A LUFS and tonal analysis of the top-charting holiday songs in 2025
It’s been a few months since we’ve done a loudness analysis piece, but with the holiday season in full swing, we thought, “Why not do a little...
From the pros: The most common issues in audio mastering
Even the best mastering engineers can only work with what they’re given – and while a great mix makes mastering a joy, certain recurring mix...
Mastering low end: essential processing tips and tools
Ask just about anyone working in audio what one of the most challenging things to get right is and they’ll likely agree: mastering low end. That...
How to master a song from start to finish with Ozone
Audio mastering is the final stage of the audio production process during which you polish your mix and prepare it for distribution. While mixing is the...
What is mid/side processing?
Mid/side processing seems to be everywhere these days. The vast majority of Ozone modules support it, and and Native Instruments brand Brainworx...
How to master for streaming platforms: normalization, LUFS, and loudness
I think it’s safe to say we’re officially in the age of streaming – in fact, you could probably argue that we have been since about...
Digital audio basics: audio sample rate and bit depth
In this article, we’ll cover some basic principles of digital audio and how they impact the recording and production process. Specifically,...
A LUFS and tonal analysis of top-charting rock and alternative songs
Continuing our run of analysis articles where we look at level and tonal balance trends in top-performing commercial releases, we’re looking at some music...
A LUFS and tonal analysis of the top-charting tracks from emerging artists
Continuing my run of music analysis articles, in this piece we’re taking a look at a slightly different angle. Specifically, we’re going to look at...
A LUFS and tonal analysis of 10 top-charting dance and electronic songs
In some of my other recent analysis articles we’ve seen a surprisingly constant trend of most commercial releases being mastered to around -8.3...
Oscars 2025: an analysis of the Best Original Song nominees
‘Tis the season – awards season! With the 2025 Oscars – a.k.a. Academy Awards – right around the corner, we thought it would be fun to...
5 advanced mastering tips using Ozone
While it’s true that Ozone is built in such a way as to be very approachable for those new to mastering, it is also an absolute powerhouse of a tool....
Music discovery trends: where do fans find new music?
I’ve often said, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” With more music than ever being uploaded and distributed every day, those first...
