audio mastering tips – Inside The Recording Studio

10 Common Mastering Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mastering isn’t just about loudness — it’s about finesse, clarity, and translating your mix to every playback system. In this enlightening (and slightly irreverent) episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris and Jody walk you through 10 of the most common mistakes made by beginner and intermediate mastering engineers — and how to steer clear of them.

🎛️ From over-compressing to EQing blindly, this episode covers the critical pitfalls that sabotage sonic balance and coherence in the mastering stage. Chris and Jody don’t just list the issues — they give you real-world solutions and share stories from sessions gone sideways.

💡 Whether you’re new to mastering or just looking to tighten your workflow, you’ll get practical strategies you can use right away. Expect to hear tips on:

When to use multiband compression (and when to run away)
Why reference tracks are your best friend
How to stop chasing loudness and start chasing results
Plus a healthy dose of humor to remind you that we’re all learning

If you’re serious about elevating your mastering chops — or just want to laugh at a few horror stories from the studio — this episode is for you. Come on inside and take another step toward mastering bliss.

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Gear we used:
Jody’s Mic & Voice Chain: Telefunken C12 – Groove Tubes Vipre – Apollo – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA Studer A800
Jody’s Channel Strip: iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E

Chris’ Mic & Voice Chain: Slate ML1 – Apollo – UA – Slate VMR (FG12, FG73, API Eq, SSL 4kE) – iZotope RX Voice – DeNoise
Chris’ Channel Strip: Eventide Precision Time Align – iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E

Master: Oek Sound Soothe 2 – iZotope Ozone Imager – iZotope Ozone Maximize.

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If you want to collaborate, sponsor a podcast, donate, or want us to review your product – contact us at: collaborate@insidetherecordingstudio.com

Celebrating 1 Year with George Leger III: Stories, Secrets & Studio Gold

To mark their first anniversary, Chris & Jody pull out all the stops with a special guest: the one and only George Leger III—a mastering and recording engineer whose fingerprints are all over music you’ve definitely heard (even if you didn’t know it). From Frank Zappa to Barry Manilow, George’s career has twisted through unexpected genres and unforgettable moments, and this week, he spills the sonic tea.

Get an inside look at how George got his start, the gear he swears by, the curveballs he’s mastered (pun intended), and the lessons that stuck with him over decades in the studio. Whether you’re a home studio tinkerer, an aspiring pro, or just someone fascinated by the people behind the mix, this episode is pure gold.

Plus: a triple dose of Friday Finds with an extra voice in the mix. Expect laughs, legends, and the kind of insights you only get from years behind the console.

And yes… it’s also not unlikely that some nonsense will be discussed.

From Muddy to Magic: Fix These Mastering Mistakes Now

Pro Audio Secrets from Mastering Legend George Leger III