What's the Difference Between Mixing and Mastering?

Mixing and mastering represent two crucial phases in professional music production. While often confused or conflated, these specialised processes serve fundamentally different purposes: mixing shapes and balances the individual elements of a recording, while mastering prepares the final mix for commercial release.

Today, while there is overlap, these remain separate disciplines requiring different skills, tools, and expertise. At TYX Studios, we regularly assist artists with mixing and mastering across all genres, from rock and electronic to classical and jazz.

Whether you're new to these processes, or need to re-familiarise yourself,  this article can serve as a useful guide to their key differences, nuances, and best practices.

The evolution of mixing and mastering

The art of mixing emerged in the 1920s recording studios, evolving dramatically through the century. The introduction of multi-track recording in the late 1950s transformed the craft, exemplified by pioneering work at Abbey Road Studios, where innovative mixing techniques helped shape the sound of The Beatles and countless others.

Mastering developed separately, emerging in the late 1940s as a technical process for vinyl manufacture. It evolved into a creative discipline during the 1950s with the advent of the stereo LP, as engineers discovered that careful signal processing could enhance the final recording.

The 1980s saw digital technology revolutionise both fields. Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) freed mixing from the constraints of analogue tape while mastering engineers gained powerful new tools for manipulating and finalising recordings.

Today, these distinct processes continue to evolve. Mixing has grown to incorporate sophisticated routing and processing capabilities, while mastering addresses new challenges like immersive audio formats and streaming-platform optimisation.

Mixing – The art of balance and space

Audio mixing is a crucial stage where producers, engineers, or artists work with individual tracks - the separate recordings of vocals, drums, guitars, and other instruments. While a professional engineer often handles complex projects, many artists and producers successfully mix their own music using modern DAWs.

This process combines technical knowledge with creative decision-making, crafting both frequency and spatial domains into a cohesive sound.

The audio mixing process involves:

Gain staging and signal flow optimisation – Maintains clean audio by preventing distortion, noise buildup, and level imbalances

Dynamic control through compression – Manages dynamic range to enhance consistency, punch, and clarity.

Volume, filter, plugin, and effect automation – Adds movement, expression, and precision by dynamically adjusting parameters over time.

Frequency content balance through strategic equalisation – Shapes tonal balance, removes unwanted resonances, and enhances clarity in a mix.

Depth through panning and reverb – Creates spatial separation and a sense of dimension for a more immersive soundstage.

Parallel processing and sound design – Blends processed and unprocessed signals to enhance presence, texture, and impact.

Bus/group processing and mix architecture – Organises and processes multiple tracks collectively for cohesion, efficiency, and tonal control.

Each element in the mixing process affects how individual instruments relate to one another, creating a balanced, three-dimensional soundstage. Whether working with an experienced sound engineer or mixing their music, artists aim to achieve clarity and cohesion in their recordings.

Mastering – Finalising for release

Professional mastering services operate on the completed stereo mix, treating it as a single entity. A mastering engineer optimises this audio for commercial release while preserving the creative decisions made during the mixing process. Many artists choose to work with an online mixing and mastering service for convenience and cost-effectiveness.

The mastering process focuses on:

• Overall tonal balance and frequency adjustment
• Dynamic range control appropriate for genre and medium
• Loudness normalisation for streaming platforms
• Stereo imaging enhancement
• Song-to-song consistency for album projects
• Technical standards compliance
• Distribution format preparation, including analogue equipment processing when required

While mixing crafts the sound from its components, mastering services ensure your music translates effectively across all playback systems, whether listeners hear it through professional studio monitors or consumer devices.

How to get a great-sounding mix

Before mixing begins, you need to get organised. This means setting up your session properly, managing gain staging, and calibrating your monitors so you can hear everything accurately. It's also important to have some reference tracks – songs that sound like what you're aiming for.

The next step is getting all your tracks working together properly. This involves checking phase correlation, ensuring perfect timing alignment, and setting up efficient signal routing through buses. This technical foundation supports everything that follows.

Now comes the creative part. You'll shape each sound using tools like compression and expansion to control dynamics, and EQ to balance frequencies. You'll position sounds in the stereo field to create width and depth, making your mix feel three-dimensional. Many mixers use parallel processing and bus processing to add character and cohesion.

Finally, you'll refine the overall mix, automating volume, effects, and filters to create movement and interest. Before sending it off for mastering, test your mix thoroughly on different speakers and headphones to ensure it translates well everywhere.

Common mixing challenges

Mixing can feel like a balancing act at times. Here are a few issues you might run into during the process, and how to avoid them:

Overloading the mix bus
Too many effects or too much processing on the main mix bus can make everything sound crowded and messy. Keep things in check by using gain staging and subtle adjustments to keep the clarity intact.

Frequency conflicts
Your mix can sound muddy when instruments fight for space in the same frequency range. Be mindful of EQ and panning to help separate them and create space.

Overusing effects
Reverb and delay can add atmosphere, but too much of either can make your mix feel distant or cluttered. Use these effects sparingly for the best impact.

Improper monitoring
Mixing on headphones or poor-quality speakers can lead to translation issues. It’s always a good idea to check your mix on different systems to ensure it translates well.

The mastering process

Managing director of TYX and mastering expert, Jack Freegard

When you send your track to a mastering engineer, they first listen carefully to understand your music's overall sound and what you're aiming for. They'll consider how it should sound for your genre and where you plan to release it.

Next, they'll enhance your mix using specialised tools to balance frequencies and control dynamics. Instead of just making it louder, they focus on making your music sound powerful and clear while keeping its original character intact.

For albums or EPs, they'll make sure all songs sound cohesive together – matching levels and tone between tracks while maintaining each song's unique energy. They'll test the master on different speakers to ensure it sounds great everywhere.

Finally, they prepare your music for release by creating the right files for each platform – whether that's streaming services, CD, or vinyl. They'll add important track information and do final quality checks to make sure everything's perfect.

Common mastering challenges

Mastering can seem like the final step, but there are still some challenges to be mindful of:

Over-compression
Using too much compression can make your track sound flat and lifeless. A light touch is often the key to keeping the energy and dynamics intact.

Focusing solely on loudness
It’s tempting to make your track as loud as possible, but prioritising loudness over balance can make your song harsh. Instead, focus on maintaining tonal balance and dynamic range.

Insufficient headroom
If your mix doesn’t leave enough headroom, the mastering engineer will have less room to work with, which can limit the final result. Always leave a little space to let the mastering shine.

Skipping reference checks
Not comparing your master to similar tracks can lead to a final product that feels off. Regularly checking your master against others in the same genre can help you make sure it’s competitive and well-balanced.

How do I prepare my mix for mastering?

Before sending your track to mastering, make sure your final mix peaks no higher than -6dB to give the mastering engineer enough headroom to work with. Export your mix as a high-quality WAV file (at least 44.1kHz/24-bit), and remove any processing (like limiters or compressors) from your master bus - the mastering engineer will handle this.

Double-check that no individual tracks are clipping and that you can clearly hear all the key elements in your mix. Listen on different speakers and headphones to ensure everything translates well, and make a note of any specific areas you want the mastering engineer to focus on.

Finally, if you're sending multiple songs for an album or EP, try to get the relative balance between songs roughly where you want them - this helps the mastering engineer understand your vision for the project.

Keep in mind that different mastering engineers may have their own specific requirements based on their workflow, tools, and experience. Always check their preferred specifications before sending your files.

Technical standards and quality control

Professional mixing and mastering require strict adherence to technical standards throughout the production chain. Engineers typically target a peak level of -6 dBFS when preparing a mix for mastering, providing adequate headroom for the mastering phase. This practice ensures mastering engineers can work effectively without compromising sound quality.

Sound quality control extends beyond simple meter readings. Professional studios like TYX employ specific monitoring protocols, regularly checking mixes and masters across multiple speaker systems and headphones. This process reveals potential translation issues across playback scenarios, from high-end studio monitors to consumer devices.

Format specifications and delivery standards

The professional audio industry maintains specific requirements for file delivery. Mixing engineers typically provide uncompressed WAV or AIFF files at a minimum of 44.1kHz/24-bit resolution. Many mastering studios now request higher sample rates of 88.2kHz or 96kHz, particularly for projects destined for high-resolution streaming platforms.

Here's what you need to know about different release formats in today's music industry:

High-quality streaming (like Tidal, Apple Music Lossless)

• Highest quality audio files (24-bit/96kHz)
• Perfect for audiophile listeners
• Growing segment of the streaming market

Regular streaming (like Spotify, Apple Music standard)

• Standard quality (16-bit/44.1kHz)
• Most common format for everyday listening
• Currently dominates the music industry

CD

• Standard CD quality (16-bit/44.1kHz)
• Needs special processing to sound crisp on CD players
• Still important for physical releases and certain markets

Vinyl

• Requires extra care with bass and stereo width
• Needs special attention to work well with turntables
• Experiencing a strong revival in recent years

The good news is that most mastering engineers will handle these technical details for you. Whether you're working with a professional or mastering your own music, the goal is simple: make sure your music sounds great everywhere it's played, from car speakers to high-end audio systems.

As the industry continues to evolve, having your music optimised for all these formats ensures you're ready for any distribution opportunity.

Dolby Atmos mixing and mastering

Dolby Atmos represents a fundamental shift in audio production, moving beyond traditional stereo's horizontal plane to enable precise object-based positioning in three-dimensional space. This technology introduces new creative possibilities: orchestral recordings can achieve realistic spatial placement, while electronic music producers can explore dynamic movement and depth in ways previously impossible.

Working with Atmos requires specialised monitoring environments and attention to technical details like object metadata and height channel usage. The key challenge lies in ensuring mixes translate consistently across all playback systems—from dedicated Atmos setups to standard stereo formats.

At TYX Studios, our Neumann-equipped Dolby Atmos Studio and dedicated playback venue help engineers verify real-world translation of spatial mixes.

Wrapping Up

Mixing and mastering might seem like two separate worlds, but together they play a vital role in creating professional music. Mixing lets you craft a cohesive sound from individual tracks while mastering makes sure everything translates smoothly on different playback systems.

Mastering mixing can take years and is as technical as it is subjective. If you're in the process of learning these skills, don’t be discouraged—it takes time to develop your ears and techniques.

At TYX Studios, we’re here to guide you through the entire process, helping you turn your recordings into something truly special. Whether you're just starting or refining your final tracks, trust that with the right tools, knowledge, and a bit of patience, you'll be creating professional, release-ready music in no time.

Ready to jump-start your music career?

At TYX Studios, we support end-end content and music production from conception to distribution. That means we also specialise in transforming your mixes into exceptional final masters that hold their own on any platform. Our online mastering service is great value and has a quick turnaround.

Get down professional recordings in our red studio, or mix down your track in our state-of-the art production studios. A TYX audio engineer is always available upon request. They can help you fine-tune a mix, advise you on an ideal recording set, and more.

Reach out to us to find out how TYX can kick-start your music career.

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