7 terms
Audio mastering is the final production stage that balances, finishes and prepares a mixed recording for consistent playback and release on every format.
Dynamic range compression in mastering reduces the level difference between loud and quiet parts of a mix to control density, consistency and loudness.
EBU R128 is the European broadcast loudness recommendation that sets a -23 LUFS integrated target and a -1 dBTP true-peak ceiling for program audio.
Loudness normalization adjusts playback gain so that audio programs reach a common perceived loudness target, measured in LUFS, instead of a common peak level.
LUFS is the unit of perceived loudness used in audio mastering and broadcast, measured with K-weighting and gating to match how listeners hear level.
Multiband compression splits audio into frequency bands with crossover filters and compresses each band separately, a precise tool in mastering.
True peak in audio mastering is the highest level of the reconstructed analog waveform, including peaks that fall between digital samples.