About Ayan Mastering

Launched in 2023 by Owner and Chief Mastering Engineer Adam Ayan, Ayan Mastering exists to help our clients' recordings sound their best.

After 25 years at the legendary Gateway Mastering Studios, Ayan Mastering is the next chapter in the career of Mastering Engineer Adam Ayan. In 2024 Adam built the world class mastering studio of his dreams in the Arts District on the peninsula of beautiful Portland, Maine.

Wondering how to pronounce Ayan Mastering?

Adam Ayan  is a Grammy Award, 7x Latin Grammy Award, and TEC Award winning mastering engineer, and owner and Chief Mastering Engineer at Ayan Mastering. A graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell’s Sound Recording Technology program, Adam began his career in audio in 1996 as a recording engineer, and quickly discovered his passion for mastering.

Adam followed that passion to Gateway Mastering in August 1998 where he was hired as a production engineer, quickly becoming assistant engineer to mastering legend Bob Ludwig. Ultimately recognizing his aptitude as a mastering engineer early on,  he started mastering records and developing his own clientele at Gateway in 2000. In August 2001 (just 3 short years into his time at Gateway!)  his mastering studio at Gateway was opened for business, where he mastered countless recordings for some of the most prestigious artists in the recording industry.

In June 2023 Gateway Mastering Studios was closed for business, and Ayan Mastering was launched as the next natural step in Adam's mastering career.

Adam has had the pleasure of mastering tens of thousands of recordings in his career. His credits are diverse and exemplary – including recordings for superstar artists such as Paul McCartney, Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani, Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift, Shakira, Queen, Father John Misty, Madonna, Marc Anthony, the Foo Fighters, Bob Marley, Tim McGraw, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Kelly Clarkson, Journey, Barbra Streisand, Juan Luis Guerra, Rush, Nirvana, Rascal Flatts, Pearl Jam, The Animals, and Keith Urban to name a few.

Adam has mastered several Grammy & Latin Grammy Award winning recordings (75 to date!), countless #1 singles and albums, and has hundreds of Gold, Platinum or Multi-Platinum projects to his credit to date.

Many of the recording industry’s best producers, engineers, and artists rely on Adam’s ears and expertise to fully realize their artistic vision.

In 2006 Adam won his first Grammy Award in the category of Best Historical Album for his mastering work on the Jelly Roll Morton boxset “The Complete Library Of Congress Recordings By Alan Lomax”.

In 2007 Adam won 2 Latin Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Engineered Album and Album Del Año (Album of the Year) for his mastering work on the Juan Luis Guerra album “La Llave De Mi Corazon”.

Adam was nominated again in 2008 (the 50th Annual Grammy Awards) for a Grammy Award in the prestigious Album of the Year category for his mastering work on Vince Gill’s latest release “These Days”.

In 2009 Adam won his first TEC (Technical Excellence and Creativity) Award in the category of Surround Sound Production for his 5.1 surround mastering work on the Foo Fighters DVD/Blu-Ray release “Live At Wembley Stadium”.

Adam has also been nominated for several other TEC Awards, including nominations for his mastering work on projects for Nine Inch Nails, The Barenaked Ladies, Dream Theater, Rascal Flatts, and Carrie Underwood.

In 2010 Adam won a Latin Grammy Award in the category of Album Del Año (Album of the Year) for his mastering work on the Juan Luis Guerra album “Asondeguerra”.

In 2015 Adam won a Latin Grammy Award in the category of Album Del Año (Album of the Year) for his mastering work on the Juan Luis Guerra 4.40 album “Todo Tiene Su Hora.”

In 2016 Adam was honored with an induction into Pinkerton Academy’s Hall of Fame. A very special and distinct honor, which has been bestowed upon successful and honorable Pinkerton alumni such as Robert Frost and Alan Shepard to name a few.

In 2016 Adam won a Latin Grammy Award in the category of Record of the Year for his mastering work on the Carlos Vives & Shakira track “La Bicicleta.”

In 2017 Adam was nominated for two Latin Grammy Awards in the categories of Record of the Year and Album of the Year for his mastering work on the Shakira track “Chantaje (ft. Maluma),” as well as Shakira’s album “El Dorado.”

In 2018 Adam was nominated for Audio Engineer of the Year by the Academy of Country Music.

In 2019 Adam was nominated for two Latin Grammy Awards in the category of Record of the Year for the Juan Luis Guerra single “Kitipun” and the Marc Anthony single “Paracen Viernes.”

In 2021 Adam was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award in the category of Album of the Year for the Juan Luis Guerra album “Privé.”

In 2022 Adam was nominated for four Latin Grammy Awards in the categories of Record of the Year for singles he mastered for Juan Luis Guerra – “Valelapena”, Marc Anthony – “Pa’lla Voy”, Shakira & Rauw – “Te Felicito” as well as Album of the Year for his mastering work on the Marc Anthony album “Pa’lla Voy.”

In 2022 Adam was nominated for a Golden Melody Award as part of the production team on an album for legendary Chinese rock artist Cui Jian.

In 2022 Adam was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for his mastering work on the Father John Misty album “Chloé and The Next 20th Century” for the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

In 2024 Adam was nominated for five Latin Grammys, for the 25th Annual Latin Grammy Awards. His five nominations include Album of the Year for Camilo's "Cuatro", Shakira's "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran", and  Juan Luis Guerra 4.40's "Radio Güira"; as well as Record of the Year for Camilo & Carin Leon's "Una Vida Pasada" and Juan Luis Guerra 4.40's "Mambo 23." His five nominations made him one of the top nominees of the 25th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.

In 2024 Adam won two Latin Grammys at the 25th Annual Latin Grammy Awards. His wins were in the categories of Album of the Year (as mastering engineer for the Juan Luis Guerra 4.40 album "Radio Güira") and Record of the Year (as mastering engineer for the Juan Luis Guerra 4.40 track "Mambo 23").