GLOBAL LOCAL BRANDS · Spokane, WA
AUDIO ENGINEERING SERIES
Recording vs. Mixing vs.Mastering — What's the Difference?
They're three distinct stages of audio production, and understanding the difference will help you make better decisions for your music.
◆ RECORDING: CAPTURING THE PERFORMANCE
Recording is the first stage — it's where everything starts. This is the process of capturing audio performances, whether that's vocals, live instruments, or any other sound source going into a session.
A good recording session is about more than just pressing record. The audio engineer sets up the room, positions microphones, manages gain levels, and monitors the signal to make sure what's being captured is clean, dynamic, and usable.
What happens during recording:
Microphone placement and setup
Signal routing and gain staging
Monitoring and headphone mix for the performer
Multiple takes and comping the best performance
Organizing and labeling session files
The quality of your recording directly affects how well your mix and master will turn out. A great engineer will tell you — garbage in, garbage out. The better your recording, the better everything that follows.
◆ MIXING: SHAPING THE SOUND
Once recording is complete, mixing begins. This is where the audio engineer takes all of the individual recorded elements and combines them into a cohesive, balanced track.
Mixing is both a technical and creative process. The engineer uses tools like EQ, compression, reverb, delay, and automation to make every element of the song work together.
What happens during mixing:
Balancing levels across all tracks
EQ to carve out space for each element
Compression to control dynamics
Effects processing — reverb, delay, saturation
Stereo imaging and panning
Automation to create movement and dynamics throughout the song
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A great mix makes you feel like all the elements belong together. It creates depth, space, and emotion.
— GLOBAL LOCAL BRANDS · AUDIO ENGINEERING SERIES
◆ MASTERING: PREPARING FOR THE WORLD
Mastering is the final stage before your music is distributed. It's the process of taking your finished mix and optimizing it for playback across all platforms and devices — streaming services, radio, club systems, earbuds, and everything in between.
What happens during mastering:
Overall EQ and tonal balance adjustments
Limiting and loudness optimization for streaming standards
Stereo enhancement
Sequencing and spacing for albums and EPs
Exporting in the correct format for distribution
Think of mastering as quality control and preparation. It's the last set of professional ears on your music before the world hears it.
WHICH STAGE DO YOU NEED? Recording: Capture your performance professionally. Mixing: Polish and balance your recorded tracks. Mastering: Prepare your final mix for distribution. Not sure? Explore our Audio Engineering services at Global Local Brands and we'll guide you.
GLOBAL LOCAL BRANDS · SPOKANE, WASHINGTON · AUDIO ENGINEERING SERIES
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