Studio Mastering is Tape DSP’s online mastering product: upload a finished mix and get a streaming-ready bounce. The online Tape Machine can print tape color first. The plugin pack does analog glue on the mix bus in your DAW. This walkthrough is the online path.
Master in the DAW or in the browser
Use the plugins on the mix bus in your session, or upload a final mix for a browser print. In Studio, add tape color, check integrated LUFS and true-peak, then export — or use Studio Mastering’s auto-master for Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music delivery.
Step 1 — Start with a clean, headroom-friendly mix
Master a mix that peaks around −6 to −3 dBFS, with the brickwall limiter off the bus. Mastering builds on a mix that still has room. Prefer 24-bit or 32-bit float WAV and leave headroom for tape drive and final loudness.
Step 2 — Add tape for glue, warmth, and smoother highs
In the online Tape Machine, start quiet. Tape adds harmonic warmth, gentle compression, and a natural HF roll-off that tames brittle highs. Always use level-matched A/B so you are hearing tone. Details: what the engine actually does.
- Tape speed — low-end character and head bump
- Drive — harmonic density; keep mastering passes restrained
- Compression / glue — cohesion first, distortion second
Hear tape before you commit
Compare homepage samples, or open Studio and A/B your own mix at matched level.
Step 3 — Hit the right loudness target
Streaming platforms normalize around roughly −14 LUFS integrated. Many releases land near −14 to −9 LUFS depending on genre; club-competitive material goes hotter. Keep true-peak at about −1 dBTP or lower so lossy encodes stay clean.
If you would rather skip chasing meters by hand, Studio Mastering applies adaptive EQ, dynamics, and loudness for a streaming-ready bounce — see automatic mastering for streaming platforms.
Step 4 — Export the right format
Export 24-bit or 32-bit float WAV with TPDF dither for delivery. Keep a 32-bit float archive if you will revisit the master. Master to WAV, then make lossy copies from that file.
Common online mastering mistakes
- Mastering too loud — platforms turn you down; you lose punch
- No headroom in the mix — leave room before the master stage
- Trusting volume, not tone — always A/B at matched level
- Ignoring true-peak — intersample peaks clip on streaming codecs
FAQ
How much does online mastering cost?
Pay-as-you-go by audio length — no subscription. See pricing.
Is tape enough to master a whole song?
For many mixes, tape plus careful loudness and true-peak is a complete musical master. Heavy corrective EQ still belongs in the mix. For adaptive auto-mastering, use Studio Mastering.
Tape first or Studio Mastering first?
Want analog color? Tape print first, then Mastering. Mix already balanced? Mastering alone is fine.
Finish a master today
Glue the mix with the plugins, or open the online Tape Machine and Studio Mastering for a browser bounce.