Audio Mastering FAQs

Founded by Steve Belgrave, Belgrave Audio Mastering is a professional mastering service built from the ground up for independent music makers.

The service combines Steve’s mastering expertise with a purpose-built platform that provides a streamlined and secure workflow. The platform, pricing and tools have all been developed to genuinely support independent artists.

Every project is mastered within Steve’s bespoke integrated mastering environment, with a focus on careful listening and experienced musical judgement to enhance clarity, depth and tonal balance while ensuring reliable translation across different playback systems.

Belgrave Audio Mastering was created because Steve believes independent music makers deserve the same quality and care as major-label productions.

We work with independents, labels, studios, producers, mix engineers, filmmakers and sound designers. That said, independents are at the heart of what we do. Every project gets the same attention, the same care, the same quality. No exceptions!

No. Every project gets the same level of attention, the same care, the same quality and the same standards. No one jumps the queue. Steve’s always been in the independents’ corner, and that doesn’t change based on who’s funding the project.

Free audio plugin and app downloads, mix tips and biannual studio day giveaways at high-end studios. All of this is built into the platform.

Our aim is genuinely to support independents.

Under our current offer, you earn 20 Studio Points with every master.

You can also earn 20 Studio Points when a new customer completes and accepts their first order using your unique referral link.

Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce a mastering order total by up to 50%.

When your total spend reaches £500, you become a Gold member. With Gold Membership, any add-ons you select with mastering orders are free.

You can track your Studio Points, Gold Membership progress and referral benefits in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account.

We cover everything audio, music, podcasts, spoken word, film soundtracks, sound design and more. If it’s audio, we master it.

All of them. We are genre-agnostic, always. Hip-hop, classical, electronic, rock, jazz, ambient, acoustic, orchestral, film, spoken word. Whatever it is, we master it. Beauty comes in all forms.

Your music deserves more than a generic process. AI mastering applies blanket processing without understanding your track, your genre, your emotion. A skilled human engineer listens, makes creative decisions, and delivers a master that’s tailored to your music. Using his 20-plus years in professional audio engineering and technology design and build, Steve has developed a suite of proprietary in-house tools designed to support his hardware/software hybrid workflow and enhance the mastering process at Belgrave Audio Mastering.

Steve designed a mastering framework that keeps the engineer at the centre of every decision, with refined digital processes providing accuracy and workflow support rather than directing creative judgement. At the core of this system is a simple philosophy: technology should support human expertise, not replace it. The result is a mastering process that combines technical accuracy with musical sensitivity, helping artists achieve a polished, commercially competitive sound while preserving character, performance and intent.

Many things, but here are just a few.

Steve designed a bespoke integrated mastering environment that keeps the engineer at the centre of every decision, with carefully developed analogue and digital processes providing accuracy and workflow support rather than directing creative judgement. At the core of this system is a simple philosophy: technology should support human expertise, not replace it.

Steve also developed a secure file transfer system, so your music never passes through third-party file transfer platforms. It remains private and under your control throughout the mastering process.

The pricing, offers and loyalty rewards are tailored specifically for independent music makers, rewarding returning clients while keeping professional mastering accessible.

Your music deserves someone who can feel it, not just process it. Someone who gets moved by what you’ve created and uses that emotion to ensure every critical adjustment happens in all the right places, so your releases truly perform and compete. Our view is simple: technology should support the engineer, not replace the engineer. Mastering is not just a technical exercise. It is a judgement call. It is knowing when to push, when to hold back, what the music is asking for, and what will help it translate emotionally as well as sonically.

So we do not see it as human or technology. We see it as human-led mastering, supported by precision tools. The tools can assist with accuracy and workflow. They should not be making the creative decisions. That matters because two tracks can be technically similar and still feel very different in practice. Mastering is about more than loudness, balance, or polish. It is about intent, taste, translation, and knowing how to preserve what makes your music connect.

Our philosophy is that the best results come from keeping experienced judgement at the centre of every decision, using bespoke digital tools to support the process, not direct it.

We built our own upload system rather than relying on third-party file transfer services. Your files are yours, full stop. It allows us to manage file transfers through our own process, using encryption and other measures designed to keep your music private while we manage your project.

Steve Belgrave is an audio and mastering engineer with more than twenty years of professional experience in music, film and television. He has worked with or on projects for artists and musicians including The Rolling Stones, Beady Eye, U2, Ash Soan, Adam Phillips, Mike Gorman, Sam Burgess, Matt Clifford, Mike Pela and Rob Fisher, and on projects for DreamWorks, Honda, Costa Coffee and Disney.

Known for his careful listening, experienced musical judgement and attention to detail, Steve created Belgrave Audio Mastering to provide independent music makers with the same quality and care associated with major-label productions, through a more personal, accessible and affordable service.

Steve has worked extensively with emerging audio technology to create precision audio tools. This technical background has informed the development of his bespoke mastering environment, software and workflow.

Every aspect of Belgrave Audio Mastering was designed by Steve, from the bespoke audio software and plugins to the secure upload platform. Each element was carefully considered to provide a straightforward, secure and seamless end-to-end service, reflecting the same quality and care that define his mastering approach.

Steve refined his studio environment to bring together the software, hardware and workflow he developed throughout his career within a single, unified ecosystem that reflects his mastering philosophy and sonic goals. Existing third-party products could not provide the level of integration, consistency and control he was seeking, so he chose to build the entire system in-house.

Selected technologies and bespoke tools have since been adapted into standalone audio applications, and DAW-friendly versions made available as VST, AU and AAX plugins. They are intended to support independent music makers throughout the production process, helping them prepare their music for the final stage of professional mastering.

After you place an order, a Support option becomes available in My Account for help relating to that order. Open a support ticket and add a subject and message. Your ticket is automatically linked to the relevant order, so we can see exactly what you’re referring to. Each ticket has its own reference number and clearly shows its status: Open while it’s being handled, and Resolved or Closed once it’s sorted. During working hours, we aim to respond within a few hours, depending on workload.

For general enquiries, account support or technical help with the website, please use our contact form.

You’ll receive an email whenever we reply. You can respond directly to that email and your message will be added to the ticket automatically, with no need to log in. You can also view and reply to the full conversation in the Support area of My Account, so everything stays together in one place. If a ticket has been closed and you need further help, simply open a new one.

Music is made by people, for people. Artists pour emotion, intention and meaning into their work. It should be mastered by someone who can hear that and respond to it, not by a system that only processes data. An algorithm can analyse audio, but it cannot feel music, understand artistic intent or make the nuanced creative decisions that shape a truly great master. Those capabilities are developed through years of experience. We believe those decisions can only be made through human judgement, and we have built our entire service around that belief. The technology we use exists to support Steve and make great mastering more accessible.

Because “fine” is not the same as performing. The real question is whether your tracks are competing on playlists and streaming platforms next to releases shaped by an engineer who is listening, judging and making deliberate decisions for the music.

AI mastering is cheap because it is automated. No one listened. No one made a creative decision based on what your music actually needed.

At our current mastering rate, the ask is small. The difference in outcome is not. Try a free sample first. Upload your track, hear the difference, then decide.

Because the difference in what you get back is not fractional. AI mastering costs less because it does less. At Belgrave Audio Mastering, Steve makes creative decisions based on what your music needs to deliver a master that performs. Our precision tools support accuracy, consistency and sonic intent. Each master combines technical precision with musical sensitivity to achieve clarity, depth, translation and competitive impact, while strengthening the emotion, character and intent that make the music connect. That’s not a marginal upgrade. That’s a different thing entirely.

Yes, people will notice it, even when they cannot easily explain why. Listeners may not always be able to name what is different, but they still feel the effect. Human mastering involves judgement, restraint and decisions made in response to what the music actually needs. AI mastering does not listen; it computes. It has no wow moments, no emotional response and no sense of what will help the track connect. In a world where your track is competing on playlists against everything else, that shift in feel can make all the difference.

The Belgrave Audio Mastering plugins collection grew out of Steve Belgrave’s own professional audio work. Over many years, he developed precision tools and proprietary software to give him the control, consistency and integration he wanted within his own audio environment.

Selected ideas and technologies have since evolved into standalone audio applications and DAW-friendly AAX, AU and VST3 plugins for independent music makers to use.

The aim is to make aspects of the technology developed through Steve’s professional work available as practical tools for independent music makers, helping them shape and prepare their music before the final stage of professional mastering.

Formats: Available in VST3, AU, AAX, and AudioSuite for macOS and Windows.

macOS X 11 Big Sur – macOS 26.x Tahoe

Windows 11 x64 (no ARM support)

The trial versions are fully functional with no feature limitations. After purchasing a licence key, you can unlock the trial without reinstalling.

Coming soon … FREE audio stem splitter desktop app for both Mac and Windows.

Quality local stem splitting for greater privacy and control.

It’s in the final phase of testing and will be available soon.

Supporting independent music makers is at the core of what we do. We offer several ways to save, both now and over time.

Your first mastering order unlocks our pro Studio Bundle for free, worth over Selected new plugins are added automatically as the bundle grows.

You can earn Studio Points through mastering orders and referrals. Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce a mastering order by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

Studio Points from mastering orders: You currently earn 20 Studio Points with every master.

Studio Points from referrals: Under our current offer, a new customer who uses your referral link receives 20 Studio Points to apply to their first order. Once that order has been completed by the engineer and accepted by the customer, you receive 20 Studio Points as a referral reward.

New customers also receive 4 Welcome Studio Points when they create an account.

When your total spend with us reaches £500, you become a Gold member. With Gold Membership, any 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons you select with mastering orders are free.

We also offer competitions, coupons and special offers. This is what we mean by genuinely supporting independent music makers: not only through professional mastering, but through practical savings, useful tools and ongoing creative support.

See our Terms and Conditions for full details of Studio Points, referrals, Gold Membership and current offers.

Studio Bundle

Get the ‘Studio Bundle’ FREE with your first mastering order.

The Studio Bundle will continue to grow over time, with new plugins added automatically for existing owners.

Enjoy a 20 day unrestricted trial of any of the plugins in this bundle and all our other plugins by downloading them individually from the list below.

The current bundle includes:

EMPq

EMPref

EMPms

EMPulse

Get the Studio Bundle

Currently, the processing side of our plugins for DAW use would be too heavy to assimilate our digital mastering chains, but they do get very close.

Our plugins install in a few minutes on both Mac and Windows. Use the links below to jump straight to what you need.

Mac

Installing on a Mac

1. Download the Mac installer. To try a plugin, use Download trial: macOS on our Plugins page. If you own the plugin, use Download for Mac in My Account > Plugins + Apps.

2. Open the downloaded .pkg file and follow the steps in the installer.

3. Read and accept the licence agreement.

4. Choose your formats. VST3, Audio Unit (AU) and AAX (Pro Tools) are all ticked for you, so just untick any you don’t use.

5. Enter your Mac administrator password when asked. macOS needs it to place the plugin in the shared plugin folders that every DAW on your Mac uses.

6. Open your DAW and rescan your plugins if they don’t appear straight away.

Supported Macs and macOS

Our plugins run on macOS 11 Big Sur right up to macOS 26 Tahoe. They run natively on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, so there’s no need to run your DAW in Rosetta.

Which format to install

Logic Pro and GarageBand: Audio Unit (AU)

Pro Tools: AAX, which includes AudioSuite

Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, REAPER, Bitwig and most other DAWs: VST3

Not sure? Leave all three ticked and your DAW will find the format it needs. Some DAWs list a plugin twice, once as AU and once as VST3. Both work the same, so use whichever you prefer.

Security warnings

Every Mac installer we supply is signed with our Apple Developer ID and notarised by Apple, so macOS recognises it and opens it normally.

If macOS does show a warning, check that you downloaded the installer from belgraveaudiomastering.com. Delete the file, download it again from our Plugins page or My Account, and try once more. If the warning still appears, email us at [email protected].

Where plugins are installed

VST3: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3

AU: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components

AAX: /Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins

These are in the main Library folder at the top level of your Mac’s drive, not the Library folder inside your home folder.

Plugin not showing in your DAW

1. Check you installed the format your DAW uses. If not, run the installer again and tick that format.

2. Ask your DAW to rescan its plugins, or quit and reopen it.

3. In Logic Pro, open Plug-in Manager, select the plugin and choose Reset & Rescan Selection.

Still missing? Email us at [email protected] with the name and version of your DAW and your version of macOS, and we’ll get you up and running.

Uninstalling

If you’re moving the plugin to another computer, free up this Mac first. Either open the plugin, choose Manage licence from its settings menu and press Deactivate (your Mac needs to be online for this), or click De-authorise next to this Mac in My Account > Plugins + Apps. Deleting the plugin files doesn’t free up the activation on its own.

Then delete the plugin from each folder you installed it to. For EMPq, for example:

/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/EMPq.vst3
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/EMPq.component
/Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins/EMPq.aaxplugin

macOS will ask for your administrator password to confirm.

Windows

Installing on Windows

1. Download the Windows installer. To try a plugin, use Download trial: Windows on our Plugins page. If you own the plugin, use Download for Windows in My Account > Plugins + Apps.

2. Open the downloaded .exe file. If Windows shows a blue Windows protected your PC screen, see “Windows protected your PC” below.

3. When Windows asks whether to allow the app to make changes to your device, choose Yes. The installer needs this to place the plugin in the shared plugin folders.

4. Read and accept the licence agreement.

5. Choose All formats, or Choose formats to pick VST3, AAX (Pro Tools) or both.

6. When the installer finishes, open your DAW and rescan your plugins if they don’t appear straight away.

“Windows protected your PC”

When you open one of our Windows installers, you may see a blue Windows protected your PC screen from Microsoft Defender SmartScreen. It doesn’t always appear, and it isn’t a sign that anything is wrong. SmartScreen can show this screen for software it doesn’t yet recognise, such as a newly released version of a plugin installer.

1. Click More info.

2. Check that Publisher shows EMIXPRO LTD. Belgrave Audio Mastering is a trading name of emixpro Limited, so this confirms the installer is genuinely ours and hasn’t been altered.

3. Click Run anyway to continue with the installation.

If the publisher shown is anything other than EMIXPRO LTD, choose Don’t run and email us at [email protected]. Only download our installers from our Plugins page or from My Account on belgraveaudiomastering.com.

Supported Windows versions

Our plugins support 64-bit Windows 11 on Intel and AMD processors (x64). Windows computers with ARM processors are not supported.

Which format to install

Pro Tools: AAX, which includes AudioSuite

Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, REAPER, Bitwig and most other DAWs: VST3

Audio Unit (AU) is an Apple format, so it’s included in our Mac installers only.

Where plugins are installed

VST3: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

AAX: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins

These are the standard locations, so your DAW finds the plugins without any extra setup.

Plugin not showing in your DAW

1. Check you installed the format your DAW uses. If not, run the installer again and tick that format.

2. Check your DAW scans the standard VST3 folder, C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3. Most DAWs do this by default, and the option is usually in the DAW’s plugin settings.

3. Ask your DAW to rescan its plugins, or close and reopen it.

Still missing? Email us at [email protected] with the name and version of your DAW and your version of Windows, and we’ll get you up and running.

Uninstalling

If you’re moving the plugin to another computer, free up this computer first. Either open the plugin, choose Manage licence from its settings menu and press Deactivate (your computer needs to be online for this), or click De-authorise next to this computer in My Account > Plugins + Apps. Uninstalling doesn’t free up the activation on its own.

Then open Settings > Apps > Installed apps, find Belgrave Audio Mastering followed by the plugin name, and choose Uninstall. If you installed the Studio Bundle, look for Studio Bundle instead. Uninstalling it removes all of the bundle plugins you installed.

After installing

Starting your free trial

Every plugin on our Plugins page comes with a free, fully featured trial, so you can try it in your own sessions before you buy.

Install the plugin, then open it in your DAW. The licence window appears automatically. Click Start free trial, with your computer connected to the internet. The trial lasts 20 days, with nothing held back.

Each computer can have one free trial of each plugin, and reinstalling doesn’t restart it. The Studio Bundle has no trial of its own, but you can try each of its plugins individually.

Activating your licence

1. Find your licence key in My Account > Plugins + Apps. Click Copy to copy it.

2. Open the plugin in your DAW. If it isn’t activated, the licence window appears automatically. You can also open it at any time by choosing Manage licence from the plugin’s settings menu.

3. Enter your licence key and the email address your licence was issued to, which is normally the email address on your account. Then click Activate.

Activation needs an internet connection. After that, the plugin works offline, as long as it can check your licence online at least once every 12 months.

Bought a licence during your trial

There’s no need to reinstall. The trial and the full version are the same plugin, so you just activate the one you already have installed.

Working offline

You need a connection to start a trial or to activate a licence. After that, the plugin works offline.

Once activated, the plugin checks your licence quietly in the background, no more than once every 14 days, and once after each update. During a free trial it checks about once a day. If you’re offline, it simply tries again later and your work carries on.

A purchased licence needs to be confirmed online at least once every 12 months. If 12 months pass without a successful check, the plugin stops working on that computer until it can confirm your licence. Just connect to the internet and open the plugin, or press Reconnect. Your licence key is already stored on your computer, so there’s nothing to type, and it works again as soon as the check succeeds.

Installing the Studio Bundle

Use Download for Mac or Download for Windows next to the Studio Bundle in My Account > Plugins + Apps. One installer covers every plugin in the bundle, currently EMPq, EMPref, EMPms and EMPulse, and lets you choose which plugins and which formats to install.

You only need to activate one of them. The other Studio Bundle plugins on the same computer then activate automatically with the same licence key.

Updating a plugin

Download the latest installer from My Account > Plugins + Apps and run it. It replaces the version you have, so there’s no need to uninstall first. Your activation is kept, so you don’t need to enter your licence key again.

Updates within the major version you own, for example from 1.4 to 1.5, are free. A new major version, for example 2.0, may need an upgrade licence. See Do I get free updates?

You can see what has changed in each version on our Plugin changelog page.

Formats: Available in VST3, AU, AAX, and AudioSuite for macOS and Windows.

macOS X 11 Big Sur – macOS 26.x Tahoe

Windows 11 x64 (no ARM support)

The trial versions are fully functional with no feature limitations. After purchasing a licence key, you can unlock the trial without reinstalling.

You can view all of our available plugins here – Audio Plugins

Your first paid master unlocks the Studio Bundle, worth over , at no additional cost.

The bundle currently includes EMPq, EMPref, EMPms and EMPulse. Selected new plugins will be added automatically as the bundle grows, and everyone who owns the Studio Bundle will receive them, whether they received the bundle through mastering or purchased it separately.

To try our other plugins with a free 20 day unrestricted trial, download them individually below. Or buy the Studio Bundle separately from mastering and save.

Studio Bundle

Get the ‘Studio Bundle’ FREE with your first mastering order.

The Studio Bundle will continue to grow over time, with new plugins added automatically for existing owners.

Enjoy a 20 day unrestricted trial of any of the plugins in this bundle and all our other plugins by downloading them individually from the list below.

The current bundle includes:

EMPq

EMPref

EMPms

EMPulse

Get the Studio Bundle

They include the same End User Licence Agreement (EULA) and the same rights of use as a purchased licence. Please see our Terms & Conditions and EULA for full details.

Every plugin comes with a free trial period so you can install and test it fully in your own DAW and operating system before buying. We strongly recommend using it so that your purchase is fully informed. Trial periods may vary in length, currently 20 days, so please check the individual product page. You can also check within the plugin to see how much time remains in your trial.

Formats: Available in VST3, AU, AAX, and AudioSuite for macOS and Windows.

macOS X 11 Big Sur – macOS 26.x Tahoe

Windows 11 x64 (no ARM support)

The trial versions are fully functional with no feature limitations. After purchasing a licence key, you can unlock the trial without reinstalling.

Yes. You will find interface size options in the settings menu.

Yes. EMPathY has a preset menu for saving and loading your own settings.

EMPathY reports its processing delay to your DAW, which compensates for it automatically, so everything stays in time.

Stereo only. EMPathY is designed for stereo tracks and buses.

The Monoizer sums everything below a frequency you choose (20 Hz to 1 kHz, default 120 Hz) to mono. It keeps the low end tight and centred while the rest of the mix stays wide, which helps on vinyl and big club systems.

The Tape section adds tape-style saturation for colour and warmth. You can set the amount per channel (left/right, linked or independent) and run it in stereo or mid/side.

EMPathY is a stereo colour and tone channel strip. It brings together tape saturation, high-pass and low-pass filters, a high shelf, a dedicated bass module called BOOHM, stereo width and Monoizer controls, and a choice of left/right or mid/side processing, all in one plugin. It is built for shaping the character and tone of a stereo track or bus.

BOOHM is EMPathY’s dedicated bass enhancer. It adds up to 18 dB around a centre frequency you set (25 Hz to 120 Hz, default 66 Hz), with selectable width, to bring weight and warmth to the low end.

The full manual is on our site at belgraveaudiomastering.com/empathy-manual/.

macOS as a Universal binary (Intel and Apple Silicon) and 64-bit Windows 11.

VST3, Audio Unit (AU) and AAX.

Supporting independent music makers is at the core of what we do. We offer several ways to save, both now and over time.

Your first mastering order unlocks our pro Studio Bundle for free, worth over Selected new plugins are added automatically as the bundle grows.

You can earn Studio Points through mastering orders and referrals. Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce a mastering order by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

Studio Points from mastering orders: You currently earn 20 Studio Points with every master.

Studio Points from referrals: Under our current offer, a new customer who uses your referral link receives 20 Studio Points to apply to their first order. Once that order has been completed by the engineer and accepted by the customer, you receive 20 Studio Points as a referral reward.

New customers also receive 4 Welcome Studio Points when they create an account.

When your total spend with us reaches £500, you become a Gold member. With Gold Membership, any 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons you select with mastering orders are free.

We also offer competitions, coupons and special offers. This is what we mean by genuinely supporting independent music makers: not only through professional mastering, but through practical savings, useful tools and ongoing creative support.

See our Terms and Conditions for full details of Studio Points, referrals, Gold Membership and current offers.

Studio Bundle

Get the ‘Studio Bundle’ FREE with your first mastering order.

The Studio Bundle will continue to grow over time, with new plugins added automatically for existing owners.

Enjoy a 20 day unrestricted trial of any of the plugins in this bundle and all our other plugins by downloading them individually from the list below.

The current bundle includes:

EMPq

EMPref

EMPms

EMPulse

Get the Studio Bundle

We’ve set rates specifically for independents because we genuinely support them, and not just with pricing. Check our rates section on the home page or check the Get Mastering form for current pricing.

£45 £29: Mastering per track.

£45 £29: Vinyl-only mastering per track

£45 £29: + £15 Mastering with Vinyl mastering per track*

*The vinyl-mastering option includes a separate vinyl master, complete Side A and Side B files, and a PQ sheet for your vinyl pressing company. It can be selected for individual tracks on the Get Mastering form and costs an additional £15 per track. You will receive your standard master, a separate vinyl master, Side A and Side B masters, a PQ sheet, and the standard set of 44.1 kHz WAV and MP3 files.

£5: Per add-on (48kHz / 96kHz)

£29: DDP file set

Included with all mastering options: Mastering for reliable playback across major streaming platforms, plus full-resolution WAV masters at 44.1 kHz/16-bit and 44.1 kHz/24-bit, and a 320 kbps MP3.

Studio Bundle

Get the ‘Studio Bundle’ FREE with your first mastering order.

The Studio Bundle will continue to grow over time, with new plugins added automatically for existing owners.

Enjoy a 20 day unrestricted trial of any of the plugins in this bundle and all our other plugins by downloading them individually from the list below.

The current bundle includes:

EMPq

EMPref

EMPms

EMPulse

Get the Studio Bundle

Your first paid master unlocks the Studio Bundle, worth over , at no additional cost.

The bundle currently includes EMPq, EMPref, EMPms and EMPulse. Selected new plugins will be added automatically as the bundle grows, and everyone who owns the Studio Bundle will receive them, whether they received the bundle through mastering or purchased it separately.

To try our other plugins with a free 20 day unrestricted trial, download them individually below. Or buy the Studio Bundle separately from mastering and save.

Studio Bundle

Get the ‘Studio Bundle’ FREE with your first mastering order.

The Studio Bundle will continue to grow over time, with new plugins added automatically for existing owners.

Enjoy a 20 day unrestricted trial of any of the plugins in this bundle and all our other plugins by downloading them individually from the list below.

The current bundle includes:

EMPq

EMPref

EMPms

EMPulse

Get the Studio Bundle

They include the same End User Licence Agreement (EULA) and the same rights of use as a purchased licence. Please see our Terms & Conditions and EULA for full details.

Yes. Open the settings menu (the gear icon) and choose a GUI size from 50% up to 200%. The size is remembered with your session.

Yes. The preset menu in the header saves and loads your own presets. You can also save your current settings as the default, so every new instance opens exactly how you like it.

With Low Latency on (the default), EMPlane runs with zero latency, so you can use it while tracking. With Low Latency off, the Quality setting adds a small look-ahead (2.5 ms to 10 ms, more for Linear Phase), which is reported to your DAW and compensated automatically.

Yes. Turn on the SC button and EMPlane detects resonances from the sidechain input instead of the main input.

EMPlane supports mono, stereo, and surround up to 16 channels (9.1.6). On surround tracks each channel gets its own depth, solo, and bypass, with speaker-group linking and an option to exclude the LFE.

The nodes steer the suppression. EMPlane works fully without them, but switching one on lets you push the suppression harder into a problem area (drag down) or protect a region you want left alone (drag up).

Delta lets you hear only what EMPlane is removing. It is the quickest way to check your settings: you should hear the harshness, not the music.

EMPlane is a dynamic resonance suppressor for controlling resonant peaks in the audio. The rest of the signal passes untouched. Use it to smooth vocals, tame cymbals and harsh guitars, or calm a bright mix without dulling it.

The full manual explains every control in plain language, with ranges and defaults: EMPlane User Manual.

EMPlane runs on macOS (universal binary, Intel and Apple Silicon) and on 64-bit Windows 11.

VST3, Audio Unit (AU) on macOS, and AAX. EMPlane works in any 64-bit DAW that supports one of these formats.

Yes. Set one EMPms to Encode, insert your other plugins after it (they will see mid on the left channel and side on the right), then set a second EMPms to Decode to return to normal stereo.

Yes. Open the settings menu (the gear icon) and choose a GUI size from 50% up to 200%. The size is remembered with your session.

Yes. The preset menu in the header saves and loads your own presets. You can also save your current settings as the default, so every new instance opens exactly how you like it.

None. EMPms adds zero latency.

EMPms is a stereo plugin. Use it on stereo tracks and buses.

The mid channel is what the left and right sides share: the centre of the image, where vocals, kick, snare, and bass usually sit. The side channel is what makes left and right different: the width. Working on them separately lets you, for example, brighten the width without touching the vocal.

It folds the side channel to mono below a frequency you choose (20 Hz to 500 Hz), keeping the low end solid and centred while the highs stay wide.

EMPms is a mid/side encoder, decoder, and processor. It can convert a stereo signal into mid and side channels, convert mid/side back to stereo, or do the whole job in one insert with width, mid and side gain, solo buttons, and a mono maker for the low end.

The full manual explains every control in plain language, with ranges and defaults: EMPms User Manual.

EMPms runs on macOS (universal binary, Intel and Apple Silicon) and on 64-bit Windows 11.

VST3, Audio Unit (AU) on macOS, and AAX. EMPms works in any 64-bit DAW that supports one of these formats.

Yes. Open the settings menu (the gear icon) and choose a GUI size from 50% up to 200%. The size is remembered with your session.

Yes. The preset menu in the header saves and loads your own presets. You can also save your current settings as the default, so every new instance opens exactly how you like it.

None. EMPref adds zero latency.

EMPref works in stereo on stereo tracks and in mono on mono tracks. Place it on your master or monitoring bus.

Twelve. Each slot keeps its track with your session, and the whole set is included in presets and A/B snapshots.

It automatically plays the reference at the same loudness as your session, so you compare balance and tone instead of volume. Your session is never adjusted. Only the reference moves.

EMPref lets you load reference tracks and switch between your own mix and a reference while you work. It includes automatic loudness level matching, a mono check, a waveform you can click to move around in, a spectrum comparison, level meters, and a stereo correlation readout.

The full manual explains every control in plain language, with ranges and defaults: EMPref User Manual.

EMPref runs on macOS (universal binary, Intel and Apple Silicon) and on 64-bit Windows 11.

VST3, Audio Unit (AU) on macOS, and AAX. EMPref works in any 64-bit DAW that supports one of these formats.

Yes. Every band has a Focus control: Stereo affects everything, Mid focuses the band on the centre of the image, and Side focuses it on the edges, with in-between values blending.

Yes. Open the settings menu (the gear icon) and choose a GUI size from 50% up to 200%. The size is remembered with your session.

Yes. The preset menu in the header saves and loads your own presets. You can also save your current settings as the default, so every new instance opens exactly how you like it.

None. EMPq runs with zero latency at all settings.

EMPq supports mono and stereo tracks.

Seven. Node 1 handles the low end (shelf or cut), nodes 2 to 6 are general-purpose bands (bell, band pass, band stop, or tilt), and node 7 handles the top end (shelf or cut, with slopes up to 96 dB per octave).

Listen solos a band so you hear only what it is changing, which is perfect for finding a problem frequency. Sweep the band while listening, and switch it off when you have found the spot.

EMPq is a seven-node parametric equaliser with a live spectrum display. Each node is a full band with its own shape, frequency, gain, and width, and can be aimed at the centre or the edges of the stereo image. It adds no latency, so you can use it anywhere: tracking, mixing, or mastering.

The full manual explains every control in plain language, with ranges and defaults: EMPq User Manual.

EMPq runs on macOS (universal binary, Intel and Apple Silicon) and on 64-bit Windows 11.

VST3, Audio Unit (AU) on macOS, and AAX. EMPq works in any 64-bit DAW that supports one of these formats.

Yes. Open the settings menu (the gear icon) and choose a GUI size from 50% up to 200%. The size is remembered with your session.

Yes. The preset menu in the header saves and loads your own presets. You can also save your current settings as the default, so every new instance opens exactly how you like it.

EMPress reports its processing delay to your DAW, which compensates for it automatically, so everything stays in time.

EMPress supports mono and stereo tracks.

Lower the Ceiling control slightly, for example to -1 dB. The Brickwall limiter then stops anything passing that level, leaving headroom for streaming encoders.

Press is the main knob. Raising it pushes the signal into compression and limiting toward the ceiling, adding loudness, density, and colour. The tonal balance rides along with it, so for most jobs Press is the only knob you need.

EMPress is a mastering loudness processor built around one main knob. Turn up Press and EMPress compresses, warms, and limits the signal into a fixed ceiling, getting louder and denser, enhancing the sonic footprint while still allowing the track to breathe. A Deep Tweak panel offers further character, loudness, and clipper options.

Deep Tweak is an overlay with advanced controls in four groups: Dynamics, Character, Loudness, and Clipper. All of them default to neutral, so the main panel alone gives the intended sound.

The full manual explains every control in plain language, with ranges and defaults: EMPress User Manual.

EMPress runs on macOS (universal binary, Intel and Apple Silicon) and on 64-bit Windows 11.

VST3, Audio Unit (AU) on macOS, and AAX. EMPress works in any 64-bit DAW that supports one of these formats.

Yes. Open the settings menu (the gear icon) and choose a GUI size from 50% up to 200%. The size is remembered with your session.

Yes. The preset menu in the header saves and loads your own presets. You can also save your current settings as the default, so every new instance opens exactly how you like it.

None. EMPulse is measurement-only and adds zero latency.

No. EMPulse only measures: the audio passes through exactly as it came in. Even the Bypass button just freezes the meters.

EMPulse supports mono and stereo tracks. Place it on your master or monitoring bus.

EMPulse is a loudness meter and spectrum analyser. The Loudness view shows LUFS readings, true peak, loudness range, and a rolling history against a target line. The Frequency view shows a spectrum analyser and a level meter. Use it to hit delivery targets and to check tonal balance.

Streaming (-14 LUFS), Podcast (-16 LUFS), Broadcast (-23 LUFS), and CD/Club (-9 LUFS), plus a Custom target you can set anywhere from -30 to 0 LUFS. The target appears as a line on the meter and the history graph.

The full manual explains every control in plain language, with ranges and defaults: EMPulse User Manual.

EMPulse measures to the EBU R128 / ITU-R BS.1770 standard: integrated, short-term, and momentary loudness in LUFS, true peak in dBTP, loudness range (LRA), and peak loudness ratio (PLR).

EMPulse runs on macOS (universal binary, Intel and Apple Silicon) and on 64-bit Windows 11.

VST3, Audio Unit (AU) on macOS, and AAX. EMPulse works in any 64-bit DAW that supports one of these formats.

You can. But next to professionally mastered tracks, it will likely sound dull, quiet and unbalanced. If you want your music to compete sonically, mastering isn’t optional, it’s essential.

Mastering can enhance a great mix, but it can’t rescue a poor one. Get your mix to around 90% of the sound you’re after, then let mastering deliver the final 10% of polish and loudness. Fix the foundations first.

Yes. Every professional release gets mastered. It’s not optional at that level, and it shouldn’t be optional at yours either.

Yes. Mastering ensures your track sounds its best across all streaming platforms and devices. It’s not just about loudness, it’s about translation.

It depends on the project. An album can take multiple days. We aim to deliver within the timeframe quoted at the time of order, typically 48 hrs, but we always give your music the time it needs.

Mixing is about balancing everything inside a track. Mastering is about finishing the whole track for release. They’re separate disciplines and should be handled by specialist engineers, not the same person doing both.

If you want your music to compete on streaming platforms, it needs to meet official platform standards. Steve is an approved iTunes/ADM mastering engineer, meaning your masters are built to those standards from the ground up.

Mastering is the final step before your music goes out into the world. It is the final stage of production. Mastering prepares your project with clarity, balance and impact, ensuring it translates reliably across all playback systems. It’s the difference between a track that sounds finished and one that doesn’t.

EQ, compression, limiting, stereo enhancement, saturation and metering, among other processes. The specific tools and approach depend entirely on the track. No two sessions are the same.

Steve uses a hybrid hardware/software setup that includes his own bespoke mastering application and plugins. Unlike a conventional mastering setup built from separate software and hardware components, his system has been developed as an integrated environment where every element is designed to work together efficiently, consistently and with exceptional precision.

Analog gear can add warmth and character. Digital processing is precise and flexible. Steve uses a hybrid of both, combining the best of each to achieve the result your music deserves.

Professional mastering brings an experienced, objective set of ears to the final stage of the process, where subtle decisions can make a significant difference to the finished master.

At Belgrave Audio Mastering, Steve combines careful listening and experienced musical judgement with precision tools developed to support detailed analysis and control. This allows subtle decisions to be made around tonal balance, dynamics, stereo image, low-end control, level and translation, while preserving and strengthening the character and intent of the original mix.

Mastering does much more than make music louder. It helps improve clarity, balance and overall impact, so your music sounds more polished and translates better across different playback systems. Simply turning the volume up only makes it louder; mastering helps it sound finished and ready for release.

Mixing makes the parts of a song work together. Mastering takes that final mix and makes it sound polished, loud enough and consistent with professional releases. Mixing and mastering are two very different jobs and skill sets. A great mix still needs mastering to compete. It enhances clarity, depth and balance while ensuring reliable translation across all playback systems. Mastering is the final stage of record production, preparing your music for release with the detail and impact it deserves.

Home mastering is risky. Untreated rooms and headphones give you an inaccurate picture of your sound, loudness management is easy to get wrong, and the results rarely translate well. Professional mastering ensures your music sounds right everywhere.

To a degree, yes, but bass and vocal clarity are really decisions made at the mix stage. If you still have access to your session, address them there first. Flag your preferences in the session notes and we’ll do what we can.

Tell us what you want in your session notes or add fades to your export before you send it.

Yes. Remastering can bring new life to older recordings: better translation on modern systems, improved clarity, more competitive loudness. It’s definitely worth doing.

Yes. Professional, competitive, ready for release on any platform.

It should improve it, but the overall feel stays the same. Think of mastering as the final polish, not a rebuild. If it changes dramatically, something was wrong in the mix.

No. Distortion that’s baked into the mix is permanent.

Tracks mastered by Belgrave Audio Mastering will translate reliably across all playback systems: monitors, earbuds, car speakers, phone speakers etc.

Yes. Mastering brings your track up to a competitive level, louder without distortion, and without losing what makes it sound good.

Yes, always. Mono compatibility is a standard part of every session. We have our own proprietary analysis and metering system.

Yes. LUFS metering is used on every master to ensure platform loudness compliance. We have our own proprietary analysis and metering system.

Yes. Spectrum analysis is part of our standard workflow. We have our own proprietary analysis and metering system.

Inter-sample peaks are peaks that exceed 0dB when your WAV is converted to a lossy format like MP3 or AAC, even if the WAV itself looks fine. They can cause distortion in playback on streaming platforms. We check for these during mastering.

Clipping is what happens when audio exceeds 0dBFS, the digital ceiling. It causes distortion, and once it’s in the recording, it’s generally considered permanent.

Dithering is the process of adding low-level noise to reduce distortion when converting from a higher bit depth to a lower one, for example, from 24-bit to 16-bit. We can handle this as the very last step. Don’t add it to your mix.

Yes. You can add 48 kHz or 96 kHz masters as an add-on at £5 per track in the ‘Get Mastering’ form. Tick the relevant option to include it in your session.

Gold members get any 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons free with their mastering order.

Digital masters are too hot for vinyl and will distort. Vinyl requires a separate dedicated master with lower output, tightened low end and corrected phase.

Yes. Add a DDP to your order and we’ll deliver a complete DDP file set built to Red Book spec, with ISRC codes and CD-Text embedded if you provide them.

Not usually. The same 24-bit master works well across Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and other platforms. Each platform applies its own normalisation, but a properly mastered track handles this well. If you need a version specifically tailored for TV, film or other video, let us know.

Yes. A vinyl master and a digital master are two separate things and should be treated as such. We can handle both in one session. Select ‘Mastering + Vinyl Mastering’ on the ‘Get Mastering’ form.

Yes. Every order includes a 320 kbps MP3 as standard. It’s there for previewing and sharing, not for pro distribution.

Yes, choose the Vinyl Mastering option. Vinyl masters have more dynamic range, which translates perfectly to cassette tape. They also tame harsh high frequencies, which is useful because cassettes can struggle with sibilance and high-end distortion if pushed too hard. Vinyl masters require care with sub-bass, as too much low-end would likely cause potentially unwanted saturation, which can add unwanted muddiness.

It depends on the genre and the level of compression in the music. As a general rule, 18-22 minutes per side is a safe target for most genres. More than that, and you risk compromising sound quality. The ‘Get Mastering’ form includes a genre-based reference table to help guide you.

Standard mastering file set for all projects (not including the free sample master, which is a 20-second wav only)

• 44.1 kHz 24-bit WAV master (ADM standard)
• 44.1 kHz 16-bit WAV master
• 320kbps MP3

If you’ve added 48kHz or 96kHz as an add-on, those are included too.

Vinyl masters are delivered as separate 24-bit WAV files, as well as Side A and Side B 24-bit WAV files, along with a PQ sheet for your vinyl pressing company.

DDP file set includes the full fileset required for your replication house including a PQ sheet.

We use our own in-house DDP creation software, part of our bespoke mastering suite.

DDP® is a trademark of DCA, Inc. Copyright 1989-2008 DCA, Inc. Licensed from DCA.

A DDP (Disc Description Protocol) is the industry-standard format for CD manufacturing. It contains audio, metadata and an MD5 checksum, which means zero chance of errors during duplication. If you’re pressing CDs, you need a DDP file set. You can add it to your order on the ‘Get mastering‘ form.

We use our own in-house DDP creation software, part of our bespoke mastering suite.

DDP® is a trademark of DCA, Inc. Copyright 1989-2008 DCA, Inc. Licensed from DCA.

Bit depth affects the resolution of audio. 24-bit offers greater dynamic range and is the professional standard for masters. 16-bit is used for CD and remains the standard for replication and distribution. We deliver both so you’re covered.

Vinyl masters are a different animal. They’re higher resolution (24-bit), have a lower output volume for pressing headroom, the lows are tightened below 60 Hz for the cut, and phase issues are corrected. Digital masters are too hot for vinyl and tend to distort, so you need a dedicated vinyl master.

Use the 24-bit file for digital distribution, archiving, and any future remastering. Use the 16-bit file if you’re pressing to CD. The MP3 is for previewing or sharing, not for pro distribution.

Ideally, confirm your running order using the ‘up’ and ‘down’ arrows in the ‘Get Mastering’ form for digital, vinyl and DDP releases before you submit. If something needs to change after mastering has started, let us know as soon as possible by raising a support ticket in the relevant project within your ‘My Account’ section, before the session starts, and we’ll take care of it for you.

Yes. For CDs, if you need specific gap lengths between tracks, note them in your session notes. The standard is 2 seconds, just let us know in the session notes if you want something different.

Yes. Just let us know where you want the crossfade to take place in min:secs for the preceding track. You can send us a sample independently of the crossfade as a reference.

Yes. If you need clean and explicit versions, provide both mixes and flag it in your session notes. We’ll master each one. They are treated as separate masters.

Yes. Tick the DDP option on the ‘Get mastering’ form and we’ll deliver a complete DDP file set built to Red Book spec. It includes your audio, ISRC codes and CD-Text if you provide them. It’s ready to go straight to your CD replicator/manufacturer.

We use our own in-house DDP creation software, part of our bespoke mastering suite.

DDP® is a trademark of DCA, Inc. Copyright 1989-2008 DCA, Inc. Licensed from DCA.

We master the full project together, not track by track in isolation. That’s the only way to make sure the levels, tone and feel are consistent across the whole release.

Sequencing, deciding the running order, is your call as the artist. We’ll master in whatever order you give us. If you want advice on how the sequence is affecting the feel of the listen, mention it in your notes and we’ll happily provide feedback based on our experience. Nevertheless, it’s always subjective. It’s a creative decision, so always go with your gut on this one.

With albums and EPs, consistency is key. Every track needs to sit at a similar level and feel cohesive when played back to back. That takes more time and more listening than a single. It’s one of the things that distinguishes a great album from an average one.

For EPs and albums, we need your artist name, release title, running order, and ISRC codes if you have them. If you don’t have ISRCs yet, no problem; we’ll leave the metadata blank and you can add or embed them yourself, either when uploading for digital distribution or by providing them to your CD replicator/manufacturer.

You upload after payment. The ‘Get Mastering’ form is for building your mastering session, confirming your options and then paying. File uploads happen on a separate page once payment is confirmed. Ensure you add back in the same files; the system will verify they are the same files and then you’re good to go.

No. We handle your files through our own secure file transfer system and project process. We use encryption and other data-handling measures designed to help keep your music private while we manage your project. Your music remains yours throughout the process, and protecting it while it is in our care is a priority for us.

Drag and drop your WAV or uncompressed AIFF files onto the dropzone, or click to browse. The ‘Get Mastering’ form automatically reads the filename and also the title, duration and ISRC code (if embedded) from each file.

Go to My Projects in your account, find the relevant order and click the download button. Your files are delivered via a secure download link.

Upload your files through our website as part of the order process. We don’t accept files via Dropbox, WeTransfer, Google Drive or other third-party file transfer services. To protect the privacy of your music, files are transferred through our own secure file transfer system. We use encryption and data-handling measures designed to keep your files private throughout the process, in line with our approach to secure data handling.

Some of our trusted providers operate outside the UK (for example FastSpring, Google and Cloudflare in the US, and Hetzner in the EU). Where data is transferred outside the UK we rely on appropriate safeguards so it stays protected to UK standards. See our Privacy Policy.

WAV files and uncompressed AIFF files only. This ensures maximum quality going into the mastering session.

Each file appears as a row in the track table. You can edit the song title, add an ISRC code, select required 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, assign vinyl sides if applicable, and tick DDP inclusion if enabled.

Your audio is handled within our own project process and is not made available through third-party file transfer services. We use data-handling measures designed to help keep your files private while we manage your project, in line with our approach to secure data handling. Privacy Policy

Not strictly required, but strongly recommended. Without them, tracking plays and collecting royalties becomes harder.

Yes. If you’re ordering a DDP, CD-Text is embedded using the album and artist details you provide on the ‘Get mastering’ form.

Yes. If you supply ISRC codes, we embed them into the master files. Include them in the track details on the ‘Get Mastering’ form.

An ISRC (International Standard Recording Code) is a unique identifier for each recording. It’s used by streaming platforms and rights organisations to track plays and royalties.

Artist name, track title, ISRC codes (if you have them), and album or EP title for DDP orders. All of this is entered through the ‘Get Mastering’ form, it’s straightforward.

You’ll need a distributor for that. But we’ll deliver your masters in the exact formats they require, so the handoff is seamless.

Streaming platforms apply loudness normalisation to the playback level, but they don’t alter your master. The file stays exactly as delivered.

The core master is the same; we optimise with all platform loudness standards in mind. If you need a version specifically mastered for TV, film, video or another use case, flag it in your session notes.

Apple Digital Masters (formerly MFiT, Mastered for iTunes) is Apple’s quality standard for releases on their platform. All of our masters meet the standard.

Loudness normalisation is the process streaming platforms use to level-match tracks in a playlist. Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and others all do it. A track that’s mastered too loud gets turned down; one that’s too quiet gets turned up. A properly mastered track is built with this in mind.

We target the right loudness for each platform as part of the mastering process, you don’t need to specify one. As a reference, most platforms normalise to around -14 LUFS integrated. We master with platform playback in mind from the start.

Mastering doesn’t affect ownership, rights or royalties in any way. Your music stays yours.

A properly mastered track hits platform loudness standards, which means it won’t be penalised in playback. It won’t sound small or off-pace next to other tracks. That’s not gaming the algorithm; that’s just being professionally prepared.

If your mix was built around it and falls apart without it, keep it on.

Yes. Many DAWs work at 32-bit float internally, and exporting at that depth gives us the best possible source material. More headroom, more flexibility, exactly what we want.

MP3 is a compressed format, and it’s not suitable for mastering. We accept WAV or AIFF. Send us the best possible source; everything else follows from there. If MP3 or another lossy format is all you have, and this is for a restoration project, then contact us directly so we can discuss how best to help you.

Yes, competitive loudness is part of what mastering delivers. We focus on making your track sound as loud and powerful as it can be without destroying what makes it perform dynamically. In our experience, tracks that perform both dynamically and in loudness win every time.

Yes. AIFF is perfect for mastering.

Use a reference track. Compare your mix to a professionally released track in a similar genre and listen for differences in tone, balance and energy. It’s one of the fastest ways to spot whether yours is heading in the right direction, or still needs work. There are several good track reference plugins on the market, or you can get EMPref free as part of the Studio Bundle with your first paid mastering order.

Adding high-pass filters on instruments that are not bass-heavy, careful attention to your kick and bass relationship, and checking your mix in mono are all key. If the low end sounds muddy, it usually is, so don’t ignore it.

If your kick and bass instruments fight each other or cancel out in mono, they need work. Try sidechaining, subtle EQ or dynamic EQ carving, or adjusting the frequency or phase relationship between the two. They need to coexist without stepping on each other.

Address sibilance in the mix using a de-esser or dynamic EQ variant on the vocal channel. Mastering can’t surgically remove sibilance without affecting other areas of the track. Reach out to us for a mix review if you have any concerns.

Lower the master fader or output gain in your DAW. Don’t apply normalisation or gain change to the file itself. Keep the balance intact and just bring the ceiling down.

Enough to control dynamics and add character, not so much that the life is squeezed out, unless of course that is a creative decision.

Background noise or hiss is a mix or recording issue, so it’s best to address it there. A noise gate or noise reduction plugin in the mix session is the right tool.

For most applications, keep your low end more centered or in mono, i.e. kick, bass and sub. Use stereo width in the mids and highs where it adds space and dimension. Over-widening the whole mix creates phase problems and can make things fall apart when summed to mono and played back on mono devices.

Use a clear format: TrackNumber_ArtistName_SongTitle_Version.wav, for example, 01_ArtistName_SongTitle_MixV3.wav.

Include version numbers and avoid names like ‘final_FINAL_v2.wav’.

We’ve all been there. Don’t be that file.

Name your files with the track number first so they sort into album order automatically. You can set or change the running order in the ‘Get Mastering’ form. If you already have your ISRC codes when placing the order, enter them directly into the ‘Get Mastering’ form so they can be embedded in the exported WAV(s).

At ear height, angled towards your listening position and forming an equilateral triangle with your head at the apex. Keep them away from walls and corners as much as possible. Room acoustics and treatment matter as much as the monitors themselves.

Ideally, if you’re planning on using a mastering engineer, avoid using mastering plugins as they reduce dynamic range. If you’ve used one tastefully and it’s genuinely part of your sound, that’s fine, but less is more.

Generally fine, if it’s integral to your sound. Just flag what processing you’ve used in your session notes so we can account for it.

Leave fades to us unless there’s a very specific reason you need to do them yourself. We add fades as part of the mastering process and can get them sounding exactly right. Just flag your preference in the session notes.

Yes. Always check in mono before you export. It reveals phase cancellation and balance issues that hide in stereo.

Always. Your studio monitors are one reference point, not the whole picture. Check your mix on headphones, earbuds, a phone speaker and a laptop. The more systems you listen on, the more confident you can be that it translates.

Dithering is the very last step in the process. We apply it when we create your final deliverable. Don’t do it beforehand.

Stereo interleaved WAV is the standard. Only send split mono or multi-channel files if we’ve specifically asked for them.

Yes. Use a simple system, v1, v2, v3, so there’s no confusion about which is the latest approved mix.

Yes. Leave a second or two of silence at the start and end of your export. We’ll top and tail it as part of the mastering process. Don’t trim it too tight!

That’s always a good idea. Play back your exported file from start to finish before sending it. Listen for glitches, clicks, unexpected silence or anything that sounds off. If there’s anything you can’t address yourself, let us know in the notes on our ‘Get Mastering’ form or reach out to us before ordering your mastering.

Normalising can push levels too close to 0dBFS and strips out the headroom we need to work with. Leave the output gain alone when exporting.

Yes. Any clicks, pops or noise artefacts in the mix should be cleaned up before mastering.

Remove any limiters or maximisers you’ve added for loudness. If you’ve been mixing into a bus compressor that shapes your sound, discuss it with us before ordering your session. We’ll ask you to send two versions: one with master bus processing and one without.

Yes. Ear fatigue is real. Step away from the mix for a while, even overnight if you can, before doing your final export. Fresh ears catch what tired ears miss.

For maximum flexibility, aim for an integrated loudness of -18 to -12 LUFS. This preserves dynamic range and gives us the best starting point to work from.

16-bit minimum. If your DAW supports 32-bit floating point, use that; it preserves even more dynamic range. Don’t dither down to 16-bit before mastering, or up or downsample. Leave that step to us.

Export as WAV or AIFF. These are uncompressed, lossless formats that keep all your audio data intact. Never send MP3 or any other lossy format for mastering, you’ll be throwing away quality before we’ve even started.

If the heads and tails are trimmed too close to the audio, clicks or pops can appear at the start or end of the master. Leave a bit of room, we’ll handle the clean edit.

That’s a sign the mix itself needs more work. If it falls apart without bus processing, the problem is in the individual tracks, not the master bus. It’s best to go back and fix the balance and tone at source.

Headroom is the space between your loudest peak and 0dBFS. Without enough of it, we can’t apply processing without clipping or distortion. It’s one of the most important things you can give us, don’t squash it.

A peak meter and an integrated LUFS meter are the essentials. LUFS tells you your average loudness, peak tells you how close you are to clipping. Both matter. Most DAWs have these built in or you can get EMPulse free as part of the Studio Bundle with your first paid mastering order.

Aim for peaks around -3dBFS to -6dBFS. That gives us enough room to work with dynamics, EQ and limiting without distortion. Leave space for us to do our job.

Export at the native sample rate of your session. If you recorded at 48kHz, export at 48kHz. Don’t upsample or downsample, as changing the sample rate can introduce unwanted artefacts.

Limiting reduces dynamic range and introduces distortion. If you and the mastering engineer both apply limiting, you’re doubling the distortion. Leave the final loudness to us.

Yes. Most instruments don’t need anything below 80Hz – 100Hz, that space belongs to the kick and bass instruments. A gentle high-pass filter on guitars, keys, and other mid-range instruments clears the low end and gives your mix room to breathe. The same can apply to send effects like reverbs.

Subtractive EQ first. Cut problem frequencies before boosting. Boost sparingly and only where it genuinely improves the sound. The goal is a balanced, natural-sounding mix.

A reference track is a commercially released song that represents the sound you’re aiming for. Use it to compare your mix tonally. It keeps your ears calibrated and gives us useful context too. Drop it in your session notes.

Home studios often have room treatment issues that make low end hard to hear accurately. The result is mixes that are too bass-heavy, and this only becomes obvious when the track plays on other systems. You can either treat your room, or invest in good headphones and headphone software designed for mixing.

Generally not. Multiband compression on the mix bus is powerful and easy to get wrong. Unless you know exactly what you’re doing, stick to a single-band mix bus compressor or leave it off entirely.

Aim for an integrated loudness of -18 to -12 LUFS before you send. That preserves enough dynamic range for us to work with. If it’s sitting much louder than that, something is limiting the dynamics, and that limits us.

Over-compression kills dynamics and makes a mix feel flat and lifeless. It also limits what we can do at the mastering stage. Leave us some room, a mix with natural dynamics always makes for a better master.

Use with care. Stereo widening on the mix bus can cause phase problems and mono compatibility issues. Check everything in mono after applying it. If in doubt, leave it off, we can manage width at the mastering stage.

A lot of listening happens in mono: on phone speakers, in clubs, on TV and radio. If your mix falls apart in mono, a large part of your audience won’t hear it properly.

Room acoustics. Your room shapes what you hear, and if it’s not treated, you’re making mix decisions based on a coloured picture of your sound. Get your room treated, or check your mix on multiple systems, including earbuds, headphones, phone speakers and in the car, before you sign off on it.

Headphones. There is a wide variety available, and many music makers are now using them exclusively. We’d recommend getting a headphone system paired with software designed to create a balanced listening environment, to help ensure that your mixing decisions are ones you can trust.

Supporting independent music makers is at the core of what we do. We offer several ways to save, both now and over time.

Your first mastering order unlocks our pro Studio Bundle for free, worth over Selected new plugins are added automatically as the bundle grows.

You can earn Studio Points through mastering orders and referrals. Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce a mastering order by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

Studio Points from mastering orders: You currently earn 20 Studio Points with every master.

Studio Points from referrals: Under our current offer, a new customer who uses your referral link receives 20 Studio Points to apply to their first order. Once that order has been completed by the engineer and accepted by the customer, you receive 20 Studio Points as a referral reward.

New customers also receive 4 Welcome Studio Points when they create an account.

When your total spend with us reaches £500, you become a Gold member. With Gold Membership, any 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons you select with mastering orders are free.

We also offer competitions, coupons and special offers. This is what we mean by genuinely supporting independent music makers: not only through professional mastering, but through practical savings, useful tools and ongoing creative support.

See our Terms and Conditions for full details of Studio Points, referrals, Gold Membership and current offers.

Studio Bundle

Get the ‘Studio Bundle’ FREE with your first mastering order.

The Studio Bundle will continue to grow over time, with new plugins added automatically for existing owners.

Enjoy a 20 day unrestricted trial of any of the plugins in this bundle and all our other plugins by downloading them individually from the list below.

The current bundle includes:

EMPq

EMPref

EMPms

EMPulse

Get the Studio Bundle

After adding your tracks to the order form, you can choose how many Studio Points to use before completing your purchase.

Studio Points can reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%.

Gold Membership benefits are applied automatically when you are signed in to your account.

When you are signed in, you can view your available Studio Points balance. After adding your tracks, enter the number of points you want to use and click Apply. The corresponding discount will be deducted from your order total immediately.

Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

You can track your Studio Points and referral benefits in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account. See our Terms and Conditions for full details.

Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1. There is no minimum number of Studio Points you need to use, and you can use Studio Points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%.

Studio Points can be used towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP, but not towards plugin purchases.

Yes. Under our current offer, you earn 20 Studio Points with every master.

Studio Points can be applied as a discount towards future mastering orders, including mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP.

Your singles can also help you progress towards Gold Membership, which begins at £500 total mastering spend.

You can check your Studio Points balance and Gold Membership progress in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account.

There is no minimum. You can use Studio Points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%. Simply sign in, enter the number of points you want to use below the Mastering Order Summary and click Apply.

Under our current offer, you earn 20 Studio Points with every master. You can also earn 20 Studio Points when a new customer completes and accepts their first order through your unique referral link.

Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%.

You can check your Studio Points balance in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account.

Supporting independent music makers is at the core of what we do. We offer several ways to save, both now and over time.

Your first paid master unlocks our professional Studio Bundle, worth over . Selected new plugins are added automatically as the bundle grows.

You can earn Studio Points through paid mastering orders and referrals. They can be applied at checkout towards mastering, add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP, but not towards plugin purchases. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces the eligible order total by £1, and Studio Points can reduce an eligible mastering order by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

Studio Points from mastering orders: You currently earn 20 Studio Points with every paid standard master. Using Studio Points towards an order does not reduce the number of Studio Points you earn.

Studio Points from referrals: Share your unique referral link with other independent music makers. Under the current offer, when a new customer places their first paid order through your link, they receive 20 Studio Points and you earn 20 Studio Points. Their points can be spent on that first order, so the discount is theirs straight away.

New customers also receive 4 Welcome Studio Points when they create an account.

When your total qualifying spend with us reaches £500, you receive Gold Membership. As a Gold member, you receive 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons free with each paid mastering order.

We also offer competitions, coupons and special offers. This is what we mean by genuinely supporting independent music makers: not only through professional mastering, but through practical savings, useful tools and ongoing creative support.

My Account includes:

• My Projects: your orders, downloads and session support feed.
• Referrals & Rewards: your Studio Points, referral link and Gold Membership progress.
• Audio Plugins: your plugin downloads and licence keys.
• Saved Forms: your saved Get Mastering form setups.
• Account settings: your personal details, password and other account options.

Yes. Click Free Sample on the Get Mastering form, register and upload one track to receive a free 20-second mastered sample. If you’re new to us, it’s a simple way to hear what we can do with your music. One free sample per customer. Turnaround may vary depending on studio workload.

Supporting independent music makers is at the core of what we do. We offer several ways to save, both now and over time.

Your first mastering order unlocks our pro Studio Bundle for free, worth over Selected new plugins are added automatically as the bundle grows.

You can earn Studio Points through mastering orders and referrals. Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce a mastering order by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

Studio Points from mastering orders: You currently earn 20 Studio Points with every master.

Studio Points from referrals: Under our current offer, a new customer who uses your referral link receives 20 Studio Points to apply to their first order. Once that order has been completed by the engineer and accepted by the customer, you receive 20 Studio Points as a referral reward.

New customers also receive 4 Welcome Studio Points when they create an account.

When your total spend with us reaches £500, you become a Gold member. With Gold Membership, any 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons you select with mastering orders are free.

We also offer competitions, coupons and special offers. This is what we mean by genuinely supporting independent music makers: not only through professional mastering, but through practical savings, useful tools and ongoing creative support.

See our Terms and Conditions for full details of Studio Points, referrals, Gold Membership and current offers.

Studio Bundle

Get the ‘Studio Bundle’ FREE with your first mastering order.

The Studio Bundle will continue to grow over time, with new plugins added automatically for existing owners.

Enjoy a 20 day unrestricted trial of any of the plugins in this bundle and all our other plugins by downloading them individually from the list below.

The current bundle includes:

EMPq

EMPref

EMPms

EMPulse

Get the Studio Bundle

You earn 20 Studio Points with every master, worth £5 towards a future mastering order. Studio Points can be used to reduce your next mastering order by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account.

After adding your tracks to the order form, you can choose how many Studio Points to use before completing your purchase.

Studio Points can reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%.

Gold Membership benefits are applied automatically when you are signed in to your account.

When you are signed in, you can view your available Studio Points balance. After adding your tracks, enter the number of points you want to use and click Apply. The corresponding discount will be deducted from your order total immediately.

Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

You can track your Studio Points and referral benefits in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account. See our Terms and Conditions for full details.

Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1. There is no minimum number of Studio Points you need to use, and you can use Studio Points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%.

Studio Points can be used towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP, but not towards plugin purchases.

You receive a unique, permanent referral link in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account. Share it with other independent music makers.

Under our current offer, a new customer who uses your referral link receives 20 Studio Points to apply to their first order. Once that order has been completed by the engineer and accepted by the customer, you receive 20 Studio Points as a referral reward.

An order containing 1 master qualifies, and each customer can use a referral link on their first order only.

That is exactly why we offer several ways to reduce the cost of regular mastering.

Under our current offer, you earn 20 Studio Points with every master. Studio Points can be used to reduce future mastering orders by up to 50%.

When your total mastering spend reaches £500, you become a Gold member. With Gold Membership, any 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons you select with mastering orders are free.

Yes. Under our current offer, you earn 20 Studio Points with every master.

Studio Points can be applied as a discount towards future mastering orders, including mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP.

Your singles can also help you progress towards Gold Membership, which begins at £500 total mastering spend.

You can check your Studio Points balance and Gold Membership progress in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account.

There is no minimum. You can use Studio Points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%. Simply sign in, enter the number of points you want to use below the Mastering Order Summary and click Apply.

We’ve set rates specifically for independents because we genuinely support them, and not just with pricing. Check our rates section on the home page or check the Get Mastering form for current pricing.

£45 £29: Mastering per track.

£45 £29: Vinyl-only mastering per track

£45 £29: + £15 Mastering with Vinyl mastering per track*

*The vinyl-mastering option includes a separate vinyl master, complete Side A and Side B files, and a PQ sheet for your vinyl pressing company. It can be selected for individual tracks on the Get Mastering form and costs an additional £15 per track. You will receive your standard master, a separate vinyl master, Side A and Side B masters, a PQ sheet, and the standard set of 44.1 kHz WAV and MP3 files.

£5: Per add-on (48kHz / 96kHz)

£29: DDP file set

Included with all mastering options: Mastering for reliable playback across major streaming platforms, plus full-resolution WAV masters at 44.1 kHz/16-bit and 44.1 kHz/24-bit, and a 320 kbps MP3.

Studio Bundle

Get the ‘Studio Bundle’ FREE with your first mastering order.

The Studio Bundle will continue to grow over time, with new plugins added automatically for existing owners.

Enjoy a 20 day unrestricted trial of any of the plugins in this bundle and all our other plugins by downloading them individually from the list below.

The current bundle includes:

EMPq

EMPref

EMPms

EMPulse

Get the Studio Bundle

Working on behalf of a record label or commercial client? Please use our Label & Commercial Mastering prep form.

For larger orders or specific delivery requirements, please contact us to discuss your project.

Under our current offer, you earn 20 Studio Points with every master. You can also earn 20 Studio Points when a new customer completes and accepts their first order through your unique referral link.

Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%.

You can check your Studio Points balance in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account.

Supporting independent music makers is at the core of what we do. We offer several ways to save, both now and over time.

Your first paid master unlocks our professional Studio Bundle, worth over . Selected new plugins are added automatically as the bundle grows.

You can earn Studio Points through paid mastering orders and referrals. They can be applied at checkout towards mastering, add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP, but not towards plugin purchases. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces the eligible order total by £1, and Studio Points can reduce an eligible mastering order by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

Studio Points from mastering orders: You currently earn 20 Studio Points with every paid standard master. Using Studio Points towards an order does not reduce the number of Studio Points you earn.

Studio Points from referrals: Share your unique referral link with other independent music makers. Under the current offer, when a new customer places their first paid order through your link, they receive 20 Studio Points and you earn 20 Studio Points. Their points can be spent on that first order, so the discount is theirs straight away.

New customers also receive 4 Welcome Studio Points when they create an account.

When your total qualifying spend with us reaches £500, you receive Gold Membership. As a Gold member, you receive 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons free with each paid mastering order.

We also offer competitions, coupons and special offers. This is what we mean by genuinely supporting independent music makers: not only through professional mastering, but through practical savings, useful tools and ongoing creative support.

You become a Gold member when your total mastering spend reaches £500.

With Gold Membership, any 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons you select with mastering orders are free.

You can track your progress towards Gold Membership in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account.

The Referrals & Rewards section of your account shows your Studio Points balance, your permanent referral link and your progress towards Gold Membership.

My Account includes:

• My Projects: your orders, downloads and session support feed.
• Referrals & Rewards: your Studio Points, referral link and Gold Membership progress.
• Audio Plugins: your plugin downloads and licence keys.
• Saved Forms: your saved Get Mastering form setups.
• Account settings: your personal details, password and other account options.

We do not send routine updates about your Studio Points balance. You can check it at any time in the Referrals & Loyalty section of your account.

If your balance is adjusted following a refund, we will email you to confirm the adjustment and your updated balance.

Supporting independent music makers is at the core of what we do. We offer several ways to save, both now and over time.

Your first mastering order unlocks our pro Studio Bundle for free, worth over Selected new plugins are added automatically as the bundle grows.

You can earn Studio Points through mastering orders and referrals. Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce a mastering order by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

Studio Points from mastering orders: You currently earn 20 Studio Points with every master.

Studio Points from referrals: Under our current offer, a new customer who uses your referral link receives 20 Studio Points to apply to their first order. Once that order has been completed by the engineer and accepted by the customer, you receive 20 Studio Points as a referral reward.

New customers also receive 4 Welcome Studio Points when they create an account.

When your total spend with us reaches £500, you become a Gold member. With Gold Membership, any 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons you select with mastering orders are free.

We also offer competitions, coupons and special offers. This is what we mean by genuinely supporting independent music makers: not only through professional mastering, but through practical savings, useful tools and ongoing creative support.

See our Terms and Conditions for full details of Studio Points, referrals, Gold Membership and current offers.

Studio Bundle

Get the ‘Studio Bundle’ FREE with your first mastering order.

The Studio Bundle will continue to grow over time, with new plugins added automatically for existing owners.

Enjoy a 20 day unrestricted trial of any of the plugins in this bundle and all our other plugins by downloading them individually from the list below.

The current bundle includes:

EMPq

EMPref

EMPms

EMPulse

Get the Studio Bundle

After adding your tracks to the order form, you can choose how many Studio Points to use before completing your purchase.

Studio Points can reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%.

Gold Membership benefits are applied automatically when you are signed in to your account.

When you are signed in, you can view your available Studio Points balance. After adding your tracks, enter the number of points you want to use and click Apply. The corresponding discount will be deducted from your order total immediately.

Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

You can track your Studio Points and referral benefits in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account. See our Terms and Conditions for full details.

Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1. There is no minimum number of Studio Points you need to use, and you can use Studio Points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%.

Studio Points can be used towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP, but not towards plugin purchases.

Yes. Under our current offer, you earn 20 Studio Points with every master.

Studio Points can be applied as a discount towards future mastering orders, including mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP.

Your singles can also help you progress towards Gold Membership, which begins at £500 total mastering spend.

You can check your Studio Points balance and Gold Membership progress in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account.

There is no minimum. You can use Studio Points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%. Simply sign in, enter the number of points you want to use below the Mastering Order Summary and click Apply.

Under our current offer, you earn 20 Studio Points with every master. You can also earn 20 Studio Points when a new customer completes and accepts their first order through your unique referral link.

Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%.

You can check your Studio Points balance in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account.

My Account includes:

• My Projects: your orders, downloads and session support feed.
• Referrals & Rewards: your Studio Points, referral link and Gold Membership progress.
• Audio Plugins: your plugin downloads and licence keys.
• Saved Forms: your saved Get Mastering form setups.
• Account settings: your personal details, password and other account options.

If you cancel before we start work and within 14 days, you will receive a full refund. Once you have asked us to begin work, you can still cancel before completion, but you will need to pay for the work already completed.

Staged-payment mastering orders are non-refundable for change of mind because work begins as soon as you choose staged payment. If you are unhappy with the result, we offer free revisions within a reasonable limit.

Nothing in this policy affects your statutory rights if the work is genuinely substandard and cannot be remedied. See our Refunds Policy.

Every plugin comes with a free trial so you can install and test it in your own DAW and operating system before buying. Trial periods may vary in length and are currently 20 days, so please check the individual product page. You can also check within the plugin to see how much trial time remains.

Once a plugin licence has been activated, the purchase is non-refundable, even if you activate it during the trial period. We therefore strongly recommend using the free trial before purchasing. Nothing in this policy affects your statutory rights.

Email [email protected] with your order number and details. For mastering, let us know before work starts if you want to cancel for a full refund.

Where a refund is due, it will be processed within 14 days of approval and issued to the same payment method used for the original purchase. If you paid for part of a mastering order with Studio Points from your account, that part is returned to your account as Studio Points. Plugin refunds are processed through FastSpring.

Everything we provide is delivered digitally, so there are no physical goods to return. See our Terms and Conditions.

If an order is refunded, any Studio Points earned from that order will be removed, and any points you used towards it will be returned to your account.

For a part refund, the points are adjusted in proportion. For example, if 1 master is refunded from an order of 3, you keep the points earned from the remaining 2 masters, and the appropriate share of any points you used is returned to your account.

If the order was placed through your referral link and is refunded in full, the Studio Points you earned from that referral will also be removed. If only part of the order is refunded and it still includes at least 1 master, your referral points remain unchanged. Your referral link is unaffected and can continue to be used as normal.

If a refund causes your Studio Points balance to fall to zero or below, you can continue to use your account as normal. You just won’t be able to use Studio Points for discounts until your balance is above zero again. Any new Studio Points you earn will be added to your balance.

We will email you if Studio Points are removed following a refund, confirming the adjustment and your updated balance.

Yes. Click Save Form, give it a name, and it will be stored in your account. Your form selections are also saved locally in your browser, so if you navigate away and come back, your work will normally still be there. You’ll just need to re-add your audio files (drag and drop or click to browse).

Yes, as it’s helpful for project naming and reference. When DDP is selected as an output option, this should be considered as necessary as these get embedded into the DDP file set.

We use our own in-house DDP creation software, part of our bespoke mastering suite.

DDP® is a trademark of DCA, Inc. Copyright 1989-2008 DCA, Inc. Licensed from DCA.

When you select Mastering + Vinyl Mastering or Vinyl Mastering, a Vinyl column appears in the track table. Assign each track to Side A or Side B from there.

Once you’ve added at least one track and your order is valid, the Proceed to payment button activates. Click it to move to the checkout page, where you can review your order and pay.

Use the up and down arrows to reorder the main track list and also the Vinyl and DDP track list sections if chosen.

After adding your tracks to the order form, you can choose how many Studio Points to use before completing your purchase.

Studio Points can reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%.

Gold Membership benefits are applied automatically when you are signed in to your account.

When you are signed in, you can view your available Studio Points balance. After adding your tracks, enter the number of points you want to use and click Apply. The corresponding discount will be deducted from your order total immediately.

Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

You can track your Studio Points and referral benefits in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account. See our Terms and Conditions for full details.

When DDP is enabled, tick the DDP checkbox on each track you want included. A DDP track order section shows you the sequence. Use the arrows to reorder.

DDP® is a trademark of DCA, Inc. Copyright 1989-2008 DCA, Inc. Licensed from DCA.

Once you assign tracks to sides, the form shows the total running time for Side A and Side B with guidance on recommended maximums. There’s also a help button with a genre-based reference table for optimal side lengths.

Most mastering projects are digital EPs, and the average time it takes to complete an EP order on our website is about 2 minutes even on a mobile device, assuming you have all the info to hand and the files are prepped correctly. If you are adding DDP and Vinyl to a digital mastering order, then about 5 mins or less from a mobile device for a 4-track EP is about the average.

Under our current offer, you earn 20 Studio Points with every master. You can also earn 20 Studio Points when a new customer completes and accepts their first order through your unique referral link.

Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce your mastering order total by up to 50%.

You can check your Studio Points balance in the Referrals & Rewards section of your account.

48kHz or 96kHz add-ons per track, if you need higher resolution masters beyond the standard delivery. Select them directly in the track row.

The Save Form button saves your current session, all track info, settings, notes and selections, to your account. You can store up to 10 forms and load them back at any time from the Saved Forms section in My Account. You’ll need to re-add (drag and drop or click to browse) your audio files when you return.

After payment, you’re taken to the upload page. Your order details are shown in read-only format with a dropzone to re-add the files (drag and drop or click to browse) from the ‘Get Mastering’ form for upload.

The upload page verifies your files against your order, checking duration, format and file details. If something doesn’t match, you’ll see a warning and can reselect the correct file.

Two separate masters from one session, one optimised for digital distribution, one cut-ready for vinyl. Each is treated individually so nothing is compromised on either format.

Tick the DDP checkbox to add a DDP file set to your order. It’s the industry-standard format for CD replication, built to Red Book spec with ISRC codes and CD-Text embedded if you provide them.

DDP® is a trademark of DCA, Inc. Copyright 1989-2008 DCA, Inc. Licensed from DCA.

The ‘Get Mastering’ form is a simple step process where you build your mastering session. Choose your service, add your tracks, set track details and metadata, then proceed to payment. File uploads take place after payment is confirmed.

Mastering optimised for digital release across all streaming platforms and devices. You’ll receive a 24-bit master, a 16-bit master and a 320kbps MP3.

Use this to tell us anything we should know about your project: reference tracks, specific requests, genre, problem areas and creative preferences. Text only, no links. The more detail you give us, the better we can deliver.

The Mastering Order Summary shows a live running total as you build your session. As you add tracks and options, it updates in real time and calculates any applied discounts. If you’re an existing customer, don’t forget to login before navigating to the checkout to ensure your loyalty tier discounts are automatically applied and your points activated so you can apply further discounts.

Mastering prepared specifically for vinyl pressing, lower output volume for pressing headroom, tightened bass, and phase issues corrected. Select this if you only need vinyl masters.

Three main services: Mastering (digital release), Mastering + Vinyl Mastering (digital and vinyl in one session) and Vinyl Mastering (vinyl only). You can also add a request for a DDP file set for CD replication, or click on the ‘Free Sample’ toggle for a free mastered preview of a track.

Steve no longer takes attended sessions, he does his best work uninterrupted. The results speak for themselves.

Yes. Put your preferences clearly in the session notes. The more specific you are, the better.

All tracks you upload are treated as separate masters, so you can upload all of your different versions like instrumentals, vocal up, club mix etc for mastering.

Yes, we can help with a whole range of issues with files as a separate service. Contact us directly to discuss your needs.

We’re focused solely on mastering. Mixing and mastering are two completely different disciplines; they should be handled by specialist engineers, not combined into one.

Yes. Revisions are included within a reasonable limit, although we generally get it right first time.

Yes, but not as one of our core services; contact us directly to discuss your needs.

Sorry, we don’t offer this service.

Yes, always. Come back whenever you need a re-master and we’ll take care of it.

We’ll do everything we can to meet a tight deadline. But there’s no jumping the queue; every project receives the same level of care and priority, whether it comes from an independent artist or a major label.

Not directly, but it certainly won’t hurt your chances. A master that performs is a master that competes.

“Mastered by Belgrave Audio Mastering, London” is always greatly appreciated.

Absolutely. Tag us, and we’ll do our best to share your post.

Yes. Topping and tailing, removing silence from the start and end of the premaster, is a standard part of the mastering process.

90 days. After that, your files are deleted from our system. Make sure you’ve downloaded everything before then.

Only if you want to. Reference tracks help us understand the tone, loudness and character you’re going for. If they’re part of your session brief, include them. If not, no problem.

Reference tracks, genre, intended distribution format, any areas you’re concerned about, your preferred loudness target, and any creative bus processing you’ve added. Use the notes field on the ‘Get Mastering’ form to include everything; the more we know, the better.

The average is 48 hours, but it can change depending on how busy we are. We track our delivery performance live on our website, so you can see exactly how we’re doing.

PayPal, credit/debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, Klarna and Revolut. PayPal and Klarna also offer instalment options, though availability varies by country and region.

Yes. Payments are securely processed by Stripe (mastering) and FastSpring (plugins), and we never store your full card details. Your personal information is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy, and your purchase is covered by our Terms & Conditions and Refunds Policy.

Qualifying mastering customers receive our ‘Studio Bundle’ audio plugins free. They are licensed for your own use under our End User Licence Agreement, exactly like a purchased licence. See our Terms & Conditions and EULA.

Yes. In Saved Forms, click Delete next to the form you want to remove.

Supporting independent music makers is at the core of what we do. We offer several ways to save, both now and over time.

Your first mastering order unlocks our pro Studio Bundle for free, worth over Selected new plugins are added automatically as the bundle grows.

You can earn Studio Points through mastering orders and referrals. Studio Points can be used at checkout towards mastering, 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons, vinyl sides and DDP. Applying 4 Studio Points reduces your order total by £1, and you can use points to reduce a mastering order by up to 50%. Any unused points remain in your account for a future order.

Studio Points from mastering orders: You currently earn 20 Studio Points with every master.

Studio Points from referrals: Under our current offer, a new customer who uses your referral link receives 20 Studio Points to apply to their first order. Once that order has been completed by the engineer and accepted by the customer, you receive 20 Studio Points as a referral reward.

New customers also receive 4 Welcome Studio Points when they create an account.

When your total spend with us reaches £500, you become a Gold member. With Gold Membership, any 48 kHz and 96 kHz add-ons you select with mastering orders are free.

We also offer competitions, coupons and special offers. This is what we mean by genuinely supporting independent music makers: not only through professional mastering, but through practical savings, useful tools and ongoing creative support.

See our Terms and Conditions for full details of Studio Points, referrals, Gold Membership and current offers.

Studio Bundle

Get the ‘Studio Bundle’ FREE with your first mastering order.

The Studio Bundle will continue to grow over time, with new plugins added automatically for existing owners.

Enjoy a 20 day unrestricted trial of any of the plugins in this bundle and all our other plugins by downloading them individually from the list below.

The current bundle includes:

EMPq

EMPref

EMPms

EMPulse

Get the Studio Bundle

Go to Saved Forms in My Account, find the form you want and click Load. This opens the ‘Get Mastering’ form with all your saved selections restored. You’ll just need to re-add the audio files from that session.

Go to My Projects to see the current status of each order, whether it is awaiting upload, in production, or complete and ready to download.

Once payment for a qualifying mastering order has been confirmed, the Studio Bundle becomes available to download from the Plugins + Apps section of your account. The bundle includes practical tools designed to support your productions.

Saved Forms stores up to 10 ‘Get Mastering’ form configurations. View, recall and load them back into the ‘Get Mastering’ form, or delete the ones you no longer need. Great for when you’re working through track and format options but aren’t quite ready to place your order.

My Projects shows all your mastering orders, their status, track details, service type and delivery, plus your support feed for each project. Once your masters are complete and approved, download them directly from here.

My Account includes:

• My Projects: your orders, downloads and session support feed.
• Referrals & Rewards: your Studio Points, referral link and Gold Membership progress.
• Audio Plugins: your plugin downloads and licence keys.
• Saved Forms: your saved Get Mastering form setups.
• Account settings: your personal details, password and other account options.

We only send emails that are relevant to your orders, your account or your Gold Membership status. We don’t send spam or unrelated marketing. If we do contact you, it will be because there is something genuinely relevant to you, such as a service update, event or special offer that may benefit you. Most of what we share can also be found on our website and social channels.

When your order is complete, you will receive an email with a direct link to My Projects in your account, where you can download your mastered files.

As soon as your payment is processed, you will receive an order confirmation email confirming your order details and letting you know that you can proceed to upload your files.

Yes. When you reach Gold Membership, you’ll receive an email confirming your new membership and the benefits that apply to future mastering orders.

Yes. Once all your audio files have been successfully uploaded, you will receive a confirmation email letting you know that your files are with us and scheduled for mastering.

Yes. When your account is created, you’ll receive a welcome email with your account details and next steps.

No. Your licence and licence keys are personal to you and must not be shared, sold, transferred or lent. If you want to use the plugin on another computer, simply de-authorise it on the old computer first.

We may revoke a licence in cases of confirmed abuse or fraud, or if the software’s protection is tampered with or circumvented. Otherwise your licence continues for as long as you use the software under the EULA.

Your plugin licence covers the major version you obtained, including its minor updates (for example, 1.0.0 to 1.0.1). Future major versions are not included and may require an upgrade licence and an additional fee.

Plugins are licensed to you, not sold. The licence is personal, non-exclusive and for your own music-production work. The selected free plugins available with qualifying mastering orders are non-transferable. See our End User Licence Agreement (EULA).

De-authorise the old computer in your account to free up an activation, then activate the plugin on the new computer using your licence key and the email address the licence was issued to.

You can activate it on up to the number of computers shown for that product (two by default), for your own use, and you should use it on one computer at a time.

It sends a small amount of technical data to validate your licence: a hashed (non-reversible) identifier for your computer, your operating system, the plugin version and your country. We do not store your raw device identifier. See our Privacy Policy.

No. Card payments for mastering are processed by Stripe, and plugin purchases by FastSpring (our merchant of record). We receive a confirmation and limited details such as card type and the last four digits, but never your full card number.

Yes. A cookie banner lets you choose which to allow: strictly necessary (always on), functional, analytics, and marketing. You can change your choices at any time. See our Privacy Policy.

We use encryption in transit, encrypted storage of sensitive values, non-reversible (hashed) computer identifiers for licensing, access controls, and optional two-factor authentication on accounts.

Your uploaded source audio is stored for 90 days after upload and is then deleted. Your finished masters remain available to download for 90 days after delivery, so please download them within this period.

We have designed our whole system, to align with UK GDPR and data protection principles. Participation requires your explicit, informed consent, and you have the right to access, correct or request deletion of your data where applicable. For more detail on how your data is handled and protected, please see our Privacy Policy.

To run your account and provide our services, we collect your account and contact details, your mastering order details and the audio files you upload, payment confirmation (payments are handled by Stripe for mastering and FastSpring for plugins), plugin licence and activation data, and any support messages. We only ask for what we need. See our Privacy Policy for the full list and legal bases.

Yes. You keep full ownership of your audio and the finished masters. By ordering you confirm you own or control the rights to the audio you submit so that we can master it for you.

Yes. An account lets you upload your audio, track your order and download your masters. If you check out as a guest, an account is created for you automatically using your order email.

Payment is taken securely via Stripe. You can pay in full, or use staged (instalment) payments for larger projects such as full albums. See our Terms & Conditions and Refunds Policy for how staged payments work.

We aim to deliver within the turnaround shown for your chosen service. Your finished masters are then available to download from your account for 90 days.

With emixpro Limited, trading as Belgrave Audio Mastering, a company registered in England and Wales.

No. Your music remains yours before, during and after mastering. We claim no ownership, rights or interest in your recordings at any stage.

No. Your audio is never sold or licensed to anyone and is never shared with third parties except where necessary to provide our services.