📖 Not learned 🎚️ Not finalized

unmastered

8.1

A music track that has not had the final sound changes for release

adjective
/ʌnˈmæstərd/

Specialized

: sin masterizar

The band released an unmastered track to give fans a preview of their new album.

Examples

Producers often compare the unmastered and mastered versions to check for improvements.
The unmastered version sounds rough.
Listening to the unmastered version, you can hear subtle differences before the final mix.
This track is still unmastered.
The band released an unmastered track to give fans a preview of their new album.
Listening to the unmastered version, you can hear subtle differences before the final mix.
Producers often compare the unmastered and mastered versions to check for improvements.

Synonyms

unperfected

vsunmastered

1 6.7

Not fully finished

is specific to audio works missing final sonic finishing for release

Antonyms

mastered

3 3.4

You understand it completely and can use or explain it easily

How Mastered

mastered

3 3.4

final

∞ 1.0

unmastered

Specialized

8.1

rough

62 2.8

raw

Specialized

2 2.4

Surface Forms

unmastered positive

Morphology

unmastered = mastered (transparent) = un + master + ed

The adjective is formed by negative prefix 'un-' applied to the participial/adjectival 'mastered' (finished in audio), a directly interpretable negation.

Etymology

The word unmastered comes from un- meaning 'not' and master meaning 'to make finished or perfect', especially in music where 'mastering' is the final step that polishes a track. So an unmastered track is one that is not finished in sound and not ready for release.