Mastering

The final process in making Single, EP, or Album for release is Mastering. Professional audio mastering is a critical step for many reasons. The mastering engineer’s primary goal is to enhance the overall sonic clarity and ensure the overall volume level of the song stands up next to other radio-ready recordings.

In CD mastering (for a collection of songs), the mastering engineer maintains a consistent sound and volume level from song to song.  Processes such as editing, pre-gapping, fading in and out, noise reduction, and signal restoration can be applied as part of the mastering stage.  Once the optimal sound has been achieved, the tracks are formatted for release, whether it is for CD or digital release.

Colorado Sound is a Mastered for iTunes Provider.  This optional service provides a high resolution version of the songs for upload to iTunes.  As a bonus, your high resolution masters can be released (FLAC files) to your fans through other digital distribution channels.  View our video on how to prepare for your mastering session.

Book Your Session

We use high end plug-ins and software specifically designed for Mastering, along with an accurate listening environment. This will ensure that your songs will have a competitive sound and level for CD replication, digital distribution and radio airplay.
Our rates are $90/hr, and we encourage you to be present for the session, although it is not mandatory. Mastering for final mixes typically averages around a half hour per song.
After your project is Mastered, we offer many formats for delivery, including high resolution files for iTunes or release as FLAC files. We also offer DDP (Disc Description Protocol), which is a digital format that can be used to upload your files directly for duplication or replication.