jpg/220px-Manleyvarimu.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="68" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Manleyvarimu.jpg/330px-Manleyvarimu.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Manleyvarimu.jpg/440px-Manleyvarimu.jpg 2x" data-file-width="5175" data-file-height="1606" /></a><figcaption>A common mastering processor for <a href="/wiki/Dynamic_range_compression" title="Dynamic range compression">dynamic range compression</a></figcaption></figure> <p>The source material, ideally at the original <a href="/wiki/Audio_bit_depth" title="Audio bit depth">resolution</a>, is processed using <a href="/wiki/Equalization_(audio)" title="Equalization (audio)">equalization</a>, <a href="/wiki/Dynamic_range_compression" title="Dynamic range compression">compression</a>, <a href="/wiki/Limiting" class="mw-redirect" title="Limiting">limiting</a> and other processes. Additional operations, such as <a href="/wiki/Editing" title="Editing">editing</a>, specifying the gaps between tracks, adjusting level, fading in and out, <a href="/wiki/Audio_noise_reduction" class="mw-redirect" title="Audio noise reduction">noise reduction</a> and other signal restoration and enhancement processes can also be applied as part of the mastering stage.<sup id="cite_ref-Shelvock_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Shelvock-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The source material is put in the proper order, commonly referred to as assembly (or 'track') sequencing. These operations prepare the music for either digital or analog, e.g. vinyl, replication. </p><p>If the material is destined for vinyl release, additional processing, such as dynamic range reduction or frequency-dependent stereo–to–mono fold-down and equalization may be applied to compensate for the limitations of that medium. For compact disc release, <i>start of track</i>, <i>end of track</i>, and <i>indexes</i> are defined for playback navigation along with <a href="/wiki/International_Standard_Recording_Code" title="International Standard Recording Code">International Standard Recording Code</a> (ISRC) and other information necessary to replicate a <a href="/wiki/CD" class="mw-redirect" title="CD">CD</a>. Vinyl LP and <a href="/wiki/Cassette_tape" title="Cassette tape">cassettes</a> have their own pre-duplication requirements for a finished master. Subsequently, it is rendered either to a physical medium, such as a CD-R or DVD-R, or to computer files, such as a <a href="/wiki/Disc_Description_Protocol" title="Disc Description Protocol">Disc Description Protocol</a> (DDP) file set or an <a href="/wiki/ISO_image" class="mw-redirect" title="ISO image">ISO image</a>. Regardless of what delivery method is chosen, the replicator factory will transfer the audio to a <a href="/wiki/Compact_Disc_manufacturing" class="mw-redirect" title="Compact Disc manufacturing">glass master</a> that will generate metal stampers for replication. </p><p>The process of audio mastering varies depending on the specific needs of the audio to be processed. Mastering engineers need to examine the types of input media, the expectations of the source producer or recipient, the limitations of the end medium and process the subject accordingly. General rules of thumb can rarely be applied. </p><p>Steps of the process typically include the following: </p> <ol><li>Transferring the recorded audio tracks into the <a href="/wiki/Digital_Audio_Workstation" class="mw-redirect" title="Digital Audio Workstation">Digital Audio Workstation </a>(DAW)</li> <li>Sequence the separate songs or tracks as they will appear on the final release</li> <li>Adjust the length of the silence between songs</li> <li>Process or <a href="/wiki/Sweetening_(show_business)" title="Sweetening (show business)">sweeten</a> audio to maximize the sound quality for the intended medium (e.g. applying specific EQ for vinyl)</li> <li>Transfer the audio to the final master format (CD-ROM, half-inch reel tape, <a href="/wiki/U-matic#Digital_audio" title="U-matic">PCM 1630 U-matic tape</a>, etc.)</li></ol> <p>Examples of possible actions taken during mastering:<sup id="cite_ref-Shelvock_11-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Shelvock-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <ol><li>Editing minor flaws</li> <li>Applying <a href="/wiki/Noise_reduction" title="Noise reduction">noise reduction</a> to eliminate clicks, dropouts, hum and hiss</li> <li>Adjusting stereo width</li> <li>Equalize audio across tracks for the purpose of optimized frequency distribution</li> <li>Adjust volume</li> <li>Dynamic range compression or expansion</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limiter" title="Limiter">Peak limit</a></li> <li>Inserting <a href="/wiki/ISRC" class="mw-redirect" title="ISRC">ISRC</a> codes and CD text</li> <li>Arranging tracks in their final sequential order</li> <li>Fading out the ending of each song</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dither" title="Dither">Dither</a></li></ol> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Engineer">Engineer</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit 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typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/40px-Ambox_important.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/60px-Ambox_important.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/80px-Ambox_important.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="40" data-file-height="40" /></span></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span"><div class="multiple-issues-text mw-collapsible"><b>This section has multiple issues.</b> Please help <b><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Mastering_(audio)" title="Special:EditPage/Mastering (audio)">improve it</a></b> or discuss these issues on the <b><a href="/wiki/Talk:Mastering_(audio)" title="Talk:Mastering (audio)">talk page</a></b>. <small><i>(<a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove these messages</a>)</i></small> <div class="mw-collapsible-content"> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1251242444"><table class="box-More_citations_needed plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Refimprove" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="39" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/75px-Question_book-new.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/100px-Question_book-new.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="399" /></a></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This section <b>needs additional citations for <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verification</a></b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please help <a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Mastering_(audio)" title="Special:EditPage/Mastering (audio)">improve this article</a> by <a href="/wiki/Help:Referencing_for_beginners" title="Help:Referencing for beginners">adding citations to reliable sources</a> in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.<br /><small><span class="plainlinks"><i>Find sources:</i> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22Mastering%22+audio">"Mastering" audio</a> – <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22Mastering%22+audio+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1">news</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?&q=%22Mastering%22+audio&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks">newspapers</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22Mastering%22+audio+-wikipedia">books</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Mastering%22+audio">scholar</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22Mastering%22+audio&acc=on&wc=on">JSTOR</a></span></small></span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">October 2008</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1251242444"><table class="box-Original_research plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-Original_research" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/40px-Ambox_important.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/60px-Ambox_important.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b4/Ambox_important.svg/80px-Ambox_important.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="40" data-file-height="40" /></span></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This section <b>possibly contains <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_research" title="Wikipedia:No original research">original research</a></b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit">improve it</a> by <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verifying</a> the claims made and adding <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources#Inline_citations" title="Wikipedia:Citing sources">inline citations</a>. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">February 2022</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> </div> </div><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Doug_Sax_with_4_Lathes.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Doug_Sax_with_4_Lathes.jpg/220px-Doug_Sax_with_4_Lathes.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="149" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Doug_Sax_with_4_Lathes.jpg/330px-Doug_Sax_with_4_Lathes.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Doug_Sax_with_4_Lathes.jpg/440px-Doug_Sax_with_4_Lathes.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3499" data-file-height="2364" /></a><figcaption>Mastering engineer Doug Sax with four <a href="/wiki/Disc_cutting_lathe" title="Disc cutting lathe">disc cutting lathes</a></figcaption></figure> <p>A <b>mastering engineer</b> is a person skilled in the practice of taking <a href="/wiki/Sound" title="Sound">audio</a> (typically musical content) that has been previously mixed in either the <a href="/wiki/Analog_recording" title="Analog recording">analogue</a> or <a href="/wiki/Digital_recording" title="Digital recording">digital</a> domain as mono, stereo, or multichannel formats and preparing it for use in <a href="/wiki/Distribution_(business)" class="mw-redirect" title="Distribution (business)">distribution</a>, whether by physical media such as a CD, vinyl record, or as some method of streaming audio. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Education_and_experience">Education and experience</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Education and experience"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The mastering engineer is responsible for a final edit of a product and preparation for manufacturing copies. Although there are no official requirements to work as an audio mastering engineer, practitioners often have comprehensive domain knowledge of audio engineering, and in many cases, may hold an audio or acoustic engineering <a href="/wiki/Academic_degree" title="Academic degree">degree</a>. Most <a href="/wiki/Audio_engineer" title="Audio engineer">audio engineers</a> master music or speech audio material. The best mastering engineers might possess <a href="/wiki/Arrangement" title="Arrangement">arrangement</a> and production skills, allowing them to troubleshoot <a href="/wiki/Audio_mixing_(recorded_music)" title="Audio mixing (recorded music)">mix</a> issues and improve the final sound. Generally, good mastering skills are based on experience, resulting from many years of practice. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Equipment">Equipment</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Equipment"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Generally, mastering engineers use a combination of specialized audio-signal processors, low-distortion-high-bandwidth loudspeakers (and corresponding amplifiers with which to drive them), within a dedicated, acoustically-optimized playback environment. The equipment and processors used within the field of mastering are almost entirely dedicated to the purpose; engineered to a high standard, often possessing low signal-to-noise ratios [at nominal operating levels] and in many cases, the incorporation of parameter-recall, such as indented potentiometers, or in some more-sophisticated designs, via a digital-controller. Some advocates for digital software claim that plug-ins are capable of processing audio in a mastering context, though without the same degree of signal degradation as those introduced from processors within the analog domain. The quality of the results varies according to the algorithms used within these processors, which in some cases, can introduce distortions entirely exclusive to the digital domain. </p><p><a href="/wiki/Real-time_analyzer" title="Real-time analyzer">Real-time analyzers</a>, phase <a href="/wiki/Oscilloscope" title="Oscilloscope">oscilloscopes</a>, and also peak, RMS, VU and K meters are frequently used within the audio analysis stage of the process as a means of rendering a visual representation of the audio, or signal, being analyzed. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Aspects_of_their_work">Aspects of their work</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: Aspects of their work"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Most mastering engineer accolades are given for their ability to make a mix consistent with respect to subjective factors based on the perception of listeners, regardless of their playback systems and the environment. This is a difficult task due to the varieties of systems now available and the effect it has on the apparent qualitative attributes of the <a href="/wiki/Sound_recording_and_reproduction" title="Sound recording and reproduction">recording</a>. For instance, a recording that sounds great on one <a href="/wiki/Loudspeaker" title="Loudspeaker">speaker</a>/<a href="/wiki/Amplifier" title="Amplifier">amplifier</a> combination playing CD audio, may sound drastically different on a computer-based system playing back a low-<a href="/wiki/Bitrate" class="mw-redirect" title="Bitrate">bitrate</a> <a href="/wiki/MP3" title="MP3">MP3</a>. Some engineers maintain that the main mastering engineer's task is to improve upon playback systems translations while the position of others is to make a sonic impact.<sup id="cite_ref-edward_vinatea_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-edward_vinatea-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Prolonged periods of listening to improperly mastered recordings usually leads to hearing fatigue that ultimately takes the pleasure out of the listening experience.<sup id="cite_ref-stylusmagazine_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-stylusmagazine-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Notable_audio_mastering_engineers">Notable audio mastering engineers</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Notable audio mastering engineers"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1184024115">.mw-parser-output .div-col{margin-top:0.3em;column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .div-col-small{font-size:90%}.mw-parser-output .div-col-rules{column-rule:1px solid #aaa}.mw-parser-output .div-col dl,.mw-parser-output .div-col ol,.mw-parser-output .div-col ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .div-col li,.mw-parser-output .div-col dd{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}</style><div class="div-col" style="column-width: 20em;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Brad_Blackwood" title="Brad Blackwood">Brad Blackwood</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Greg_Calbi" title="Greg Calbi">Greg Calbi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tony_Dawsey" title="Tony Dawsey">Tony Dawsey</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/P._A._Deepak" title="P. A. Deepak">P. A. Deepak</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brian_Gardner" title="Brian Gardner">Brian Gardner</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chris_Gehringer" title="Chris Gehringer">Chris Gehringer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kevin_Gray_(mastering_engineer)" title="Kevin Gray (mastering engineer)">Kevin Gray</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bernie_Grundman" title="Bernie Grundman">Bernie Grundman</a><sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Steve_Hoffman_(audio_engineer)" title="Steve Hoffman (audio engineer)">Steve Hoffman</a><sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ted_Jensen" title="Ted Jensen">Ted Jensen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bob_Katz" title="Bob Katz">Bob Katz</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Heba_Kadry" title="Heba Kadry">Heba Kadry</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Emily_Lazar" title="Emily Lazar">Emily Lazar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bob_Ludwig" title="Bob Ludwig">Bob Ludwig</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stephen_Marcussen" title="Stephen Marcussen">Stephen Marcussen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/George_Marino" title="George Marino">George Marino</a><sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Randy_Merrill" title="Randy Merrill">Randy Merrill</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mandy_Parnell" title="Mandy Parnell">Mandy Parnell</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/George_Peckham" title="George Peckham">George "Porky" Peckham</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Eric_Pillai" title="Eric Pillai">Eric Pillai</a><sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shadab_Rayeen" title="Shadab Rayeen">Shadab Rayeen</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Doug_Sax" title="Doug Sax">Doug Sax</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/H._Sridhar" title="H. Sridhar">H. Sridhar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ray_Staff" title="Ray Staff">Ray Staff</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rudy_Van_Gelder" title="Rudy Van Gelder">Rudy Van Gelder</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Howie_Weinberg" title="Howie Weinberg">Howie Weinberg</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Leon_Zervos" title="Leon Zervos">Leon Zervos</a></li></ul> </div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Grammy_Award_for_Best_Surround_Sound_Album" class="mw-redirect" title="Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album">Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/PMCD" title="PMCD">PMCD</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Loudness_war" title="Loudness war">Loudness war</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Album_era" title="Album era">Album era</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Remaster" title="Remaster">Remaster</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/2008_Universal_Studios_fire" title="2008 Universal Studios fire">2008 Universal Studios fire</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: Notes"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-lower-alpha"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Dynamic range was limited by the fact that if the mastering level was set too high, the cutting head might be damaged during the cutting process or the stylus may jump out of the groove during playback.<sup id="cite_ref-Auld_3-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Auld-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Running times were constrained by the diameter of the disc and the density with which grooves could be inscribed on the surface without cutting into each other.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">In <a href="/wiki/Multi-track_recording" class="mw-redirect" title="Multi-track recording">multi-track recording</a> each signal input is recorded to its own track on a multi-track recorder. This multi-track tape is mixed down to a mono or stereo master tape. A multi-track tape may be remixed many times, in different ways, by different engineers, giving the possibility of several masters (mono version, stereo version, LP version, AM radio version, single version, etc.).</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Mastering_(audio)&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239543626"><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://thevinylfactory.com/features/analogue-digital-vinyl-mastering-interviews/">"What's actually going on when people talk about digital vs. analogue masters"</a>. 18 October 2017.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=What%27s+actually+going+on+when+people+talk+about+digital+vs.+analogue+masters&rft.date=2017-10-18&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fthevinylfactory.com%2Ffeatures%2Fanalogue-digital-vinyl-mastering-interviews%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMastering+%28audio%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-mixmagazine-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-mixmagazine_2-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-mixmagazine_2-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBlair_Jackson2006" class="citation magazine cs1">Blair Jackson (May 1, 2006). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070524113354/http://mixonline.com/recording/mastering/audio_issues_modern_mastering/">"Issues in Modern Mastering"</a>. <i>Mix Magazine</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://mixonline.com/recording/mastering/audio_issues_modern_mastering">the original</a> on May 24, 2007.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Mix+Magazine&rft.atitle=Issues+in+Modern+Mastering&rft.date=2006-05-01&rft.au=Blair+Jackson&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fmixonline.com%2Frecording%2Fmastering%2Faudio_issues_modern_mastering&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMastering+%28audio%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Auld-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Auld_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Auld_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Auld_3-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Auld_3-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFRobert_Auld" class="citation magazine cs1">Robert Auld. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171124115019/http://www.recordingmag.com/resources/resourceDetail/109.html">"Mastering Then and Now"</a>. <i>Recording</i>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.recordingmag.com/resources/resourceDetail/109.html">the original</a> on 2017-11-24<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2016-01-19</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Recording&rft.atitle=Mastering+Then+and+Now&rft.au=Robert+Auld&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.recordingmag.com%2Fresources%2FresourceDetail%2F109.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMastering+%28audio%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation cs2"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=k_UDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA47">"New Technique Aids LP Waxing"</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Billboard_(magazine)" title="Billboard (magazine)">Billboard</a></i>, 1950-03-25</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Billboard&rft.atitle=New+Technique+Aids+LP+Waxing&rft.date=1950-03-25&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3Dk_UDAAAAMBAJ%26pg%3DPA47&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMastering+%28audio%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFMartinHornsby1994" class="citation book cs1"><a href="/wiki/George_Martin" title="George Martin">Martin, George</a>; Hornsby, Jeremy (1994). <i>All you need is ears</i>. Macmillan. p. 143. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-312-11482-6" title="Special:BookSources/0-312-11482-6"><bdi>0-312-11482-6</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=All+you+need+is+ears&rft.pages=143&rft.pub=Macmillan&rft.date=1994&rft.isbn=0-312-11482-6&rft.aulast=Martin&rft.aufirst=George&rft.au=Hornsby%2C+Jeremy&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMastering+%28audio%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-bob_katz-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-bob_katz_9-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.digido.com/bob-katz/mixing-tips-and-tricks.html">Bob Katz Mixing Tips</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070827154625/http://www.digido.com/bob-katz/mixing-tips-and-tricks.html">Archived</a> August 27, 2007, at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://cdmusicmastering.com/how-much-headroom-for-mastering.html">How much headroom for mastering?</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Shelvock-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Shelvock_11-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Shelvock_11-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Shelvock_11-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFShelvock2012" class="citation book cs1">Shelvock, Matt (2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1709&context=etd"><i>Audio Mastering as Musical Practice</i></a>. Ontario, Canada: ETDR: University of Western Ontario. pp. 1–72.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Audio+Mastering+as+Musical+Practice&rft.place=Ontario%2C+Canada&rft.pages=1-72&rft.pub=ETDR%3A+University+of+Western+Ontario&rft.date=2012&rft.aulast=Shelvock&rft.aufirst=Matt&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fir.lib.uwo.ca%2Fcgi%2Fviewcontent.cgi%3Farticle%3D1709%26context%3Detd&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMastering+%28audio%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-edward_vinatea-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-edward_vinatea_12-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFVinatea2010" class="citation web cs1">Vinatea, Edward (24 April 2010). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://musicmasteringonline.com/understanding-mastering/">"Understanding Mastering"</a>. <i>The Directory of Mastering Studios</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/imperfect-sound-forever.htm">the original</a> on 3 December 2017<span class="reference-accessdate">. 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2020-01-26</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=TapeOp+Magazine&rft.atitle=Steve+Hoffman%3A+Mastering+The+Beach+Boys%2C+Miles+Davis%2C+%26+More&rft.date=2011-09%2F2011-10&rft.aulast=Hanlon&rft.aufirst=Keith&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Ftapeop.com%2Farticles%2F85%2Fsteve-hoffman%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMastering+%28audio%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFBarnes2012" class="citation news cs1">Barnes, Mike (2012-06-04). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-marino-legendary-mastering-engineer-333020">"George Marino, Legendary Mastering Engineer, Dies"</a>. <i>Hollywood Reporter</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2020-01-26</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Hollywood+Reporter&rft.atitle=George+Marino%2C+Legendary+Mastering+Engineer%2C+Dies&rft.date=2012-06-04&rft.aulast=Barnes&rft.aufirst=Mike&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hollywoodreporter.com%2Fnews%2Fgeorge-marino-legendary-mastering-engineer-333020&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMastering+%28audio%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://ericpillai.com/site/">"Eric Pillai – Future Sound of Bombay"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Eric+Pillai+%E2%80%93+Future+Sound+of+Bombay&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fericpillai.com%2Fsite%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AMastering+%28audio%29" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul 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href="/wiki/Effects_loop" title="Effects loop">Effects loop</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Effects_unit" title="Effects unit">Effects unit</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Talk_box" title="Talk box">Talk box</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wah-wah_pedal" title="Wah-wah pedal">Wah-wah pedal</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Diffusion_(acoustics)" title="Diffusion (acoustics)">Diffusion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Microphone" title="Microphone">Microphone</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Overdubbing" title="Overdubbing">Overdubbing</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ping-pong_recording" title="Ping-pong recording">Ping-ponging</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Punch_in/out" title="Punch in/out">Punch in/out</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sound_recording" class="mw-redirect" title="Sound recording">Sound recording</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tape_loop" title="Tape loop">Tape loop</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Audio_signal_processing" title="Audio signal processing">Signal <br /> processing</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Audio_time_stretching_and_pitch_scaling" title="Audio time stretching and pitch scaling">Pitch shift</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Auto-Tune" title="Auto-Tune">Auto-Tune</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chorus_effect" class="mw-redirect" title="Chorus effect">Chorus effect</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dynamic_range_compression" title="Dynamic range compression">Compression</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Delay_(audio_effect)" title="Delay (audio effect)">Delay effect</a> (<a href="/wiki/Send_tape_echo_echo_delay" title="Send tape echo echo delay">STEED</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Distortion_(music)" title="Distortion (music)">Distortion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Double_tracking" title="Double tracking">Double tracking</a> (<a href="/wiki/Automatic_double_tracking" title="Automatic double tracking">ADT</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ducking" title="Ducking">Ducking</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Equalization_(audio)" title="Equalization (audio)">Equalization</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Exciter_(effect)" title="Exciter (effect)">Exciter effect</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Flanging" title="Flanging">Flanging</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Octave_effect" title="Octave effect">Octave effect</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Noise_gate" title="Noise gate">Noise gate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Phaser_(effect)" title="Phaser (effect)">Phaser</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pumping_(audio)" title="Pumping (audio)">Pumping</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reverb_effect" title="Reverb effect">Reverb</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reverse_echo" title="Reverse echo">Reverse echo</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><div class="hlist"><ul><li>Practices</li><li><br />aesthetics</li></ul></div></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hip_hop_production" title="Hip hop production">Hip hop production</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lo-fi_music" title="Lo-fi music">Lo-fi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Overproduction_(music)" title="Overproduction (music)">Overproduction</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Recording_studio_as_an_instrument" title="Recording studio as an instrument">Recording studio as an instrument</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sampling_(music)" title="Sampling (music)">Sampling</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Turntablism" title="Turntablism">Turntablism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wall_of_Sound" title="Wall of Sound">Wall of Sound</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Xenochrony" title="Xenochrony">Xenochrony</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><div class="hlist"><ul><li>Roles</li><li><br /> professions</li></ul></div></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Arrangement" title="Arrangement">Arranger</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Audio_engineer" title="Audio engineer">Audio engineer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Backup_band" title="Backup band">Backup band</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bandleader" title="Bandleader">Bandleader</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DJ" class="mw-redirect" title="DJ">DJ</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ghostwriter#Music" title="Ghostwriter">Ghostwriters in music</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Horn_section" title="Horn section">Horn section</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Orchestrator" class="mw-redirect" title="Orchestrator">Orchestrator</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Record_producer" title="Record producer">Record producer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rhythm_section" title="Rhythm section">Rhythm section</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Session_musician" title="Session musician">Session musician</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Backup_singer" class="mw-redirect" 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