Many clients provide a reference track alongside their mixdown, hoping that the final master will sound exactly the same. However, it’s important to understand that mastering serves a different purpose. It’s the finishing touch that brings out the best in your song, making the mix more cohesive, enhancing its presence and depth, and often adding that extra punch that makes it stand out.

Mastering, though, comes at the end of a production chain, typically based on a stereo mixdown or stem tracks. The majority of creative decisions are made during recording and mixing. Each track goes through a series of processes where numerous choices are made – instrument and amp selection, microphone choice and placement, compression and EQ adjustments, modulation and reverb effects, and positioning within the mix.

To get close to a reference track, all these decisions should already be in line with the reference during the recording and mixing stages. Even though it’s possible to match the frequency curve and dynamics of a reference track through mastering, keep in mind that every artist and signal chain is unique. Embrace your uniqueness. It’s your art, your song, and your sound. Let it evolve, and don’t feel constrained by the need to mimic others at the end of the process.