When we talk about normalization, it will be this integrated measurement that we’re interested in. In other words, if the integrated measurement is -12 LUFS, portions of the signal below -22 LUFS will no longer contribute to the loudness measurement. Additionally, there is a measurement “gate.” This means that very quiet signals-below -70 LUFS-do not contribute to the loudness measurement, and once that threshold is crossed, signals 10 dB below the measurement also don’t count. The Integrated metric is essentially a K-weighted measurement of a whole song, built up from the Momentary measurements. They are K-weighted, as described above, and Momentary uses a 400 ms time-scale, while Short Term uses a 3 second time-scale. Momentary and Short Term measurements are both essentially RMS measurements. Let’s walk through them to quickly explain what each one shows us. The next thing to understand is that most meters use “EBU Mode” to show five different loudness metrics, as shown above in Insight. Loudness meters, like those found in the Loudness panel of Insight, are a modern way of measuring perceived loudness in a digital environment, and the unit they measure is known as LUFS-loudness units, full scale. Is loudness intrinsic to a file? Or is it dependent on the sound pressure level-SPL-in the air? Where do user volume controls factor in, and what about tonal balance and the personal hearing traits of the listener? You can read more about some of these complexities about loudness in this article, but for our discussion here, we’ll think about loudness as it relates to so-called “loudness meters.” Loudness seems like it ought to be a simple enough concept, but if we pry a little we can uncover some of its complexities. Let’s start by bringing some definition to those terms. One of the core questions we’ll need to address is, “how loud should I master?” To answer this though, we’ll need to have a good understanding of loudness, LUFS measurements, and the concept of normalization. Checking the specifications of your master.Loudness specifications by streaming platform.Learn how to master for streaming platforms: So without further ado, let's dive into streaming platform specifications for loudness, level, and normalization. With that in mind, understanding how to master a song for streaming is as important now as it’s ever been because each platform has loudness standards and specifications to adhere to if you want your music heard as intended. While it’s true that physical formats like vinyl-which has seen nearly exponential growth since 2007-and CD-which made a modest comeback in 2021-have seen increased sales in recent years, they still pale in comparison to streaming, which in 2021 enjoyed a commanding 83% market share! I think it’s safe to say we’re officially in the age of streaming-in fact, you could probably argue that we have been since about 2015.
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