24 Jan
 - 
Guide

Why Mastering Your Music Matters and What You Need

Why Mastering Your Music Matters and What You Need

You've poured your heart and soul into recording your music. Now it's time to create the final, polished versions that the world will hear. This is where mastering comes in.

What is a Master?

Your master is the final, release-ready version of your song. It's the source from which all other versions are created. Mastering is the crucial final step in music production, ensuring your audio sounds balanced and polished across all playback systems.

Why Create Different Versions?

Before mastering, create all the different versions of your song you might need. This ensures consistent sound quality across all formats. Here are a few key versions:

Instrumental

  • A version of your track without vocals.
  • Essential for sync licensing opportunities (TV, film, ads).

Radio Edit

  • A shorter version of your song, optimized for radio airplay.
  • May have a shorter intro, a punchier chorus, or even a removed verse to keep the length down.

Acapella

  • Contains only the vocals.
  • Useful for remixes, DJ sets, and other creative uses.

Other Versions to Consider:

  • TV Edit: Similar to the instrumental, but with backing vocals and non-lyrical vocal sounds included.
  • Stems: Individual tracks for each instrument and vocal, providing maximum flexibility for remixes.

Having a variety of masters opens up opportunities for your music. You'll be prepared for sync licensing requests, radio airplay, remixes, and more!

Masterchannel

Our partner Masterchannel is an AI mastering platform to help you make your tracks release-ready and optimised for all streaming platforms. Used by GRAMMY-winning producers, delivering results as good as a mastering engineer. 

Check out Masterchannel here. Pro members get a 20% discount via Partner Perks!

Ready to learn more about mastering and preparing your music for release?

Head back to the un:hurd app for expert guidance and a supportive community of independent artists.

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