Re: Mastering
Loud mostly comes from the EQ balance. If you want it to be competitively loud you'll most likely have to sacrifice some subs and add more presence (2k-5k). Also, distortion is your friend, that's a big part of making things loud. That's why the Oxford Limiter and Inflator have been standard tools for this for many years.
But yeah you're right there is a lot more to it than that. It really does take years to fully grasp the art of mastering. There are many variables and you have to listen for yourself and make the judgement call. This advice can send you down a path of experimentation that might get you some where. It all depends on what works with the music, and it's all subjective.
Good luck!
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