How wide should a master be?
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Also searched as: mastering stereo width; M/S processing master; make master wider
AI starter answer — please verify with real-world experience. Awaiting trusted contributor review.
Width in mastering is subjective but should prioritize balance and mono compatibility. A professional master typically feels 'wide' through high-frequency side information while keeping the low-end and lead elements (vocals/snare) anchored in the center. Excessive width can lead to phase cancellation and a 'hollow' sound.
- 1.Maintain a solid mono center by keeping frequencies below 100-150Hz (kick and bass) strictly in the middle to ensure punch and phase stability.
- 2.Use subtle stereo enhancement on the high-mid and high frequencies (above 2kHz) to create air and space without washing out the core of the mix.
- 3.Target a correlation meter reading between 0 and +1; a perfect +1 is mono, while staying consistently around +0.5 indicates a healthy, wide professional stereo image.
- ×Avoid using stereo wideners on the entire frequency spectrum, as this often weakens the phantom center.
- ×Be wary of 'anti-phase' signals (correlation below 0) which cause elements to vanish on mono playback devices.
- ×Don't push the side signal so loud that the lead vocal or snare loses its impact and focus.
Always check your master in mono using a correlation meter. If the meter dips below 0 toward -1, you have phase cancellation that will make your mix disappear on club systems or phone speakers.
Based on AI training data — may not reflect current information.
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