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!
As the co-founders of Masterchannel, Simon and Christian recently attended the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas. It was an exciting opportunity for us to immerse ourselves in the vibrant culture of music, film, and interactive media.
We loved the overall spirit at SXSW. It was all about making meaningful connections, sharing each other’s love for music and technology, and understanding people’s roles and contributions to the music and tech business. It was inspiring to see so many people with different backgrounds and interests coming together to explore new ideas and collaborate on exciting projects.
One of the most rewarding aspects of our time at SXSW was connecting with fellow startup entrepreneurs who share the same spirit to democratize and streamline processes in the music industry through technology. It was motivating to see so many people working towards making the industry more accessible and inclusive for everyone.
We also had the opportunity to meet big industry veterans who have always been skeptical of new technologies. However, we were pleased to find that many of them now understand that it’s time to embrace new technologies if they don’t want to be outrun by them. It was fascinating to have discussions about the future of the industry and the role that technology will play in it.
We were also happy to be able to make artists understand that AI tools are just tools, and there will always be a place for original ideas and memorable personalities in the creative industry. It was essential for us to emphasize that technology can complement and enhance creativity, but not replace it.
Of course, we also talked about our users and proudly shared how some of them make a living from their bedrooms thanks to tools like Masterchannel. We were thrilled to show off their music and stories and earned them new fans.
It was great to see the support and praise we received from everyone in the industry who saw the true value our technology brings to the table and who respect the prominent people we work with.
Overall, our experience at SXSW was incredibly enriching and energizing. We left feeling grateful for the opportunity to connect with so many amazing people and we look forward to seeing where these connections lead Masterchannel in the future.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
Mastering is the final step in the music production process, where the goal is to optimize the sound quality of a track for distribution. It involves a series of technical adjustments to enhance the balance, clarity, and overall impact of a recording.
Historically, mastering has been the domain of highly skilled engineers, who use their ears and specialized equipment to perfect the sound of a recording. However, with advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, a new contender has emerged to challenge the role of the human mastering engineer: Masterchannel.
Masterchannel is an AI-powered platform that uses reinforcement learning to optimize the mastering process. This means that the system doesn’t just learn from patterns in a dataset, but rather learns by itself what makes a good master through the use of cost functions. This is a significant departure from traditional deep learning, which relies heavily on existing data sets.
Another unique aspect of Masterchannel is the involvement of top musicians and producers in the development of the system. Celebrities use Masterchannel and have helped optimize the system to meet the needs of professionals. The Masterchannel AI therefore has credits most human engineers don’t have in their portfolio. The involvement of top industry professionals ensures that Masterchannel is capable of producing results that meet the highest standards of quality.
Perhaps the most compelling advantage of Masterchannel over a human mastering engineer is its ability to scale infinitely. The platform is capable of mastering many more tracks than a human and can help users iterate on their music more quickly. This means that music producers no longer need to wait to be prioritized by a human engineer or communicate with them, leaving them in charge of the entire creative process.
In conclusion, while traditional mastering engineers have been the cornerstone of the music mastering process for many years, Masterchannel represents a significant breakthrough in the field. Its use of reinforcement learning, involvement of top industry professionals, and ability to scale infinitely make it a compelling option for anyone looking to optimize their sound quality. While it may not completely replace the role of the human mastering engineer, it certainly has the potential to do so.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Norwegian rapper Linda Vidala set fire to the Norwegian rap scene following the release of her multi-platinum single “Bængshot” in 2017, which secured her a Norwegian Grammy nomination and two P3 Gull nominations (Norwegian radio award show) for “Song of the Year” and “Live act of the Year”.
How do you use Masterchannel in your production process?
When I’ve finalized a track and received a mix I’m happy with, I upload it to Masterchannel for a final touch-up. 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.
Do you have a production tip to share that can make your fellow creators’ lives easier?
Learn the short cuts in your preferred DAW. Create a good work flow by always naming your tracks during the production process and preferably also use colour coding. This will make your work more clear and efficient for not only yourself but also for others in the studio.
What should up and coming producers focus on to get more exposure?
Dare to be yourself and to stand out. Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback from your audience and to share your music with people within the industry, include them in your music journey from day one. Customize your channels based on the different listening groups you want to reach. Always make sure that your music holds the best possible quality. A good mix and master is key!
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to mastering your music?
Time. Sometimes my genre isn’t what the mastering engineer is most familiar with, which can lead to having to go several rounds back and forth. Our work hours can be very different so the mastering process can turn out to be a longer process than initially expected.
What drives you to use Masterchannel?
Time and control. With Masterchannel I can easily upload a mix and get a master back within a short time span. The revisions feature also gives me the opportunity to get different versions of a master if I’m not happy with the first version. I can skip the intermediary and get the final master ready to go within 10-15 minutes.
In June, Matoma & A R I Z O N A were happy to announce the winner and runner-up of the remix competition for “Heart So Big”, hosted by Masterchannel.
UK-based singer-songwriter and producer Jamie A secured the Grand Prize, winning an official remix release, a one-on-one feedback session with Matoma and 1-year Masterchannel Poweruser membership. Sweden-based electronic duo laikd were chosen as the runner-up, securing a one-on-one feedback session with Matoma and 1-year Masterchannel Poweruser membership. Big congratulations to both!
Matoma shares the rationale behind the selection of the winners: The unique sound and outstanding production was the reason the remixes were so intriguing. Jamie A’s remix showcased a unique sound that secured him a well-deserved win. laikd’s outstanding production skills didn’t go unnoticed, securing them the runner-up spot.
Jamie A is inspired by all music, past, present and future, from progressive rock to mainstream pop, Jamie’s sound is ever evolving. His distinctive vocals, creative lyrics and catchy melodies, span across every one of his productions and collaborative projects, securing him the winner spot in numerous remix competitions held by some of the biggest names in house music (Disclosure, MJ Cole), now also adding Matoma & A R I Z O N A to the list.
Using masterchannel was incredibly easy. After loading in my mix within a few clicks and a small waiting time, the track was fully mastered. It was a very efficient service I would recommend to anyone.
– Jamie A
Jamie A – Winner of the “Heart So Big” Remix competition
Jamie A shares his experience with Masterchannel:
I forced myself to learn how to master my own music. This meant I had to learn a multitude of plugins inside and out, and how a specific series of these plugins affect the sound of the mix. This was a lengthy process that, whilst of course was very valuable, was highly inefficient, taking lots of time away from the writing and production process. Masterchannel’s speed makes it perfect for anyone wanting to focus purely on production and ultimately making the best songs they can, knowing that the final mastered song will be always be a quality product. Masterchannel adds that last 10% to the song, if not more, in much the same way as traditional mastering.
Listen to the winner remix here:
After the better part of a decade of bedroom production, electronic music duo laikd started their mainstream musical journey as a way to share their love for music with people from all around the world. Blending a lot of guitars and other organic elements with groovy and powerful electronic sounds, the duo aims to make a fresh imprint on the music scene.
Our experience with Masterchannel has been really solid! We loved the fact that Masterchannel is made for “from ground-up” mastering, which means no more messing around with crazy master bus processing before sending the track to mastering. All in all, this makes Masterchannel a real time-saver that simultaneously delivers great results!
-laikd
laikd – Runner-up of the “Heart So Big” Remix competition
laikd share their experience with Masterchannel:
The biggest challenge for us producers when it comes to mastering is typically making sure the mix translates well on all playback systems. It’s really easy to get used to the studio envinronment your producing the track in and make flawed mix and mastering decisions as a result of working in a not so ideal room. Masterchannel lets us work around those physical limitations and delivers a neutral and great sounding master for all systems and places.
Norwegian duo Dag Holtan-Hartwig and Halvor Folstad have written and/or produced several hit songs for artists such as Jonas Blue, Alan Walker, Seeb, CLMD and Julie Bergan. While they mainly focus on songwriting and top lining, their combined talents enable them to both write and produce across various genres (pop, EDM & RnB). Their brand of flexible creativity resulted in the duo having five different songs in the Norwegian Top 50 chart at the same time in 2019.
Which of your tracks are you most happy with the production for and why?
Perhaps “Not Gonna Cry” by Emma Steinbakken. I mean half the reason why the production sounds great is because Emma is such an amazing singer, but it’s a record we’re super proud of nonetheless. We managed to reference a little bit of Coldplay, keep the drums dirty and the guitars gritty and at the same time make it sound like a huge pop tune. Also, Jamie Snell’s mix certainly pushed it to the next level.
Do you have a production tip to share that can make your fellow creators’ lives easier?
We should be better at this ourselves, but make sure you have all the good stuff – the sounds you love the most – handy at all times. Don’t spend your time looking for your most used sounds!
What should up and coming producers focus on to get more exposure?
This is the impossible question for all artists, musicians and producers. The one thing we can say is that you shouldn’t spend too much time on stuff. Pretend it’s finished, send it to someone and move on.
What is your biggest challenge when it comes to mastering your music?
Mastering is such a dark arts exercise. It’s so subtle and so existentially important to your music at the same time. The biggest challenge for us is to trust our own ears. I mean, your hearing differs all the time, depending on the hour of the day, how tired you are, how many beers you’ve had. But you just sort of have to believe that what you hear is real and go from there. Haha, we hope that made sense.
What drives you to use Masterchannel?
The fact that it’s super fast, super easy to use and that it produces really good results.
Forward Thinking Founders is a podcast where Mat Sherman interviews high potential founders with early stage companies. This allows us to see inside the brain of genius founders before the rest of the world knows they even exist. On this show, you’ll learn all about how to start a startup, pros and cons of different verticals, and learn the backstory and vision of tomorrow’s billion-dollar companies, straight from the founders. With guests coming from Y Combinator, The Thiel Fellowship, Pioneer, and the Growthmeter network, you’re sure to get a sneak peek at world-class founders at work, every day. This is Forward Thinking Founders.
