Journal / Technique
Loudness, formats, genres, and the nuances of mastering.
From the engineer's desk Holiday and Christmas record mastering: warmth without losing translation Holiday records need warmth. They also need to hold up on a phone speaker in the kitchen…
From the engineer's desk Indie rock mastering: preserving dynamics in a loud world Indie rock lives or dies on dynamics. The verse-to-chorus arc, the breakdown into the bridge, the way…
From the engineer's desk R&B mastering in 2026 — vocal presence, low-end weight, and translation R&B in 2026 spans a wide range — alternative R&B, neo-soul, trap-influenced R&B, pop-R&B crossover…
From the engineer's desk Mastering for streaming in 2026 — what changed and what still matters The streaming-mastering conversation is in a calm place. The platforms are stable, the targets…
From the engineer's desk Pop mastering in 2026 — vocal-forward, controlled low end, and competitive loudness Pop is the genre most pulled in three directions at once. It needs loudness…
From the engineer's desk Why your master sounds quieter on Spotify than your reference You finished your master. It hits -8 LUFS integrated, peaks at -1 dBTP. You pull up…
From the engineer's desk Hip-hop mastering in 2026 — loudness, low end, and modern listening Hip-hop mastering has shifted. The genre still lives at a loudness floor most other genres…
From the engineer's desk How loud should your master be in 2026? Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Tidal The right LUFS target depends on where the track lives. Spotify normalizes one way,…
From the engineer's desk Mastering for Electronic & Ambient Music — A Practical Guide Electronic music covers an enormous range — from dense club tracks to delicate ambient soundscapes. The…
From the engineer's desk Mastering for Vinyl — What's Actually Different and Why It Matters Pressing a record isn't just a format choice — it's a different technical world. Here's…
