Masterchannel Blog

Author: christian@masterchannel.ai

  • How Masterchannel as a mastering service has evolved!

    How Masterchannel as a mastering service has evolved!

    Masterchannel has undergone some major transitions since the first version was released three years ago. But why did we make the changes and how has the service evolved?

    Masterchannel originated as a hobby project to support our CTO & Co-Founder Simon Hestermann, in his work as a mastering engineer. However, due to the overwhelming demand from artists, he sought ways to enhance productivity and cater to a larger user base. This is how Masterchannel as a service was born.

    Since then, tens of thousands of artists have used the service and the product has been improved to assure peace of mind for musicians and their songs. The following journey explains the story so far, and shows you how our service has developed over the years.

    The Beginning

    What many of our current users may not know is that the original name of the service was Masterbus.ai. The service employed much of the same core principles when it comes to technology. While it boasted a simple and user-friendly interface, it lacked scalability optimization and did not provide the same quality as Masterchannel is known for today.

    The professionalization

    Due to the increase of artists wanting to use Masterchannel (or Masterbus.ai at that time), we knew we had to step up the game and professionalize the service. Here, we extensively tested it within a closed community before officially launching as Masterchannel in May 2022. The launch involved a complete overhaul, with significant improvements in user flow, scalability, and sound quality.

    Collaborating closely with engineers and established producers, we significantly enhanced the sound quality and adjusted the architecture to accommodate for new genres and cater to artists worldwide. Additionally, we introduced user accounts to enable musicians to access their already mastered songs.

    The Current Version

    In January 2023, Masterchannel underwent a major change to become more flexible and reducing the level of artist interaction required. This decision aimed to eliminate uncertainties and provide artists with peace of mind, ensuring their music meets the necessary standards for release.

    Artists can now just drag & drop their song into our site and will have it back within less than 3 minutes! In addition we increased the transparency, by providing free previews, to both enable artists to listen and get a good overview of what is being done to their songs before purchase.

    Expanding into the future

    In Masterchannel we are always eager to understand how to best serve artists worldwide. After being approached by several music platforms wanting to integrate our technology in their platform, we decided to open our API and launch a white labeled mastering service. By doing this, artists can get professional music quality in platforms they already use and love, while providing them with peace of mind that the sound quality is as good as it can be.

    Music distributors like amuse recently launched their white label mastering solution, powered by Masterchannel technology.

    And more platforms will add their own mastering solution, powered by Masterchannel in the near future.

    Eager to get more information on our white labeling solution?
    If you have any inquires regarding white labelling solution, don’t hesitate to contact us at support@masterchannel.ai or visit our integration site at https://integrate.masterchannel.ai

    Master your music here

  • I just finished my song, but what do I do now?

    So you have produced your song, mastered it, and now it sounds great. But what should you do next?

    We know you as an artist spend countless hours crafting and perfecting your songs, so the world can hear your masterpiece. And we understand that good sound quality is important. That is the reason why we developed Masterchannel, so you can have an easy-to-use platform that makes your song sound professional in just a couple of minutes.

    However, in order for the world to hear your creation you still need to get it out there. At this stage you’ll need to decide whether you want to pitch it to record labels or release it independently. Each option has its own advantages, and it ultimately depends on your goals and aspirations as an artist.

    Pitching

    If you choose to pitch your music to record labels, several excellent services can assist you in reaching out to industry professionals. These platforms specialize in connecting artists with record labels, increasing your chances of getting noticed. Here are three notable services worth considering:

    1. Trackstack


      Trackstack is a premier platform that enables artists to submit their music directly to a vast network of record labels, producers, and music supervisors. With its user-friendly interface and comprehensive submission tracking system, Trackstack streamlines the pitching process, giving you a higher chance of catching the attention of industry gatekeepers.



    2. Groover provides a unique platform for artists to promote their music to a diverse range of music industry professionals. Through Groover, you can submit your songs directly to record labels, radio stations, playlist curators, and more. This service enhances your visibility and increases the chances of your music being discovered by key decision-makers.

    3. Boost Collective


      Boost Collective is a platform that simplifies the submission process for artists seeking exposure. It allows you to submit your music to a variety of curated playlists. With Boost Collective you can also track the progress as you go, providing you with valuable insight.

    Distribution

    If you decide to release your music independently without the backing of an external record label, there are several reputable services available to help you distribute your music effectively. These services allow you to maintain full control over your music while reaching a global audience. Here are three noteworthy options to consider:

    1. amuse

      Amuse is a user-friendly music distribution service that enables independent artists to release their music on major streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer. With Amuse, you retain 100% of your rights and royalties while benefiting from its intuitive analytics and transparent revenue reporting.

    2. dig dis!


      dig dis! (Digital Distribution) is a comprehensive music distribution service catering to independent labels, so if you are running your own label within the electronic genre this is a good place to start.

      They offer global digital distribution to all major platforms, including streaming services, online stores, and social media platforms. dig dis! provides flexible pricing options, detailed reporting, and support for artists at all stages of their careers.

    3. TuneCore


      TuneCore is a trusted name in independent music distribution, empowering artists to distribute their music worldwide. With TuneCore, you can distribute your music to a wide range of platforms, including streaming services, online stores, and social media platforms. Additionally, TuneCore offers valuable features like publishing administration, promotional tools, and detailed sales analytics.


    Ultimately, the decision to pitch your music to labels or release it independently is a personal one that depends on your artistic vision and career goals. Mastering your music with Masterchannel is an excellent first step toward achieving professional sound quality. But whichever path you choose, utilizing these services can greatly enhance your chances of success in the music industry.

    And whatever you end up doing; remember to enjoy the process!

    Master your music here

  • Did You Meet Us at IMS?

    Our CEO & Co-Founder Christian recently went to International Music Summit (IMS) in Ibiza to meet up with the international electronic music community. In the following we share his experience.

    IMS is a conference hosted in Ibiza each year, and gathers some of the most important players within the electronic music scene. Being a part of this conference was very rewarding for me as the CEO, especially as AI and electronic music were this year’s hot topic.

    During the conference I met up with several established and up-and-coming artists, independent labels and music technologies companies. The interest in what we’re building was great and I managed to have several good discussion on how our tech, and AI in general, will influence an industry that is becoming more and more aware of the opportunities within these technologies.

    Attending the International Music Summit was an important step for Masterchannel, as it allowed the company to strengthen its relationships with industry professionals and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges artists are facing in the electronic music scene.

    Going forward, the Masterchannel team will be present at several conferences, both as attendees and speakers.

    Here’s a list of the places where you can meet us:

    • 15th to 19th of May: Music Biz in Nashville
    • 27th to 28th of May: Berlin Dance Music Event in Berlin
    • 6th of June: Creative Business Cup in Copenhagen
    Master your music here

  • What Do Our Users Say?

    We love it when our customers give us feedback!

    Here are a a few of our favourites:

    Masterchannel gives me a good amount of bang-for-the-buck, and helps me provide good feedback to my clients on how they should focus on their craft going forward.
    – User from Nashville

    Impressive … louder, more compact, differentiated, tidy, no disturbing frequencies, balanced, super clear, professional! Thank you for this free offer that you cannot refuse. It convinces.
    – User from Germany

    It is really impressive, i used bandlab studio for a years but, this is something outstanding. Overall its great.
    – User from India

    Masterchannel makes my life easier as I better can understand how I can learn how to properly mix my song to get better sound quality.
    – User from Zambia

    It’s great that I get to see what the service has done on my song, so I better can understand how I can optimise my skillset for future releases and what to focus on in terms of learning.
    – User from England

    To be able to get a good result and also feedback right away helps me as a music producer.
    – User from South Africa

    I like it. I’ve tried emastered and landr but I feel Masterchannel sounds more polished.
    – User from California

    Thanks to everyone who has tried Masterchannel and given us their feedback!

    Master your music here

  • 5 AI Music Tools you need to know about when Mastering in 2026!

    AI in music production is taking off, and there is one particular part of the production process where AI now can give you the edge you need as a producer: Mastering of your music.

    Mastering is the final step in the production chain, where an engineer (or an AI) make sure that the song is balanced and optimized to be played back on a variety of speakers and devices. Typical tools used in this process are Equalization, Dynamics & Saturation and Stereo Imaging.

    Here’s 5 AI mastering tools you should know about:

    Masterchannel.ai

    Website: https://masterchannel.ai

    Masterchannel is a Norwegian service, co-founded by DJ and producer Matoma and audio engineer Simon Hestermann, and has been praised for its audio quality, which is similar to that of a human mastering engineer. The quality is provided due to the use of reinforcement learning, which mimics how a mastering engineer is working, in order to provide a service that is both agnostic to mood and genres.

    Pros
    • Professional audio quality, similar to a human engineer; best mastering results on the list.
    • Unlimited downloads of mastered songs for only $25 / month or $15 / month (when yearly).
    • User-friendly and easy to understand what has been done.

    Cons
    • No post-mastering adjustments.

    Landr

    Website: https://landr.com

    Landr is a Canadian company that started out with AI mastering in 2014 and is the oldest company within this domain. Since its inception, the company has developed several new creator tools tailored towards artists.

    Pros
    • Several creator tools that can help you in different aspects of your career.
    • Good price when going for the full suite and not only mastering.

    Cons
    • Audio known to sound artificial compared to other services.
    • Expensive – mastering costs $39 / month.
    • For the more affordable subscriptions, number of WAV masters is limited.

    eMastered

    Website: https://emastered.com

    eMastered is a company that both develops their mastering AI in addition to being the company behind the ATOM Synth. The company was one of the first mastering services out there.

    Pros
    • Quick results.
    • Offers post-mastering adjustments.

    Cons
    • Lightweight mastering; lags behind competitors.
    • Expensive – mastering costs $39 / month.

    Mixea

    Website: https://distrokid.com

    Mixea is a mastering service created by the distribution company Distrokid, and is the newest one to be added to the list. Distrokid is a New York based company that has been operating since 2013. 

    Pros
    • Unlimited number of mastered songs.
    • Cheap solution if you have a frequent output.

    Cons
    • Less flexible pricing, as you need to pay for a full year.
    • Audio known to sound artificial compared to other services.

    Bandlab Mastering

    Website: https://bandlab.com

    Bandlab is a Singapore based company creating several tools to use when making music. The company started as a social network and has gone on to explore several parts of the industry. 

    Pros
    • You don’t need an account to master your songs
    • A free service that can be good for beginners.

    Cons
    • The audio quality is very limited compared to other services
    • The presets does not tackle on of the main problems with mastering, which is dynamic sound across devices.

    Conclusion

    While each of these services are good in their respective way, Masterchannel.ai is easily the best service on this list for music mastering. Whilst other services can be cheaper if you commit to a yearly subscription (some are even free): If you care about the end result of your tracks, choose Masterchannel.

    Master your music here

  • Why master?

    Mastering is a crucial step in the music production process that can significantly affect the final sound quality of your music. It involves finalizing and optimizing the mix by applying a series of processing techniques to enhance the overall tonal balance, loudness, clarity, and consistency of the audio.

    Here are some reasons why you should master your song before releasing it to the public:

    1. Improved sound quality: Mastering can help to enhance the overall sound quality of your music by improving the tonal balance and dynamics, reducing any unwanted noises, and adding depth and dimension to the audio. This can make your music sound more polished and professional, and make it stand out in a crowded market.
    2. Consistency across platforms: Different platforms have different loudness standards and processing algorithms, which can affect how your music sounds to the listener. Mastering ensures that your music sounds consistent across different platforms and playback systems, which can help to enhance the listening experience and increase the chances of your music getting noticed.
    3. Volume optimization: Mastering can help to optimize the volume levels of your music, making it sound loud and punchy without compromising on the dynamic range. This can help your music to compete with other commercially released tracks and stand out in streaming services’ playlists.


    In conclusion, mastering your song before release is an essential step that can help to improve the overall sound quality, consistency, and marketability of your music. Therefore, mastering should not be overlooked, and it’s worth investing in professional mastering services or learning how to master your music yourself.

    You can use https://masterchannel.ai to start mastering your music today, for free.

    Master your music here

  • Introducing the Masterchannel API

    Due to the popularity of our one-click mastering service to artists, multiple requests have come from business eager to integrate our technology in their services. And it makes a lot of sense! Because in todays music industry convenience and efficiency is important.

    And with the Masterchannel API, you can add one-click mastering to your website, software, application – anywhere you’d like really. We’ve made made the process of integrating dead simple, meaning your service can:

    • Increase revenue by creating an additional income stream
    • Attract more users by providing additional user-centric features
    • Increase Exposure by releasing more competitive music
    • Increase overall Customer Satisfaction by assuring the sound quality is competitive

    Interested in offering mastering on your own platform, but lack resources or time? No problem, we will help you!

    We are always looking for new and exciting companies to integrate with, so don’t hesitate to reach out by clicking the link down below.

    Master your music here

  • Masterchannel selected Startup of the Year at by:Larm

    Oslo – August 29th, 2022

    The music tech venture has over the last two years developed one of the worlds leading services for automated mastering of music. The service has been used by thousands of artists around the world and gained trust by recognized musicians and producers such as Matoma, Ane Brun and Christian Ingebrigtsen.

    by:Larm showcases new Nordic music and is the most essential meeting point for the Nordic music industry. Here, the Nordic and International music industry meet to keep updated on the last changes in the music industry. During night time the music industry stands side by side with the audience that attends by:Larm to keep updated on music and new trends. by:Larm is the perfect arena to showcase innovative companies that add something new to the music industry or to an audience engaged in music.

    “Masterchannel clearly distinguished themselves from the other candidates for Startup of the Year with their innovative usage of new technology. We believe by:Larm to be a good and right arena for Masterchannel to showcase their solution and get feedback directly from the industry” – Tonje Andersen, CEO, by:Larm 

    During the festival Masterchannel will offer 3 free mastering sessions exclusively for by:Larm attendees. You can use the exclusive offer by creating an account on http://www.masterchannel.ai and applying the code BYLARM_2022 (code is valid until November 30th 2022).

    CEO and Co-Founder Christian Ringstad Schultz states:
    ”We’re thrilled to have been selected Startup of the Year at by:Larm, as the festival is internationally recognized as a hotspot for everything new and exciting in the Nordic music industry.”

    Christian further mentions that the company is growing and that by:Larm is the perfect arena to further attract talented artists and potential partners. The company plans to open a financing round this fall and sees by:Larm as a great arena to find relevant investment partners. 

    Seminar: “Why the future of creator tools will shake up the music industry”
    As a part of the conference, Masterchannel will present their plans for the future, as well as inviting to a panel discussion on “Why the future of creator tools will shake up the music industry“. Panelists include Simen Fjeld, Senior Analyst in Sony Music and Oda Svendsby, Head of Marketing & Promotion at Propeller Recordings. The conversation will be moderated by Karen Norbakk from Sony Music. The seminar will be held Friday September 16th at 11am CET in Vulkan Matsal.

    About Masterchannel

    Music tech venture Masterchannel aims to democratize the music production process and help artists build sustainable careers in music, supporting them from initial idea to final release. Their first creator tool, a world-leading automated mastering service, offers premium AI mastering with studio-grade mastering results in less than ten minutes, at an affordable price and with zero-technical expertise required. Resolutions offered are Lossless, Hi-Res Lossless and Ultimate.

    About by:Larm 

    by:Larm is a music festival and conference that has been held annually at different locations in Norway since 1998. Since 2008 the festival has been held in Oslo. The 25th edition of by:Larm will be held September 15-17th 2022. by:Larm consists of two parts: a festival and a conference. The conference is a meeting place for the Nordic and international music industries. A series of lectures, seminars and debates are held during the day. The festival concerts take place at night and are open to the public. by:Larm’s main focus is to present artists that are on the verge of success, either in their homelands or internationally.

    Master your music here

  • Poweruser Close-Up: Christian Ingebrigtsen

    We’re thrilled to welcome Christian Ingebrigtsen to our Poweruser community. His career spans over 20 years, starting with the immensely successful pop group A1. The group achieved chart success in the UK, where they scored two number ones and six other top 10 hits, securing the group a BRIT Award for “British Breakthrough Act” in 2001. Following the pop group, Christian has also had tremendous success in his solo career as well as a songwriter and producer for artists like Maria Arredondo, Gaute Ormåsen, Rein Alexander and Ulrikke, including a winner anthem from the 2020 Norwegian national finals in Eurovision Song Contest for the latter.

    Which of your tracks are you most happy with the production for and why?

    I’ve been working in Logic since I was 17, and I guess I never found a reason to change DAW.  Still love it!

    Do you have a production tip to share that can make your fellow creators’ lives easier?

    A good piece of advice I received once was to invest in gear that I knew I wanted to keep in the long run. Instead of buying something half decent and then having to trade up later, I would wait until I could buy the real deal. I started with a good mic, then saved up until I could get a really good AD/DA converter. Then I saved up for a great pre-amp/compressor and so on. That way I built a studio over time with equipment I still use to this day.

    What should up and coming producers focus on to get more exposure?

    The business is very relational so in addition to being good at what you do, it’s actually important to try to be a nice and likeable person. If people like working with you, and they like what they hear, they’ll come back and they’ll tell their friends about you.

    What is your biggest challenge when it comes to mastering your music?

    I think it’s trusting my own ears. I used to run everything through some friends of mine who I trusted knew what things were supposed to sound like. I still do that occasionally, but once I started to truly know my room and my monitors, it was easier to communicate what I wanted to the mastering engineers. 

    What drives you to use Masterchannel? 

    Masterchannel gives you a real good sense of the sound people out there are looking for. It’s perfect for getting a track sounding great for a pitch or if you’re an artist releasing your own stuff, you can really save some money on the final product. 

    Master your music here

  • The Mastering Solution for Your Music

    Given the cost and limited availability of mastering engineers, mastering has traditionally been used as a final touch prior to releasing your music physically through formats like CDs and vinyl or digitally to streaming platforms and online stores. However, the unlimited availability, cost efficiency and simplicity of automated mastering has opened up the door for mastering to be available beyond the final stage for your official releases, providing you with the opportunity to optimize the sound quality for all of your music, from initial idea to final release. We break down the most popular usage areas that the Masterchannel community use our mastering tool for: 

    Test Your Ideas

    Are you trying to play your ideas through the speakers in your car, but they are just not loud enough for you to truly feel the song? Gone are the days where you need to apply a heavy limiter or OTT at the end of your master chain. Our mastering tool will handle the volume for you so you can confidently play them for your friends anywhere and anytime.

    Demos & Pitches

    Sound quality plays a vital role in the listening experience. When your song has developed from the idea stage to a full blown demo ready to be heard by the industry, make sure that the sound quality of your demo is as good as it gets. Mastering your demo will make the dynamics clearer and make it easier to separate the different elements of your track, which again will make it easier for you to hear where the song is in the process. It will also make it easier for listeners to provide you with useful feedback on the demo, so you can do the last necessary tweaks before finishing off the song.

    Ane Brun uses Masterchannel in her writing process:

    ”When I’m working on a demo, I use Masterchannel before I present the song to someone else, because it gives me a better sense of where the song is in the process”.
    – Ane Brun, Norwegian Grammy Winner

    Are you pitching demos to a label, publisher or an artist you hope to land a collaboration with? Make sure your demos sound as good as they possibly can to increase the chances of a successful pitch.

    Christian Ingebrigtsen, A1 member and BRIT Award Winner highlights:

    “Masterchannel gives you a real good sense of the sound people out there are looking for. It’s perfect for getting a track sounding great for a pitch”.

    Songwriting Sessions

    Masterchannel can be a great tool during the writing process. The outcome from a songwriting session might not be the final product for the world to hear, nevertheless you want the result to sound as good as possible before sending it off to your manager or label. Mastering it with Masterchannel at the end of your session guarantees a great result and listening experience within minutes.

    Photo by Jefferson Santos on Unsplash

    Beats

    Are you a beatmaker selling your full length beats on various marketplaces? Make sure your beats have the best possible quality to increase your sales without the mastering process eating up your income. Automated mastering is a cost-effective way to increase the sound quality of your beats.

    Releases

    When you have finished your song and are ready for the world to hear it, it is important that your song sounds as good as possible across all platforms and devices. Masterchannel follows industry standards for delivery to all platforms and optimizes your music to sound the best across all devices, whether it’s on your headphones, in your car or through your speakers. Master your music to increase your chances of getting picked up by industry players such as playlist curators, radio etc.

    Live Shows

    Rapper Linda Vidala uses Masterchannel for her live performances:

    “Not only can I master my next release in a quick and easy way, but I can also master songs that I want to test with a live audience”.
    – Linda Vidala, Multi-Platinum Rapper

    When playing live shows you might need to master unreleased songs to test with a live audience, or perhaps you use audio samples in live performance settings. We’ve got you covered. Mastering your live set or samples through our mastering tool guarantees you a state-of-the-art mastering result within minutes so you can spend your time planning the other aspects of your live performance.

    Audio for Socials

    Want more views on your TikToks, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts? Enhancing the sound quality of the audio in your videos will increase your chances of exposure. Perhaps you want to tease your song on TikTok before releasing the full version on streaming platforms? Mastering your track prior to uploading your video will increase your chances of a successful promotional strategy.


    Masterchannel: The Mastering Solution to Your Music

    Masterchannel just launched subscription, offering unlimited mastering to make sure that you sound the best at every stage of your music creation process. Master all of your music for a special intro offer of only 25$/month.

    Master your music here
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