How to Master a Cover Song
Published · updated · by Loopin
The first decision in mastering a cover isn't technical — it's whether you're chasing the original's sound or letting your version be its own thing. Everything after that gets easier once you've decided.
Use the original as a reference, not a target
Play the original next to your rough master, level-matched, and listen for the general balance — is the vocal similarly forward, is the low end in a similar place. You're checking for gross mismatches, not trying to replicate it exactly.
If your arrangement or instrumentation is meaningfully different from the original — a full band cover of an acoustic song, for instance — chasing the original's exact tonal balance can actively work against your version. Master for what you actually recorded.
Match loudness expectations to genre, not the original's era
Older originals were often mastered to older loudness conventions that don't match what streaming platforms expect today. Master your cover to a modern −14 LUFS integrated target regardless of how loud or quiet the original was — the original's loudness isn't the standard you're being measured against.
This matters especially for covers of songs from the 90s or earlier, where mastering loudness was often quite different from what's typical now.
Address whatever's actually different about your recording
A home-recorded cover usually has different room characteristics, mic quality, and arrangement density than a studio original — comparing the two too literally can lead you to chase problems that aren't really there. Master for what's actually in your mix.
If your version has more low-mid density than the original because of a fuller arrangement, a slightly more aggressive cut around 250–400 Hz than the original needed is normal and expected, not a sign something's wrong.
Be honest about what genre conventions your cover falls under
A stripped-down acoustic cover of a pop song should probably master more like a folk track than like the original pop production — quieter, more dynamic, less compressed. Master to the genre your version actually is, not the genre of the source material.
This single reframe solves a lot of confusion people have when a cover master "doesn't sound like the original" despite doing everything technically right.
Final check: does it stand on its own?
Play your master for someone who doesn't know the original, if possible, and ask if it sounds finished and intentional. A cover that only sounds right in direct comparison to the source material, and falls apart on its own, usually needs another pass.
The goal is a master that works as a standalone piece of music, not one that only makes sense as an imitation.
Frequently asked questions
Should I master a cover song to match the original exactly?
Use the original as a reference for general balance, not an exact target -- especially if your arrangement differs meaningfully from it. Master for what you actually recorded, not for an imitation of the source.
What loudness should I master a cover song to?
A modern -14 LUFS integrated target regardless of how loud the original was. Older originals, especially, were often mastered to different loudness conventions that don't reflect current streaming standards.
Why does my cover sound different from the original even after careful mastering?
Your recording likely has different room characteristics, arrangement density or instrumentation than the original -- master for what's actually in your mix rather than chasing an exact match to a different production.