Ever wondered why engineers intentionally add noise to audio? In this episode of Inside the Mix, returning guest, mastering engineer and Berklee professor Ian Stewart, breaks down what dither is, why it’s used, and when to apply it in your music production workflow.

Through clear explanations and real audio demos, Ian demonstrates how dither replaces digital artefacts with smooth, barely noticeable noise, preserving details such as reverb tails and low-level audio that would otherwise be distorted during bit depth reduction.

You’ll learn:

• Do I need to dither when exporting a 24-bit file to a 16-bit file?
• Can skipping dither cause distortion in quiet passages?
• When should you use dither in mastering?

Whether you’re mixing in 32-bit float or exporting for streaming, this episode explains how audio dither helps preserve quality during final delivery and when it’s best to skip it.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Follow Ian Stewart

32-Bit Float Files Explained

Goodhertz Good Dither

Izotope RX 11

Wavelabs 30th Anniversary

Send me a message

Support the show

Ways to connect with Marc:

Book your FREE 20 Minute Discovery Call

Radio-ready mixes start here - get the FREE weekly tips

Grab exclusive access to BONUS content

Follow Marc's Socials:

Instagram | YouTube | Synth Music Mastering

Thanks for listening!!

Confused about which audio sample rate to choose for your music? Whether you're recording your first track or mastering for Dolby Atmos, knowing the difference between 44.1kHz, 48kHz, and 96kHz is more than technical—it’s essential to how your music sounds and where it ends up.

In this episode of Inside the Mix, mastering engineer and Berklee professor Ian Stewart returns to demystify one of the most misunderstood elements in music production: digital audio sample rates.

We answer common questions like:

• What is a sample rate in audio production?
• Should I use 44.1kHz or 48kHz when mixing?
• Does a higher sample rate improve sound quality?
• What sample rate should I use for streaming or mastering?

Ian explains the Nyquist-Shannon theorem, how aliasing impacts your mix, and why 48kHz is the new practical standard, from YouTube to Bluetooth devices to Dolby Atmos. Plus, we discuss how higher sample rates give your plugins more headroom for harmonic generation and cleaner processing.

Don’t miss this one if you’re serious about choosing the best sample rate for your music. And stay tuned, next episode we dive into dither.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Follow Ian Stewart

Send me a message

Support the show

Ways to connect with Marc:

Book your FREE 20 Minute Discovery Call

Radio-ready mixes start here - get the FREE weekly tips

Grab exclusive access to BONUS content

Follow Marc's Socials:

Instagram | YouTube | Synth Music Mastering

Thanks for listening!!

Ever wondered if you're tracking the right metrics in your music production journey? That nagging question—"Am I measuring what truly drives growth or just staying busy?"—led me to create something that transformed my creative process completely.

In this episode of Inside the Mix, I introduce the Producer Growth Scorecard—a free, gamified tool designed to help you track what actually moves the needle in your music career.

Whether you're trying to release a new track every six weeks or just break through creative ruts, this system helps you focus on the right production habits. Each task—like finishing a loop, mixing a track, or releasing a single—earns points toward a weekly goal. The target? 40 points per week. Simple, measurable, and motivating.

We’ll dive into how the scorecard works, how it ties your day-to-day activity to long-term output, and why it’s helping producers worldwide stay consistent and finish more music.

If you’ve ever asked, “How do I stay productive as a music producer?” or “What should I track to grow as an indie artist?”—this is the episode for you

Links mentioned in this episode:

Grab your FREE Producer Growth Scorecard

Send me a message

Support the show

Ways to connect with Marc:

Book your FREE 20 Minute Discovery Call

Radio-ready mixes start here - get the FREE weekly tips

Grab exclusive access to BONUS content

Follow Marc's Socials:

Instagram | YouTube | Synth Music Mastering

Thanks for listening!!