How to Master Hardstyle in FL Studio

The first thing I do is apply an EQ and remove 300 Hz, around this range. These frequencies make your mix muddy, and if you reduce them a bit it gets crisp. There's frequency missing if you go too far, so that's why you don't do it too much.

This works almost any time. 99% of the time, remove this frequency and I guarantee you it will be cleaner.

It's a lot of presets, but it does sound good. After the EQ I use a multiband compressor, The King by WA Production, with a clean multiband compression preset. It makes it super punchy. You can do the same with FL Studio's Multiband Compressor on Mastering 2.4dB. Then Maximus on Clear master RMS. Boost it until it starts to clip, then move the knob until it's not clipping anymore.

The order matters. You want the EQ first and then you multiband compress it. You can't boost the volume and then multiband compress. Compress first, then add volume.

If you don't have any knowledge of mastering, take Ozone. It's the best mastering plugin there is, in my opinion. I downloaded Break the Game by Sub Zero Project and Keltek, a great and clean tune, added it under Reference, then ran the Master Assistant with that reference track. Everything goes automatic. If you send this to a label, no one will say the master is off.

Then tweak the effects yourself a little bit, because it's all dependent on your final mix. The better you are at mixing, the better you'll be at mastering. I'd recommend not putting the master effects on until your mix is 100% done.

A very important thing in your master chain is a stereoizer. Your sub, up to around 100 Hz, shouldn't have any width at all. The sub needs to be mono. The bass band a little bit less mono, the next band a little bit more width, and the highs you can make a bit stereo, so it excites your mix a little bit more.

On your headphones or in a club it maybe doesn't matter so much, but once you're playing really big festivals you want this to be clean. You put this in front of everything.

Start mastering your song at the loudest part. Don't master your break, master your drop if that's the loudest part. Always make sure your drop is louder than the break.

If your break is too loud, automate the master volume. In the build-up I just bring it down a little bit, so the break gets a little bit less loud and the drop just hits harder. I did the same with a master high pass that removes the bass in the build-up.