DJ mixes recorded at home often sound quieter on Soundcloud or Spotify than other mixes, because these platforms normalise every file. DJ mix mastering fixes that: more punch, even loudness, a clean bass. Fully remote, no studio visit needed.
That is rarely your fault. Every streaming platform normalises audio to a fixed loudness. Spotify, Mixcloud, Apple Music and YouTube use about minus 14 LUFS, Soundcloud only about minus 8 LUFS, so it sounds louder. An unmastered mix stays quiet on Spotify. On Soundcloud it can distort instead. That affects clicks, listening time and booking requests. DJ mix mastering brings your mix up to the right platform standard.
For me, DJ mix mastering is its own discipline, separate from single track and vinyl mastering. The difference: instead of 3 to 5 minutes, this is 30 to 120 minutes, often with 15 to 30 tracks from different sources. I even out the loudness between these tracks and keep the bass and stereo image clean, so the mix sounds like one connected set.
Three packages with fixed prices from 100 euros, see the box on the right. You order directly in the online shop: pick a package, add the link to your mix, done, no email or WhatsApp enquiry needed. The mastered mix then comes back by cloud link, no studio visit needed. The mix itself is not recorded at the studio, see "Worth knowing" on the right. For single track mastering there is the separate mastering page, and for pressing to vinyl the vinyl mastering page.
DJ mix mastering covers very different situations, from a single Soundcloud upload to a regular podcast series. Here are six situations that come up often.
The most common case. Your mix is going on Soundcloud, where professionally mastered mixes sound clearly punchier. Mastering brings your mix up to the Soundcloud standard. Useful for regular uploads or building a DJ profile for bookings.
You run a regular DJ mix series. Your audience should recognise your sound, whether it is episode 3 or episode 47. Mix series mastering sets a shared sound concept that every new episode follows.
You are applying to clubs, festivals or labels. Your demo mix is your acoustic business card and is often judged within the first 60 seconds. A booking promo master gives you a Soundcloud loud version and a club loud version.
You host a radio show or audio podcast with mix segments. Radio stations often have their own loudness rules, and podcasts need speech and music balanced. Just tell me the station or hosting service when you order.
You recorded your set live. Live recordings often show loudness swings and room atmosphere. Mastering keeps the live feeling while fixing loudness, bass and stereo image.
Occasion mixes are personal, not career focused: a keepsake mix for a wedding, a birthday mix of favourite songs, a best of the year as a gift. Here clean transitions and warmth matter more than aggressive loudness.
Three packages with fixed prices from 100 euros, depending on your platform plan and release strategy. Order directly in the online shop, no email or WhatsApp enquiry needed: pick a package, add the link to your mix, done. For a multi platform master or mix series mastering, a short chat about the concept beforehand can help if you have questions.
The starting point. A mix of typically 30 to 120 minutes is mastered for one specific platform, with the right LUFS setting for it. Included: loudness balancing, bass management, stereo image work, true peak limiting, delivery as WAV plus MP3 320 kbps. Bookable directly in the online shop, you add the link to your mix when ordering.
The most popular option. The same mix is mastered in several LUFS versions, for example Soundcloud loud and streaming conform for Mixcloud, Spotify and YouTube. Useful if you are active on several platforms. Also bookable directly in the online shop, delivered by cloud link with clearly named versions.
For regular releases. The first episode sets the concept, and later episodes are mastered to match it, so your audience recognises your sound. Price per episode, bookable in the online shop; if you are unsure about the concept, feel free to ask a short question by email or WhatsApp first.
For hard or messy crossfades, I add this option in the shop to smooth the loudness crossfading and the EQ transitions. Mastering cannot create a transition that is not there, only improve one that already exists.
Home recordings often have short unintended silent gaps. I remove them so the mix cuts cleanly, like a professional release.
For a tight deadline, add this option when ordering and your mix is mastered within 48 hours.
You choose all three add ons when ordering in the shop, and you can combine them.
DJ mix mastering is not simply single track mastering applied to a long file. Three things make the difference.
Standard mastering usually works with one setting for every platform. DJ mix mastering is configured per platform instead, because Soundcloud allows a different loudness than Mixcloud, Spotify or YouTube. That is why a multi platform master gives you several versions.
A single track master works with 3 to 5 minutes from one production. A DJ mix brings 30 to 120 minutes, often with 15 to 30 tracks from different sources, each at a different loudness. Making all of that consistent is its own technical task.
The bass has to stay consistent across the whole set, even when the bass character changes a lot between genres. I also smooth the transitions: loudness crossfading, softer EQ changes, fewer stereo image breaks.
A professionally mastered DJ mix changes more than sound quality. It changes how you are seen as a DJ and how you come across on the platform. Six stages show how that plays out.
After mastering, your mix sounds loud and punchy on first listen instead of tired, with a stable bass and even loudness.
Mastered mixes convince right away. That raises listening time, clicks and reposts on Soundcloud, Mixcloud and other platforms.
Bookers and label managers often judge a demo in the first 60 seconds. A mastered demo clears that hurdle, so your track choice and mixing style come first.
A multi platform master with one consistent sound means listeners recognise you wherever they hear you.
Professional mastering is checked on several playback systems, so your mix sounds equally good in the car, on a phone and on a club sound system.
Professionally mastered mixes age well and build a consistent profile over the years, without sonic breaks between them.
Good preparation at home makes the difference between a clean result and unnecessary rounds of fixes. Six points for recording your DJ mix.
Always record direct out from your DJ mixer into your audio interface or DJ software, never with a microphone in front of a speaker. With Pioneer DJM mixers, use USB recording. With DJ software such as Rekordbox, Serato, Traktor, Mixxx or Virtual DJ, use internal recording.
Record as WAV or AIFF, 24 bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz sample rate. MP3 loses quality and does not work well for mastering.
Leave about 3 to 6 dB of headroom, with peaks ideally not above minus 3 dB. Mastering cannot fix a clipped recording, so record a bit quiet rather than too loud.
Record the whole mix in one take, without stopping. Pauses create sonic breaks that mastering cannot fix.
Name the target platform or platforms in the notes field when ordering. For more than one, choose the multi platform master package directly.
For Mixcloud, add a tracklist with timestamps to the notes field, and tell me your delivery date. For a tight deadline, order early or add the express option.
Four clear steps from ordering in the shop to the finished mastered mix, fully remote, with no trip to the studio.
Pick your package, add any extra options, enter the link to your mix (WeTransfer, Drive, Dropbox or pCloud) and place the order. For a multi platform master or mix series, feel free to ask a short question by email or WhatsApp first.
You send the mix as WAV or AIFF by cloud link. I check the loudness, the spectrum and the stereo image, and get in touch first if the recording needs fixing.
Loudness balancing between the tracks, a LUFS setting for the platform, bass management, stereo image work and true peak limiting. A multi platform master produces several versions, and with transition optimisation booked, the transitions get extra work too.
Delivery as WAV 24 bit and MP3 320 kbps by cloud link, on request with ID3 tags and Mixcloud cue points. Then you listen on your usual systems and send a short note if anything needs changing.
Five points about the remote process and how it differs from the other mastering services.
You send the mix by cloud link, the mastering work happens in my studio in Leipzig, and the finished masters come back the same way. No travel needed, whether you write from Leipzig or from Berlin, Vienna or London.
I do not provide DJ hardware. You record your set yourself at home, by direct out from a hardware mixer or internal recording in your DJ software, and send me the finished file for mastering.
Single track mastering on the mastering page is for 3 to 5 minute tracks. Vinyl mastering on the vinyl mastering page is for a physical pressing. DJ mix mastering here is for long sets.
See the FAQ below for the turnaround per package. For a tight deadline, order early or add the express option with a 48 hour turnaround.
The mastering work happens in my studio, with professional monitors, see the equipment page. Since you work remotely, you do not need to visit.
The most important answers before you order in the shop. For quick questions you can write to me any time by email or WhatsApp.
Sonic refinement of the DJ set you recorded at home for a strong effect on the streaming platforms.
It solves three problems:
• platform normalisation (Spotify minus 14, Soundcloud minus 8 LUFS)
• differences in loudness between the individual tracks
• an inconsistent sonic picture across long stretches of a set
1. Single mix mastering: one mix for one platform, 100 €.
2. A multi platform master: several LUFS versions for several platforms, 150 €.
3. Mix series mastering: a podcast series with a consistent sound, 180 € per episode.
All three packages have fixed prices and can be ordered directly in the online shop, no enquiry by email or WhatsApp needed.
The studio does not provide any DJ hardware :
• No Pioneer CDJs
• No turntables
• No DJ mixers (DJM, Xone)
• No DJ controllers
So you record your DJ set at home and then send it in for refinement.
The platform standards:
• Soundcloud: about minus 8 LUFS (loud and punchy)
• Mixcloud: about minus 14 LUFS
• Spotify / Apple Music: about minus 14 LUFS
• YouTube: about minus 14 LUFS
With multi platform: separate versions for every platform.
The important points:
• Direct out from the DJ mixer (no microphone!)
• WAV or AIFF, 24 bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz
• Headroom: 3 to 6 dB below the maximum level
• Without gaps in one recording
With DJ software: internal recording in Rekordbox, Serato, Traktor, Mixxx, Virtual DJ.
Correctable:
• Differences in loudness between tracks
• EQ inconsistencies
• A slight stereo imbalance
Hard to correct:
• Clipping and overload
• Microphone recordings with room reverb
With sonic problems: Audio restoration
Realistic times:
• Single mix: 3 to 7 working days
• Multi platform: 5 to 10 working days
• A mix series first episode: 5 to 10 working days
• A mix series following episodes: 2 to 4 working days
Express with a 48 hour turnaround is available for a 40 € surcharge, selectable when ordering.
Delivery depending on the platform:
• WAV 24 bit as the lossless master
• MP3 320 kbps for uploading directly to the platform
• Multi platform: all the versions you need
Optional: ID3 tags, cue points for the Mixcloud tracklist.
Yes, that is exactly what the multi platform master is for.
Several LUFS versions from one mix:
• Soundcloud loud (~ minus 8 LUFS)
• Streaming conform (~ minus 14 LUFS)
• Optimised for YouTube
• Bandcamp download lossless
The transitions are preserved in principle.
Mastering can:
• Even out differences in loudness between tracks
• Make sonic breaks softer
• Minimise breaks in the stereo image
With hard transitions: the transition optimisation add on.
All the usual DJ mix sources:
• Beatport, Bandcamp, Traxsource
• Your own productions
• Vinyl rips from turntables
• Stems for a live remix
In mastering I even out the differences between sources.
This page is written for individual DJs, podcast hosts, radio presenters, event DJs.
For labels, booking agencies, online DJ platforms, radio stations with a larger mastering need: separate business site on my company site.
DJ mix mastering is available at fixed prices directly in the online shop: pick a package (100 / 150 / 180 euros), add the link to your mix, done, no email or WhatsApp enquiry needed. If the recording has sound problems, audio restoration can help, for your own productions there is the mastering page, and for a vinyl pressing the vinyl mastering page. For questions beforehand or about a mix series, feel free to write a short email or WhatsApp message.