Mixing & Mastering

Turn rough takes into release-ready tracks. Practical mixing and mastering guides covering EQ, compression, levels, loudness and the workflow that gets your songs sounding finished.Start here: The Best Free VST Plugins · The Best EQ Plugins · The Best Compressor Plugins · The Best Reverb Plugins.

  • What Is a Channel Strip Plugin?

    What Is a Channel Strip Plugin?

    What is a channel strip plugin? Learn how this all-in-one mixing tool combines EQ, compression, gating and saturation, plus how…

  • What Is Tape Emulation in Music?

    What Is Tape Emulation in Music?

    What is tape emulation? Learn how tape saturation plugins add warmth, glue and analog character to your mixes, which controls…

  • What Is a Multiband Compressor?

    What Is a Multiband Compressor?

    What is a multiband compressor? Learn how it splits audio into frequency bands for targeted control, when to reach for…

  • What Is a Transient Shaper?

    What Is a Transient Shaper?

    What is a transient shaper? Learn how this mixing tool sculpts the attack and sustain of a sound to add…

  • What Is a De-Esser and How to Use One

    What Is a De-Esser and How to Use One

    What is a de-esser? Learn how this frequency-specific compressor tames harsh “S” sounds on vocals, how to set one up,…

  • Graphic EQ vs Parametric EQ

    Graphic EQ vs Parametric EQ

    Graphic EQ vs parametric EQ explained: how each equalizer works, their controls, sound-shaping strengths, and when to reach for one…

  • What Is a Graphic EQ?

    What Is a Graphic EQ?

    What is a graphic EQ? This guide covers how its fixed frequency bands and faders work, when to use one,…

  • What Is a Vocoder and How to Use One

    What Is a Vocoder and How to Use One

    What is a vocoder? Learn how this classic effect builds robot-voice and choir sounds, how carrier and modulator signals work,…

  • What Is a Saturation Plugin?

    What Is a Saturation Plugin?

    What is a saturation plugin? Learn how saturation adds harmonic warmth, punch and glue to your mix, which controls matter,…

  • What Is a Limiter Plugin?

    What Is a Limiter Plugin?

    What is a limiter plugin? Learn what a limiter does, how it differs from a compressor, its key controls, and…