Music & Audio Advice Music & Audio Advice Mixing and Mastering Fundamentals Questions and Answers 2

Question 1

What is the primary purpose of a high-pass filter during mixing?

Accepted Answer

To remove unwanted low-frequency rumble and mud

Answer

To boost the high frequencies for brightness

Answer

To add distortion to a signal

Answer

To create a stereo widening effect

Question 2

What does the term 'gain staging' refer to in mixing?

Accepted Answer

Setting proper signal levels at each point in the audio chain to avoid distortion and noise

Answer

Increasing the volume of the master bus gradually

Answer

Adding gain to every plugin in a channel strip

Answer

Automating volume changes throughout a song

Question 3

In mastering, what is the purpose of a limiter on the master bus?

Accepted Answer

To set a ceiling that prevents the audio from exceeding a specified peak level

Answer

To remove all dynamic range from the track

Answer

To add warmth and analog character

Answer

To widen the stereo image of the mix

Question 4

What is the Fletcher-Munson curve and why is it relevant to mixing?

Accepted Answer

It describes how human hearing perceives different frequencies at different volumes

Answer

It is a standard EQ curve applied during mastering

Answer

It measures the noise floor of a recording studio

Answer

It defines the optimal compression ratio for vocals

Question 5

What is parallel compression and when is it commonly used?

Accepted Answer

Blending a heavily compressed signal with the dry original to add punch while preserving dynamics

Answer

Compressing two tracks with identical settings simultaneously

Answer

Using two compressors in series on the same channel

Answer

Applying sidechain compression from a parallel bus

Question 6

What is the recommended LUFS target for streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music?

Accepted Answer

Around -14 LUFS integrated

Answer

Around -6 LUFS integrated

Answer

Around -20 LUFS integrated

Answer

Around 0 LUFS integrated