Editing Mastering (audio) (section)

==Engineer==
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[[File:Doug Sax with 4 Lathes.jpg|thumb|Mastering engineer Doug Sax with four [[disc cutting lathe]]s]]
A '''mastering engineer''' is a person skilled in the practice of taking [[sound|audio]] (typically musical content) that has been previously mixed in either the [[Analog recording|analogue]] or [[digital recording|digital]] domain as mono, stereo, or multichannel formats and preparing it for use in [[Distribution (business)|distribution]], whether by physical media such as a CD, vinyl record, or as some method of streaming audio.

===Education and experience===
The mastering engineer is responsible for a final edit of a product and preparation for manufacturing copies. Although there are no official requirements to work as an audio mastering engineer, practitioners often have comprehensive domain knowledge of audio engineering, and in many cases, may hold an audio or acoustic engineering [[academic degree|degree]]. Most [[audio engineer]]s master music or speech audio material. The best mastering engineers might possess [[arrangement]] and production skills, allowing them to troubleshoot [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mix]] issues and improve the final sound. Generally, good mastering skills are based on experience, resulting from many years of practice.

===Equipment===
Generally, mastering engineers use a combination of specialized audio-signal processors, low-distortion-high-bandwidth loudspeakers (and corresponding amplifiers with which to drive them), within a dedicated, acoustically-optimized playback environment. The equipment and processors used within the field of mastering are almost entirely dedicated to the purpose; engineered to a high standard, often possessing low signal-to-noise ratios [at nominal operating levels] and in many cases, the incorporation of parameter-recall, such as indented potentiometers, or in some more-sophisticated designs, via a digital-controller. Some advocates for digital software claim that plug-ins are capable of processing audio in a mastering context, though without the same degree of signal degradation as those introduced from processors within the analog domain. The quality of the results varies according to the algorithms used within these processors, which in some cases, can introduce distortions entirely exclusive to the digital domain.

[[Real-time analyzer]]s, phase [[oscilloscope]]s, and also peak, RMS, VU and K meters are frequently used within the audio analysis stage of the process as a means of rendering a visual representation of the audio, or signal, being analyzed.

===Aspects of their work===
Most mastering engineer accolades are given for their ability to make a mix consistent with respect to subjective factors based on the perception of listeners, regardless of their playback systems and the environment. This is a difficult task due to the varieties of systems now available and the effect it has on the apparent qualitative attributes of the [[Sound recording and reproduction|recording]]. For instance, a recording that sounds great on one [[Loudspeaker|speaker]]/[[amplifier]] combination playing CD audio, may sound drastically different on a computer-based system playing back a low-[[bitrate]] [[MP3]]. Some engineers maintain that the main mastering engineer's task is to improve upon playback systems translations while the position of others is to make a sonic impact.<ref name="edward_vinatea">{{cite web |url=http://musicmasteringonline.com/understanding-mastering/ |title=Understanding Mastering |last=Vinatea |first=Edward |date=24 April 2010 |website=The Directory of Mastering Studios |access-date=2 February 2018}}</ref>

Prolonged periods of listening to improperly mastered recordings usually leads to hearing fatigue that ultimately takes the pleasure out of the listening experience.<ref name="stylusmagazine"> {{cite magazine |last=Southall |first=Nick |date=1 May 2006 |title=Imperfect Sound Forever |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/imperfect-sound-forever.htm |magazine=Stylus |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203075701/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/imperfect-sound-forever.htm |archive-date=3 December 2017 |access-date=2 February 2018 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Notable audio mastering engineers===
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*[[Brad Blackwood]]
*[[Greg Calbi]]
*[[Tony Dawsey]]
*[[P. A. Deepak]]
*[[Brian Gardner]]
*[[Chris Gehringer]]
*[[Kevin Gray (mastering engineer)|Kevin Gray]]
*[[Bernie Grundman]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-bernie-grundman-mastering-red-bull-20171022-story.html |last=Wood |first=Mikael |title=Bernie Grundman wants to change the way you hear music — for the better |work=Los Angeles Times |date=2017-10-27 |access-date=2020-01-26}}</ref>
*[[Steve Hoffman (audio engineer)|Steve Hoffman]]<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://tapeop.com/articles/85/steve-hoffman/ |last=Hanlon |first=Keith |title=Steve Hoffman: Mastering The Beach Boys, Miles Davis, & More |magazine=TapeOp Magazine |date=September–October 2011 |access-date=2020-01-26}}</ref>
*[[Ted Jensen]]
*[[Bob Katz]]
*[[Heba Kadry]]
*[[Emily Lazar]]
*[[Bob Ludwig]]
*[[Stephen Marcussen]]
*[[George Marino]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/george-marino-legendary-mastering-engineer-333020 |last=Barnes |first=Mike |title=George Marino, Legendary Mastering Engineer, Dies |work=Hollywood Reporter |date=2012-06-04 |access-date=2020-01-26}}</ref>
*[[Randy Merrill]]
*[[Mandy Parnell]]
*[[George Peckham|George "Porky" Peckham]]
*[[Eric Pillai]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ericpillai.com/site/|title=Eric Pillai – Future Sound of Bombay}}</ref>
*[[Shadab Rayeen]]
*[[Doug Sax]]
*[[H. Sridhar]]
*[[Ray Staff]]
*[[Rudy Van Gelder]]
*[[Howie Weinberg]]
*[[Leon Zervos]]
{{div col end}}