Mastering Electronic Dance Music

Book excerpt: Mastering Electronic Dance Music is a guide to the sonic considerations of EDM audio. Written by a successful Apple-approved mastering engineer, it introduces readers to all the techniques behind mastering electronic dance music (EDM). Beginning with the essentials of preparation, the book addresses the nature of mastering and the importance of listening. The chapters cover a wide range of topics including compression, EQ, saturation, metering, LUFS, and delivery formats. The book discusses all the processors involved in a mastering chain, finishing with a step-by-step guide of how they can be used, though an example of how a track by DJ Nicky Holloway was mastered. Covering plug-ins and hardware, this is an invaluable guide to mastering EDM, supported by numerous online audio examples. This is an essential reference for anyone interested in producing or mastering EDM music, offering insights for beginners taking their first steps in engineering, as well as adept producers exploring new genres, and students of music production.