How to Master in Studio One (Project Page)

Updated August 2026 · by Loopin

Studio One has a dedicated Project page built for mastering — you assemble tracks, apply a master chain, meter loudness and export from one place. The stock chain is Pro EQ for corrective moves, Multiband Dynamics for band-by-band glue, a Tricomp or Compressor, then a Limiter with a −1 dB ceiling. The Project page shows integrated LUFS so you can land near −14 LUFS before export. Prefer to skip it? Loopin’s browser mastering does the same automatically.

Why the Project page is different

Most DAWs make you master on the mix bus of your song. Studio One has a separate Project page designed specifically for mastering: you drop finished songs in as tracks, sequence them, apply a master chain, meter loudness, and export — all in a purpose-built workspace.

It also links back to your Song. The Project page can update the master from the song automatically, so when you fix something in the mix, the mastered version pulls in the change without a manual re-bounce.

This matters most for EPs and albums, where you want every track sequenced, level-matched and mastered to a consistent loudness in one sitting. Instead of exporting each song and re-importing it into a fresh session, you keep everything live in one Project and export the whole set from there.

A dedicated page for assembling and mastering tracks
Integrated LUFS metering shown right on the page
Auto-update the master when the source song changes
One place to sequence, master and export

Create a new Project and add your finished song as a track — it becomes a track you can master and sequence.
Open the master chain (insert rack) for the Project output.
Watch the built-in integrated LUFS readout on the Project page as you work.
Build the chain in order: Pro EQ ’ Multiband Dynamics ’ Tricomp/Compressor ’ Limiter.

Step 1 — Pro EQ (corrective)

Start with Pro EQ for corrective work. High-pass the useless sub-rumble, then gently cut wherever the mix reads boxy or harsh.

Master-stage EQ is about balance, not reinvention. Broad, subtle moves translate; narrow surgical ones tend not to.

High-pass the deep rumble the track doesn’t need
Cut mud or harshness with wide, gentle bands
Small boosts only — a touch of air can help
Aim for a cleaner mix, not a different tone

Step 2 — Multiband Dynamics (glue)

Add Multiband Dynamics next for cohesion. Splitting into bands lets you control the low end separately from the mids and highs, so bass movement doesn’t clamp the entire track.

Keep the reduction gentle — a small amount per band that glues the mix together without audible pumping.

Independent bands keep bass from ducking everything
Gentle reduction per band — glue, not squash
Tame whichever band jumps out
Listen for cohesion, not obvious compression

Step 3 — Tricomp or Compressor

For broadband glue, add Tricomp or the standard Compressor after the multiband stage. This ties the whole track together with a gentle, musical squeeze.

As with every dynamics stage at mastering, restraint wins — a dB or two of movement is plenty, and it shouldn’t call attention to itself.

Broadband glue after the multiband stage
A dB or two of gain reduction is enough
Should feel invisible, not pumping
Sits before the limiter

Step 4 — Limiter at a −1 dB ceiling

End the chain with the Limiter, ceiling set to −1 dB. That headroom stops lossy encoders from clipping on inter-sample peaks when a platform re-encodes your track.

The limiter is the final safety net. Push into it only as much as you need to hit your loudness target; if you need heavy limiting, something earlier in the chain is too hot.

Because the Project page reports integrated LUFS in real time, you can tune the limiter’s input against the readout — nudge it up until the meter settles at about −14 LUFS, then stop. That’s far more reliable than pushing for a loud-looking waveform and hoping.

Set the ceiling to −1 dB
It’s the last plugin in the chain
Use it to catch peaks, not to force loudness
Heavy limiting means an earlier stage is too hot

How to master in Studio One, start to finish

Here’s the whole workflow on the Project page, ending at a streaming-ready WAV:

Create a Project and add your finished song as a track.
Insert Pro EQ — high-pass and gently cut any mud or harshness.
Add Multiband Dynamics for band-by-band glue.
Add Tricomp or the Compressor for broadband glue.
Add the Limiter with a −1 dB ceiling.
Watch the Project page’s integrated LUFS and adjust until it reads about −14 LUFS.
Export the mastered file as WAV from the Project page.
Want it done for you? Drop the raw mix into Loopin’s free mastering tool and it targets −14 LUFS and −1 dBTP automatically.

Common mistakes in Studio One mastering

Mastering in the Song page instead of the Project page — the Project page is purpose-built and meters LUFS for you.
Ignoring the integrated LUFS readout — use it to confirm about −14 LUFS.
Setting the limiter above −1 dB — the ceiling leaves headroom for lossy encoding.
Over-driving Multiband Dynamics — it’s for glue, not squashing.
Chasing loudness past −14 LUFS — streaming turns hot masters down and keeps the damage.
Forgetting the auto-update link — if you fix the song, let the Project page pull the change in rather than re-bouncing by hand.

The faster free alternative

Studio One’s Project page is one of the best mastering environments in any DAW, but building Pro EQ, Multiband Dynamics, a compressor and a limiter and dialing each one still takes time and a trained ear. Loopin’s online mastering runs the same idea — corrective EQ, multiband compression with an independent low end, saturation, M/S stereo shaping, two-pass loudness targeting to about −14 LUFS and a true-peak limiter at −1 dBTP — automatically in your browser.

It’s free, needs no signup, uploads nothing, and adds no watermark. A/B it against your mix and export a 16-bit WAV in minutes, then take it back into the Project page if you want to refine by hand.

Frequently asked questions

How do you master in Studio One?

Use the dedicated Project page. Add your finished song, then build a stock chain: Pro EQ for corrective moves, Multiband Dynamics for glue, Tricomp or the Compressor, then a Limiter with a −1 dB ceiling. Meter integrated LUFS on the page and export as WAV.

What is the Studio One Project page for?

It’s a workspace built specifically for mastering — you assemble and sequence tracks, apply a master chain, meter integrated loudness, and export from one place. It can also update the master from the song automatically.

What LUFS should I target in Studio One?

About −14 LUFS integrated, which matches the level major streaming platforms normalize toward. The Project page shows integrated LUFS so you can confirm you’ve landed there before exporting.

What ceiling should the Studio One limiter use?

Set the Limiter’s ceiling to −1 dB. That headroom stops lossy encoders from clipping on inter-sample peaks when a platform re-encodes your track. It runs last in the master chain.

Is there a faster free alternative to the Project page?

Yes. Loopin’s browser mastering runs corrective EQ, multiband compression, saturation, stereo shaping, loudness to about −14 LUFS and a −1 dBTP limiter automatically. It’s free, uploads nothing, and exports a 16-bit WAV.