Logic Pro for iPad’s Mastering Assistant allows you to quickly finalize projects and get them up to the optimum volume for release on streaming services.
But how does it compare to other mastering options on iPad?
Logic Pro Mastering Assistant
The Mastering Assistant is split into 5 sections – the Character menu, EQ, Dynamics, Spread and additional controls at the bottom of its UI.
The character menu allows you to choose the character of the processing applied to your project.
- The Clean preset offers a transparent and punchy result good for EDM, acoustic music.
- Valve preset simulates a processing chain utilizing tubes to deliver a deep low end making it a great option for hip-hop
- Punch preset provides an aggressive sound with emphasis on the mid-range , ideally suited for rock music.
- and the Transparent preset is the all rounder that’s suitable for most genres of music.
Klevgrand Grand Finale
Klevgrand’s Grand Finale is multi effect mastering plugin designed for finalizing complete mixes, stems, buses and/or individual audio tracks.
It has 6 modules that allow you to fine tune your mastered track.
It costs around 15 dollars on the App Store.
BandLab Mastering
BandLab’s free mastering is a no frills preset based service that’s free and allows users to select from four different mastering styles.
It is incredible easy to use and integrates seamlessly with the creative and social sections of the BandLab app.
Which iPad Mastering option is best?
I think it’s important to say that based on the examples I share in the video at the top of this article, I don’t think any of these three mastering options did a particularly bad job.
Grand Finale’s masters certainly seemed to have a bit more punch to them. If you want to jump in and have a bit more control over how your mastered tracks sound, I think you’ll appreciate the different options and perimeters available in its 6 modules. I do think the finished results sounded a tad over hyped. If that’s the sound you’re going for then Grand Finale is a great choice.
BandLab’s mastering was perhaps a little underwhelming. The different presets all sounded distinct from each other, but I wasn’t particularly excited by either of the finished results. It’s worth remembering that BandLab mastering is completely free and while I found the results to be a bit beige, they were still perfectly serviceable.
Logic Pro for iPad’s Mastering Assistant lands somewhere in the middle of the two. None of the presets sounded over the top and in fact the one thing that I really like about it is how subtle it is. It doesn’t oversaturate or artificially inflate the volume to make you think that something incredible is happening. If you’re after a more transparent sounding master then the mastering assistant is a great option
What do you think?
I’d love you to leave a comment and let me know which of these iPad mastering options sounded best to you!
