# How to Master a Remix > Remixes bring baggage from the original stems -- inconsistent levels, mismatched tone. Here's how to master one so it sounds like a finished record, not a mashup. [All guides](/blog) # How to Master a Remix Published 5 September 2026, 00:00 UTC · updated 31 August 2026, 13:05 UTC · by Loopin A remix built from someone else's stems often carries mismatched tone and level from the original production. Mastering's job is making it sound like one cohesive record, not a collage. ## Check tonal consistency between original and new elements Vocal stems from the original often have a different tonal character than the new instrumental you've built around them — brighter, darker, more compressed. Before final mastering, do an EQ pass matching the vocal's tone to sit naturally in the new arrangement rather than sounding pasted on top. This is usually a bigger factor in whether a remix sounds professional than any mastering decision that comes after it. ## Genre-match the loudness to where the remix is going An EDM remix of a pop song should generally master closer to EDM loudness conventions — often −7 to −9 LUFS integrated — rather than the original's loudness, since it's now living in a different genre context with different listener expectations. Think about where the remix will actually be played — a club set, a streaming playlist — and master toward that context rather than defaulting to whatever the source track used. ## Watch the low end carefully with new bass elements A new bassline or 808 added under an existing vocal can easily clash with low-end content already present in the vocal stem, creating buildup that wasn't a problem in the original mix. Check the 60–150 Hz range specifically for congestion between old and new elements. A high-pass on the vocal stem around 100–120 Hz, if it isn't already applied, usually clears most of this without needing aggressive processing on the new bass. ## Bring cohesion with a light overall glue A gentle bus compressor across the full mix, doing just half a decibel to a decibel of work, helps different-sourced elements feel like they're playing in the same room rather than sitting on top of each other. This isn't about loudness — it's about cohesion. If the remix still feels like separate pieces after this, the issue is more likely arrangement or tonal matching than something mastering alone can fix. ## Reference against remixes in the same style Pull up a released remix in a similar genre and compare energy, loudness and overall cohesion at matched levels. A remix that holds up in that comparison is properly mastered, regardless of how different the source elements originally were. This is a more useful check than comparing back to the original track, since your remix is now competing in a different genre's listening context. ## Frequently asked questions ### How loud should a remix be mastered? Match the genre you're remixing into, not the original track's loudness. An EDM remix commonly masters around -7 to -9 LUFS integrated, since it's now living in a different listening context with different expectations. ### Why does my remix sound like separate pieces instead of one track? Usually a tonal mismatch between the original vocal stem and the new instrumental. EQ-match the vocal to sit naturally in the new arrangement, and add a light overall bus compressor for cohesion. ### How do I stop a new bassline clashing with the original vocal stem? Check the 60-150 Hz range for buildup between the two, and high-pass the vocal stem around 100-120 Hz if it isn't already -- this usually clears most low-end clash without needing to process the new bass aggressively. ## Related reads - [Master your track free](/mastering) - [How to master a cover song](/blog/how-to-master-a-cover-song) - [What is LUFS?](/mastering/what-is-lufs) --- Source: https://onloopin.com/blog/how-to-master-a-remix