Mastering, a form of
audio post production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the
final mix to a
data storage device (the master); the source from which all copies will be produced (via methods such as pressing, duplication or
replication). In recent years
digital masters have become usual although analog masters, such as audio tapes, are still being used by the manufacturing industry, notably by a few engineers who have chosen to specialize in analog mastering.