You can download the audio files for FREE to this song so you can import them in to your DAW and follow along if you like. Get those by clicking the link below. https://www.therecordingsolution.com/how-to-mix-and-master-audio-files/ In part 26 of how to mix and master a song we are covering a few compression techniques. The difference between mixing and mastering is when you mix, you are processing the individual tracks (kick, vocals, bass etc...etc...) with EQ, compression, and other effects to make all of those tracks work together as one unit. Mastering is taking the final mix of all those tracks and processing them as a whole with global EQ, Compression, Tape saturation and other tools to sculpt the overall stereo track that you've mixed. Mastering also brings the overall volume of the stereo mix to a commercially acceptable volume level, so that it's not too quiet when played next to other projects on the radio, spotify, itunes etc...etc... I use tape saturation as a form of a natural compression. Driving the audio into the virtual tape machine can help tame some transients and glue the track together without having to reach for a compressor and potentially over do it. I also show you a trick that I learned from grammy winning engineer Greg Wells where you use a multiband compressor to just slightly compress the mid range of the track. I does something very musical and just makes the track feel great! When mixing the song, I had a compressor on the stereo bus, so I didn't really need to add a lot more compression on the master track. I do add just a little in the next video of the series, but it's only around .5db of gain reduction on the transients. there are many ways and approaches on how to master a song, and it's different moves depending on the track and the mix. Go watch the previous video on using EQ on your masters. You can also grab a free EQ chart here and Ebook https://www.therecordingsolution.com/free-tools