How to master a song online
To master a song online in Genie Studio: open the song or upload your mix, balance it with Auto Mix (free, in the browser), check the loudness on the LUFS meter, then choose Master with a reference — a genre reference or one of your own tracks. AI mastering costs 4 credits on Starter and above and matches your mix to the reference in loudness, frequency balance, peak level and stereo width. The master appears as a new track called Master, your mix stays untouched, and the credits are returned if mastering fails. Export the result as WAV; for Spotify, aim for about −14 LUFS integrated with true peak below −1 dBTP.
Melody Genie team · Published · Updated · 6 min read
Steps
Open the song in Genie Studio
Open a song from your library, a project, or upload a mix you own or may use (MP3, WAV, M4A or FLAC up to 60 MB). Mastering always works on the whole mix you hear.
Get the mix right first with Auto Mix
If the song has several tracks, Auto Mix gives every track a sensible starting point in one click: volume by measured loudness, EQ and compression per role, panning and reverb. It runs in the browser for free and lands as one undo step. Then adjust by ear.
Tip: Mastering polishes a mix; it cannot fix a vocal that is buried or a bass that is too loud.
Check the loudness
Press play and watch the LUFS meter: M is the last 0.4 seconds, S the last 3 seconds and I the whole play. Avoid red peaks on the master and leave some headroom before mastering.
Choose a reference
Open Master and pick the reference the mix should match: one of the genre references, or one of your own finished tracks in the project whose sound you like. Pick a reference in the same genre as your song.
Master it (4 credits)
Confirm the credit price and start. It usually takes about a minute. The result appears as a new track called Master; your mix stays exactly as it was. If mastering fails, your credits are returned.
Compare at the same volume, then export
Solo the Master track and compare it with your mix at a similar listening level, because louder always sounds better at first. Then export WAV (16-bit, 24-bit or 32-bit float, 44.1 or 48 kHz). The export card shows the loudness and peak of the finished file.
Mixing vs mastering
Mixing balances the parts of a song against each other: levels, EQ, compression, space. Mastering treats the finished stereo mix as one piece so it sounds consistent and translates to every speaker and service. In Genie Studio the mixer and Auto Mix handle the first job; Master handles the second.
What reference mastering does
Genie Studio’s mastering is reference-based, built on the open-source Matchering engine: it measures a reference master and matches your mix to it in loudness, frequency response, peak level and stereo width. The closer the reference is to your song in genre and arrangement, the better the match.
Loudness targets for Spotify
Spotify plays music at −14 LUFS by default and turns louder masters down. Its own guidance is to master at about −14 dB integrated LUFS with true peak below −1 dBTP, or below −2 dBTP if the master is louder than −14 LUFS, to avoid extra distortion when the file is encoded for streaming.
Common mistakes
- Mastering a mix that clips. Fix the peaks in the mix first; mastering cannot undo distortion.
- A reference from another genre. A trap reference on an acoustic ballad pushes the wrong low end and loudness.
- Judging by loudness. Compare the master and the mix at the same level before deciding.
- Mastering the master. Run it once on the final mix. Re-mastering a mastered file stacks processing.
Questions
Can I master a song online for free?
Auto Mix, the mixer, the effects and the LUFS meter in Genie Studio are free. AI mastering costs 4 credits on Starter and above, and the credits are returned if it fails.
Can I master a song I did not make in Melody Genie?
Yes. Upload a mix you own or are allowed to use (MP3, WAV, M4A or FLAC up to 60 MB), then master it like any other project.
What LUFS should I master to for Spotify?
Spotify recommends about −14 dB integrated LUFS with true peak below −1 dBTP. Louder masters are turned down during playback.
Does mastering change my mix?
No. The master is added as a new track called Master. Your mix stays as it was, so you can compare them or master again with another reference.
How long does it take?
Usually about a minute. You can keep working while it runs.
What reference should I use?
A finished, well-mastered song in the same genre and with a similar arrangement. You can use a genre reference or one of your own tracks in the project.