The Theory

As an artist, producing or engineering your own music can feel very liberating. It allows you to craft a unique sonic signature for your record without relying on anyone else’s vision.

With a little bit of practice, creating unique tones and productions will come easy to many young producers. But crafting the perfect overall balancethe depth, dynamics and dimension that you hear in a well-engineered song can be more difficult.

Some productions are arranged so well that the engineering details fall into place without much fuss. However, other songs are more difficult, and it can be frustrating to find the perfect balance. The issue can be in your monitoring environment, your speakers, the arrangement, your engineering skillset, or simply how you hear.

Stems are subgroups of similar sound sources. They may consist of all of the string instruments, a full orchestra, just background vocals, only the percussion instruments, all guitars, just bass, a single drum set, etc.

Stem-mastering is a technique derived from stem mixing. Just as in stem-mixing, the individual audio tracks are grouped together, to allow for independent control and signal processing of each stem, and can be manipulated independently from each other.

This allows the mastering engineer additional scope to discreetly enhance and optimise any specific set of instruments within a mix. Stem mastering can produce improved sonic results and increased depth and dimension to your master.

It is worth clarifying that stem mastering is not mixing. Mixing uses heavy fader and send automation, effects, etc. Stem mastering tends to only use occasional automation, but does allow the mastering engineer to target the use of eq, dynamic adjustment and other forms of processing to the individual stems often producing an improved master.

Additionally, standard stereo mastering processes are included.