Mastering is the craft of taking an already-good mix and bringing it to the level, balance and consistency of a finished record. On a master you work the whole programme, in stereo (or multichannel), with small gestures: a few tenths of a dB, a gentle compression slope, half a dB of extra width. In that context, the order in which you chain your processors changes the result. The same EQ does not do the same thing before or after the compressor; a limiter placed too early smothers everything after it. This is not a fixed recipe — mastering is judged by ear — but a solid chain logic, the one that forgives the most.
Why order matters
Every processor reacts to what it receives. A compressor that first sees an overbearing low end will pump on the bass; if you have cleared that low end upstream with a touch of EQ, it works on a balanced signal and behaves more musically. Conversely, an EQ placed after saturation reshapes harmonics the saturation just created. Nothing is forbidden — but every swap has audible consequences, and it is better to cause them on purpose than to suffer them.
A second, cross-cutting principle: gain staging. Keep headroom throughout the chain, watch the level at every stage and match gain after each processor so you compare at equal volume. Without that, you judge “better” what is simply “louder”, and you make bad calls at every link.
A reference order, step by step
Here is the most common sequence in stereo mastering. It is not compulsory, but it is a reliable starting point you then adapt to the track.
| Stage | Job | What you’re after |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Corrective EQ | Clean up | Trim useless sub, tame a resonance, fix a gross imbalance |
| 2. Compression | Glue | A dB or two of reduction, gentle ratio, to tighten dynamics and add cohesion |
| 3. Tonal EQ | Shape | Lift air, open the upper mids, dial in a curve you like |
| 4. Saturation | Enrich | Subtle harmonics for density and perceived warmth |
| 5. Mid/Side | Widen | Manage stereo width and mono bass without breaking compatibility |
| 6. Limiter | Finalise | Final level and true peak, dead last |
1. Corrective EQ first
Start by removing what gets in the way: a very low high-pass filter to shed useless sub, a narrow bell to calm a resonance, a broad rebalance if the mix leans one way. At this stage you subtract more than you add. This EQ clears the ground so the compressor, next, works on a clean signal.
2. Compression to glue it together
The bus compressor here is not there to crush: one to two dB of reduction, a gentle ratio (often 2:1), an attack slow enough to let transients through and a release tied to the tempo are enough to deliver that coherent “block” feel. If you can hear the compression working, it is already too much. Many engineers prefer to split the work across two light compressors rather than lean hard on one.
3. Tonal EQ
Once the dynamics are held, you can shape the tone: a very gentle air shelf around 12-16 kHz, an opening in the upper mids, a slight low-end curve. Placed after compression, this EQ acts on a signal whose level is already stable, so its moves read predictably.
4. Saturation, then stereo width
A pinch of harmonic saturation thickens the master and lifts perceived loudness without touching peak level. Then comes stereo image management: this is the ideal moment for Mid/Side processing, to widen the sides, keep the bass centred and check mono compatibility. Always widen before the limiter, never after.
5. The limiter, dead last
The limiter (or maximiser) is the last link, no exception: it sets the final level and caps the true peak. Placing it anywhere but at the end means asking the following processors to rework an already-crushed signal — and to recreate overshoots the limiter will no longer see. Set the loudness target to the destination: that is the whole point of loudness standards (LUFS, true peak), which streaming platforms use to normalise your tracks.
The classic pitfalls
- Over-limiting. Chasing the loudest possible master flattens transients and tires the ear. Streaming normalisation cancels the excess loudness anyway: pushing too hard gains nothing and costs dynamics.
- Processing after the limiter. Any EQ or colour placed after the limiter recreates uncontrolled peaks. The limiter stays terminal.
- Judging at uneven volume. Without gain matching, the louder one always sounds better. Compare at matched level, bypass included.
- Mastering a shaky mix. Mastering refines, it does not repair. A balance or bass problem goes back to the mix, not to the final stage.
- Working with no reference. Check regularly against a commercial track in the same genre, at equal volume, so you do not drift.
When to break the order
This sequence is a foundation, not a dogma. You sometimes put light compression before the corrective EQ when the mix is already very even; you drop in a dedicated de-esser if sibilance pokes out; you pair the limiter with a gentle clipper to gain level without pumping. What matters is knowing why you break the reference order. Integrated mastering workstations such as Samplitude or assisted channel strips like sonible smart:chain offer pre-ordered chains: they are an excellent guardrail, as long as you understand what each stage really does.
My take
The order of a mastering chain is 80% of the result for 20% of the effort: nothing to buy, just discipline. The habit that saves the most time is gain matching at every stage — the moment you compare at equal volume, the genuinely good decisions jump out and the urge to push everything vanishes. The rest is restraint: a master breathes when you leave it some dynamics. Keep the limiter for last, trust a reference, and you will get a result that holds up on every system — which is the only judge that counts.
