Why is my video so quiet on Youtube? | Perfecting Audio with Keith Alexander

We have all been there, you upload your video to KZbin and it’s much quieter than all the other videos. In this episode, Keith will be looking at how to get your video sounding right for KZbin. He specifically looks at metering, how to do it correctly and goes through various tools and software that will help you measure your audio properly.
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✘ PRODUCTS USED:
Apple 13" MacBook Pro
www.adorama.com/acmuhp2lla.html
TC Electronic Audio Loudness Meter
www.adorama.com/tceclrtymv2.html
Waves WLM Plus Loudness Meter Plug-In
www.adorama.com/wvwlmplussg.html
NUGEN Audio VisLM
www.adorama.com/navislmh2mtr....
NUGEN Audio MasterCheck & ISL
www.adorama.com/namstrchkand....
Rode Microphones NTUSB Versatile Studio-Quality USB Microphone
www.adorama.com/rdntusb.html
Blue Microphones Snowball USB Condenser Microphone
www.adorama.com/micbsnwblicb....
Samson MK10 Lightweight Boom Mic Stand
www.adorama.com/samk10.html
Technical Pro ARM1 Microphone Suspension Crane Arm
www.adorama.com/tearm1.html
H&A Telescoping Tabletop Microphone Stand
www.adorama.com/hatttms.html
Golden Age Project P2 Metal Pop Filter
www.adorama.com/gap2.html
Rycote InVision Universal Pop Filter
www.adorama.com/ry045001.html
Marantz Sound Shield Compact
www.adorama.com/mzsshieldcmp....
CAD Audio Acousti-Shield 22 Foldable Stand-Mounted Acoustic Enclosure
www.adorama.com/caas22.html
PreSonus Studio 26 2x4 192kHz USB 2.0 Audio/MIDI Interface
www.adorama.com/psst26.html
MXL MicMate Dynamic, XLR-to-USB Adapter
www.adorama.com/mxldmicmate.html
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Generation USB Interface
www.adorama.com/framssolo3g.html
Rode Microphones iXY Stereo Recording Microphone for iPhone
www.adorama.com/rdixyl.html
Rode Microphones i-XLR Digital XLR Interface for iOS Devices
www.adorama.com/rdixlr.html
#videosound #soundtips #perfectingaudio
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Related Links:
Youlean loudness meter
youlean.co/youlean-loudness-m...
Black Magic’s Davinci Resolve
www.blackmagicdesign.com/prod...
Follow Keith Alexander on:
www.noiseminer.com
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THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING!

[@MikeJamesMedia]

Thank you, Keith! I value all your experience, the tips you provide, and your recommendations for affordable software!

[@keithalexander5935]

Thanks Mike. Will we see you at the live show on Wednesday?

[@MikeJamesMedia]

@@keithalexander5935 Is this live online, or somewhere else? I seem to have missed the link, or announcement, but will look for it!

[@decshi-resmusichalloffame4004]

Great tips, thanks. There is a lot in this 5 minute video and it is easy enough to understand.

[@keithalexander5935]

Thanks Dec

[@SunriseWaterMedia]

They grabbed Keith out of the dressing room, even though he wasn't quite ready, to make this awesome, very helpful video. Thanks! :)

[@keithalexander5935]

😅

[@gnembon]

That's really some helpful tips. One thing I am still not getting though - I always make sure that my commentary track peaks at ~ 0db on the final mix to use all the spectrum without clipping, but youtube is reporting -10db on my content. How can I increase my volume without running into distorted speech?

[@keithalexander5935]

0Db Is way too loud. That is the top of the range on a 'full scale' meter (before distortion). Fine on a VU meter. Try out the loudness meter and play some of your earlier mixes through it to see where the problems arise. Then take the same mix and mix it again to the -13 lufs that we talked about. Then upload , make the video private and wait until YT passes over it and look at the stats again. You should now be in a better place.

[@micheal2733]

In the popular free Audio editing programme called Audacity they now have a new loudness normalization effect..If you set it at -14db in the final mix...the audio seems to come out spot on for KZbin. One thing I have noticed about YT ..that when some videos are uploaded for a period of time they seem to increase the volume regardless of the number of clicks on the video.

[@mediumhobbyist6981]

Wow thats very helpful, thank you!

[@keithalexander5935]

My pleasure 😊

[@alisafrey6459]

Thank you so much!

[@keithalexander5935]

My pleasure

[@adrianvanleeuwen]

Da Vinci Resolve sounds good. However I like editing in Sony Vegas Pro (now Magix Vegas Pro) which has built in metering levels and apply "normalize features" so I can make sure from clip to clip are somewhat consistent in volume (from indoor or outdoor), as I can boost sound when I need to within the software. Using external microphones on DSLR or mirrorless cameras or tabletop microphones such at Blue Yeti also help keep sound clean and eliminate background noise so boosting is better when needed. Thanks for explaining options out there. There are a lot of them. Adobe Premiere or Premiere Elements may also have sound meters built in software.

[@keithalexander5935]

Sounds great Adrian. There is also an essential tool that you have to learn to use, your ears. All the functions of these softwares are handy but do not depend on them. Trust your ears. They will know if everything is right.

[@TheSoundStudio]

wonderful

[@keithalexander5935]

Thanks a million

[@Artistic_Rhy]

Thank you so much your amazing

[@shifteleven]

Thanks Keith! BTW, I checked the "Stats for Nerds" and I see YT normalized the audio here down a little: "Volume / Normalized 100% / 91% (content loudness 0.9dB)". The content loudness was the same as other videos you had "(content loudness 0.9dB)". Interesting to see there still some tweaking on the YT side; but that said, I would rather have YT make the clip quieter rather rather than being too quiet in the first place. Looking forward to the Fairlight exploration! Cheers!

[@keithalexander5935]

So we have a winner! I was wondering who would check for this video 😉

[@shifteleven]

@@keithalexander5935 Hahaha. It's seemed like the obvious thing to do ;) And now I've been looking at other videos. When it's too low, I clearly see the reason why in "Stats for Nerds". The other interesting bit is I've noticed that music videos are ones that get their volume normalized hard. I suppose that's the effect of the "loudness wars" and being auto-corrected.

[@octoberdawn1087]

I wish i understood all this stuff. I work so hard on my videos and I even crank up the noise to 200% on my video guru, but KZbin always cuts my volume back down to half or so.. All of this technology though, it's way over my head. I've been trying to learn about this for years and my brain just can't process it. I tried to play around with da Vinci resolve for almost 2 years and finally got over it. I could never figure out how to make it work even with tutorial videos. I wish there was something simpler for people like me.

[@HikariSakai]

there's nothing you can do, KZbin just compresses audio on all videos probably to equalize audio throughout to respect safe volume levels internationally. Some weird law with audio loudness.

[@offcenterconcepthaus]

Damn good.

[@keithalexander5935]

I am glad you enjoyed. There are more than 70 more shows in the "Perfecting Audio" playlist for you to enjoy. Great fun, serious learning. BTY I will be starting a LIVE show on Twitch starting Wednesday. I will be running through a few toys and having fun but it is you guys that will own the show. Get on there and ask the questions, chat about your setups or just come and hangout.

[@billmacaulay]

videos on youtube so quiet I can barely hear them - speakers are at 100%

[@TheSoundStudio]

Need Help: one of my video showing- Volume/ Normalized 100% / 92% (content loudness 1.7dB ) What does it means?!

[@keithalexander5935]

KZbin had reduced the loudness of your mix because it was mixed too hot.

[@charlesbukowski9997]

also ur voice is soothing n smooth, can u read me a book

[@prod.bbx666]

every time I make video it sounds perfect when im in the youtube uploader but when i actually upload it it makes it quiet. why?????

[@andrewedelman3968]

Same here. I spend months making my comedy show & I watch the sound levels on my editing program to make sure they are good. After uploading to youtube they are so quiet that i have to turn the volume all the way up to properly here them. I am frustrated as well.

[@SelenaGarefino]

Same and there's NOTHING on the internet to answer this. I wish someone would reply to you

[@keithalexander5935]

Sorry about the later reply everyone. Because you are mixing too loud. You need the loudness meter to make sure that it is correct before it goes near KZbin.

[@GorillaBeamz]

Wait, does this video not show you why?

[@69_MK]

I’ve been telling youtubers to fix their levels for a while

[@keithalexander5935]

Unfortunately the standards are not well known. If YT insisted on everyone having to stick to these standards, like broadcasters, then and only then will thing change. Thanks for commenting.

[@RobTFilms]

Even on major channels it is completely messed up

[@ragnorockcookie2868]

Can I get help I'm having a hard time trying to fix a problem. When I connect my laptop to a HDMI cable to connect to my tv. Everything works but ass soon as I connect to KZbin the sound goes down to a crawl. But the funny thing is video games sound perfect and work properly but as soon as I try to connect KZbin it just doesn't work

[@raulakis35]

Awesome video !!! 👍

[@keithalexander5935]

Raul Farfan thanks a million

[@raulakis35]

@@keithalexander5935 Keith I have a question... Final Cut Pro has its internal editing tools for audio... do you think that is enought to get a good audio quality for my youtube videos? or should I use another piece of software?... thank you again!

[@keithalexander5935]

@@raulakis35 have you bought it yet?

[@raulakis35]

@@keithalexander5935 Yes I have Final Cut Pro in my mac already installed...

[@charlesbukowski9997]

its weird thos. the songs sound fine on soundcloud. but you tube lowers the volume for some reason.

[@OfficialDogBoi]

ikr!

[@PaulFisherMedia]

My .wav sounds good and loud but when I export from AE and Media Encoder the mp4 and resulting KZbin upload is significantly quieter , what can I do

[@keithalexander5935]

Put your mix through the Youlean Meter to see how loud you wav is then correct accordingly

[@keithalexander5935]

Hey. I will be starting a LIVE show on Twitch, starting Wednesday. I will be running through a few toys and having fun but it is you guys that will own the show. Get on there and ask the questions, chat about your setups or just come and hangout

[@charlesbukowski9997]

maaan. i been tryin to fix this problem. i been doin on my stuff on phone past few years listening wise. just got pc. realized volumes off on like alll my videos.. id have to delete years of work cus its music an sounds important.. dammit

[@keithalexander5935]

My live series continues today on AdoramaXP, Adoramas Twitch channel at 3pm EST/ 8PM GMT

[@louisburley1597]

Adorama ASMR. But great audio tips. I swear by Waves personally. I use Izotope as well

[@keithalexander5935]

Thank you I hope they were helpful. Ive had occasion to swear at Waves before also 😉

[@MystBluue]

the stats for nerds things helped so much, I knew there was something fishy going on

[@nia.barnat]

i cant hear him help there are no subtitles

[@SteveVicious1]

I'm sure I hear videos on youtube that are louder than -13 LUFS 😩 at least they sound that way.

[@micheal2733]

Then YT will decrease the levels. Go into your video right click on it and go to the third line down and you'll see exactly how much the lowered the volume of the video...

[@darkshadow_42069]

There's no captions, I can't hear you :/

[@pennywiser9607]

Sadly there’s no app that uploads perfect volume videos

[@keithalexander5935]

I’m afraid not.

[@HikariSakai]

Soundcloud maybe for audio files but that's because audio is very important on there.

[@perpetualgrimace]

Thumbs up for the stats for nerds tip.

[@keithalexander5935]

😉

[@MarioBruneau]

@@keithalexander5935 Yes really Keith, I've been posting videos on KZbin since 16 years and never was I told about this "stats for nerds" tip. Downloaded DaVinci Resolve too and look forward to try it. I am also surprised of the low price of this video editing software. Subscribed and liked.

[@ImaginetMedia]

Volume / Normalized31% / 28% (content loudness 0.9dB). Looks like you need to work on your own output.

[@keithalexander5935]

You need to make sure the volume slider in the video window is up full before you can get accurate readings push up your slider and then have a look. 0.9dB over 5mins, not a whole lot to worry about. Thanks for your comment.

[@emptybucket1988]

Yeah some videos are too quite

[@mrquickey3731]

so what to do to avoid watching 6 minutes wtf