#233: What Is Mastering in Music? A Beginner’s Guide with Ben Holmes

What is mastering in music, and what does mastering a song really mean for independent producers? In this episode of Inside The Mix, host Marc Matthews sits down with mastering engineer Ben Holmes to break down what mastering is, how it differs from mixing and mastering as a combined process, and why it’s the final step that makes a track translate everywhere—from phones and cars to clubs, streaming platforms, and CDs.

Marc and Ben explain what mastering a song actually involves, starting with translation and future-proofing. They cover how streaming loudness normalisation affects modern releases, why “one size almost fits all” masters are possible, and when alternate versions, like a higher-ceiling CD master, still make sense. Ben shares a simple, repeatable mastering chain beginners can trust: corrective EQ, sweetening EQ, gentle compression, and a transparent limiter, plus why half-dB decisions matter more than flashy plugins.

The conversation also tackles common frustrations DIY artists face: overprocessing, chasing loudness until the chorus collapses, and expecting mastering to fix mix problems. You’ll learn why mastering in a separate session improves judgement, how to use AI mastering tools as references instead of replacements, and which DAW features speed up real-world workflows—using Reaper as a practical example.

Finally, Marc and Ben answer the big question: should you master your own music or hire a mastering engineer? From second-pair-of-ears benefits to room calibration and experience, they lay out how to choose what’s right for your release.

TL;DR: A practical, beginner-friendly breakdown of what mastering is, how it differs from mixing, and how to get a clean, confident master that translates everywhere.

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