Master a Beat Tape So Every Track Matches (Step by Step)
Published · by Loopin
A beat tape fails when track 4 is louder than track 3 and track 7 is thinner than both. Use one feel, one loudness and one reference, then fix the two outliers.
Step 1: Pick one reference and one feel
Choose a beat tape you like in the same style and put it next to your own in your player. Then choose a single Loopin feel for the whole tape, such as Punchy or Warm, and stick to it. Changing feels changes loudness, so mixing them is how a tape ends up uneven. If you do not have a mastering setup yet, start with the free online masterer for all ten and compare.
Write down the target before you start. On Loopin, the standard export is about −14 LUFS, Punchy about −11 and Club about −10. Pick one and use it on every track.
Step 2: Fix the mixes before the masters
Export each beat as a stereo WAV with peaks around −6 to −3 dB and nothing on the master track. A tape with ten different headroom habits is hard to match whatever you master with. Run the 30-second mono check on every track with an 808.
Skip tweaking the loudest and quietest beats at this stage. Mastering will show you which ones are off, and you can then adjust only those.
Step 3: Master them one at a time, in one sitting
Loopin masters one stereo mixdown at a time, with no batch or album mode, so you run each track yourself. Master the track free with previews and the loudness-matched A/B, which are unlimited. Doing it in one session keeps your ears on one standard.
Downloads are capped: 1 per rolling 24 hours with no account, 2 with a free account. A ten-beat tape needs five days on a free account, or Loopin Mastering Unlimited at $10 a month or $59 a year (check the pricing page for your region) if you want to finish the tape today.
Step 4: Check levels with a meter, not your ears
Load all ten WAVs into your DAW on separate tracks, or into a loudness meter, and read the integrated LUFS of each. Anything more than about 1 LU off the rest is an outlier. Our how to master an album consistently post explains why 1 LU is a good tolerance.
Then play the last 15 seconds of one track into the first 15 of the next. If you reach for the volume knob between them, the tape is not matched yet. Do this for the loudest track and the quietest one first; they are where problems hide.
Step 5: Fix the outliers, not the whole tape
Find the two worst tracks. Usually one is too quiet because of a sparse arrangement and one is too bright because of a hi-hat or a sample. Adjust that beat’s mix, re-export and master again with the same feel.
If a track cannot match without losing its punch, accept a small difference. A sparse interlude should be a little quieter than a banger. You are aiming for no surprises, not identical numbers.
Step 6: Name, order and ship
Number the files 01_ to 10_ in running order, and keep the WAV as the master. Our naming and tagging guide covers the rest.
If the tape is for sale or a client release and you can hear a problem you cannot fix, send the worst track to a human engineer. Automatic mastering is a fast pass and cannot rescue a weak mix.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make beat tape tracks the same loudness?
Use one feel for all of them, master each with the same target, then read the integrated LUFS of each file and fix any that are more than about 1 LU off.
What LUFS should a beat tape be?
About -14 LUFS for the standard export. Punchy sits near -11 and Club near -10. Pick one and keep it across every track.
Can Loopin master a whole beat tape at once?
No. It masters one stereo mixdown at a time, with no batch or album mode, so a 10-track tape means 10 runs.
How many beats can I download for free?
1 per rolling 24 hours with no account, or 2 with a free account. Previews and A/B are unlimited. Loopin Mastering Unlimited is $10 a month or $59 a year.
Should every track on a beat tape be exactly equally loud?
No. Aim for within about 1 LU. A quiet interlude can sit slightly lower; what matters is that you do not need to touch the volume between songs.