A mastering session begins with a pre-flight checklist before any processing

Before touching any plugin, a mastering engineer runs a pre-flight routine: verify clock settings (and that the system clock matches the track’s sample rate), inspect file properties (sample rate, bit depth, peak levels, RMS/LUFS), check the beginning and end of the file for noise or unwanted material. This systematic intake prevents wasted processing time and ensures the file is exactly what was delivered. Checking the bit scope, for example, reveals whether a nominally 24-bit file was actually a 16-bit file padded to 24 — a common delivery error. RMS and LUFS readings give an early indication of level headroom and spectral balance before a single note plays.

Examples

Open the delivered file in a metering/analysis tool (e.g. iZotope RX or a spectrum analyzer). Check: clock matches sample rate; peak well below 0 dBFS; RMS roughly in range; start/end clean. Then listen through the full track before opening any processing plugin.

Assessment

List the four checks a mastering pre-flight should include; explain why verifying bit depth via a bit scope matters even for a nominally 24-bit delivery.