Review mix masters, process with an explicit delivery brief, measure loudness and true peak, and verify every encoded release file.
Confirm the approved mix revision, track order, titles, spacing and required masters. Record each destination’s codec, sample rate, channel layout, loudness and peak requirements where specified. Identify separate releases that need different masters; a platform playback normalization target is not automatically a mandatory mastering target.
Listen through the source files for clipping, dropouts, edit clicks, unwanted noise and inconsistent tone. Inspect peak and RMS measurements using named conventions. Ask for a revised mix when a source problem cannot be repaired acceptably; retain the original source and a precise issue location.
Compare tonal adjustments, dynamics and limiting with an unprocessed reference at matched level. Use the static compressor model only to inspect its steady-state curve. Recheck the loudest transients and quiet tails after processing rather than assuming a nominal ratio guarantees peak control.
Measure integrated loudness and true peak over the required program scope in audio software. Use the loudness-gain mode to compare a constant gain change with the chosen ceiling. If the proposed gain would exceed that ceiling, revise the processing or target, then measure the result again.
Export masters and distribution encodes according to the actual brief, making sample-rate or bit-depth changes deliberately in the audio application. Check the encoded output for overs, artifacts, tags, starts, ends and channel compatibility. Use bitrate or PCM calculations for storage planning and actual bytes for delivery records.
Compare the final file list with the approved order and naming scheme, then play every release file. Save final measurements, settings, source revision, release notes and an editable project. Keep a clear distinction between approved masters and earlier review exports.
Write and download the task brief, measured results and handoff decisions as Markdown.
Compare the measured sample or true peak with an explicit ceiling; keep crest factor separate.
Inspect the static hard-knee curve with explicit makeup gain before auditioning the real processor.
Compare a constant loudness adjustment with the measured true peak and an explicit delivery ceiling.
Estimate delivery or backup size from the actual encoded bitrate or PCM format.
Estimate byte-aligned PCM payload and entered overhead for the planned recording inventory.
Loading your checklist…
Use the actual destination’s published requirements and distinguish its playback normalization behavior from the delivery specification.
A static compressor transfer curve describes level mapping; transient and limiter behavior require the real processor.
Keep the following evidence with the actual version used for this task.
| Record | Include | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Approved mix and project revision | No draft mixed into the release |
| Measurement | Program scope, meter and loudness/true peak | Measure after final processing |
| Delivery | Codec, channels, bytes, tags and filename | Listen after encoding |
Encoding and sample-rate conversion can change peaks; the pre-export meter is only part of verification.
Keep destination variants named so they cannot be confused during upload.