La Mia Politica sulla LOUDNESS nel 2024 (Mastering, Mix, Produzione Musicale)

Summary

In this comprehensive video, the creator discusses the intricacies of loudness in music production, emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing loudness to achieve the desired volume perception. The video is divided into three key points: increasing the potential loudness of a track, common mistakes in achieving loudness, and the role of normalization on streaming platforms like Spotify. The creator shares insights on how to balance dynamics and transients, the impact of saturation and compression, and the significance of True Peak levels when uploading tracks. The video aims to dispel misinformation and provide guidance on crafting a competitive product that meets both artistic and loudness standards.

Takeaways

• 🔊 Loudness is a crucial aspect of music production, and understanding it can significantly improve your work.
• 📊 To measure loudness, use LUFS (Loudness Units) and RMS (Root Mean Square) for a comprehensive understanding of perceived volume.
• 🎚️ Experiment with saturation and compression to enhance the loudness potential of your track without overdoing it.
• 🚫 Avoid over-compressing or limiting your mix, as it can lead to a loss of dynamics and a less engaging sound.
• 🔧 When mastering, aim for a balanced approach, considering the client's and the artist's preferences for loudness and dynamics.
• 📉 Do not force loudness by overusing limiters and clippers, as this can result in a flat and less impactful sound.
• 📈 Understand the True Peak levels when uploading to streaming platforms, as they affect the perceived loudness and potential penalties.
• 🔄 Consider the structure and arrangement of your track to manage the integrated loudness and avoid unnecessary penalties on streaming platforms.
• 🎧 Listen to your track on streaming platforms with normalization enabled to understand how it will sound to the average listener.
• 📊 Use tools like Loudness Penalty to analyze your track's integrated and maximum LUFS to make informed decisions about your mix.
• 🎼 Remember that loudness is not just about numbers; comparing your track to similar genres and references can provide valuable insights.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The main focus of the video is to provide an exhaustive guide on loudness, discussing the speaker's policies, and guiding viewers on how to manage loudness to achieve the desired perceived volume according to their needs.

Why did the speaker decide to create this video?

The speaker decided to create this video due to the ongoing misinformation and uncertainty about loudness, despite the various resources available on Patreon, YouTube, and courses.

What are the three main points the speaker suggests following for a comprehensive understanding of loudness?

The three main points are: understanding what increases the potential loudness of a track, recognizing the biggest mistake to avoid when trying to achieve more loudness, and learning how to effectively use normalization on platforms like Spotify.

What are LUFS and RMS, and how do they relate to perceived volume?

LUFS (Loudness Units) and RMS (Root Mean Square) are two different ways to measure the perceived volume of a track. RMS measures the average volume, while LUFS weigh different parts of the spectrum, considering that some frequencies may be perceived as louder than others.

What is the importance of using references in mixing and mastering?

Using references helps to understand how the loudness of a track is influenced not only by average volume (RMS) but also by the mix quality, arrangement, and how elements are balanced, including the impact of saturation and compression steps.

What is the speaker's advice on the use of saturation and compression in the mixing and mastering process?

The speaker advises to use saturation and compression sparingly to avoid creating artifacts and distortions that can take away the character and breath of the track. It's important to manage these effects from the first tracks to the subgroups and the mix bus to achieve a higher loudness without over-compressing.

What is the True Peak level recommended by the speaker for uploading tracks to streaming platforms?

The speaker recommends uploading tracks with a True Peak level of -1 dB, which allows for some margin of error during conversion by the streaming platforms without affecting the final loudness of the track.

How does the structure and arrangement of a track affect its integrated loudness on platforms like Spotify?

The integrated loudness is measured as an average throughout the entire track. Tracks with more dynamic variation, such as intros and bridges that drop in volume, will have a lower integrated loudness, resulting in less volume reduction during normalization on platforms like Spotify.

What is the significance of the loudness penalty on streaming platforms like Spotify?

The loudness penalty is a reduction in volume applied by streaming platforms to normalize tracks. Tracks with a higher integrated loudness will receive a greater penalty, which can affect their perceived volume compared to other tracks.

How can one optimize their track's loudness for streaming platforms?

One can optimize loudness by creating dynamic sections within the track that lower the overall average volume, thus reducing the loudness penalty and potentially increasing the perceived volume on streaming platforms.

Why is it important to compare the loudness of your track with similar genres and references?

Comparing with similar genres and references helps to understand if the track holds up in terms of loudness and overall impact. Different genres have different loudness characteristics, and a direct comparison with dissimilar genres may not provide an accurate assessment.