Hi guys. I just wanted to take the temperature of modern AI engines so I asked Perplexity, Gemini 3 pro, GROK and ChatGPT to teach me how to master a song, ChatGPT misunderstood my intention and explained how to create a song instead of audio mastering.
I should probably have asked them to master for a specific genre.
Get Perplexity Pro free for 12 months if you have Paypal with a credit card tied to it, only works today. Just remember to cancel the subscription next december or you are on the hook. https://www.perplexity.ai/join/p/paypal-subscription
Happy New Year 
------ PERPLEXITY.AI ------
Mastering a song polishes your final mix for professional loudness, balance, and consistency across playback systems. As a patient tutor, we’ll break this down into foundational steps, building your skills through practice and critical listening rather than just presets. Follow these sequentially in your DAW, starting with a well-mixed stereo file peaking at -6dB to -3dB for headroom.mastering+1​
Preparation Steps
Set up an accurate listening environment first—use treated room acoustics or reference monitors/headphones to avoid misleading decisions from bass buildup or harsh reflections. Export your mix as a 24-bit WAV at your project’s sample rate, take a day-long break to refresh your ears, and import 2-3 reference tracks from similar genres for comparison. Check levels on multiple systems (phones, cars, hi-fi) and note issues like muddiness or dullness before processing.izotope+2​
Tonal Balance with EQ
Apply subtle linear-phase EQ first: high-pass filter rumble below 20-30Hz, cut muddy lows around 200-400Hz by 1-3dB with wide Q, and boost air above 10kHz sparingly for sparkle. Use your reference tracks to match spectral curves—tools like Ozone’s Master Assistant analyze and suggest curves visually. Listen in mono to ensure no phase issues, then A/B with references, adjusting no more than 3dB total to preserve mix integrity.pirate+3​
Dynamics Control
Add gentle compression (2-4dB gain reduction) with slow attack (10-30ms) and auto-release to glue elements without squashing transients. Follow with multiband compression if needed for taming bass peaks or harsh mids, keeping ratios under 4:1. This connects to EQ by stabilizing tones before enhancement, teaching you how dynamics affect perceived loudness.sageaudio+3​
Enhancement and Limiting
Excite harmonics subtly (under 2%) with saturation or exciters for warmth and presence, focusing on tape or tube emulations. Finish with a brickwall limiter: set ceiling to -0.5 to -1dB true peak, aim for -14 to -9 LUFS integrated loudness (streaming targets), and reduce gain until 3-6dB reduction without distortion. Reference pros like those using Ozone macros for vocal balance and width.youtube​izotope+2​
Final Checks and Export
Dither to 16-bit for CD/streaming, sequence album tracks for consistent loudness, and embed metadata (ISRC, artwork). Test on 5+ systems, compare to references, and iterate—mastery comes from repeating this cycle on 10+ songs. Practice by mastering one mix weekly, noting what changes work across genres.studiobricks+3​
------ GOOGLE GEMINI 3 PRO --------
Mastering is the final step of audio post-production.[1] Its goal is to make a song sound balanced, cohesive, and “competitive” (loud enough) across all playback systems—from expensive studio monitors to cheap phone speakers.
Here is a comprehensive guide to mastering a song, tailored for 2025 standards.
Phase 1: Preparation (Before You Touch a Plugin)
You cannot master a bad mix.[1][2] Ensure your mix is ready before starting.
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Headroom: Your mix should peak between -6dB and -3dB .[2] This gives you “room” to add processing without instantly distorting.[1][2]
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Clean Export: Bounce your mix as a high-quality WAV file (same sample rate/bit depth as your project, typically 24-bit/44.1kHz or 48kHz).[2] Do not put a limiter on your master bus when exporting the mix.[1][2]
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Fresh Ears: Never master immediately after mixing. Take at least a few hours (ideally a day) off so your ears reset.[2]
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Reference Tracks: Import a professionally mastered song in the same genre into your project. Turn its volume down by about 3-6dB so it matches the volume of your unmastered mix. You will use this to compare tonal balance (bass/treble) and dynamics.[2]
Phase 2: The Signal Chain (The “Recipe”)
Mastering typically follows a specific order of plugins.[1][2] Here is the standard chain:
1. Subtractive EQ (Cleaning)
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Goal: Remove “invisible” junk frequencies that eat up headroom.
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Action:
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Low Cut (High Pass): Cut everything below 20–30 Hz with a steep curve (12–24dB/octave). These sub-frequencies are inaudible but trigger your compressor/limiter unnecessarily.[2]
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Corrective Cuts: If the track sounds “muddy,” try a small cut (1–2dB) around 250–400 Hz.[2] If it sounds “harsh,” look at 2–4 kHz.
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Technique: Use a narrow “Q” setting to surgically remove bad frequencies.[2]
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2. Compression (The Glue) [1][2][3]
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Goal: Tame the loudest peaks so the track feels consistent and “glued” together.
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Settings:
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Ratio: Low (1.5:1 to 2:1).[1][2][3] Mastering compression should be gentle.[2][3]
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Attack: Slow (30ms+). This lets the “punch” of drums pass through before clamping down.[1]
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Release: Auto (or timed to the groove of the song).
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Gain Reduction: Aim for only 1–2dB of reduction on the loudest hits. If the needle is moving wildly, you are over-compressing.[1]
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3. Additive EQ (Sweetening)
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Goal: Shape the overall tone.
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Action:
4. Saturation (Optional but Recommended)
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Goal: Add harmonic richness and perceived loudness without raising the actual peak volume.
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Action: Use a tape or tube saturation plugin.[2] Dial it in until you hear it, then back it off slightly. It should feel “thicker,” not distorted.
5. Limiting (Loudness)
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Goal: Make the track loud without clipping (going into the red).
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Settings:
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Ceiling: Set to -1.0 dBTP (True Peak). This is the modern standard for streaming services like Spotify to prevent distortion during transcoding.[1][2]
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Threshold/Gain: Lower the threshold (or boost gain) until you hit your target loudness.
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Target: For 2025, a safe competitive target is -14 to -12 LUFS (Integrated).[2]
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Gain Reduction: If your limiter is reducing more than 3–4dB, your mix might need fixing, or you need to compress more in stage 2.
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Phase 3: Critical Listening & Ear Training
This is where amateurs are separated from pros.[1][2] You need to train your ears to hear what the tools are doing.[1][2][4]
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The “Vowel” Technique:
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Muddy/Boofy: Sounds like “Ouh” or “Oh” (200–500 Hz).[2]
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Boxy/Honky: Sounds like “Aw” or “Eh” (500–1000 Hz).[2]
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Nasal/Tinny: Sounds like “Ee” (1–2 kHz).[2]
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Harsh/Piercing: Sounds like “Sss” (4–8 kHz).[2]
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Exercise: Sweep an EQ boost across your track and listen for these vowel sounds to identify problem areas.
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Check for Over-Compression:
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Listen to the drums. Do they sound “punchy” (good) or like they are being swallowed/flattened (bad)?
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Does the track “pump” (volume sucks in and out) on every kick drum hit? If so, your release time is too fast or threshold is too low.
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Phase 4: The Environment (Budget Home Studio)
You can’t fix what you can’t hear.[1][2]
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Speaker Placement: Your head and the two speakers should form an equilateral triangle.[1][2][5][6]
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Budget Treatment: If your room echoes (clap your hands to test), hang thick blankets or heavy curtains behind you and on the walls to your left and right.[1][2]
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The Car Test: The ultimate reality check.[1][2] Listen to your master in a car. If the bass rattles the trunk too much or the vocals disappear, go back and adjust.
Phase 5: Free Tools to Start With (2025)
You don’t need to spend money to learn.[1][2]
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EQ: TDR Nova (Dynamic EQ) or Tokyo Dawn SlickEQ.
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Compressor: TDR Kotelnikov (Very transparent mastering compressor).[2][7]
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Limiter: VladG Limiter No6 or Kilohearts Limiter.
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Metering (Essential): Youlean Loudness Meter (Free version is perfect for checking LUFS).[2]
Summary Checklist
- Prep: Mix peaks at -6dB, clean WAV export.
- EQ 1: Cut subs (<30Hz) and mud.
- Compress: 1–2dB reduction, slow attack.
- EQ 2: Gentle high shelf boost for “air.”
- Limit: Ceiling at -1.0 dBTP, target -14 LUFS.
- Check: Compare volume to reference track; check in car.
------ GROK --------
What is Audio Mastering?
Mastering is the final step in music production, where you take a finished stereo mix and polish it for release. The goals are:
- Balance the overall tone (frequency response).
- Control dynamics for consistency.
- Increase perceived loudness without distortion.
- Ensure the track translates well on different playback systems (phones, speakers, clubs).
- For albums/EPs: Make all songs consistent in volume and feel.
A great mix makes mastering easier—mastering can’t fix a bad mix, but it enhances a good one.
Step-by-Step Guide to Mastering a Song
Here’s a beginner-friendly process. Use a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) like Ableton Live, Logic Pro, FL Studio, Reaper, or GarageBand.
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Prepare Your Mix
- Export your final mix as a high-quality stereo file: WAV or AIFF, 24-bit (or higher), at least 44.1kHz sample rate.
- Leave headroom: Peaks should hit around -6dB to -3dB (no clipping).
- No processing on the master bus during mixing (remove any limiters/EQ if added).
- Trim silence at start/end, add fades if needed.
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Set Up Your Mastering Session
- Create a new project in your DAW.
- Import the stereo mix file.
- Work at a higher sample rate if possible (e.g., 96kHz) for better processing.
- Use good monitoring: Studio headphones/monitors in a treated room (or decent ones to start).
(Examples of DAW sessions during mastering.)
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Reference Tracks
- Import 2-3 professional songs in the same genre.
- Match their volume to your mix.
- A/B compare constantly: How does your track stack up in bass, clarity, width, loudness?
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Typical Mastering Chain Order
- Build this on your master channel with plugins.
(A typical mastering processing chain: corrective EQ → compression → saturation/exciter → stereo imaging → limiter.)
- Subtractive/Corrective EQ first: Cut problem frequencies (e.g., mud around 200-300Hz, harshness 3-5kHz). Use broad, gentle cuts (1-3dB).
- Compression (optional/light): Glue the track, 1-3dB gain reduction. Slow attack (>20ms), medium release.
- Additive EQ: Boost for warmth/air if needed (subtle!).
- Saturation/Exciter (optional): Add harmonic warmth.
- Stereo Widening (optional): Enhance width, but keep low end mono.
- Limiter last: Push loudness. Aim for -14 to -10 LUFS integrated (for streaming). True peak max -1dBTP.
(Use a loudness meter like Youlean Loudness Meter (free version available) to check LUFS and true peaks.)
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Key Tips During Processing
- Make subtle changes—mastering is about polish, not overhaul.
- Listen at low volumes to check balance.
- Take breaks: Fresh ears are crucial.
- Check mono compatibility (collapse to mono—no phase issues?).
- Test on multiple systems: Car, phone, earbuds.
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Export the Master
- 16-bit/44.1kHz WAV for most platforms (dither when reducing bit depth).
- For streaming: Target -14 LUFS (Spotify normalizes anyway, but avoid over-limiting).
Tools to Get Started (Free Options in 2025)
- Free Plugins: Youlean Loudness Meter 2 (loudness analysis), Frontier (free limiter), Voxengo SPAN (spectrum analyzer), stock DAW plugins.
- All-in-One Free: Many DAWs have built-in tools; or try free trials of iZotope Ozone Elements.
- AI/Online Free Options: LANDR (free previews/masters), or other browser-based tools for quick results.
Path to Mastery
Practice on your own tracks and references. Start simple—EQ + Limiter only. Over time, your ears will improve. If possible, send to a pro engineer for feedback or final polish (affordable online services exist).
You’ve got this—start with one track and iterate! If you have a specific DAW or genre, I can give more tailored advice.
EQ (subtle, corrective)
Compression (glue, not punch)
Saturation (optional but powerful)
Stereo imaging (use carefully)
Limiter (final loudness)
No clipping
Over-EQing
