Check a premaster before processing

A mastering pass cannot reliably reconstruct audio lost to clipping or an incomplete export. Listen to the premaster from beginning to end and retain the original mix session. If the problem is in the mix, return to that source before adding more processing.

Work through it

1. Check for clipped peaks, unintended silence, clicks and missing tails. Confirm that the file is the approved mix version.
2. Document intentional mix-bus processing. If a limiter is part of the sound, communicate that choice rather than removing it automatically.
3. Export a suitable lossless file and reopen it outside the session. Check channel layout, duration and the actual start and end.

Check your result

• The correct mix version is identified.
• The file plays from start to finish.
• Any export change is compared with the source.