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Direct Metal Mastering is an analog record mastering technique jointly developed by two German companies, Telefunken-Decca (Teldec) and Georg Neumann GmbH. Unlike conventional disc mastering, where mechanical audio modulation is cut from a lacquer-coated aluminum disc, DMM cuts directly from metal (copper). This results in more precise high frequency levels and less surface noise.

Half-speed mastering is a technique used when cutting lacquers from which vinyl records are produced. The cutting machine platter operates at half the usual speed while the signal to be recorded is sent to the cutting head at half its normal playback speed. By halving the speed when cutting, hard to cut very high frequencies become much easier to cut since they are now mid frequencies.