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Mastrify Desktop · Audio Tools · macOS · Windows

Mastrify Help

Everything you need to get Mastrify Desktop and Mastrify Audio Tools up and running.

01 / Master

Mastrify Master

  1. Open Mastrify Master.
  2. Import your WAV, AIFF, FLAC or MP3.
  3. Choose your mastering settings.
  4. Process the track.
  5. Listen to the preview.
  6. Pay when you're happy.
  7. Download the full WAV.

Where to find it

macOS

Mastrify Master is installed in Applications › Mastrify.

Windows

Mastrify Master is installed with Mastrify Desktop. Open it from Start › Mastrify › Mastrify Master.

C:\Program Files\Mastrify\Mastrify Master

02 / Analysis

Mastrify Analysis

  1. Add Mastrify Analysis last on your master bus.
  2. Click Analyze my mix.
  3. Press Play in your DAW.
  4. Let the track play.
  5. Run the analysis.
  6. Use the results to improve your mix before mastering.

Where to find it

macOS

AU: Logic Pro, GarageBand and other Audio Unit hosts.

VST3: Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, Bitwig, Reaper and other VST3 hosts.

In Logic: Audio Units › Mastrify › Mastrify Analysis.

Windows

VST3: Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, Bitwig, Reaper and other VST3 hosts.

In your DAW's plugin browser, look in the VST3 effects for Mastrify Analysis by Mastrify.

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

03 / Audio Tools

Mastrify Audio Tools

One installer for three tools: Mastrify Reference and Mastrify Meter are plugins for your DAW, Mastrify Inspect is an app. You choose which ones to install, and it installs alongside Mastrify Desktop.

Installation

  1. Quit your DAW.
  2. Open the Mastrify Audio Tools installer for your computer.
  3. Choose Mastrify Reference, Mastrify Meter, Mastrify Inspect or all three.
  4. Finish the installation. On a Mac, enter your administrator password when asked.
  5. Open your DAW. Reference and Meter are listed with your other plugins.

To update, run a newer installer. The tools you choose are replaced, the others and your settings stay as they are.

What gets installed

macOS

Reference and Meter: AU and VST3.

/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components

/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3

Inspect: app in Applications › Mastrify.

macOS 12 or later.

Windows

Reference and Meter: VST3.

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

Inspect: app in Start › Mastrify › Mastrify Inspect.

C:\Program Files\Mastrify\Mastrify Inspect

Windows 10 or later (64-bit).

03 / Reference

Mastrify Reference

Compare your mix with a reference track inside your DAW, at the same loudness.

  1. Add Mastrify Reference last on your master bus.
  2. Click Load audio file and choose a reference track (WAV, AIFF, MP3 or FLAC).
  3. Press Play in your DAW. The reference plays in sync with your session.
  4. Turn on Level match.
  5. Switch between A (your mix) and B (the reference).
  6. Use what you hear and see to bring your mix closer before mastering.

In the plugin

  • A/B comparison: A is your mix, live from the DAW. B is the reference. Switch with the space bar, the A and B buttons or the button in the middle of the globe.
  • Level match: plays both at the same loudness (LUFS), so you compare the sound, not the volume.
  • Reference gain: a manual trim for the reference. With Level match on, it is added on top of the matched level.
  • Spectrum: View › Spectrum, Waveform or Both. Compare shows low end, midrange, high end and stereo width of your mix against the reference.
  • LUFS: the A and B buttons show the integrated loudness of each. Your mix is measured while the DAW plays. Reset it under Settings (the gear).
  • Stereo, Mono, Dim: Mode › Stereo, Mono (left and right summed) or Dim (12 dB quieter).

Where to find it

macOS

AU: Logic Pro, GarageBand and other Audio Unit hosts.

VST3: Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, Bitwig, Reaper and other VST3 hosts.

In Logic: Audio Units › Mastrify › Mastrify Reference.

Windows

VST3: Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, Bitwig, Reaper and other VST3 hosts.

In your DAW's plugin browser, look in the VST3 effects for Mastrify Reference by Mastrify.

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

03 / Meter

Mastrify Meter

Real-time metering for mixing and mastering. Meter never changes your audio.

  1. Add Mastrify Meter last on your master bus (Stereo Out in Logic).
  2. Choose your loudness target.
  3. Play the song from the start.
  4. Read LUFS-I, True Peak and LRA, and follow the loudness history against your target.
  5. Press R, or click a loudness value, to start a new measurement.

In the plugin

  • LUFS-I, S and M: integrated loudness of what has played (EBU R128), short-term (3 s) and momentary (400 ms).
  • True Peak: the highest peak in dBTP per channel, including peaks between samples.
  • Stereo Image: where your mix sits between left and right. Width 0 is mono, 1 is fully wide.
  • Correlation: +1 is mono, 0 is very wide, below 0 means parts cancel when played in mono.
  • Dynamics (LRA): loudness range in LU, how much the loudness varies over the song.
  • Loudness History: short-term loudness over time against your target.
  • Streaming targets: Streaming −14, Apple Music −16 and Broadcast −23 LUFS, plus YouTube, Spotify Loud, Podcast and ATSC A/85 in the menu.
  • Spectrum, EQ Curve, RMS, Waterfall: four views, keys 1 to 4. Spectrum has Hold and Average, EQ Curve shows the tonal balance, Waterfall shows the spectrum over time.

Where to find it

macOS

AU: Logic Pro, GarageBand and other Audio Unit hosts.

VST3: Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, Bitwig, Reaper and other VST3 hosts.

In Logic: Audio Units › Mastrify › Mastrify Meter.

Windows

VST3: Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, Bitwig, Reaper and other VST3 hosts.

In your DAW's plugin browser, look in the VST3 effects for Mastrify Meter by Mastrify.

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3

03 / Inspect

Mastrify Inspect

A release check for a finished track. Everything is analysed on your computer, nothing is uploaded.

  1. Open Mastrify Inspect.
  2. Drag in a WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC or M4A file, or click Add audio files.
  3. Wait for the analysis.
  4. Read the Release Score and the cards.
  5. Press Play and switch between Original and Checked.
  6. Fix what needs fixing, then analyze again or master the track with Mastrify.

Where to find it

macOS

Mastrify Inspect is installed in Applications › Mastrify.

Windows

Open it from Start › Mastrify › Mastrify Inspect.

C:\Program Files\Mastrify\Mastrify Inspect

03 / Inspect

Reading the report

  • Release Score: 0 to 100, a weighted average of the six cards below.
  • Loudness: integrated loudness (LUFS, EBU R128) of the whole track. Streaming services turn louder tracks down, so being far above the target only costs dynamics.
  • True Peak: the highest peak, including peaks between samples. At or below −1 dBTP leaves room for MP3 and AAC encoding. Clipped samples are flagged.
  • Dynamics: peak to loudness ratio (true peak minus LUFS). Around 8 to 14 dB keeps punch and clarity, much lower means heavy limiting.
  • Low End: how much of the energy sits below 150 Hz (kick, bass, sub), compared with balanced releases.
  • Stereo Image: width, left/right correlation and how much level is lost in mono.
  • Spectral Balance: the overall slope of the spectrum and any region that stands out.

Listening and targets

  • Original and Checked: Original is your file as it is. Checked plays it at the level a streaming service would, never above −1 dBTP. Keys A and B.
  • Streaming, Apple and Broadcast: choose the target under Settings (the gear): Streaming −14, Apple Music −16 or Broadcast −23 LUFS. The loudness verdict and Checked use it.

Troubleshooting

If a Mastrify plugin doesn't appear

Mastrify Analysis, Mastrify Reference or Mastrify Meter.

  • Restart your DAW.
  • Open the DAW's plugin manager.
  • Rescan plugins.
macOS
  • In Logic, check Audio Units › Mastrify.
Windows
  • Check your DAW's VST3 plugin list.
  • Rescan VST3 plugins if necessary.
Both
  • Reference and Meter come with Mastrify Audio Tools. Run its installer again and choose them.

Troubleshooting

If Mastrify Master or Mastrify Inspect doesn't start

macOS
  • Make sure you're running macOS 12 or later.
Windows
  • Make sure you're running Windows 10 or later (64-bit).
Both
  • Mastrify Master needs an internet connection.
  • Quit and reopen the app.

Audio files

Supported formats

  • WAV
  • AIFF
  • FLAC
  • MP3

Mastrify Inspect also opens M4A.

Support

Need more help?

support@mastrify.com ↗