Audio 101: Different Amplitude Meters explained

[@DeltaWhiskeyBravo13579]

I'm a Studio One 6 DAW guy and I'm using this for mixing my Livestream audio with plug-ins. I'm using that stock plug-in meter in LUFS, inserted on the master bus. I'm also using a pair of S1 Vu meters on my entire mix, one in my dry stereo track at the beginning of my effects set to -18, and another one on the master bus just before it goes back to the interface set to -12. I'm also using a Waves WLM PLUS loudness meter. Yes, it's probably metering overkill, but there it is. I started my mixing hobby at church, mixing on a 24 channel analog Mackie. All of my incoming audio is from a master aux from a mixer and a Presonus Studio 68c interface.

[@MichelCiresMusic]

Each of your videos are very instructive. Lots of knowledge. Thanks Tim!

[@TimTalksAudio]

Glad you like them!

[@ZacurOfficial]

Great vídeo! I'm a new suscriber and new Studio One user too. So the tips you share are very usefull for me. 🙂 Blessing from Argentina. 🇦🇷

[@TimTalksAudio]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@newguy6935]

I wish DAWs would allow you to plot both TP and Momentary Lufs on individual channels. In my mind, those two are about the only thing you need to really see what's happening with your levels while mixing. Monitoring TP helps you make sure you aren't going over 0, and Momentary Lufs gives you the most accurate picture (more so than RMS) based on how our ears perceive loudness. Using both the indicators would probably be a hit on the processor. However, as processors are getting more powerful (Apple Silicon), that may not be so much of an issue anymore. Also, from what I understand, not only do streaming companies normalize your audio based on Lufs but they may also compress/decompress your audio based on its PSR readings (PSR being Peak to Short-term loudness ratio). I'm not completely sure about that yet and please correct me if I am wrong. However, if they do compress/decompress your audio based on PSR, I take issue with that. Why? Because I think PSR is too slow and gives readings that make it seem your audio is too compressed and therefore, the streaming companies might decompress your audio when it already has enough/good range. PSR is fine for most mixes but when you get a piano played solo and very dynamically, PSR is so slow to respond to the dynamics, it often makes you think the piece is too compressed. In cases like this, I wish they would use a Peak to Momentary Lufs ratio that would respond faster to the dynamics of the solo musical piece. It would also help if you could see the PSR or Peak to Momentary Loudness plotted on each channel without having to bring up an extra plugin. That way, an engineer can quickly access loudness relationships of individual channels of the mix right from the very start. Oh well, just my thoughts.

[@Enice43]

How do you increase the rms levels while mixing

[@TimTalksAudio]

With compression and limiting! To taste of course.

[@Enice43]

@@TimTalksAudio are you going to do a video about it tim? It would be awesome 😎

[@TimTalksAudio]

@@Enice43 I certainly could!