Mastering is all about referencing, certainty and workflow. Although specialized mastering softwares are lovely and have many features we all would love to be able to use, one can use a regular DAW to master records without compromising sound quality.
In this video Fab Dupont shares his mastering setup in Protools (easily adaptable to any DAW you like) so you can get the most out of your existing software.
This smart three track setup will allow you to make true comparison for level and tone matching between tracks, organize your music so the record reveals itself to you without relying on long term aural memory skills.
Beyond mastering, this system is great to work on your ears and compare the sound of plugins and processes, both software and hardware.
Music is from Grand Baton