To master in logic pro, put your mixed stereo file on a fresh stereo track (or work on the main output), then add a short chain on that channel: corrective EQ, gentle bus compression, optional multiband and saturation, a loudness meter to check LUFS, and an adaptive limiter to set final level. When it sounds balanced and hits your target loudness, bounce it to WAV. Everything below uses Logic Pro’s stock plugins — you do not need to buy anything to get a solid, release-ready master.
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What mastering actually does, and when your mix is ready for it
Mastering is the final polish: small, broad moves across the whole song to make it sound cohesive, balanced, and loud enough to sit alongside commercial releases. It is not a rescue mission for a weak mix. If your low end is muddy or a vocal is buried, fix that in the mix first — mastering can only nudge, not surgically repair. A good rule: if you find yourself wanting more than about 2–3 dB of any EQ move on the master, go back to the mix. For the theory behind this, our guide to what mastering is is worth a read, and EQ and compression fundamentals will make the moves below click faster.
Before you start, export a clean stereo mixdown with roughly 3–6 dB of headroom — your loudest peaks around -6 dBFS is a comfortable target. That headroom gives the mastering chain room to work without clipping on the way in.
Setting up your session to master in logic pro
You have two workable approaches. The cleanest is to start a new Logic project and drag your bounced stereo mix onto an audio track — this keeps the master free of any leftover mix plugins and CPU load. Alternatively, you can master inside the mix project by adding plugins to the Stereo Out channel in the mixer, but only do this once the mix itself is finished and printed.
Either way, the mastering plugins live on one channel strip. Open the Mixer (press X), find your stereo output or the audio track holding the mix, and click an empty Audio FX slot to insert plugins. They process top to bottom, so the order you insert them in is the order of your chain. Keep the project at the same sample rate as your mix to avoid an extra conversion.
Building the mastering chain with Logic’s stock plugins
Here is a reliable stock chain, in order. Insert each into the next Audio FX slot down.
- Gain (optional trim): Logic’s Gain utility plugin lets you set a clean input level before anything else touches the signal.
- Channel EQ or Linear Phase EQ: Use the built-in analyser to spot problem areas. A gentle high-pass below ~30 Hz removes subsonic rumble, and a wide, shallow shelf can add air up top or tame harshness around 3–5 kHz. Linear Phase EQ avoids phase smear but uses more CPU — Channel EQ is fine for most masters.
- Compressor: Set it to glue, not crush. Choose the Platinum Digital or Studio VCA circuit type, a slow-ish attack (30–50 ms), auto or medium release, a low ratio (around 1.5:1 to 2:1), and aim for just 1–2 dB of gain reduction on the loudest sections.
- Multipressor (optional): This is Logic’s stock multiband compressor. Use it only if one frequency band misbehaves — for example, a bass region that pumps. Keep the reduction small in each band.
- Exciter or Stereo Spread (optional): The stock Exciter can add subtle high-end sheen; Stereo Spread can widen upper frequencies. Both are easy to overdo, so use tiny amounts and check in mono.
Insert a Loudness Meter at the very bottom of the chain, after everything else, so it reads your true output loudness. You will use it in the next step.
Getting your loudness and LUFS right for streaming
Loudness for release is measured in LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale), not peak level. Most streaming platforms play back around -14 LUFS integrated and turn down anything louder, so chasing an ear-splitting master often just gets it quieted down again — with the added distortion baked in. A sensible target for a modern mix is roughly -14 to -9 LUFS integrated depending on genre and how much punch you want to keep. Our explainer on LUFS and how loud your master should be goes deeper on picking a number.
Open Logic’s Loudness Meter, play the loudest and most representative section of the song, and watch the Integrated reading. If you want a second reference outside the DAW, you can drop a bounce into a browser loudness tool to sanity-check the figure. Adjust your limiter (next step) until the integrated LUFS lands near your target.
Setting the final level with the Adaptive Limiter
The last plugin in the chain is your ceiling and loudness stage. Logic gives you two stock options: the Adaptive Limiter, which is smooth and forgiving for full mixes, and the Limiter, which is more transparent and precise. For most masters, Adaptive Limiter is the easy choice.
Set the Output Ceiling to about -1.0 dB (this leaves headroom so lossy encoding like MP3 or AAC does not cause clipping). Then raise the Gain slowly while watching the Loudness Meter climb toward your target LUFS. Stop pushing the moment the music starts to sound squashed, flat, or the transients lose their snap. Loud is not the goal — loud enough, without damage, is. If you need noticeably more limiting than a couple of dB to hit your number, your mix is probably too quiet or too dynamic going in.
Logic’s stock limiters are genuinely good. If you later want more transparent loudness, tighter true-peak control, or detailed metering than the stock tools give, a dedicated third-party mastering limiter or metering suite is the natural upgrade — you will find well-regarded options at Plugin Boutique.
Using Logic Pro 11’s Mastering Assistant (if you have it)
If you are on Logic Pro 11 or later, there is a stock Mastering Assistant plugin. Insert it on the Stereo Out, play the song, and it analyses the track and applies a tailored EQ, compression, loudness and character profile automatically, with presets like Clean, Valve, Punch and Transparent. It is a fast, credible starting point — and you can still tweak its controls or A/B it against a manual chain. Treat it as one option rather than a replacement for understanding the steps above, because knowing what each stage does is what lets you fix it when the automatic result is not quite right. (Older Logic versions do not have this feature, so skip this section if you do not see it.)
Bouncing your finished master out of Logic
When it sounds right, export the final file. Go to File > Bounce > Project or Section (or press Cmd+B). In the Bounce dialog, tick PCM and choose WAV or AIFF at 24-bit for the highest-quality master; add an MP3 or M4A version too if you need a quick reference copy. Leave Normalize off (or set to Overload Protection Only) so your carefully set loudness is not changed on the way out. Set the sample rate to match your project, choose Realtime or Offline, name the file, and click Bounce. That WAV is your master.
Common problems and quick fixes
- The master sounds duller than the mix: your limiter is working too hard. Back off the Gain and let the LUFS sit a little lower.
- Harsh or brittle highs: ease off the Exciter, and try a gentle wide dip around 3–5 kHz in the EQ.
- Low end pumps or the whole track breathes: lengthen the compressor’s attack, lower the ratio, or use the Multipressor to control just the bass band.
- It sounds worse than a reference song: import a commercial track you like onto a muted track, level-match it, and A/B honestly. Most “my master is quiet” problems are really mix problems.
- It clips after exporting to MP3: lower your output ceiling to -1.0 dB or below to leave room for the encoder.
Mastering rewards restraint. Small moves, frequent A/B checks against a reference, and honest ears beat a big loud chain every time. When you are comfortable here, sharpening the mix that feeds it — for instance how to mix vocals — will do more for your sound than any plugin. For more like this, browse the Mixing & Mastering hub, and if you are still choosing software, our roundup of the best free DAWs for beginners can help.
Frequently asked questions
Can I master in logic pro using only the stock plugins?
Yes. Channel EQ, Compressor, Multipressor, Adaptive Limiter and the Loudness Meter cover everything a competent master needs, and Logic Pro 11 adds the Mastering Assistant on top. Third-party tools can offer more transparent limiting or detailed metering, but they are an upgrade, not a requirement.
What LUFS should I aim for?
For most streaming releases, an integrated loudness of about -14 to -9 LUFS works well, with quieter targets preserving more dynamics. Set your true-peak ceiling around -1.0 dB. See our LUFS guide to choose a number for your genre.
Should I master in the same project as my mix?
You can, by adding plugins to the Stereo Out, but only once the mix is truly finished. Many engineers prefer bouncing the mix and mastering it in a fresh, clean project — it removes distractions and CPU load, and forces you to commit to the mix first.
