Editing Mastering (audio) (section)

===Digital technology===
[[File:Optimum-mix-levels-for-mast.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Optimum Digital Levels with respect to the Full Digital Scale (dBFSD)]]
In the 1990s, electro-mechanical processes were largely superseded by digital technology, with [[digital recording]]s stored on [[hard disk drive]]s or digital tape and mastered to [[CD]]. The [[digital audio workstation]] (DAW) became common in many mastering facilities, allowing the off-line manipulation of recorded audio via a [[graphical user interface]] (GUI).  Although many digital processing tools are common during mastering, it is also very common to use analog media and processing equipment for the mastering stage. Just as in other areas of audio, the benefits and drawbacks of [[Comparison of analog and digital recording|digital technology compared to analog technology]] are still a matter for debate. However, in the field of audio mastering, the debate is usually over the use of digital versus analog signal processing rather than the use of digital technology for storage of audio.<ref name="mixmagazine">{{cite magazine |url=http://mixonline.com/recording/mastering/audio_issues_modern_mastering |magazine=Mix Magazine |title=Issues in Modern Mastering |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070524113354/http://mixonline.com/recording/mastering/audio_issues_modern_mastering/ |archive-date=May 24, 2007 |date=May 1, 2006 |author=Blair Jackson}}</ref>

Digital systems have higher performance and allow mixing to be performed at lower maximum levels. When mixing to 24-bits with peaks between −3 and −10 dBFS on a mix, the mastering engineer has enough [[Headroom (audio signal processing)|headroom]] to process and produce a final master.<ref name="bob_katz">[http://www.digido.com/bob-katz/mixing-tips-and-tricks.html Bob Katz Mixing Tips] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070827154625/http://www.digido.com/bob-katz/mixing-tips-and-tricks.html |date=August 27, 2007 }}</ref> Mastering engineers recommend leaving enough headroom on the mix to avoid distortion.<ref>[http://cdmusicmastering.com/how-much-headroom-for-mastering.html How much headroom for mastering?]</ref> The reduction of dynamics by the mix or mastering engineer has resulted in a [[loudness war]] in commercial recordings.<ref name="Shelvock" />