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Stereo width in mastering – how to measure, monitor and modify it

June 5th, 2015 BY 


People are always asking me about stereo width, image depth and "three dimensionality" in audio - and whether you can influence them at the mastering stage.

The answer is Yes - although it's almost always better to get it right in the mix, just as with almost everything else !

That isn't always possible though, and the truth is you really can get a surprising amount of control over these aspects of a master, even though you're typically only ever working with a stereo file at the mastering stage. In this video I show you:

  • How to measure the stereo width of your mix, in a simple, affordable way
  • What it sounds like when there is too much (or too little) stereo width in your audio
  • Why you should never use the "polarity flip" trick to try and get more width in your mix
  • Another two much more powerful & sophisticated ways to analyse the stereo image and phase content of your master, using the excellent Nugen Visualizer plugin
  • A simple, effective way to take detailed control of the phase coherence of your audio - and when you shouldn't use it

Take a look, and let me know what you think in the comments !

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ABOUT IAN SHEPHERD

My name is Ian Shepherd - I'm a professional mastering engineer with over 25 years experience and I run the Production Advice website with over 50,000 readers each month

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