Stem Mastering is a bridge between mixing and mastering. When an artist is happy with their rough mix but still thinks it might need a little work before mastering, stem mastering fills that void.
Stem Mastering is still mastering, but with the ability to adjust elements of the mix as needed to get the perfect master, thereby eliminating a lot of back-and-forth to make mix changes.
You provide wave file stems of the session (as outlined in our stem creation procedure) and we deliver a finished master that is not only competitive, but also more dynamic and exciting than what can be done with traditional stereo mastering. It is the way to achieve the best possible version of the master.
Stereo Mastering is still a useful tool. But in the current music landscape getting a competitive edge while still retaining the excitement and depth of the original production is best done with stem mastering.