Mastering & Low End
What makes a good mastering chain, and how to build one
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A good mastering chain is short, ordered, and every stage has a job you can say out loud. If you cannot name what a plugin is doing, it does not belong on a master — where every processor affects every element of the track at once.
The standard order, and why
| # | Stage | Job | Why here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corrective EQ | Remove what should not be there | Everything after works on a cleaner signal |
| 2 | Compression | Hold the track together | Reacts to a tonally sane input |
| 3 | Saturation | Density and perceived loudness | Input range already controlled, so character stays consistent |
| 4 | Clipper | Remove the hardest transients | Gives the limiter far less to do |
| 5 | Tonal EQ | Final tone, including what saturation added | Shapes the finished result |
| 6 | Limiter | Set the ceiling | Must be last — nothing after can add peaks |
You will not need all six on every track. You will need them in this order whenever you do use them.
Stage by stage
1. Corrective EQ
Broad, small moves. A high-pass below the useful content if there is rumble. A gentle cut where the low mids are crowded.
Keep it wide. Narrow surgical work on a master affects one frequency across every instrument, which is rarely what you want. If a problem needs a narrow cut, it probably belongs in the mix — fix it in the mix or the master.
2. Compression
Optional, and genuinely optional. Many finished mixes need none.
If the track feels loose between sections, a decibel or two with a slow attack and a release that moves with the music will tighten it. Watch the gain reduction: it should breathe, not sit still. See what is a compressor.
3. Saturation
Adds harmonic density and perceived loudness without raising peak level, which is exactly what you want before a limiter.
Small amounts. On a master, saturation is affecting the whole record, so what sounds like “a little” on a solo drum bus is a lot here. See what is saturation.
4. Clipper
The stage most home masters skip, and the one that most changes the result.
A clipper removes the sharpest transient peaks instead of turning the whole track down for them. That means the limiter afterwards barely engages, so the master gets loud without pumping.
Drive it until you hear the edge, then back off. Sustained bass reveals clipping distortion long before drums do. See what is a clipper.
5. Tonal EQ
Now that the track is dense and controlled, decide its final tone. A little air, a little weight, a small correction for whatever the previous stages emphasised.
This is where the reference comparison earns its keep.
6. Limiter, last
The ceiling, with true-peak detection on and a margin below full scale for encoder safety.
Push it by ear, not by number. Watch what happens to the drums. Stop when they start losing impact. See what is a limiter and SPC Limit Breaker.
Chains that work
Minimal — a mix that is already right: EQ → limiter. Two plugins. This is more common than people expect.
Standard: EQ → saturation → clipper → limiter.
Track that needs holding together: EQ → compressor → saturation → clipper → EQ → limiter.
Notice that none of them are long.
What does not belong on a mastering chain
- Stereo wideners you have not checked in mono. Width added at this stage is the most common cause of a master that collapses.
- Multiband compression you cannot explain. It is a powerful tool and a fast way to make a track sound processed.
- Anything on a preset. A preset does not know your track.
- A second limiter “for safety”. One ceiling, set properly.
- Exciters and enhancers stacked on top of saturation. Pick one.
Gain staging through the chain
Every stage changes level, and level changes how the next stage behaves.
Keep each processor’s output roughly where its input was, so when you bypass one you are comparing processing rather than volume. Then compare the whole chain, level-matched, against the unprocessed mix.
That final comparison is the one that matters: is this better, or is it just louder?
Build it once, then rebuild it every time
It is fine to have a starting layout. It is not fine to leave the settings from the last track in place.
Every track has different dynamics, a different tonal balance and different problems. Load the chain, then set every control from zero against this track and your references — the method is in how to master a track.
The test of a good chain
Bypass everything, level-match, and switch.
- The mastered version should sound like the same record, slightly better.
- Nothing should have visibly changed character.
- The drums should still hit.
- The low end should still be defined.
If it sounds like a different, more processed record, the chain is doing too much — use less, in the right order applies here more than anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct order for a mastering chain?
A common and defensible order is corrective EQ, then compression, then saturation, then clipping, then tonal EQ, then the final limiter. The limiter must be last so nothing can reintroduce peaks after the ceiling is set.
How many plugins should a mastering chain have?
Usually between three and six, each with a job you can name. Long chains at the mastering stage compound small errors across the entire track, because every stage affects every element.
Should a clipper go before or after the limiter?
Before. The clipper removes the sharpest transients so the limiter has much less gain movement to do, which keeps the master punchy. Clipping after the final limiter would break the ceiling it just enforced.
Do I need a compressor on the master?
Only if the track does not hold together on its own. Many finished mixes need no master-bus compression at all. If you use one, a decibel or two moving with the music is usually enough.
Should I use presets for mastering?
A preset cannot know your track's balance, dynamics or problems. Use one as a starting layout if it helps, then set every control from scratch against your own material and references.