Automation in the Audio Mastering World

Automation isn't just for mixing engineers. Neither is automation strictly limited to volume rides. Whether you're working in the analog or digital world—or relying on a hybrid audio mastering setup—there are a handful of circumstances where time-based adjustments on your mastering chain can help you achieve your desired results. Let's look into a few practical examples of automation being used in mastering sessions.

Note: For the best learning experience, listen to the examples below with headphones to catch the nuanced qualities of the master.

In this piece you’ll learn: 

• What is automation in mastering?
• Why automate in mastering?
• Apply different mastering settings in various points of the music
• Finely adjust levels of specific mix elements (vocal, bass, drums)
• Control low-frequency build-up
• Control distortion in a dynamic album
• Fine-tune your sibilance control
• Enhance the climactic section

Want to try these techniques for yourself as you learn about mastering automation? Get your copy of iZotope  Music Production Suite  to access the tools used in this guide, including  Ozone  and  RX . 

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What is automation in mastering? 

Automation refers to automating, meaning having a robot or a computer do some task(s) for you. In the case of music production and audio mastering, automation means having a DAW (Logic Pro X, Pro Tools, Ableton, etc.) automatically perform tasks over time, particularly moving knobs, faders, and switches for you.

Before digging into our examples, how does one exactly define what mastering automation is in the first place? And how does it compare to automating in the mix stage?

Automation in mastering versus mixing is not that much different. You’re still setting a predetermined time-based adjustment on your parameter of choice using a DAW—whether it’s volume rides, EQ, compression threshold adjustments, etc. The actual method for setting your automations might vary depending on your DAW, but the principle remains the same.

However, one detail that sets mastering automation apart is scale. In contrast to mixers, mastering engineers have to work within a significantly limited amount of headroom. Therefore, adjustments are done in much smaller increments. Mix sessions could have automation rides spanning 5–10 dB or more. In mastering, 1 dB of change could already yield drastic effects. Therefore, a critical, thoughtful ear is key when utilizing automation in mastering.

Why automate in mastering?

With the limited range of a mastering engineer’s work environment, subtle static adjustments could be all it takes to achieve that final mastered sound. However, there are a few occasions where a fixed mastering setting might not be enough to account for all the nuances in a musical performance.

Mastering in some genres might require more attention than others. An EDM track might have drops that sound distinctly different from its verses or your desired settings for a dynamic power ballad might begin to distort by the time the climactic section comes in. Those are a few situations where automations might come into play.

Below are examples of mastering sessions where I relied on the automation of some Ozone Pro & RX Pro for Music features to achieve my final mastered sound. From what you’ll hear below, you’ll notice that a little automation definitely goes a long way.

Apply different mastering settings in various points of the music

Song: "I Need U"

Artist: Arthur Tan and Lesha

Produced & engineered by: Arthur Tan (New York, NY)

As mastering engineers, we have more freedom to use automation to change treatments between sections of a song in some genres more than others. A good example of this is electronic music where various sections within a song (e.g. verse & drops/choruses) may sound drastically different from each other, from the mix treatment all the way down to production choices. Here is where automation can level up your mastering workflow.

In Arthur Tan & Lesha’s electronic house track “I Need U,” the verses prominently feature Lesha’s vocals with Arthur Tan’s production taking on a minimalist sound. But by the time the chorus hits, the electronic house vibe takes center stage, with the kick and synth effects driving the pulsating tempo of the music.

You’ve heard the final version above that incorporates automation. When mastering this song, it was apparent that when the chorus dropped in at the 17-second mark and the kick came in that it had a slightly overwhelming quality that enveloped the rest of the production. The music started to feel a bit constricted during the choruses.

One way to address this without compromising the sound you’ve achieved for the verses is by enabling automation, then using that to adjust your mastering settings according to the needs of the chorus section. To enable automation in Ozone Pro and  Ozone Advanced  using Pro Tools, click the Auto button (see screenshot below). This will launch Ozone’s Plug-in Automation window. 

For this song, a strategic combination of subtractive EQ and multiband compression helped tighten the chorus without losing the punch and drive in the kick and bass frequencies. Once I’ve nailed my mastering adjustment using Ozone’s Equalizer & Dynamics module, I enable those specific parameters on the Plug-in Automation window so I can automate when those settings start to kick in on my mastering chain.