How to Set Streaming Loudness Levels for Your Masters

[@VANDYKEDAN]

My first WAVES video, and very pleased with the quality of the content. Simply explained and demonstrated, clear and concise. Perfect. Thank you.

[@ROSSNKUNGA]

Sean Divine is a really blessed guy, this guy made some game change on my music in term of Mix and Mastering and all other knowledge. Thanks to waves too for making this happen, help us to reach our goal, making some beautiful plugins :) This is a win-win situation ☺👊☺

[@999GNG]

MUCH LOVE!!!

[@Itsmesweetmouth]

Ive been finding myself watch more and more of your videos. You keep it short, sweet, simple, straight to the point. Never order loading with info

[@LilsandazENT]

Dude you are perfect at explaining. This plugin is definitely what I needed. Keep up the great work, bro!

[@mauromarionbizzotto]

LUFS or LUKS (Loudness measurement that takes into account the psychoacoustic nature of apparent/perceived loudness): Long Term/Integrated Loudness = Average loudness measurement calculated over the whole length of an audio event Short Term Loudness = Loudness measurement calculated over a 3 s (seconds) time frame of an audio event Momentary Loudness = Loudness measurement calculated over a 400 ms (milliseconds) time frame an audio event ••• Integrated Loudness "sweet spot" at Master Output (LUFS) ••• Between - 16 dbFS (minus 16 dbFS) and - 10 dbFS (minus 10 dbFS) depending on musical style or genre being mastered Mastering = Audio Normalization Audio Normalization is the application of a constant amount of gain to an audio recording in order to bring its amplitude to a set target level. As the same amount of gain is applied across the entire audio recording, its signal-to-noise ratio and relative dynamics will remain unchanged/unaltered

[@EAST_MADISON]

💎

[@braddtatum]

Awesome. Great comment. thanks Mauro!

[@Adsterr]

thank you sir!

[@ANGLRiffs]

Thank you, ser

[@billygrctv6698]

Great video sean, After analyzing various songs that sound on the radio and award winners as well, I realized that they are all between -7 to -8. although sometimes there are clients who give me references from -15 to -16.

[@paulEmotionalaudio]

Thanks for posting Sean and very useful video given the technicalities of mixing & mastering for streaming audio. It's important to remember though, LUFS is an AVERAGE measurement across the whole track. So if a lot of your track is quiet and then has one or 2 loud sections the LUFS is not going to be indicative of the whole track. Just something to bear in mind.

[@Ajonra]

The best thing waves did was get you to create these videos.

[@Ajonra]

borny hitch 😕

[@gregmartin6395]

WLM is a great reference tool! We use it during our church live service broadcast. Because LUFS is measured over the whole broadcast, I can run hotter signals during worship without getting 'penalized' by platforms...we typically run around -12 LUFS for worship, and around -18 for the Lav mics/message. This has produced good results for us.

[@SantiLawson]

I love deep sound, keep creating..thanks Sean.

[@agentcalm]

Great vid. I could never figure out what the terms were on meters. Thanks Sean / Waves

[@nikoofficialmusic343]

Thank you!! This literally has helped A LOT! I usually just open the plug in and watch the long term there. Didn’t know you can tweak and change all the other things 🤣🤦‍♂️

[@MPaz213]

simple and straight forward tutorial. well done!

[@brennendehexe7934]

Thx man. I think I finally understood what to do with this plugin

[@diegorincon7124]

Could you do a video on your whole mastering chain? specifically your settings on the S1 Imager . Great Video!

[@stentorain]

This is an invaluable information. Thanks a million!

[@HiiImChris]

Thank you Waves, love your plugins and content! I use these over everything they're wonderful tools and videos

[@michaelandrewgarcia96]

Yesss the true peak limiter on the wlm plus is amazing thank you

[@EnricoDePaoli]

Great and straight to the point video :) Thank you Sean and Waves.

[@elisewattmanJackboxGames]

Thank you for this; clear and concise, appreciate you!

[@hayleycomet8029]

great video on this, thanks

[@bboymac84]

Wow this looks very straight forward and easy

[@Tedbearbeats]

When I check any reference mix from KZbin/Apple/Spotify most pop top 40 music runs around 7-8 LUFS! why would we want to mix ours to -14?! Am I missing something?

[@ciantisdall]

So from my understanding the music is uploaded at -14 lufs then Spotify compresses it further to make it 7-8 lufs.

[@Tedbearbeats]

Cian Tisdall possible it would be nice to have the streaming services just say what they do lol

[@RafiMan2]

@@Tedbearbeats well, they actually do this. this one is for spotify: "We currently use ReplayGain, which was the most recognized standard for calculating loudness when Spotify first started. In the future, we plan to use a new standard for calculating loudness, called ITU 1770 (from the International Telecommunication Union). This defines the integrated LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) measure, and it’s what we recommend you use to measure the loudness of your tracks. ReplayGain doesn’t specify a measurement unit for loudness, so we’re unable to give an exact measure in LUFS used by ITTU 1770. However, we adjust tracks to 3 dB higher than ReplayGain algorithm specifies, which is roughly equivalent to -14 dB LUFS, according to the ITU 1770 standard."

[@tk-zh3dd]

most clients still prefer an energetic, loud-sounding mix and don't notIce that the streaming services turn it down a few dB to hit LUFS targets. Experienced engineers do whatever sounds best for the music and generally don't let the LUFS meter guide their mastering decisions.

[@BoyBlessing]

@@ciantisdall wrong spotify compresses it to -14 lufs

[@lazwid7879]

I will forever grateful this video just gave exact thing I’ve been looking for ❤️🙏🏻😩…I’m subscribing now ❤️

[@akumusik3582]

Great info! Gratitude & Appreciation 💯

[@saschasale2093]

Thanks man you helped me with this a lot man 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼legend in Tha game 💯

[@Pearlpassionstudio]

Excellent coverage of this Plugin, well explained.

[@shaquaydeh2378]

Yoh Sean ...Thanks For That Tutorial.... Just Made My Masters louder ...once again thanks Waves udiio

[@Rolanoid]

I always find a video like this helps explain it better to me than reading the manual which I tried. So would you use this as your main limiter or have this following a dedicated limiter like Pro-L or Ozone?

[@christianbarraza5522]

Follow after limiter

[@irishvoiceover]

VERY helpful

[@von_Apa]

This will be on my wish list! Thank's Sean! :)

[@wadewilliams1892]

great easy video thank you.

[@ReverendGuyWallis]

great video, thanks. i think i'll prob be buying this. i freaking hate mastering so hopefully this should help me have less headaches.

[@ReverendGuyWallis]

wow just saw my own comment 1 year later haha now i actually am mastering and im still getting the hang of it but kind of enjoying it mostly now.. maybe in another year ill be good!

[@thomaspipermusic]

on Apple -16 Lufs is on with their soundcheck right? But sound check is not set by default. It seems like i hear a lot of much that is louder than -16 Lufts. Confused

[@kimseniorb]

Thomas Piper its all bullshit. Not a single streaming service uses lufs matching by default. And no major artist had switched to -14 lufs masters

[@SeanDivine]

At this point, it’s a standard not a requirement. The confusion comes as many think the standard is set to make everything quieter but it’s actually to create a consistent listening experience when the normalization / sound check options are enabled

[@GuyTallo]

Ca you use the true peak limiter in wlm as your main limiter on your masterbus or is it just used as a simulation what streaming services would do?

[@SeanDivine]

Guy Tallo yes, you can use it as your master limiter and it’s actually quite good on it’s own

[@GuyTallo]

@@SeanDivine Thank you!

[@RichieSelmo]

excelent video....thanks

[@JHGJTUTUYT8]

I noticed in the beginning before you inserted your image, the meter in the upper right of your DAW was peaking in the red. Isn.t that not good for exporting?

[@momoflows1923]

if it aint hittinf over 0db then its good

[@txddyfarquh69]

Great Plugin, does this have ready-made Presets for me to choose from for different Platforms? THAT would be a gawd-send lol

[@JoeTheViewer]

Does this measure only in real time? Because Davinci Resolve's loudness meter can do a faster process to give you a result.

[@GauravhMUSIC]

Great Work Sean

[@111imcool]

amazing description

[@facethemusic7o2]

what do you use to measure a mastered tracks dynamic range?

[@OfficialStevenCravis]

*Sean Divine* , regarding all the other (non-Spotify) services like Apple Music, KZbin, Pandora and more, who's standard is -16 LUFS, what will those services do to our -14 LUFS master on their services?

[@danielpicard3994]

They will turn down your track by 2 db

[@OfficialStevenCravis]

@@danielpicard3994 thank you. So then doesn't it make more sense to target -16. Spotify would only raise the noise floor, but at least all of the music would still be heard fully. Or does it depend on genre and other factors?

[@kimseniorb]

Its not true

[@SeanDivine]

Steven Cravis if the listener has loudness “normalization” options enabled, it will simply adjust all music to the standard. So your track would be simply be turned down to match.

[@phillipjones3766]

To be clear you are testing this plugin on a MASTERED TRACK? Also when I use it I get a RED NEGATIVE NUMBER in the short term box on the left around -16. This is a track I mastered on Landr. Please advise.

[@5minutesofpiano]

Hey Sean!. Cool vid. What LUFS should I set for action trailer music? If I'm to send to the publisher....!

[@SeanDivine]

Hijack SONAR it depends on the standard you’re delivering and where / how it’s being broadcast. There’s actually a lot of useful presets included that cover a lot of different standards to choose from

[@dkkrecords]

Coolio info. Muchos gracias.

[@knuck75]

Hey Sean, great video. What general LU range do you aim for?

[@_tonisan]

thank you sir

[@ultralooter]

Can anyone explain my why all tracks on KZbin still look like an undynamic wall? Even after the -14 LUFS normalization?

[@ibrahim47x]

So what do we do to get our tracks to get to the desired long term LUFS and True Peak while remaining dynamic and loud enough? Compression? Mixing?

[@futurebeats898]

Separate individual sounds on the frequency dimension. As much as your taste allows you.

[@douglasnethercote9442]

Nice track!!

[@RomainRaynalComposer]

Nice video, thanks ! 🙏🏻

[@israelmichael5154]

I love this great video

[@bigkid757]

Great video! Question regarding true peak. My target lufs is -14. Should I try to get as close as I can to -1 or is that irrelevant if I’m at say -3.5 with and lufs of -14? In other words should I boost the input to get as close to a true peak of -1 and then adjust the limiter to obtain -14 lufs? Thanks!

[@alirizayaman8972]

Could somebody reply to this please?

[@hrst8849]

Yes always be at -1 db true peak, if you are lower than that like -3.5 than your track is just going to be more quiet. So just put the Output of your true peak limiter or wlm plus to -1 and than push it till you reach your desiered lufs and -1 db true peak, just be sure that its never going above the -1. Also if you want your track louder depending on the genre you can go over -14 lufs, i always try to get my master to around -9 lufs.

[@bigkidband911]

@@hrst8849 thanks for the reply!

[@stillgotyourmom]

@@hrst8849 Are you leaving the WLM on to bounce the track or you put it off and mix it again? Isnt there too much quali loss if you leave it on?

[@hrst8849]

@@stillgotyourmom I dont think there is any quali loss when you leave it on, its just a metering plugin with build in limiter. If I use the true peak limiter I leave it on of course, if Im not using it I turn it of but it shouldnt make any difference.

[@SpiceProductionsProducerVideos]

great video. thank you

[@josuenavarro5078]

Thanks! Very useful!

[@questyeong]

Hope can learn how to use this together with L2 ultramaximizer, or just using this as limiter?

[@sammytheman8994]

Might be a dumb question but does this include for instagram and facebook?

[@DrEdCalle]

Thank you.

[@bhzacousticsession2416]

sometimes my true peak is at -2.5db, but my lufs is on -14. Is that normal and ok??

[@SickOnes]

Is this the last plugin you should put on your mastering chain?

[@40avo]

Yes. If you activate True Peak Limiter it can also serve as your master limiter

[@stelthtenau]

If you want your track to sound as loud as pro tracks u do not want to aim for anything lower than -8 rms. Its has a sound. If you aim for -14 - -16 lufs it will not sound as loud and compressed as a track done to -8 rms and then lowered to -14lufs

[@jmizzbeatsj-jigga7888]

I was just going ask him how to get nice wide Loud master after mixing. When I master Im at 10rms luf at -14 when play back finish touch sound Low like it ain't full. Another thing I notice is when you listen to spotify play professional songs it seems spotify got people songs alil too compress or limiter. I think they should bumb it up at -15 luf I say that's the sweet spot. Were apple is -16 luv and everything is more open more dynamic too

[@bboymac84]

jmizz15212 Films J-jigga that’s going lower in volume though?

[@jmizzbeatsj-jigga7888]

@@bboymac84 bro explain more even if i go a good eight or seven it still be lower family

[@bboymac84]

jmizz15212 Films J-jigga you going lower in volume yes?

[@jmizzbeatsj-jigga7888]

@@bboymac84 ok good looks what volume you go do you go hot

[@adisatrio3871]

If 14 LUFS is the loudness standard for KZbin, then why when Right Clicking this video to look at "Stats for nerds" Volume/Normalized Value when the volume slider at 100% it says that youtube is reducing the audio gain from this video by -6.3dB?????????

[@blvkqmusicgroup]

DB is not LUFS. Totally different ways of measuring.

[@adisatrio3871]

@@blvkqmusicgroup i know. that's why i'm asking. since if 14 lufs is the loudness standard for youtube and this video is set to 14 lufs, then the number should says roughly around 0 DB, right? because the -6.3db in the "stats for nerds" means KZbin turned down the volume of original audio of the uploaded video by -6.3db to compensate the original loudness. so when people set the volume slider in the youtube video player to max 100%, that 100% is equal to the -6.3db of the original volume. which means, the loudness of this video before uploaded to youtube is more than 14 lufs. that's the opposite with what the video shows. the video shows that the audio was set to 14 lufs. but now we know that the video is actually not 14 db because KZbin algorithm still decide to reduce it's volume by -6.3db, when if youtube loudness standard is 14lufs, the algorithm shouldn't reduce the volume to match the loudness to 14 lufs, and by that the stats should says roughly around 0db. and to be clear, youtube algorithm is not doing any compression to the dynamic of the audio, it simply just like turning down the fader. and also it only does reduction which means video with quieter loudness won't be compensated by increasing its volume. it only decreasing volume of video with louder audio. i hope you get what i mean

[@jmizzbeatsj-jigga7888]

how to get nice wide Loud master after mixing. When I master Im at 10rms luf at -14 when play back finish touch sound Low like it ain't full. Another thing I notice is when you listen to spotify play professional songs it seems spotify got people songs alil too compress or limiter. I think they should bumb it up at -15 luf I say that's the sweet spot. Were apple is -16 luv and everything is more open more dynamic too

[@gusdee4844]

Mainstream songs final LUFS is around -9. Streaming services say -14 but itll be low. Just try and get it as loud as -9 and if the mix is good itll sound full and competitive to mainstream songs.

[@jmizzbeatsj-jigga7888]

@@gusdee4844 thanks family highly appreciated it

[@gusdee4844]

@@jmizzbeatsj-jigga7888 takes alot for loudness bro. Theres no easy fix and im not even close to there yet lol. But theres shit about percieved loudness and all that which is confusing but very true. On my master bus, say I add OneBrighter plugin from Waves and turn it up a couple notches.. it adds like 1 or 2 LUFS. Saturation as well. Limiter wont be the only thing to make it loud and full.

[@SixthSavior]

Mine doesn't have the gain option, is this newer?

[@yunghommie8658]

Thanks bro.

[@triplebeam23]

Hey Sean I have a question so I have waves VU meter in stereo and the WLM plus after it.. on the VU meter on top it has headroom and it goes from 4-26 is that -4 to -26 db from 0 .. that it just pulls down the signal?

[@MusicTechExplained]

Sorry, but your definition/explanation of the Loudness Range @2:10 is wrong. It has nothing to do with the loudest and quieter point (as you stated), it is based on the lowest and highest measured loudness in your program. EBU Tech 3341: "The computation of Loudness Range is based on a measurement of loudness level, as specified in ITU-R BS.1770. "

[@mastercanal3038]

Gostaria de tirar uma dúvida, fiz como vc recomendou no vídeo com os -14 lufs só que quando coloco no site: Loudness penalty, (site que mede a quantidade de lufs por cada plataforma) a plataforma indica que vou ser penalisado com -7 db em média, se insisto em baixar os lufs no plugim WLM até chegar num nível de não ser penalisado pelas plataformas percebo que o volume de minha música, em relação as músicas das plataformas, fica muito baixa, isso é normal???

[@waves]

Hi there, our tech support department is open 7 days a week and will be more than glad to assist. Please contact us directly: www.waves.com/contact-us

[@pablonavarro8915]

Excellent!!

[@C.J.C_Tube]

I want that beat bro! It's hard!

[@abrahamtorres6540]

I reached the long term target loudness of -14 LUFS using WLM meter. However I had a large number of overs, my question is will it clip at the overs, or am I ready to upload to Spotify or You Tube?

[@ShanHexis]

Plz...Reply me... I rendered my song as wav and mastered to -13Lufs. but My my song seems quite...

[@longarooni]

What’s the DB level at?

[@ShanHexis]

@@longarooni -3db

[@danielmiller5521]

Yep, far too quiet. Master at -9 to -6 LUFS. Use reference tracks and meter them to see how loud they are, then level match. Qobuz.com is great place to purchase reference tracks.

[@larrycavallucci3258]

Hi there...enjoy most of your vids although we work in different Genre's. I have this plugin and have liked it most of the time. However, today in mixing one of my own songs, in the chorus, the "short term" box started blinking a "RED" number, like I see behind you in the photo that comes up on your own screen. That is uncommon in my mixing, and am wondering what that's about, as you really didn't explain why that would occur. I've started weaning myself away from WAVES and won't buy any more of their plugins, as they can't spell "customer service" let alone care about customers like me, who has probably SIXTY of their plugins. I have a couple ADPTR similar plugins I like, i.e. their Metric A/B, Streamliner and Sculpt. I use WLM in both mixing and mastering, along with the ADPTR's. I agree with you, at -1.0 True peak, but for mixing, I keep mine at -18, and then in Studio One's Project Pg, where I do my mastering, I set those at -14, since I use some enhancement plugin chain in mastering. THANKS....I'd be interested in any comments about those blinking RED numbers in the short term box.

[@virgilhughes7837]

That just means your short term LUFS is peaking. You can try compressing some elements more in your mix to avoid the peak. I don't know what was your experience with Waves Tech support but they have been wonderful every time I called them.

[@losg206]

good info thanks 3.

[@syedjawad75]

Please answer my question. I have done everything now just tell me do i have to export my master with the wlm plug in on. or I have switch off every time I export my session

[@dulmin_]

No difference unless any desired limiting / filtering / leveling is engaged from THIS plugin. If you use this only for metering, then there is no use of engaging this because what it all say is something you've done already, which isn't altered even if you bypass this.

[@tk-zh3dd]

This is definitely to be taken with a grain of salt just like most other LUFS mastering vids. Few clients will be cool with a -14 master.

[@ortezbeats]

Meaning they will want it louder?

[@evanwanous2466]

Any advice if I’m still finding my Momentary meter in the red?

[@MikeBurnsArrangedAccidents]

Did not know this thing had a built in TP limiter.

[@duskatdawn7]

Thanks yet I'm a bit confused, I set my standards the same is you for spotify, -14 and -1 etc and all the other details you laid out. And I adjusted my true peak yet my song was at -17

[@klausherbert3040]

Maybe ur master fader was at -3db? Just guessing

[@gugaluuk]

Qual a quantidade de lufs que eu aplique na minha master que minha música fique boa em todas as plataformas digitais Sem eu ta masterizando minha música para cada plataforma digital

[@michaelcrawford2909]

I have an issue: at -14 lufs I’m still 2 dB shy of hitting the -1db true peak and triggering the limiter. I don’t think I’m over compressing/limiting my mix. Whass going on?

[@rimshot223]

Not hitting the limiter isn't necessarily a bad thing. It does bring into question if you are over compressing though. If your content is something that does not have a lot of short loud transients (i.e. drums claps etc.) then you might not hit or need the limiter.

[@Dengopro]

your my coach

[@minerelax6652]

My WLM Meter error, How can I fix it?

[@waves]

Hi there, our tech support department is open 7 days a week and will be more than glad to assist. Please contact us directly: www.waves.com/contact-us

[@dwightscott2377]

Nice track also..

[@donavonmarshall2641]

Hey thanks a lot for the video! I'm currently mastering a track for spotify right now and on my Waves WLM im hitting -18 LUFS overall and -17 max. If I use the built in limiter in the WLM plugin and boost about 4.0 db or so with the true peak limiter set to -1.0 to hit -14 LUFS consistently, will spotify then "ruin" my track dynamics when I upload it to them since I'd be going over -14 LUFS at some points in the song due to the 4.0 boost or would the limiter being set to -1.0 be enough to prevent spotify touching the track too much? I appreciate the advice! - Don

[@curtiscole9151]

if you don't hit 0 true peak you're fine, and it's better to have it louder than -14 lufs rather than quieter

[@donavonmarshall2641]

@@curtiscole9151 Thanks for the information bro I really appreciate it

[@danielmiller5521]

-14 LUFS is far too Quiet. -9 to -6 LUFS is in the commercial range. Pull a commercial track into your DAW and meter it.

[@ugurkaracay1]

is that only meter or proceeding the signal ?

[@ELLIOT8209]

I wish they would answer this question. Even the Abbey Road Studio plugin

[@rawfootagefishing1699]

Hey guys I'm pretty much putting the same settings and doing everything the same but I can't manage to get a lufs long term reading of -14 anyone know the problem? Even when playing with the gain

[@HiFi-Yeah]

This is very basic stuff. The more involved question would be: given that you hit -14 LUFS on this video (I can see this in "stats for nerds"), what were your dialogue LUFS and music LUFS that then resulted in this average? It sounds like the music is at least +3 dB over the narrative. So perhaps -16 LUFS for dialogue and -12 LUFS for music gave you the -14 LUFS average?

[@blesschild22]

This plugin is based off your normalization settings please get into normalize settings

[@slxdaTV]

Mastering in Logic ? 🤔 interesting 🔥🔥🔥🎈🎈🎈

[@kennethward9976]

got it how to set level LUFS

[@longarooni]

Does anybody know that if you already used one limiter one the track (hitting -14 LUFS) but the true peak limiter is -0.6 with the true peak being -DB? Is that good or do I still need to adjust the true peak limiter towards -1?

[@longarooni]

Wait nvm, I saw a comment on -3db. Mines is in between -8 to -6DB so I don’t need to gain it.

[@justaguy2829]

i put Excision - Rave thing into FL and it hits -3 lufs PLZ EXPLAIN

[@schtuff.8207]

tooo loud!

[@LEGENDS989]

i'm just gonn' say i love u:)

[@TheInfamousDKMTR]

I don't see the true peak limiter

[@БенБенов-н1д]

Мега мощь !!!

[@kingech_B15]

lit

[@mattpaige96]

bruh that beat screams wiz khalifa haha

[@siriusfun]

Or...you could just use Cubase Pro - it has all these features built in.