MixMasterAISynthwave Mastering for Apple Music
Target: -16 LUFS · True Peak: -1 dBTP · Dynamic Range: 8-12 LU
No signup · WAV + MP3 · -16 LUFS auto-applied
Synthwave Mastering Specification — Apple Music
| Parameter | Synthwave Specification |
|---|---|
| Loudness Target | -16 LUFS integrated (Apple Music optimized) |
| True Peak Ceiling | -1 dBTP — inter-sample peak limit |
| Dynamic Range | 8-12 LU LU — genre-appropriate |
| EQ Focus | Synth Pad Warmth (200–400 Hz) & Analog Air (6–10 kHz) |
| Stereo Image | Wide chorus-enhanced stereo, mono-check essential |
| Platform Algorithm | Apple Music targets -16 LUFS (Sound Check). |
Why Synthwave on Apple Music Needs Specialized Mastering
Synthwave mastering preserves intentional analog character while delivering correct streaming specs. The synthesizer pads that form the genre's harmonic foundation — from vintage Roland or Oberheim architectures — have natural compression from their VCA circuits. Over-compression on the master bus removes this character, making synths sound digital and flat. The Juno-style chorus effect that defines synthwave's stereo image creates phase differences between left and right channels that collapse to mono — a Haas effect stereo image check is essential. Listen in mono and ensure chorus-widened synths remain intelligible when summed. Tape saturation on the master bus is a signature processing step: second-harmonic saturation at 2× the synth pad fundamental — for a 200 Hz pad, adding warmth at 400 Hz — enhances vintage character without distortion. The kick drum in synthwave typically layers acoustic and synthetic elements — the acoustic transient at 2–4 kHz should not be compressed away by the master bus limiter; set attack at 5–10 ms. High-frequency rolloff above 14 kHz is stylistically appropriate but should not be a steep filter — a gentle shelf maintains the analog high-frequency character of tape saturation. Target -14 LUFS integrated with -1 dBTP true peak.
Apple Music context: Apple Music targets -16 LUFS (Sound Check). Mastered for iTunes (now Apple Digital Masters) recommends headroom and 24-bit delivery. Avoid harsh limiting.
Synthwave EQ Profile for Apple Music
Analog warmth: Boost 200–400 Hz for vintage synthesizer body and richness. Avoid high-passing above 40 Hz — keep the 80s bass fullness intact.
80s kick character: Synthwave kick is rounder than modern genres. Boost 80–100 Hz for thump, NOT the modern 60 Hz sub-bass hit. The kick should feel vintage.
Gentle high-end: Gentle air at 12 kHz maximum. Synthwave intentionally avoids modern brightness — the aesthetic is warm analog, not digital clarity.
Tape saturation: Apply subtle master bus tape saturation (1–2%) to add harmonic content and vintage feel. This defines the synthwave aesthetic.
Compression & Limiting for Apple Music
Vintage compression: Use an analog-style compressor character (1176 or LA-2A emulation). The compression character IS part of the synthwave sound.
Moderate limiting: 8–12 LU dynamic range for the 80s natural feel. Heavy hard-limiting sounds wrong for synthwave — preserve the dynamics.
Tape saturation: Master bus tape saturation (subtle, 1–2%) adds harmonics, warmth, and the analog feel that listeners expect from the genre.
Synthwave LUFS Targets — All Platforms Compared
How Synthwave mastering specs differ across every major streaming platform.
| Platform | Integrated LUFS | True Peak | Current page |
|---|---|---|---|
| -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | View guide → | |
🍎Apple Music | -16 LUFS | -1 dBTP | You are here |
▶️YouTube | -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | View guide → |
| -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | View guide → | |
| -11 LUFS | -0.5 dBTP | View guide → | |
| -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | View guide → | |
| -13 LUFS | -0.5 dBTP | View guide → | |
🎛️Beatport | -9 LUFS | -0.3 dBTP | View guide → |
| -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | View guide → | |
| -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | View guide → | |
| -14 LUFS | -1 dBTP | View guide → | |
| -15 LUFS | -1 dBTP | View guide → |
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Master Free NowTechnical Methodology — Synthwave Mastering for Apple Music
Target: -16 LUFS integrated · -1 dBTP true peak · EBU R128 / ITU-R BS.1770-4 compliant
We measure integrated LUFS using K-weighted filtering per ITU-R BS.1770-4: a high-shelf pre-filter at 1681.97 Hz (+3.9998 dB gain) followed by a 75 Hz high-pass (Q=0.5) to remove DC offset and low-frequency rumble. The mean square of the filtered signal gives us integrated loudness in LUFS.
True peak (dBTP) is measured at 4× oversampling to detect inter-sample peaks that occur between digital samples. Sample-peak measurement alone misses these peaks, which cause audible clipping during AAC and MP3 lossy encoding on streaming platforms. We enforce the true peak ceiling at -1 dBTP for all standard platforms.
Genre EQ profiles apply frequency-specific gain based on each genre's sonic characteristics: mud reduction at 250–400 Hz for hip-hop and trap, presence enhancement at 2–4 kHz for vocal clarity on phone speakers, sub-bass high-pass at 30–35 Hz for all genres to remove inaudible subsonic content that wastes headroom.
Master bus compression uses a VCA-style algorithm with genre-tuned attack and release times. Lo-fi and jazz use 50 ms attack to preserve transients; EDM and techno use 5–10 ms for density. Parallel compression blends the compressed signal at 20–40% wet to lift room sound without eliminating the uncompressed transient attack.
The final limiter stage uses lookahead limiting (3–5 ms) to catch transient peaks before they exceed the true peak ceiling. The limiter targets platform-specific LUFS: -14 LUFS for Spotify, -16 LUFS for Apple Music, -11 LUFS for SoundCloud, -9 LUFS for Beatport. Gain reduction is transparent at 1–2 dB of limiting; beyond 3 dB audible artifacts require reducing the input drive.
All processing runs in your browser via Web Audio API — no audio data is uploaded to any server.
Synthwave Mastering FAQ — Apple Music
What LUFS for synthwave on Apple Music?
Target -16 LUFS integrated. Synthwave benefits from a wider 8–12 LU dynamic range that preserves the vintage analog feel. Hard-limiting to -7 or -8 LUFS kills the warm dynamics that define the genre — and gets normalized down anyway.
How do I get authentic analog warmth in a synthwave master?
Apply tape saturation (1–2% harmonics) on the master bus before the limiter. Use an analog-style compressor emulation with slow attack and program-dependent release. Boost 200–400 Hz slightly for synthesizer body. The key is warmth without harshness — synthwave should sound like a vintage recording, not a polished modern mix.
Does synthwave's analog aesthetic translate on Apple Music?
Yes — the warmth frequencies (200–400 Hz) and analog saturation survive streaming compression on Apple Music. The gentle high-end rolloff above 12 kHz also ensures the compressed format doesn't add harshness.