Mixing vs. mastering: what's the difference and why your track needs both

Many artists and producers use the words "mixing" and "mastering" as if they meant the same thing. In practice they are two different stages, each with its own role on the way to a track that sounds professional on any system.

What is mixing?

In mixing you work on every channel separately: vocals, drums, bass, synths and everything else. The goal is to give each element its place in the picture: level balance, EQ, compression, space and stereo, effects and automation. A good mix is what makes the vocal feel close and the drums hit without hiding everything else.

What is mastering?

Mastering is the final stage before release. Here you work on the whole track as one file: polishing the overall colour, reaching a loudness that suits streaming platforms, and making sure the song sounds good on headphones, in the car, on a phone and in a club.

What to prepare before sending a track

• Separate channels (stems) as WAV files, all starting from the same point.
• No limiter on the master bus in the mix you send.
• A reference: one or two songs whose sound is close to what you have in mind.
• Notes on what matters to you, such as a particular vocal effect or an especially strong bass.

Why the same engineer?

When the mix and the master are done by the same person, you can go back to the mix and fix a problem at the source instead of trying to hide it in the master. That's one of the reasons I offer both services together.

I'm a certified sound engineer and Sela School graduate, and over the years I've worked on productions with Israeli artists and on electronic music released on international labels. If you have a track waiting for the right sound, I'd be happy to hear it.