Audio Mastering and Post-Production Flashcards

What is 'dynamic range' in the context of mastering?

Answer: The difference in level between the quietest and loudest parts of an audio program

Dynamic range is the difference in dB between the quietest and loudest passages of the audio, and mastering balances it to suit the intended distribution format.

What does 'stem mastering' involve compared to standard mastering?

Answer: Mastering from individual grouped stems (drums, bass, vocals) rather than a single stereo mix

Stem mastering gives the mastering engineer access to grouped stems, allowing more targeted processing than with a single stereo mix but less than a full remix.

What is the standard integrated loudness target for music on Spotify?

Answer: -14 LUFS

Spotify normalizes playback to approximately -14 LUFS integrated loudness; masters louder than this are turned down automatically.

What is 'M/S EQ' used for in mastering?

Answer: Applying different EQ to the mid (center) and side (stereo width) channels independently

M/S EQ processes the mono center and stereo sides independently, allowing the mastering engineer to, e.g., clean up low end in the mids or add air to the sides.

What does 'dialogue normalization' (dialnorm) do in broadcast and film post-production?

Answer: Sets the target loudness level for dialogue so all broadcast content plays at a consistent perceived volume

Dialnorm is a metadata flag in Dolby Digital that tells the decoder the average dialogue loudness, enabling broadcast systems to normalize program loudness.

What is a 'reference loudness' check during mastering?

Answer: Comparing the master's loudness and tonal balance to commercial reference tracks in the same genre

A reference loudness check involves A/B comparing the master against commercial releases in the genre to ensure competitive loudness and tonal balance.