What does the Apple Digital Masters programme actually guarantee?
It is a preparation and workflow programme, not a badge of artistic quality. Here is the distinction, precisely.
What the programme is
Apple Digital Masters is a programme for the preparation of masters that meet Apple's technical requirements and digital delivery workflow. Apple's documentation stresses in particular the use of high resolution sources, keeping the native resolution where possible, and controlling the AAC encoding so as to best preserve the quality of the master through digital distribution.
What the programme is not
The certification does not mean that Apple guarantees the artistic quality of a mix or a master, nor that an Apple Digital Masters master will automatically be better or more dynamic than another. Mastering remains an artistic and technical undertaking carried out by the engineer.
| What the programme governs | What it does not decide |
|---|---|
| The quality of the source supplied | the artistic choices of the mix |
| Keeping the native resolution | the sonic character of the mastering |
| Conversion and AAC encoding | the dynamics chosen for the track |
| Compliance with Apple's workflow | whether the result succeeds artistically |
The real point
It is to make sure the master is prepared in line with Apple's workflow and recommendations, with particular attention to source quality, conversion and encoding. Apple presents the programme as a way to best preserve the intent of the master through digital distribution.
The certification guarantees that nothing will be lost along the way. What sets out in the first place remains the engineer's work.
On what happens before, see what to send to a mastering studio.
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