TuneCore unveils AI-powered mastering service for indie artists, with a fee of $5 per track

Believe-owned TuneCore, an independent development partner and distributor for self-releasing artists, has introduced TuneCore Mastering, an AI-powered audio mastering service.

The tool is designed to help independent artists improve the sound quality of their recordings before release. This new addition complements TuneCore’s existing services, which supports self-releasing artists across all stages of their careers, according to a press release on Wednesday (June 26).

TuneCore Mastering allows artists worldwide to ensure their music meets industry audio standards, sounds great on any streaming platform or speaker system, and retains its unique character, the company said in a statement. The AI technology focuses on technical improvements without altering the artistic vision of the song.

TuneCore stressed that it developed TuneCore Mastering’s AI technology responsibly, ensuring it wasn’t trained on copyrighted material.

The company says the new tool is in line with its “four pillars for responsible AI engagement,” which includes consent, control, compensation, and transparency. The company added that the new AI technology is a game-changer for artists who may not have the budget to hire a professional mastering engineer. By using TuneCore Mastering, they can still achieve professional-sounding music, potentially leading to more plays and revenue.

““TuneCore Mastering’s ethically-built AI technology [provides] an instant audio mastering option for artists who wouldn’t have the means to have a professional master it for them.”

Andreea Gleeson, TuneCore

The tool is now available to all TuneCore artists for a fee of $5 per track. To use the service, artists can upload their unmastered audio, wait a few minutes for processing, and then listen to their optimized track before downloading and distributing it to stores and streaming platforms through TuneCore.

Artists can upload and preview as many times as needed, ensuring confidence in the final product before release, TuneCore said.

“TuneCore Mastering is the latest addition to a suite of products helping TuneCore artists around the world make better music. Audio mastering helps ensure that an artist’s music sounds polished and complete, but comes with a significant financial and technical barrier for many artists,” said Andreea Gleeson, Chief Executive Officer, TuneCore.

“TuneCore Mastering’s ethically-built AI technology alleviates these barriers, providing an instant audio mastering option for artists who wouldn’t have the means to have a professional master it for them. Through TuneCore Mastering, we are excited to be able to offer our artists the ability to easily and affordably ensure their music sounds the way it is meant to be heard across all platforms and audio configurations.”

As of June 10, self-releasing artists on TuneCore earned more than $4 billion since the company’s founding in 2006.

TuneCore Mastering marks the company’s latest offering for indie artists after launching its Release Tracker feature in March for all artists on a paid TuneCore Unlimited plan. In April, TuneCore integrated its technology with PreSonus, an audio software company, to simplify music distribution for artists.

In September 2023, TuneCore expanded its Splits program, launching the Splits: Priority Payouts feature to allow artists to prioritize the order in which collaborators are paid.

Music Business Worldwide