At first, mastering is about careful listening on a reference-quality reproduction system in a familiar, acoustically controlled environment. It may be decided that it would benefit from tonal alterations, extra reverberation, or other process. It is often possible to remedy some minor problems. Master must be with signal appropriate level, but more obvious to the listener is the average level, which depends on the dynamic range of the music. Although it’s best to leave dynamic range in a natural way, there are times when level needs to be corrected. Recordings of a higher resolution than the release format are processed with noise-shaped dither applied following re-quantisation for optimum performance.
At second, mastering is about preparing the pre-master to be used for replication or duplication of particular release format. This pre-master should be free of faults and prepared in the way expected by the manufacturing plant.

Editing of classical music essentially involves joining together the takes recorded during the recording sessions in a convincing and pleasing way. It is not about creating notes that were never played, or changing ones that were into ones that weren't.
Digital editing allows a degree of precision and creativity that was once impossible. Options can be quickly and repeatedly compared. The whole process is entirely non-destructive so edits can be moved and changed as much as is felt necessary. On final stage extraneous noises (such as clicks, creaks, even page turns) can be removed or suppressed. Reducing the distraction of these extraneous noises allows the listener to concentrate more on the musical performance.
With the flexibility and possibilities offered, it is important not to edit all the musicality out! Editing should show the best of a performer, whilst not losing the sense of the piece of music being performed.

Mr. Bowles has mastered and edited tapes of opera performances recorded by NDR (Nord Deutsche Rundfunk) to produced CD releases for the Internationale Händel-Festspiele (Göttingen, Germany).

Mr. Bowles records, masters and produces concert performances of for Magnatune and “Performance Today” broadcasts on National Public Radio.
In September 2003 he started work on recording archive of , which dates from 1981. Eventually all those recordings will be transferred to a 24-bit AES-31 digital format, archived on AIT-2 tapes and also made into regular Audio CDs.

Mr. Bowles also records, masters and produces concert performances of the (broadcast on KXPR), the and the (broadcast on KDFC).

Other clients of mastering services include .

See list of mastered and edited releases here...