1import{u as W,j as e,D,A as O,E as K,a as N}from"./index-DGKNtf3q.js";import{L,b as v}from"./vendor-Djr1IunZ.js";import{P as G}from"./platforms-DUbC6pLN.js";const n="#ff2d8d",j="#ff70b8",g="#0099ff",E="#55bbff",$="#f5c518",q="#a855f7",Y="#ff9f0a",I="#00d4ff",z="#0a0c14",b="#1a1d28",s="'JetBrains Mono', monospace",x="'Space Grotesk', sans-serif",J=i=>{const d=Math.floor(i/60),a=Math.floor(i%60);return`${d}:${a.toString().padStart(2,"0")}`};function V(){return v.useEffect(()=>{document.title="Mastering Pop â LUFS Targets, Smiley Curve EQ & Subgenre Guide | mastering.to";const i=(c,p,m=!1)=>{const y=m?`meta[property="${c}"]`:`meta[name="${c}"]`;let h=document.querySelector(y);h||(h=document.createElement("meta"),m?h.setAttribute("property",c):h.setAttribute("name",c),document.head.appendChild(h)),h.setAttribute("content",p)};i("description","The complete guide to mastering pop music â the smiley curve EQ explained, LUFS targets for mainstream pop, indie pop, K-pop, synth-pop, bedroom pop, and pop-R&B, vocal clarity, streaming normalization, and why pop is the genre where good mastering is most invisible."),i("og:title","Mastering Pop â Smiley Curve EQ, LUFS Targets & Subgenre Guide | mastering.to",!0),i("og:description","The smiley curve EQ, LUFS targets across six pop subgenres, vocal clarity, and why streaming normalization actually changed pop mastering. The complete guide.",!0),i("og:type","article",!0),i("og:url","https://mastering.to/mastering-pop",!0),i("og:image","https://mastering.to/mockup-tool-suite.png",!0),i("og:image:width","1200",!0),i("og:image:height","630",!0),i("twitter:card","summary_large_image"),i("twitter:title","Mastering Pop | mastering.to"),i("twitter:description","Smiley curve EQ, LUFS targets for six pop subgenres, vocal clarity, and how streaming normalization changed pop mastering."),i("twitter:image","https://mastering.to/mockup-tool-suite.png");let d=document.querySelector('link[rel="canonical"]');d||(d=document.createElement("link"),d.setAttribute("rel","canonical"),document.head.appendChild(d)),d.setAttribute("href","https://mastering.to/mastering-pop");const a={"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage",mainEntity:[{"@type":"Question",name:"What LUFS should pop music be mastered to?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"Pop LUFS targets vary by subgenre and era. Mainstream commercial pop typically masters at â7 to â9 LUFS integrated â competitive but not extreme. K-pop production is often the loudest in the pop family at â6 to â8 LUFS, with meticulous production quality to match. Indie pop sits between â10 and â13 LUFS, prioritizing dynamic character over loudness competition. Bedroom pop targets â12 to â16 LUFS, where the lo-fi intimacy of the production is preserved. Synth-pop generally lands at â8 to â11 LUFS. Pop-R&B sits at â8 to â10 LUFS. Streaming platforms normalize all of these to the same playback level, so the LUFS target primarily affects the dynamic character of the master rather than how loud it sounds on streaming."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"What is the smiley curve EQ in pop mastering?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"The smiley curve is an EQ shape named for its visual resemblance to a smile â boosted low frequencies (60â150 Hz for weight and warmth), a gentle scoop in the mid-range (300â2000 Hz), and boosted high frequencies (8â16 kHz for air and presence). This shape is deeply embedded in pop production and mastering because it exploits the Fletcher-Munson equal-loudness principle: at the moderate listening volumes typical of consumer playback, the human ear is less sensitive to bass and treble than to mids. Boosting the extremes compensates for this and produces a mix that sounds full, bright, and exciting at everyday listening volumes. The smiley curve is not a universal rule â it's a psychoacoustic tool appropriate for certain genres and listening contexts."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"How do you master pop vocals?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"Pop vocal mastering at the bus stage is primarily about ensuring the vocal sits correctly in the stereo field and translates across playback systems. The individual vocal processing should be done in the mix. At the mastering stage: a gentle high-mid presence boost (3â5 kHz) can add intelligibility and cut-through on small speakers; a de-esser or dynamic EQ in the 6â10 kHz range catches sibilance that only becomes obvious in the context of the full master; and checking the vocal in mono ensures it doesn't lose presence in the fold-down. The most important thing in pop vocal mastering is not processing â it's listening to how the vocal sits in the context of the entire master and ensuring it commands the right amount of attention."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"How did streaming normalization change pop mastering?",acceptedA
1nswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"Streaming normalization genuinely changed pop mastering behavior in a way it didn't fully change other genres. Pop is primarily distributed through streaming platforms â unlike metal (physical media) or hip-hop (YouTube, mixes) â so the commercial logic of the loudness war simply stopped applying. A pop master at â7 LUFS and one at â14 LUFS play back at exactly the same volume on Spotify and Apple Music. The shift toward more dynamic pop production â audible in the masters of artists like Billie Eilish, Lorde, and SZA from the mid-2010s onward â is partly a response to this changed incentive structure. Masters that breathe and have dynamic contrast simply sound better through streaming normalization than maximally limited masters."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"What is bedroom pop and how do you master it?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"Bedroom pop is a lo-fi, intimate pop aesthetic produced with minimal equipment in home environments â close-mic'd vocals, simple arrangements, and a production texture that foregrounds the imperfections of home recording. Mastering bedroom pop requires restraint: the lo-fi character is the aesthetic, not a problem to fix. Heavy limiting flattens the intimate dynamic quality. The LUFS target is typically lower than commercial pop (â12 to â16 LUFS) to preserve the quiet, close-mic'd character. A gentle high-shelf boost can add presence without polishing away the bedroom feel."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"What is K-pop mastering and why is it different?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"K-pop is distinguished by extraordinarily meticulous production â complex vocal arrangements, precision-engineered instrumental layers, and a sonic polish that exceeds most Western commercial pop. The mastering targets are aggressive (â6 to â8 LUFS) but the production quality going into the master is typically excellent, meaning the limiting works on a clean, well-balanced mix rather than compensating for mix problems. The smiley curve EQ is particularly prominent in K-pop mastering, with significant high-frequency extension (12â16 kHz air band) that gives the genre its characteristic brightness and clarity."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"Should pop be mastered differently for Spotify vs. Apple Music?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"The mastering itself doesn't need to be different â both platforms apply loudness normalization at playback. Spotify targets â14 LUFS, Apple Music targets â16 LUFS. Both will turn your master down to their target if it's louder. The practical difference is the codec: Spotify streams at AAC 128/256 kbps depending on quality setting, Apple Music streams at AAC 256 kbps or lossless. The true peak ceiling of â1.0 dBTP protects against intersample distortion through both codecs. If you're delivering to Apple Digital Masters, there are specific preparation requirements around sample rate and bit depth that apply before mastering, not during."}},{"@type":"Question",name:"What are the key pop labels for mastering reference?",acceptedAnswer:{"@type":"Answer",text:"For mastering reference by subgenre: Republic Records and Interscope (mainstream commercial pop); 4AD and Domino Records (indie pop); SM Entertainment, HYBE, and JYP Entertainment (K-pop); Secretly Canadian and Dead Oceans (bedroom pop and indie); RCA and Columbia (pop-R&B). The mastering on recent Billie Eilish releases (Darkroom/Interscope) is widely cited as an example of competitive pop loudness with preserved dynamic range. Taylor Swift's Eras-era catalog (Republic) and Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia (Warner) represent contemporary mainstream pop mastering at its most polished."}}]},l={"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList",itemListElement:[{"@type":"ListItem",position:1,name:"mastering.to",item:"https://mastering.to"},{"@type":"ListItem",position:2,name:"Mastering Pop",item:"https://mastering.to/mastering-pop"}]},t={"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article",headline:"Mastering Pop â LUFS Targets, Smiley Curve EQ & Subgenre Guide",description:"The complete guide to mastering pop music â smiley curve EQ, six subgenre LUFS targets, vocal clarity, and how streaming normalization changed the game.",url:"https://mastering.to/mastering-pop",publisher:{"@type":"Organization",name:"mastering.to",url:"https://mastering.to"},about:[{"@type":"Thing",name:"Pop music"},{"@type":"Thing",name:"Audio mastering"},{"@type":"Thing",name:"Smiley curve EQ"}]},u="pop-schema";let o=document.getElementById(u);return o||(o=document.createElement("script"),o.id=u,o.type="application/ld+json",document.head.appendChild(o)),o.textContent=JSON.stringify([a,l,t]),()=>{document.title="mastering.to â Free Audio Analyzer | LUFS Checker";const c=document.querySelector('meta[name="description"]');c&&c.setAttribute("content","Free browser-based audio mastering quality control tool. Analyze loudne
1ss (LUFS), true peak, dynamics, stereo width, spectrum, and get platform-specific assessments for Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, vinyl, and 35+ formats. Your audio never leaves your browser.");const p=document.getElementById(u);p&&p.remove();const m=document.querySelector('link[rel="canonical"]');m&&m.remove()}},[]),null}function Z(){return e.jsxs("nav",{"aria-label":"breadcrumb",style:{display:"flex",alignItems:"center",gap:6,fontFamily:s,fontSize:10,color:"#333348",marginBottom:24,letterSpacing:"0.06em"},children:[e.jsx(L,{to:"/",style:{color:"#9aa0ad",textDecoration:"none"},onMouseEnter:i=>i.target.style.color=n,onMouseLeave:i=>i.target.style.color="#9aa0ad",children:"mastering.to"}),e.jsx("span",{style:{color:"#2a2d38"},children:"âº"}),e.jsx("span",{style:{color:"#888898"},children:"mastering pop"})]})}function P({eyebrow:i,heading:d,subhead:a,children:l}){return e.jsxs("section",{style:{marginBottom:56,paddingTop:16},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginBottom:24},children:[i&&e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:9,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.18em",color:`${n}66`,fontFamily:s,marginBottom:10},children:i}),e.jsx("h2",{style:{fontFamily:x,fontSize:28,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0",lineHeight:1.2,margin:"0 0 10px"},children:d}),a&&e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:15,color:"#9aa0ad",lineHeight:1.65,margin:0,maxWidth:640},children:a})]}),l]})}function C({eyebrow:i,heading:d,desc:a,children:l}){return e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:z,border:`1px solid ${b}`,borderRadius:10,padding:"28px 24px",marginBottom:40},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginBottom:20},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:9,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",color:"#9aa0ad",fontFamily:s,marginBottom:8},children:i}),e.jsx("h3",{style:{fontFamily:x,fontSize:22,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0",margin:"0 0 8px",lineHeight:1.2},children:d}),a&&e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:13,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.6,maxWidth:620,margin:0},children:a})]}),l]})}function _(){const i=v.useRef(null),d=v.useRef(null),a=v.useRef(0);return v.useEffect(()=>{const l=i.current;if(!l)return;const t=l.getContext("2d"),u=l.width,o=l.height,c=y=>{const h=Math.log10(20),w=Math.log10(2e4);return(Math.log10(y)-h)/(w-h)*(u-20)+10},p=(y,h)=>{const w=4.5*h/(1+Math.pow(y/120,2.2)),S=-3.5*h*Math.exp(-Math.pow((Math.log10(y)-Math.log10(800))/.55,2)),A=4*h*(1/(1+Math.pow(16e3/y,2.5))),M=2*h*Math.exp(-Math.pow((Math.log10(y)-Math.log10(13e3))/.3,2));return w+S+A+M},m=()=>{t.clearRect(0,0,u,o),t.fillStyle="#07080f",t.fillRect(0,0,u,o);const y=a.current,h=Math.min(y/90,1),w=h>=1?.04*Math.sin(y*.025):0,S=h+w,A=r=>o/2-r/8*(o/2-12);[-6,-3,0,3,6].forEach(r=>{const f=A(r);t.strokeStyle=r===0?"#2a2d3a":"#1a1d28",t.lineWidth=r===0?1:.5,t.beginPath(),t.moveTo(0,f),t.lineTo(u,f),t.stroke(),r!==0&&(t.fillStyle="#333348",t.font="7px 'JetBrains Mono', monospace",t.fillText(`${r>0?"+":""}${r}dB`,3,f-2))}),[50,100,200,500,1e3,2e3,5e3,1e4,18e3].forEach(r=>{const f=c(r);t.strokeStyle="#1a1d28",t.lineWidth=.5,t.beginPath(),t.moveTo(f,0),t.lineTo(f,o),t.stroke();const k=r>=1e3?`${r/1e3}k`:`${r}`;t.fillStyle="#333348",t.font="7px 'JetBrains Mono', monospace",t.textAlign="center",t.fillText(k,f,o-3),t.textAlign="left"});const M=[];for(let r=0;r<=300;r++){const f=Math.pow(10,Math.log10(20)+r/300*(Math.log10(2e4)-Math.log10(20)));M.push(f)}const T=M.map(r=>({x:c(r),y:A(p(r,S)),db:p(r,S)})),B=t.createLinearGradient(0,0,u,0);B.addColorStop(0,g+"22"),B.addColorStop(.35,n+"11"),B.addColorStop(.65,n+"11"),B.addColorStop(1,n+"22"),t.beginPath(),t.moveTo(T[0].x,o/2),T.forEach(r=>t.lineTo(r.x,r.y)),t.lineTo(T[T.length-1].x,o/2),t.closePath(),t.fillStyle=B,t.fill();const F=t.createLinearGradient(0,0,u,0);if(F.addColorStop(0,g+"88"),F.addColorStop(.4,n+"66"),F.addColorStop(.6,n+"66"),F.addColorStop(1,n+"88"),t.save(),t.shadowColor=n,t.shadowBlur=10,t.strokeStyle=F,t.lineWidth=2.5,t.beginPath(),T.forEach((r,f)=>f===0?t.moveTo(r.x,r.y):t.lineTo(r.x,r.y)),t.stroke(),t.restore(),t.strokeStyle="#fff",t.lineWidth=.8,t.globalAlpha=.6,t.beginPath(),T.forEach((r,f)=>f===0?t.moveTo(r.x,r.y):t.lineTo(r.x,r.y)),t.stroke(),t.globalAlpha=1,S>.6){const r=Math.min((S-.6)/.4,1);[{hz:80,db:4.2,text:"Low shelf boost",color:g},{hz:800,db:-3.8,text:"Mid scoop",color:n},{hz:13e3,db:4.5,text:"Air / presence",color:j}
1].forEach(k=>{const Q=c(k.hz),H=A(k.db*S);t.save(),t.globalAlpha=r,t.fillStyle=k.color,t.font="bold 8px 'JetBrains Mono', monospace",t.textAlign="center",t.fillText(k.text,Q,k.db>0?H-7:H+14),t.restore()})}a.current+=1,d.current=requestAnimationFrame(m)};return d.current=requestAnimationFrame(m),()=>cancelAnimationFrame(d.current)},[]),e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx("canvas",{ref:i,width:480,height:160,style:{width:"100%",height:"auto",borderRadius:6,display:"block",border:`1px solid ${n}22`}}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"flex",justifyContent:"space-between",marginTop:6},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:8,color:`${g}77`},children:"20 Hz"}),e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:8,color:"#333348"},children:"The smiley curve â pop's defining EQ shape"}),e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:8,color:`${n}77`},children:"20 kHz"})]})]})}const R=[{id:"mainstream",label:"Mainstream Pop",shortLabel:"Mainstream",bpmMid:120,polish:90,color:n,icon:"â",era:"1980sâpresent",bpm:"100â130 BPM",desc:"The commercial center â meticulously produced, sonically polished, and engineered to work across every playback context simultaneously. Mainstream pop mastering is about achieving competitive loudness without sacrificing the vocal clarity and tonal balance that make a pop record feel effortless. The production quality is typically excellent, meaning the mastering stage is finishing rather than correcting.",lufs:"â7 to â9 LUFS",truePeak:"â1.0 dBTP",lra:"6â9 LU",notes:"The smiley curve EQ is the standard tonal approach. Vocal presence (3â5 kHz) needs protecting from the dense instrumental arrangement. True peak is critical â pop vocals with heavy compression and limiting generate high intersample peaks through AAC. A multiband approach handles the vocal and low-end dynamics independently.",artists:"Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd",labels:"Republic Records, Columbia, Interscope, RCA"},{id:"indiepop",label:"Indie Pop",shortLabel:"Indie Pop",bpmMid:112,polish:55,color:q,icon:"ð¸",era:"1980sâpresent",bpm:"90â130 BPM",desc:"Indie pop values personality over polish â a slightly more organic sound, more dynamic range, and a production aesthetic that doesn't sand away every imperfection. The mastering approach rewards restraint: lower loudness targets, more preserved dynamics, and a tonal balance that feels warm and human rather than gleaming. The vocal is still central but sits in a more ambient, reverb-rich context.",lufs:"â10 to â13 LUFS",truePeak:"â1.0 dBTP",lra:"8â13 LU",notes:"The warm reverb tails and ambient production texture need room to breathe â over-limiting truncates them. A gentle mid-range EQ lift (1â2 kHz) can help the vocal sit in the mix without aggressive compression. The organic drum sound in indie pop has transient character worth preserving.",artists:"Sufjan Stevens, Phoebe Bridgers, Big Thief, Alvvays, Japanese Breakfast",labels:"Dead Oceans, Secretly Canadian, 4AD, Sub Pop"},{id:"kpop",label:"K-Pop",shortLabel:"K-Pop",bpmMid:130,polish:97,color:I,icon:"â¨",era:"1990sâpresent",bpm:"100â150 BPM",desc:"K-pop represents the extreme of production investment â multilayered vocal stacks, precision-engineered arrangements, and a sonic brightness that's distinctive and instantly identifiable. The mastering targets are aggressive, but the production quality justifies it. The smiley curve is pushed further in K-pop than in any other pop subgenre, with significant high-frequency extension and a very clean, controlled low end.",lufs:"â6 to â8 LUFS",truePeak:"â1.0 dBTP",lra:"5â8 LU",notes:"Multilayered vocal harmonies create complex phase relationships â check stereo width and mono compatibility carefully. The extended high shelf (12â16 kHz air band) that defines K-pop brightness generates very high intersample peaks through AAC encoding. The â1.0 dBTP ceiling is non-negotiable. Low end is controlled and tight â avoid adding warmth that muddies the precision of the production.",artists:"BTS, BLACKPINK, aespa, NewJeans, IVE, Stray Kids",labels:"HYBE, SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, YG Entertainment"},{id:"synthpop",label:"Synth-Pop",shortLabel:"Synth-Pop",bpmMid:122,polish:74,color:g,icon:"ð·",era:"Late 1970sâpresent",bpm:"100â140 BPM",desc:"Synthesizers, electronic drums, and a cold, precise aesthetic â synth-pop's mastering character is defined by clarity and separation. The electronic nature of the production means every element occupies a specific frequency space without the bleed and crosstalk of acoustic recording. The challenge is preserving the distinctive timbres of vintage and modern synthesizers without making the mix feel clinical.",lufs:"â8 to â11 LUFS",truePeak:"â1.0 dBTP",lra:"7â10 LU",notes:"Electronic bass and kick drum don't compete for sub frequencies in the same way acoustic drums do â the kick is typically tuned to a specific pitch. Synth pads can create phase issues if they have wide stereo modulation â check the low-mid range in mono. The precision of electronic production means even small tonal adjustments at the mastering stage are very audible.",artists:"Depeche Mode, New Order, Chromatics, Caroline Polachek, Magdalena Bay",labels:"Mute Records, Factory Records, Polyvinyl, Ghostly International"},{id:"bedroompop",label:"Bedroom Pop",shortLabel:"Bedroom Pop",bpmMid:95,polish:28,color:Y,icon:"ð",era:"2010sâpresent",bpm:"70â115 BPM",desc:"Intimate, lo-fi, and deliberately imperfect â bedroom pop is produced in home environments and values the sonic character of that context. Close-mic'd vocals with audible room acoustics, simple instrumentation, and a production texture that foregrounds the human, unpolished quality of the music. Heavy mastering processing is the enemy of this aesthetic.",lufs:"â12 to â16 LUFS",truePeak:"â1.0 dBTP",lra:"10â18 LU",notes:"The most dynamic pop subgenre. Preserve the quiet, intimate character â streaming normalization actually benefits bedroom pop by bringing its low loudness level up to the platform's playback target while keeping the dynamic range intact. Light limiting only. The noise floor and room sound are aesthetic elements, not problems to correct.",artists:"Rex Orange County, Clairo, Snail Mail, Alex G, Adrianne Lenker",labels:"Pias, Mom+Pop, Captured Tracks, Run For Cover"},{id:"poprb",label:"Pop-R&B",shortLabel:"Pop-R&B",bpmMid:96,polish:80,color:$,icon:"ð¤",era:"1990sâpresent",bpm:"80â120 BPM",desc:"The intersection of pop's commercial polish and R&B's rhythmic
1sophistication â smooth, warm, and vocal-forward, with a low end that has more body and swagger than pure pop. The vocal performance is primary and the production exists to support it. Mastering pop-R&B requires balancing the warmth of the low end with the clarity and presence of the vocal across playback systems ranging from car audio to earbuds.",lufs:"â8 to â10 LUFS",truePeak:"â1.0 dBTP",lra:"7â10 LU",notes:"The warm low-mid range that defines pop-R&B (200â400 Hz) can accumulate energy that makes the mix feel heavy on larger speakers while being exactly right on smaller ones. A gentle dynamic EQ in this range can improve translation without changing the fundamental character. Vocal breath sounds and subtle inflections are part of the aesthetic â heavy sibilance control can remove them.",artists:"SZA, Frank Ocean, Beyoncé, H.E.R., Jhené Aiko, Brent Faiyaz",labels:"Top Dawg Entertainment, Columbia, Parkwood Entertainment, RCA"}];function X(){const[i,d]=v.useState("mainstream"),a=R.find(o=>o.id===i),l=o=>(o-65)/90*86+7,t=o=>90-o/100*78,u=o=>o>60;return e.jsx("div",{children:e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"grid",gridTemplateColumns:"1fr 1fr",gap:24,alignItems:"start"},className:"pop-map-grid",children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{position:"relative"},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"flex",justifyContent:"space-between",marginBottom:4},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:8,color:"#333348",textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.1em"},children:"â Slower"}),e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:9,color:"#9aa0ad",textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.1em"},children:"BPM â"}),e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:8,color:"#333348",textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.1em"},children:"Faster â"})]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{position:"relative",width:"100%",paddingBottom:"84%",background:"#07080f",border:`1px solid ${b}`,borderRadius:8},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{position:"absolute",left:-26,top:"50%",transform:"rotate(-90deg) translateX(50%)",fontFamily:s,fontSize:7,color:"#333348",textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.1em",whiteSpace:"nowrap"},children:"Production Polish â"}),e.jsxs("svg",{style:{position:"absolute",inset:0,width:"100%",height:"100%"},viewBox:"0 0 100 100",preserveAspectRatio:"none",children:[[25,50,75].map(o=>e.jsxs("g",{children:[e.jsx("line",{x1:o,y1:"0",x2:o,y2:"100",stroke:"#1a1d28",strokeWidth:"0.4"}),e.jsx("line",{x1:"0",y1:o,x2:"100",y2:o,stroke:"#1a1d28",strokeWidth:"0.4"})]},o)),e.jsx("defs",{children:e.jsxs("radialGradient",{id:"popGlow",cx:"50%",cy:"50%",r:"50%",children:[e.jsx("stop",{offset:"0%",stopColor:n,stopOpacity:"0.05"}),e.jsx("stop",{offset:"100%",stopColor:g,stopOpacity:"0"})]})}),e.jsx("rect",{x:"0",y:"0",width:"100",height:"100",fill:"url(#popGlow)"}),R.map(o=>{const c=l(o.bpmMid),p=t(o.polish),m=i===o.id,y=u(o.polish),h=y?p-8:p+5.5,w=y?p-4.4:p+9;return e.jsxs("g",{onClick:()=>d(o.id),style:{cursor:"pointer"},children:[m&&e.jsx("circle",{cx:c,cy:p,r:"7",fill:"none",stroke:o.color,strokeWidth:"0.4",strokeOpacity:"0.4"}),e.jsx("circle",{cx:c,cy:p,r:m?5:4,fill:m?o.color:"#0a0c14",stroke:o.color,strokeWidth:m?"1.2":"0.8",fillOpacity:m?.3:.1}),e.jsx("circle",{cx:c,cy:p,r:"1.5",fill:o.color,fillOpacity:m?1:.6}),e.jsx("rect",{x:c-11,y:h,width:22,height:6.5,rx:"1.2",fill:"#06070b",fillOpacity:"0.92"}),e.jsx("text",{x:c,y:w,textAnchor:"middle",fill:m?o.color:"#888898",fontSize:"2.7",fontFamily:"'JetBrains Mono', monospace",style:{pointerEvents:"none",userSelect:"none"},children:o.shortLabel})]},o.id)})]})]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"flex",justifyContent:"space-between",marginTop:4},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:8,color:"#333348"},children:"~70 BPM"}),e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:8,color:"#333348"},children:"~150 BPM"})]}),e.jsx("p",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:10,color:"#333348",marginTop:8,textAlign:"center"},children:"Click any node to see mastering targets"})]}),a&&e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:"#07080f",border:`1px solid ${a.color}33`,borderLeft:`3px solid ${a.color}`,borderRadius:8,padding:"18px 20px"},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"flex",alignItems:"center",gap:10,marginBottom:12},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontSize:22},children:a.icon}),e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:x,fontSize:17,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0"},children:a.label}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:9,color:`${a.color}88`},children:[a.bpm," · ",a.era]})]})]}),e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:12,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.75,margin:"0 0 14px"},children:a.desc}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"grid",gridTemplateColumns:"1fr 1fr 1fr",gap:8,marginBottom:12},children:[{label:"Target LUFS",val:a.lufs},{label:"True Peak",val:a.truePeak},{label:"LRA",val:a.lra}].map(o=>e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:z,border:`1px solid ${a.color}22`,borderRadius:5,padding:"7px 8px",textAlign:"center"},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:7,color:"#9aa0ad",textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.08em",marginBottom:4},children:o.label}
1),e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:10,color:a.color,fontWeight:700},children:o.val})]},o.label))}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:9,color:`${a.color}cc`,background:`${a.color}0d`,border:`1px solid ${a.color}22`,borderRadius:4,padding:"8px 10px",lineHeight:1.65,marginBottom:10},children:["â³ ",a.notes]}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"grid",gridTemplateColumns:"1fr",gap:6},children:[{lbl:"Key artists",val:a.artists},{lbl:"Key labels",val:a.labels}].map(o=>e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:z,border:`1px solid ${b}`,borderRadius:5,padding:"7px 10px"},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:7,color:"#6a6f7c",textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.08em",marginBottom:4},children:o.lbl}),e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:9,color:"#888898",lineHeight:1.5},children:o.val})]},o.lbl))})]})]})})}const U=[{id:"sublow",label:"Sub Low",range:"20â60 Hz",color:g,icon:"ã°",what:"The sub-bass foundation â felt more than heard on consumer systems. In pop mastering, this range is usually gently rolled off rather than boosted. Most consumer playback devices (earbuds, laptop speakers, p
1hone speakers) don't reproduce below 80â100 Hz, and energy here wastes headroom without contributing to the perceived sound on the majority of listening systems.",smiley:"Typically: gentle high-pass filter at 30â40 Hz. Not boosted in the smiley curve. Removing subsonic content leaves more headroom for the meaningful bass frequencies above it.",tip:"A high-pass filter at 30â35 Hz on the mastering bus removes subsonic content from studio noise and AC hum without touching the musical bass range."},{id:"lowshelf",label:"Low Shelf Boost",range:"60â150 Hz",color:g,icon:"â¬",what:"The left side of the smile â a broad low-shelf boost that adds warmth, body, and perceived fullness to the bottom end. This is the frequency range where kick drum punch and bass warmth live. The Fletcher-Munson equal-loudness curves show that the human ear is less sensitive to bass at moderate volumes than at high SPL â the low shelf boost compensates for this, making the bass feel present and full at everyday listening volumes.",smiley:"Typical smiley curve: +2 to +4 dB shelf centered around 80â120 Hz, with a broad, gentle slope. Too narrow and it sounds like a resonant bump rather than warmth. Too much and the low end becomes muddy.",tip:"On pop, the low shelf should add weight rather than boom. If the kick and bass start to sound indistinct, you've gone too far."},{id:"lowmid",label:"Low-Mid Scoop",range:"200â500 Hz",color:j,icon:"â¬",what:"The body zone â where warmth turns into muddiness. The 200â500 Hz range is where boxy, honky, or congested sounds live. In a pop mix this is often where guitars, keys, and vocal fundamentals stack up. A gentle cut in this range â the floor of the smiley's mouth â adds perceived clarity and openness without changing the tonal character dramatically.",smiley:"Typical smiley curve: â1 to â2 dB centered around 300â400 Hz, broad Q. The goal is removing congestion rather than adding character. This is one of the most context-dependent moves in pop mastering â a mix that's already open and clear here doesn't need the cut.",tip:"The low-mid scoop is the subtlest part of the curve. A cut that's too deep or too narrow makes the mix sound hollow and thin."},{id:"mid",label:"Mid Scoop",range:"500 Hzâ2 kHz",color:n,icon:"ââ",what:"The deepest part of the smile â the mid-range scoop that gives the smiley curve its name. This is the frequency range where the human ear is most sensitive at moderate volumes. Scooping here makes the mix feel less 'in your face' and more spacious, pushing the bass and treble forward while creating a slightly recessed mid-range that can feel polished and radio-ready. It can also make a pop mix feel scooped and hollow if overdone.",smiley:"Typical smiley curve: â1.5 to â3 dB, broad U-shape centered around 800 Hzâ1.5 kHz. This is the most controversial part of the curve â applied with taste it creates space; applied heavily it sounds like the mix was processed rather than produced.",tip:"The mid scoop is the part most associated with the 'consumer hi-fi' sound â the setting that makes earbuds and Bluetooth speakers sound more exciting. It's appropriate for pop but should be used with restraint at the mastering stage."},{id:"presence",label:"Presence Boost",range:"2â6 kHz",color:n,icon:"ð¤",what:"The vocal presence zone â where consonants, attack transients, and the 'cut-through' quality of a vocal performance live. A boost here makes the vocal more intelligible and forward-sounding, especially on small speakers where the low-mid warmth has disappeared. This range is delicate: too much creates harshness and listener fatigue, too little and the vocal loses its ability to cut through the arrangement.",smiley:"In pop mastering, the presence region often gets a very gentle, wide boost (+0.5 to +1.5 dB) rather than being left flat. This protects the vocal's intelligibility after the mid scoop has reduced the mid-range energy slightly. The boost should feel like the vocal moved forward, not like brightness was added.",tip:"Vocal sibilance lives at the upper end of this range (5â7 kHz). A boost here will also enhance sibilance â watch for S and T sounds becoming harsh. A de-esser or dynamic EQ targeting this range specifically can add presence while managing sibilance."},{id:"air",label:"Air / High Shelf",range:"8â20 kHz",color:j,icon:"â¦",what:"The right side of the smile â a high-shelf boost that adds air, sparkle, and perceived clarity to the top end. This is the frequency range of cymbal shimmer, vocal breath, the harmonic overtones of acoustic guitars and strings. A boost here makes a mix feel open, spacious, and expensive. It's the most visible difference between a 'flat' pop master and a polished commercial one.",smiley:"Typical smiley curve: +2 to +4 dB shelf at 10â12 kHz, gentle slope. The high shelf boost generates significant true peak levels through AAC encoding â every dB of high-shelf boost at the mastering stage increases the intersample peak risk. This is why a â1.0 dBTP ceiling is non-negotiable in pop mastering.",tip:"High-frequency boosts translate differently across systems. A boost that sounds airy on studio monitors may
1sound harsh or sibilant through cheap earbuds. Always check the high shelf boost through multiple playback systems before committing."}];function ee(){const[i,d]=v.useState("lowshelf"),a=U.find(l=>l.id===i);return e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"flex",gap:6,flexWrap:"wrap",marginBottom:20},children:U.map(l=>e.jsxs("button",{onClick:()=>d(l.id),style:{background:i===l.id?`${l.color}18`:"transparent",border:`1px solid ${i===l.id?l.color:b}`,color:i===l.id?l.color:"#9aa0ad",padding:"6px 12px",borderRadius:5,fontSize:10,fontFamily:s,cursor:"pointer",transition:"all 0.15s",fontWeight:i===l.id?700:400,display:"flex",alignItems:"center",gap:5},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontSize:12},children:l.icon}),e.jsx("span",{children:l.label}),e.jsx("span",{style:{fontSize:8,opacity:.6},children:l.range})]},l.id))}),a&&e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:"#07080f",border:`1px solid ${a.color}33`,borderLeft:`3px solid ${a.color}`,borderRadius:8,padding:"20px 22px"},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"flex",gap:10,alignItems:"baseline",marginBottom:14,flexWrap:"wrap"},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:x,fontSize:18,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0"},children:a.label}),e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:9,color:a.color,background:`${a.color}12`,border:`1px solid ${a.color}22`,padding:"2px 10px",borderRadius:4},children:a.range})]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"grid",gridTemplateColumns:"1fr 1fr",gap:18,marginBottom:14},className:"pop-curve-grid",children:[e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:8,color:"#9aa0ad",textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.1em",marginBottom:8},children:"What's happening here"}),e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:13,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.8,margin:0},children:a.what})]}),e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:8,color:"#9aa0ad",textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.1em",marginBottom:8},children:"In the smiley curve"}),e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:13,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.8,margin:"0 0 12px"},children:a.smiley}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:10,color:`${a.color}cc`,background:`${a.color}0d`,border:`1px solid ${a.color}22`,borderRadius:4,padding:"8px 10px",lineHeight:1.6},children:["â³ ",a.tip]})]})]})]}),e.jsx("p",{style:{marginTop:10,fontSize:11,color:"#333348",fontFamily:s},children:"Six frequency bands â the anatomy of pop's defining EQ shape, from sub-bass to air."})]})}function te(){const[i,d]=v.useState(null),a=[{q:"What LUFS should pop music be mastered to?",a:"Pop LUFS targets vary by subgenre. Mainstream commercial pop targets â7 to â9 LUFS. K-pop is the loudest at â6 to â8 LUFS. Indie pop sits between â10 and â13 LUFS. Bedroom pop targets â12 to â16 LUFS. Synth-pop lands at â8 to â11 LUFS. Pop-R&B sits at â8 to â10 LUFS. Streaming platforms normalize all of these to the same playback level â the LUFS target primarily affects dynamic character rather than how loud it sounds on streaming."},{q:"What is the smiley curve EQ in pop mastering?",a:"The smiley curve is an EQ shape named for its visual resemblance to a smile â boosted lows (60â150 Hz for warmth), a gentle mid-range scoop (300â2000 Hz), and boosted highs (8â16 kHz for air and presence). It exploits the Fletcher-Munson equal-loudness principle: at moderate listening volumes, the ear is less sensitive to bass and treble than to mids. Boosting the extremes compensates for this and makes a mix sound full and exciting at everyday volumes."},{q:"How do you master pop vocals?",a:"At the mastering stage, vocal processing should already be done in the mix. What mastering contributes: a gentle presence boost (3â5 kHz) for intelligibility on small speakers; a de-esser or dynamic EQ in the 6â10 kHz range for sibilance; and checking the vocal in mono. The most important thing in pop vocal mastering is listening to how the vocal sits in the full master context â not processing for its own sake."},{q:"How did streaming normalization change pop mastering?",a:"Pop is primarily distributed through streaming, so streaming normalization genuinely changed pop mastering behavior. A pop master at â7 LUFS and one at â14 LUFS play back at the same volume on Spotify and Apple Music. The shift toward more dynamic pop production â Billie Eilish, Lorde, SZA â is partly a response to this changed incentive structure. Masters with dynamic contrast simply sound better through normalization than maximally limited masters."},{q:"What is bedroom pop and how do you master it?",a:"Bedroom pop is intimate, lo-fi pop produced in home environments. The production imperfections are the aesthetic. Heavy mastering processing destroys the genre's character. Target â12 to â16 LUFS, use very light limiting, and preserve the noise floor and room sound. Streaming normalization benefits bedroom pop â it brings the quiet master up to the platform's playback level while keeping the dynamic range intact."},{q:"What is K-pop mastering and why is it different?",a:"K-pop features extraordinarily meticulous production with multilayered vocal arrangements and a sonic brightness that exceeds most Western pop. Mastering targets are aggressive (â6 to â8 LUFS) but the production quality justifies it. The extended high shelf (12â16 kHz) that defines K-pop brightness generates very high intersample peaks through AAC encoding â the â1.0 dBTP ceiling is non-negotiable. Low end is controlled and tight."},{q:"Should pop be mastered differently for Spotify vs. Apple Music?",a:"The mastering itself doesn't need to differ â both platforms apply loudness normalization at playback. Spotify targets â14 LUFS, Apple Music â16 LUFS. The â1.0 dBTP true peak ceiling protects against intersample distortion through both codecs. For Apple Digital Masters delivery, there are specific preparation requirements around sample rate and bit depth that apply before mastering."},{q:"What are the key pop labels for mastering reference?",a:"Republic Records and Interscope for mainstream commercial pop. 4AD and Dead Oceans for indie pop. SM Entertainment, HYBE, and JYP for K-pop. Secretly Canadian for bedroom pop. The mastering on Billie Eilish releases is widely cited for competitive loudne
1ss with preserved dynamics. Taylor Swift's Eras-era catalog and Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia represent contemporary mainstream pop mastering at its most polished."}];return e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{marginBottom:20},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:9,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.18em",color:`${n}66`,fontFamily:s,marginBottom:10},children:"Common Questions"}),e.jsx("h2",{style:{fontFamily:x,fontSize:26,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0",lineHeight:1.2,margin:0},children:"Pop mastering FAQ"})]}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"flex",flexDirection:"column",gap:2},children:a.map((l,t)=>e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:z,border:`1px solid ${b}`,borderRadius:8,overflow:"hidden"},children:[e.jsxs("button",{onClick:()=>d(i===t?null:t),style:{width:"100%",display:"flex",justifyContent:"space-between",alignItems:"center",padding:"15px 18px",background:"none",border:"none",cursor:"pointer",textAlign:"left",gap:12},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontSize:14,color:i===t?"#e8e8f0":"#c0c0d0",fontFamily:x,fontWeight:500,lineHeight:1.4},children:l.q}),e.jsx("span",{style:{color:i===t?n:"#333348",fontSize:18,flexShrink:0,display:"block",transform:i===t?"rotate(45deg)":"none",transition:"transform 0.2s"},children:"+"})]}),i===t&&e.jsx("div",{style:{padding:"0 18px 16px",fontSize:13,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.75,borderTop:`1px solid ${b}`},children:e.jsx("div",{style:{paddingTop:14},children:l.a})})]},t))})]})}function oe(){return e.jsxs("div",{style:{position:"relative",overflow:"hidden",borderBottom:`1px solid ${b}`,margin:"0 -24px 48px",minHeight:480},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{position:"absolute",top:"25%",right:"28%",width:500,height:400,background:`radial-gradient(ellipse, ${n}07 0%, transparent 65%)`,pointerEvents:"none"}}),e.jsx("div",{style:{position:"absolute",bottom:"15%",right:"8%",width:350,height:280,background:`radial-gradient(ellipse, ${g}06 0%, transparent 65%)`,pointerEvents:"none"}}),e.jsx("div",{style:{position:"absolute",top:0,left:0,right:0,height:80,background:"linear-gradient(to bottom, #06070b, transparent)",pointerEvents:"none",zIndex:2}}),e.jsx("div",{style:{position:"absolute",bottom:0,left:0,right:0,height:100,background:"linear-gradient(to top, #06070b, transparent)",pointerEvents:"none",zIndex:2}}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{position:"relative",zIndex:3,maxWidth:1200,margin:"0 auto",padding:"56px 24px 48px"},children:[e.jsx("style",{children:` 2 @keyframes pop-gradient { 3 0% { background-position: 0% 50%; } 4 50% { background-position: 100% 50%; } 5 100% { background-position: 0% 50%; } 6 } 7 @keyframes pop-shimmer { 8 0%,100% { box-shadow: 0 0 18px ${n}55, 0 2px 12px #00000055; } 9 50% { box-shadow: 0 0 40px ${n}99, 0 4px 20px #00000077; } 10 } 11 @keyframes pop-pulse { 12 0%, 100% { opacity: 0.7; transform: scale(1); } 13 50% { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1.04); } 14 } 15 .pop-cta-btn { 16 display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 8px; 17 padding: 13px 28px; background: ${n}; 18 border-radius: 8px; color: #fff; 19 font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 11px; 20 font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 0.07em; 21 text-transform: uppercase; text-decoration: none; 22 animation: pop-shimmer 3s ease infinite; 23 transition: transform 0.2s; 24 } 25 .pop-cta-btn:hover { transform: translateY(-2px); } 26 .pop-ghost-btn { 27 display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 7px; 28 padding: 12px 22px; border: 1px solid #1e2130; border-radius: 8px; 29 background: transparent; color: #666680; 30 font-family: 'JetBrains Mono', monospace; font-size: 11px; 31 font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: 0.05em; text-decoration: none; 32 transition: border-color 0.2s, color 0.2s, transform 0.2s; 33 } 34 .pop-ghost-btn:hover { border-color: ${n}44; color: ${n}; transform: translateY(-2px); } 35 .pop-anchor { color: ${g}; text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 1px solid ${g}44; transition: 0.2s; } 36 .pop-anchor:hover { color: ${E}; border-color: ${g}88; } 37 .pop-headline-gradient { 38 background: linear-gradient(110deg, ${n}, ${j}, ${E}, ${g}, ${n}); 39 background-size: 300% 300%; 40 animation: pop-gradient 5s ease infinite; 41 -webkit-background-clip: text; 42 -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent; 43 background-clip: text; 44 } 45 @media (max-width: 860px) { 46 .pop-hero-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr !important; } 47 .pop-map-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr !important; } 48 .pop-curve-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr !important; } 49 .pop-tech-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr !important; } 50 } 51 `}),e.jsxs("div",{className:"pop-hero-grid",style:{display:"grid",gridTemplateColumns:"1fr 1fr",gap:48,alignItems:"center"},children:[e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"inline-flex",alignItems:"center",gap:6,background:`${n}12`,border:`1px solid ${n}28`,borderRadius:20,padding:"4px 14px",marginBottom:24},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{width:5,height:5,borderRadius:"50%",background:n,animation:"pop-pulse 2s ease infinite"}}),e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:9,color:`${n}88`,letterSpacing:"0.15em",textTransform:"uppercase"},children:"Genre Guide · 6 Subgenres · Smiley Curve EQ"})]}),e.jsxs("h1",{style:{fontFamily:x,fontSize:"clamp(34px, 5vw, 54px)",fontWeight:800,lineHeight:1.05,letterSpacing:"-0.03em",margin:"0 0 20px",color:"#e8e8f0"},children:["Mastering",e.jsx("br",{}),e.jsx("span",{className:"pop-headline-gradient",children:"Pop"})]}),e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:15,color:"#666678",lineHeight:1.75,margin:"0 0 28px",maxWidth:440},children:"The genre where streaming normalization actually worked. Six subgenres, the smiley curve EQ explained, and why good pop mastering is the most invisible mastering there is."}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"flex",gap:12,flexWrap:"wrap",marginBottom:28},children:[e.jsx(L,{to:"/",className:"pop-cta-btn",children:"Analyze your master â"}),e.jsx(L,{to:"/audio-mastering-software",className:"pop-ghost-btn",children:"Plugin guide"})]}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"flex",gap:28,flexWrap:"wrap"},children:[{val:"6",lbl:"Subgenres mapped"},{val:"Smiley EQ",lbl:"Defining technique"},{val:"â6 to â16",lbl:"LUFS range"}].map(({val:i,lbl:d})=>e.jsxs("div",{children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:x,fontSize:18,fontWeight:700,color:"#e8e8f0",lineHeight:1},children:i}),e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:9,color:"#333348",textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.12em",marginTop:4},children:d})]},d))})]}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{position:"relative"},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{position:"absolute",inset:"10%",background:`radial-gradient(ellipse, ${n}09 0%, transparent 70%)`,borderRadius:"50%",pointerEvents:"none"}}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:z,border:`1px solid ${n}28`,borderRadius:12,padding:"20px",position:"relative"},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:9,color:`${n}66`,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",marginBottom:14,display:"flex",alignItems:"center",gap:8},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{width:6,height:6,borderRadius:"50%",background:n,animation:"pop-pulse 2s ease infinite"}}),"Smiley Curve EQ â Animated"]}),e.jsx(_,{}),e.jsx("div",{style:{marginTop:16,display:"flex",flexDirection:"column",gap:5},children:[{label:"Low shelf boost",val:"+2 to +4 dB @ 80â120 Hz",color:g},{label:"Mid scoop",val:"â1.5 to â3 dB @ 800 Hz",color:n},{label:"Presence boost",val:"+0.5 to +1.5 dB @ 3â5 kHz",color:j},{label:"Air / high shelf",val:"+2 to +4 dB @ 10â12 kHz",color:E}].map(i=>e.jsxs("div",{style:{display:"flex",justifyContent:"space-between",alignItems:"center",padding:"5px 10px",background:"#0d0f1a",border:`1px solid ${i.color}15`,borderRadius:5},children:[e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:8,color:"#9aa0ad"},children:i.label}),e.jsx("span",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:9,color:i.color},children:i.val})]},i.label))})]})]})]})]})]})}function se(){const i=W(),{analysis:d,analyzing:a,progress:l,fileName:t,error:u}=i;return e.jsxs(e.Fragment,{children:[e.jsx(V,{}),e.jsx(oe,{}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{paddingBottom:100},children:[e.jsx(Z,{}),e.jsx(P,{eyebrow:"The genre streaming normalization actually changed",heading:"Why pop mastering is different now",children:["Pop mastering changed fundamentally when streaming normalization became standard. Before Spotify's loudness normalization in 2013, the commercial logic was simple: louder masters sounded more impressive in the few seconds of attention a listener gave a new track. Pop followed this logic as aggressively as any genre, with commercial masters pushed to â7 or â6 LUFS and dynamic range measured in single digits. The productions were technically excellent, but the masters were heavily compressed to a loudness wall.","Normalization removed the reward. A pop master at â7 LUFS and one at â14 LUFS now play back at exactly the same volume on Spotify and Apple Music. The only difference between them is the dynamic character â the â14 LUFS master breathes, has contrast between verse and chorus, and sounds natural; the â7 LUFS master sounds dense and processed at the same playback level. The shift in commercial pop production toward more dynamic masters â audible in the catalog of Billie Eilish, Lorde, Olivia Rodrigo, and SZA â is partly a rational response to this changed incentive structure.",e.jsxs(e.Fragment,{children:["What hasn't changed is the fundamental technical challenge of pop mastering: making a record that works across the widest possible range of playback systems simultaneously. A pop record needs to sound full and exciting through earbuds, present and detailed through laptop speakers, warm and spacious through a home stereo, and competitive in a streaming playlist next to re
51cords mastered by dedicated professionals at major studios. The smiley curve EQ exists to serve this requirement â it's a psychoacoustic tool designed to make a mix feel complete at everyday listening volumes. ",e.jsx(L,{to:"/what-is-audio-mastering",className:"pop-anchor",children:"Understanding what mastering is"})," before applying these tools is what separates informed decisions from habits."]})].map((o,c)=>e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:15,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.85,margin:"0 0 20px",paddingLeft:16,borderLeft:c===0?`3px solid ${n}44`:"3px solid transparent"},children:o},c))}),e.jsx(C,{eyebrow:"Interactive subgenre map",heading:"Six subgenres â BPM, production polish, and mastering targets",desc:"Pop's subgenres span quiet bedroom recordings to ultra-produced K-pop â each with different dynamic expectations and loudness targets. Click any node for genre-specific targets and notes.",children:e.jsx(X,{})}),e.jsx(P,{eyebrow:"The smiley curve",heading:"Pop's defining EQ shape â why it works and when to be careful",children:["The smiley curve EQ gets its name from its visual shape on an EQ display: boosted bass on the left, a dip through the midrange, boosted highs on the right. It's the most widely used tonal adjustment in commercial pop mastering and consumer audio, appearing in the EQ presets of every major headphone manufacturer, the default tuning of most Bluetooth speakers, and the mastering choices behind decades of chart pop. Understanding why it works explains both when to use it and when it's the wrong move.","The psychoacoustic foundation is the Fletcher-Munson equal-loudness curves. At the moderate listening levels typical of everyday consumer playback â not the calibrated 85 dB SPL of a mastering suite â human hearing is significantly less sensitive to bass and treble frequencies than to midrange. A mix that's flat and balanced at high monitoring volumes will sound bass-light and treble-dull at lower volumes. The smiley curve compensates for this by adding the bass warmth and treble sparkle that the ear doesn't perceive as strongly at conversational listening volumes.","The danger zone is the mid scoop â the part of the curve that reduces the 400 Hzâ2 kHz range. Applied tastefully, this scoop creates openness and space. Applied too deeply, it produces the characteristic 'consumer sound' that makes music feel hollow and scooped â a sound that may test well on earbuds but sounds wrong on a flat monitoring system. Pop mastering engineers who use the smiley curve are making a bet about the listening context of their audience: a bet that's almost always correct for streaming-distributed pop, but needs to be made consciously."].map((o,c)=>e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:15,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.85,margin:"0 0 20px",paddingLeft:16,borderLeft:c===0?`3px solid ${g}44`:"3px solid transparent"},children:o},c))}),e.jsx(C,{eyebrow:"Interactive EQ deep dive",heading:"The smiley curve â six frequency bands explained",desc:"From sub-bass to air â what each region of the smiley curve does, how it's typically applied in pop mastering, and the specific risks at each stage.",children:e.jsx(ee,{})}),e.jsx(P,{eyebrow:"Vocal clarity",heading:"The pop vocal in the mastering context",children:["The vocal is the primary element in pop music â everything else exists to support it. Pop mastering is, in large part, an exercise in ensuring the vocal is correctly positioned in the stereo field, audible across every playback system, and protected from the processing decisions that affect everything else in the chain. A vocal that sits perfectly in the mix can be compromised at the mastering stage by EQ decisions that affect the 2â5 kHz presence range, by limiting that catches fast-attack consonants and pumps, or by sibilance that becomes obvious only when the full master is heard in context.","The specific challenge in pop vocal mastering is sibilance management. Sibilant consonants â the S, T, and SH sounds â concentrate energy in the 5â9 kHz range. A high shelf boost at the mastering stage â the right side of the smiley curve â will enhance these frequencies along with everything else. A static de-esser set in the mix may not catch sibilance that only becomes obvious in the context of the mastered, equalized signal. A dynamic EQ or de-esser on the mastering bus targeting the
516â9 kHz range can address this, but needs to be calibrated carefully: too aggressive and it removes the air and presence from the top end, defeating the purpose of the high shelf boost.","Mono compatibility is the final vocal concern in pop mastering. Streaming platforms and many consumer devices â including many phone speakers and some smart speakers â reproduce the low-mid frequencies in mono or near-mono. A vocal that has been treated with stereo width processing in the mix, or that sits in a wide stereo reverb, can lose presence and clarity in the mono fold-down. Checking the master in mono and verifying the vocal maintains its forward position is a standard step in any professional pop mastering session."].map((o,c)=>e.jsx("p",{style:{fontSize:15,color:"#8888a0",lineHeight:1.85,margin:"0 0 20px",paddingLeft:16,borderLeft:c===0?`3px solid ${n}44`:"3px solid transparent"},children:o},c))}),e.jsx(P,{eyebrow:"Quick reference",heading:"Pop mastering targets at a glance",children:e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"grid",gridTemplateColumns:"repeat(3, 1fr)",gap:12},className:"pop-tech-grid",children:[{label:"Mainstream / K-pop LUFS",val:"â6 to â9",note:"Competitive but normalization-aware. High shelf boost raises ISP risk",color:n},{label:"Indie / Bedroom LUFS",val:"â12 to â16",note:"Streaming normalization benefits dynamic masters â preserve the character",color:q},{label:"True peak ceiling",val:"â1.0 dBTP",note:"High shelf boosts + compressed pop vocals = very high ISPs through AAC",color:g},{label:"Smiley low shelf",val:"+2 to +4 dB",note:"Broad shelf at 80â120 Hz. Too much = mud. Too little = thin on earbuds",color:$},{label:"Mid scoop",val:"â1.5 to â3 dB",note:"Broad U-shape at 400â2k Hz. Too deep sounds hollow and processed",color:j},{label:"Air / high shelf",val:"+2 to +4 dB",note:"At 10â12 kHz. Use dynamic EQ or de-esser to manage sibilance side effects",color:I}].map(o=>e.jsxs("div",{style:{background:z,border:`1px solid ${o.color}22`,borderRadius:8,padding:"14px"},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:7,color:"#9aa0ad",textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.1em",marginBottom:6},children:o.label}),e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:x,fontSize:15,fontWeight:700,color:o.color,marginBottom:6},children:o.val}),e.jsx("div",{style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:9,color:"#666678",lineHeight:1.5},children:o.note})]},o.label))})}),e.jsxs("section",{style:{marginBottom:56},children:[e.jsxs("div",{style:{fontSize:10,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",color:"#9aa0ad",fontFamily:s,marginBottom:14,display:"flex",alignItems:"center",gap:8},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{width:12,height:1,background:`${n}66`}}),"Check your pop master â Free",e.jsx("div",{style:{flex:1,height:1,background:b}})]}),e.jsx("div",{style:{background:`${n}08`,border:`1px solid ${n}22`,borderRadius:8,padding:"16px 20px",marginBottom:20,fontFamily:s,fontSize:11,color:`${n}99`,lineHeight:1.6},children:"Drop your track to get integrated LUFS, true peak, LRA, dynamic range, stereo width, spectrum, and platform compliance for 35+ destinations â instantly, in your browser, with nothing uploaded."}),!d&&!a&&e.jsx(D,{analyzer:i}),a&&e.jsx(O,{progress:l,fileName:t}),u&&e.jsx(K,{error:u}),d&&e.jsx(N,{analysis:d,fileName:t,onReset:i.reset,platforms:G,formatTime:J,precodedBuffers:i.precodedBuffers})]}),e.jsx("section",{style:{marginBottom:56},children:e.jsx(te,{})}),e.jsxs("div",{style:{borderTop:`1px solid ${b}`,paddingTop:32},children:[e.jsx("div",{style:{fontSize:9,textTransform:"uppercase",letterSpacing:"0.15em",color:"#333348",fontFamily:s,marginBottom:16},children:"Explore mastering.to"}),e.jsx("div",{style:{display:"flex",gap:10,flexWrap:"wrap"},children:[{to:"/mastering-metal",label:"Mastering Metal"},{to:"/mastering-hip-hop",label:"Mastering Hip-Hop"},{to:"/mastering-psytrance",label:"Mastering Psytrance"},{to:"/mastering-rally-house",label:"Mastering Rally House"},{to:"/audio-mastering",label:"Audio Mastering"},{to:"/audio-mastering-software",label:"Mastering Software"},{to:"/free-online-mastering",label:"Free Analyzer"},{to:"/premium",label:"Premium"}].map(({to:o,label:c})=>
51e.jsx(L,{to:o,style:{fontFamily:s,fontSize:10,color:"#6a6f7c",textDecoration:"none",padding:"5px 12px",border:`1px solid ${b}`,borderRadius:5,transition:"border-color 0.15s, color 0.15s"},onMouseEnter:p=>{p.currentTarget.style.color=n,p.currentTarget.style.borderColor=`${n}44`},onMouseLeave:p=>{p.currentTarget.style.color="#6a6f7c",p.currentTarget.style.borderColor=b},children:c},o))})]})]})]})}export{se as default};
Line numbers count LF bytes from the start of the resource, as the search results do. Vendor segments are library code the classifier recognised; they are stored but not indexed. Bytes are shown as Latin1 characters, one per byte.