Mastering Different Genres: Insights and Tips

Hey y’all!

Life has been wildin lately Safari fam! I’ve been producing and mixing across more styles and genres than I ever have before, and that has been an awesome learning experience.

Project to project, it has been getting easier to communicate what the song needs to the mastering engineer, the song’s final stop before release.

I’ve learned there are a lot of nuances in mastering. An indie rock track will have very different sonic needs than a neo soul track. Even when both songs feel finished in the mix, what they need in mastering can live in different worlds.

The more I do this, the more I realize mastering is not about a universal formula. It is about understanding where the song sits stylistically and emotionally, then helping it land well. All of these thoughts are what inspired this blog post.

Gabi Grella's Approach to Mastering Different Genres

I had a blast getting to chat with Grammy Nominated Mastering Engineer Gabi Grella to get her take. 

I asked her: “How do you adapt your mastering approach for different genres?”

She said: “When mastering different genres, there are a few approaches that I use consistently. I normally roll off some of the low end/the rumble in a mix and do a light EQ boost around the vocals. The vocal boost is just a preference of mine because I enjoy songs that have a more present vocal/the vocal is the star of the show. But when I say boost it's very, very slight and doesn't change the character of the vocal. I also might EQ the "muddy" area of a song but that's a case by case and genre by genre decision. After doing my routine mastering norms, I'll then take my master in the direction that popular songs in each genre go. For rap, there is usually going to be a strong emphasis on the low end so I make sure to keep that same punch in the mix and even enhance it when necessary, without it distorting. I make sure that the beat is a strong, driving force in the song. For a pop track I might focus in on the high end to give it that "shimmery" feel and maybe even more-so lean into a vocal eq. I'll always use reference tracks, either from the mixer or songs that an artist wants their master to sound like. I also might push/limit/compress some songs harder than others depending on the song/genre/what the artist asks for. But intuitively I always trust my ears and try to have each song be as dynamic as possible, while always staying true to the mix. No matter what song I'm working on, I usually have an idea on where to lead the sound in terms of genre. In all cases, I consistently master with a light touch to honor the mix and I always prioritize the artists' notes, even if they're out of the norm for specific genres.”

Takeaways 

I had a blast reading Gabi’s answer. I love her approach to honoring the mix while keeping a fluid, adaptable workflow.

The way she talks about small, intentional moves, like a light vocal boost or rolling off rumble, really shows how much thought goes into keeping the song’s character intact.

Her emphasis on trusting her ears and prioritizing the artist’s notes really resonated with me. That balance of intuition and technical skill is exactly what makes a masterful final product ;)

Thanks so much Gabi for sharing your awesome take!

Catch y’all next blog!