The original recorded, edited high-quality tape or optical disc used for the production of audio and video products is called a master tape (master disc). A series of processing on master tapes including EQ, compression, excitation, noise reduction, reverberation, etc. is called mastering production.

Mastering is not limited to records. Some sound products require mastering before they can be marketed. Sounds in movies and televisions, advertisements on TV and radio, game music and sound effects, etc., if you want to get truly satisfactory results, you should perform mastering processing.

Extended information:

The necessity of mastering processing

As we all know, mastering is the final step before mass production of an album. Experienced mastering engineers can make your music sound shinier, fuller, and more intense through precise EQ compensation correction and dynamic compression.

At the same time, the mastering engineer will also adjust the relative loudness and interval between each work in the album to make the connection between the works more natural and soft. Through extremely high-quality noise reduction technology, the appeal of every detail is maximized. All in all, in such a competitive record market, mastering has become a standardized process in the record industry, rather than a dispensable luxury.

Original recorded, edited high-quality tapes (CDs) used for the production of audio and video products, commonly known as master tapes (master discs). The audio-visual products sold in the market are copied from the master tape (master disc), so the quality of the master tape directly affects the quality of the copy. Pirated discs use discs sold on the market as master discs, so the quality of pirated discs is generally not as good as genuine discs.

Baidu Encyclopedia—Mastering Processing