Matchering Alternative: Reference Mastering Without the Setup
Published · by Loopin
Matchering is excellent free software if you're happy to install it. If you just want a finished master today, pick a feel, master online, and do the reference comparison by ear: it takes ten minutes and nothing to set up.
Credit what Matchering gets right
Matchering 2.0 is open-source (GPL-3.0) and does one clever thing: you give it your track and a reference track, and it matches your track's RMS, frequency response, peak amplitude and stereo width to the reference, then runs its own brickwall limiter. It can write 16-bit or 24-bit WAVs.
For a producer who knows exactly which released song they want to sound like, that's powerful, and it's free. If you're comfortable with Docker or Python, it's worth keeping in your toolkit.
Count the setup cost honestly
At the time of writing (October 2026), the project lists four ways in: a Docker image for Windows, macOS and Linux; a Python library that needs Python 3.8 or newer and libsndfile; a ComfyUI node; and an integration inside the UVR5 desktop app. It asks for a machine with at least 4 GB of RAM.
None of that is hard for a developer. For a songwriter on a deadline, a Chromebook, or a shared laptop, it's an evening of installs before the first master. That's the gap an online masterer fills.
Know the reference trap before you rely on it
Matching a reference only works if the reference suits your song. Match a bright, dense pop single with a sparse acoustic demo and you get a harsh, over-limited master, because the algorithm pushes your track toward a frequency curve and loudness it was never arranged for.
So pick references with the same instrumentation, tempo feel and vocal style. And remember the reference's loudness is part of the match: a modern pop master may sit well above −14 LUFS, which streaming will just turn down.
Use a feel as your starting reference
Loopin doesn't do reference matching. Instead, you master the track free online by picking one of eight feels that act like built-in reference targets: Punchy (about −11 LUFS) for rap and pop, Club (about −10) for dance, Warm, Crisp, Wide, Vintage and Lo-fi for tone, and Cinematic (about −16) for dynamic, score-like music. The default export is a 16-bit WAV at about −14 LUFS with a −1 dBTP ceiling.
Try the two feels closest to your reference's sound. There's no account and no install, so testing both takes a couple of minutes.
Do the reference check by ear in 10 minutes
Load your master and your reference into any player or DAW. Turn the louder one down until they're the same loudness — within about 0.5 dB. Then switch every few seconds on the chorus and listen in this order: low end (kick and bass weight), vocal level and brightness, width.
If your master is darker than the reference, try Crisp. Heavier in the lows, try Warm and check your mix's bass. Narrower, try Wide. That's reference mastering by hand, and it works without any setup. How to A/B your master properly has the full routine.
Pick the tool per job
If you have a perfect reference and a working Python or Docker setup, Matchering is a great free option. If you want a fast, repeatable master for demos, beat tapes and singles, run it through the free masterer and do the reference check by ear.
Either way, if your master and the reference differ in one instrument rather than overall tone, that's a mix fix, not a mastering one. For more on the software-vs-online choice, see mastering plugins vs online mastering.
Frequently asked questions
Is Matchering free?
Yes. Matchering 2.0 is open-source under the GPL-3.0 licence and free to use.
How do I install Matchering?
At the time of writing (October 2026) you can use its Docker image, the Python library (Python 3.8+ and libsndfile), a ComfyUI node, or the UVR5 desktop app. It needs at least 4 GB of RAM.
What is a Matchering alternative with no setup?
An online masterer. Loopin Mastering is free, unlimited and needs no sign-up; you pick one of eight feels and compare against a reference by ear.
Does Loopin do reference matching?
No. It uses eight feels as starting points. Level-match a reference yourself and switch between them to check.
How do I choose a reference track?
Pick a released song with similar instruments, tempo feel and vocal style. A mismatched reference produces a harsh or over-limited master.
Should my master be as loud as the reference?
Not necessarily. Streaming normalises to about -14 LUFS, so matching a louder reference only costs dynamics.