DJ MIX MASTERING - HOW TO MASTER A BAD SOUNDING DJ SET

Mastering a DJ mix: Stand out from the crowd and impress your listeners.

Several techniques are used in DJ mix mastering to achieve the desired sound. These techniques include Equalization (EQ), Compression, Limiting, Stereo Enhancement, and Loudness Normalization.

Your Guide: Learn how to master a DJ Mix.

1. First, the frequency response is roughly adjusted with a mastering EQ. This is done by boosting or cutting specific frequencies to balance the mix and create a more cohesive sound. EQ increases or decreases the level of different elements in the mix, such as bass, midrange, and treble. This ensures that the low and high frequencies sound balanced throughout the mix and all songs.

2. Then, a mastering compressor is used to adjust the dynamic range of your songs in a mix. This optimizes the quiet and extremely loud parts of your DJ set. This is also called "glue compression" to make all the songs sound more excellent and condensed. Compression also helps tighten the mix and give it a punchier, more driving sound.

3. Since the volume between the individual songs can sound very different, or only some songs have too much bass or too loud hi-hats, I often use a multiband compressor or a dynamic equalizer. This way, I can get the bass range under control. Or the equalizer intervenes in the case only if individual parts of a song sound too harsh.

4. I also bring the stereo image under control and try to give your set a 3D feel so that the mix has a nice width but is mono-compatible.

5. Last but not least, your mix gets a slight warm analog saturation so that the whole set appears as if it was cast in one piece.

6. After that, a lowcut filter between 20 and 30hz is applied to remove extremely low frequencies.

7. The final step is a clipper and mastering limiter. To achieve the desired volume between -8 and -11Lufs. Optimally, the limiter works only very lightly not to overprocess the sound.

A properly mastered mix will sound better on a variety of sound systems, from small home stereo systems to large PA systems. A well-mastered mix will also stand out on digital music platforms, where the mix competes with millions of other tracks for the listener's attention. Since most DJ sets and Mixtapes are published via Soundcloud, but Soundcloud does not automatically adjust the volume and the overall sound, it makes sense to optimize your set.

You should master a DJ mix if you want continuity between the tracks and avoid distorted audio material when converting after upload.

Was your recording too quiet at your last live gig? Or were your settings on the DJ mixer not optimal? Especially when working with the EQ, it can come to unwanted dynamic differences in the song transitions. These deficiencies are eliminated by polishing up your mix. After mastering, your mix will shine, and your set will sound balanced.

Also, if you mix digital songs and tracks pressed on vinyl, the sound can already sound very different. Especially in the bass range and in the high frequencies, fine-tuning is often missing.

A significant imbalance between the songs can also occur if you include different genres of music in your set or play your own music productions.

Sure the songs you play are usually already mastered. But when you blend two songs, it messes up the EQ curve. DJ mix mastering is really about subtly matching the songs.

It is essential that you don't record your mix too loud. If your set has distortion or clipping, mastering probably won't be able to help you. When you're recording your set, it's important to be mindful of the volume level. Any peaks above 0db should be avoided.

If technical problems occurred during the recording of your set, your recording is probably still salvageable. Click noises, humming, crackling, or clipping artifacts can be removed from your audio material even after the fact.

 However, the final quality depends on how extreme these problems occurred in your recording. If your set was recorded completely overdriven, there might not be much left to recover your Audio material. But this has to be decided case-by-case after inspecting the recording. 

Feel free to ask for the Audio Restoration option if you want to de-click your recording or remove crackle (de-crackle) and hum (de-hum).

• Very important: do not record your set too loud. Ensure that the set's loudest parts are between -3 and -6db.

• Ideally, you should save your DJ mix as a 24-bit wav. File with 44.1khz.

• Then click on "Master DJ Mix now" and complete the order.

• During the order process, you add the download link for your mix. Use Wetransfer.com for this.

• After completing the order, I will get to work as soon as possible. After 2-4 days, you will get your mastered mix back.