Apple move to -16lufs

[Iron Keys]

What the fuck does this mean?

Do we now have to backwards or reverse master our tracks?! Master the glue out of them, master them to be really peaky ?

My mixes already hit my master at at least -14 lufs. So I now have to un-master my mixes?! or make them really quiet?

Pisses me off after finally getting to grips with getting nice loud mixes.

Does this mean compressors and limiters are now obsolete ?

Apple Choose -16LUFS Loudness Level For Apple Music - Here's Why | Audio Production: News, Tutorials & Reviews

Apple Music, the last of the big streaming platforms to adopt Loudness normalisation has adopted -16LUFS as its standard. How does this choice, which is significantly quieter than Spotify, YouTube and the like, affect mastering choices?

www.pro-tools-expert.com

 

[InsideOutBeats]

Why fuck about with it? Feel for you guys that are on multiple platforms as that’s more work to consider regarding which platform at which LUFS.

 

[thedreampolice]

I don't think you will have to change anything but I'm VERY happy with this move. Anything we can do to keep dynamics in music is a good thing. I reached out to my mastering buddy to try and get more info.

 

[DPrezd Beggar]

Even tho i wasnt really interested in this topic, i still read the whole thing and this popped up in the text

How loud ? The simple solution to optimizing playback volume online - and everywhere else - Production Advice

I get asked this question literally every day, now.

productionadvice.co.uk

Maybe will help you.

 

[InsideOutBeats]

Ok, ideally all platforms should adopt the optimal LUFS across the board but of course that’s never that simple. Interestingly reading from that although 16LUFS is way quieter it allows for more headroom so I will sit back and listen to you guys more experienced opinions

 

[YannFer]

What the fuck does this mean?

Do we now have to backwards or reverse master our tracks?! Master the glue out of them, master them to be really peaky ?

My mixes already hit my master at at least -14 lufs. So I now have to un-master my mixes?! or make them really quiet?

Pisses me off after finally getting to grips with getting nice loud mixes.

Does this mean compressors and limiters are now obsolete ?

Apple Choose -16LUFS Loudness Level For Apple Music - Here's Why | Audio Production: News, Tutorials & Reviews

Apple Music, the last of the big streaming platforms to adopt Loudness normalisation has adopted -16LUFS as its standard. How does this choice, which is significantly quieter than Spotify, YouTube and the like, affect mastering choices?

www.pro-tools-expert.com

The way I understand things, you don't need to remaster your stuff...

if your - 14lufs tracks are uploaded to Apple Music, they will be turned down (compressed in fact) 2 db and be just as quiet/loud as every other track on the platform. you'll just lose dynamics.

However, tracks that are mastered specifically for the platform, at - 16lufs will potentially have the dynamics fitting better under this threshold, and less compressed.

 

[InsideOutBeats]

Even tho i wasnt really interested in this topic, i still read the whole thing and this popped up in the text

How loud ? The simple solution to optimizing playback volume online - and everywhere else - Production Advice

I get asked this question literally every day, now.

productionadvice.co.uk

Maybe will help you.

So they recommend to master at no higher than -10 LUFS, goddamn I’ll carry on making beats by ear and if it sounds too loud or too quiet I’ll adapt over time.
To be fair I haven’t paid attention to the LUFS as I’ve been busy trying to make beats and taken on board this community’s advice and info but understand I need to incorporate this too at some point.
We had a LUFS discussion a while back but as I’m not on Apple Music it doesn’t effect me yet.
Interesting for those that are though and the point that @Iron Keys made

 

[DPrezd Beggar]

So they recommend to master at no higher than -10 LUFS,

If the loudness in your beat is consistent, then probably yes, but the article refers to the loudest parts in your beats.
Like mentioned in the article if you have more quieter parts in your beats than loud ones the algorithm wont turn down your whole beat as much as it would do when your loudness is consistently over the top. You pick the loudest parts in your beats, master them to -10 LUFS and should be good to go. But thats just what i got from reading that stuff. Im neither experienced enough in this field nor good at making beats. xd So you prolly roll with someone more experienced than me. I do my shit like i feel it, idc about all this stuff too much.

 

[InsideOutBeats]

If the loudness in your beat is consistent, then probably yes, but the article refers to the loudest parts in your beats.
Like mentioned in the article if you have more quieter parts in your beats than loud ones the algorithm wont turn down your whole beat as much as it would do when your loudness is consistently over the top. You pick the loudest parts in your beats, master them to -10 LUFS and should be good to go. But thats just what i got from reading that stuff. Im neither experienced enough in this field nor good at making beats. xd So you prolly roll with someone more experienced than me. I do my shit like i feel it, idc about all this stuff too much.

I see what ya mean with the loudness ‘peaks’ to the track.
‘I do my shit like I feel it’ @DPrezd Beggar, best way man, go with your feel, create and worry about LUFS later
Just enjoy your music and producing and put the time in, I’ve come a long way since last year and although nothing to shout about can tell the difference and improvement in my productions from research and ILLmuzik.

 

[Fade]

The way I understand things, you don't need to remaster your stuff...

if your - 14lufs tracks are uploaded to Apple Music, they will be turned down (compressed in fact) 2 db and be just as quiet/loud as every other track on the platform. you'll just lose dynamics.

However, tracks that are mastered specifically for the platform, at - 16lufs will potentially have the dynamics fitting better under this threshold, and less compressed.

If I remember correctly, wasn't there a chart and/or website posted here a while ago that showed what each platform does to your uploaded music?

 

[InsideOutBeats]

The way I understand things, you don't need to remaster your stuff...

If I remember correctly, wasn't there a chart and/or website posted here a while ago that showed what each platform does to your uploaded music?

Yes fade, in a discussion we had here on LUFS someone did post a chart covering each platform. But the platforms have or are changing. It’s not the end of the world just worth knowing incase the others quickly follow

 

[2GooD Productions]

The way I understand things, you don't need to remaster your stuff...

If I remember correctly, wasn't there a chart and/or website posted here a while ago that showed what each platform does to your uploaded music?

Loudness Penalty

Find out if your music will be turned down by YouTube, Spotify, TIDAL, Apple Music and more. Discover your music's Loudness Penalty score, for free.

www.loudnesspenalty.com

 

[Fade]

Loudness Penalty

Find out if your music will be turned down by YouTube, Spotify, TIDAL, Apple Music and more. Discover your music's Loudness Penalty score, for free.

www.loudnesspenalty.com

 

[Iron Keys]

So I spoke to a few engineers about this, and like I had wondered, but worried about, they recommended just mastering your shit as you usually would.

Because of a reason I saw demoed elsewhere... a track mastered to say 8 lufs and turned down to 14 will sound different to the same track mastered to 12 and turned down to 14.

The compression imparts a quality to the music. But also something (i think) called loudness range.

Most I spoke to said they were mastering to -10-8 lufs.

You also have to remember there's an option on some platforms to turn normalisation off... so potentially if anyone does your track could come up against louder tracks.

 

[2GooD Productions]

So I spoke to a few engineers about this, and like I had wondered, but worried about, they recommended just mastering your shit as you usually would.

I came across the same advice, just master as usual, and have done since.
I aim for -7db to -8db on the loudest part most of the time, with an average LUFS of around -9 to -10

Ive also decided to calm way down on my basslines. They are just too bassy lol.

 

[Iron Keys]

I came across the same advice, just master as usual, and have done since.
I aim for -7db to -8db on the loudest part most of the time, with an average LUFS of around -9 to -10

Ive also decided to calm way down on my basslines. They are just too bassy lol.

I always hate everytime I find a way to mix / master I'm happy with, I always find a new interest. Managed getting s couple to 8 recently. But more often knocking around 10 or 9 at best and sometimes I feel I can start hearing things I'm not happy with when I do so. Dunno, I domt always feel that once playing back days later but.

 

[2GooD Productions]

Managed getting a* couple to 8 recently.

The loudest Ive gotten is around -6db, its hard though without it falling apart.
I do get momentary peaks of around -4 even on an average LUFS of around -10db.

I could push for -7 all the time, but I find -8 is more achievable, even with bass taking up a lot of the energy. I think if I stopped pushing my bass so hard and over the top it will give me a lot more headroom to work with and I wont struggle so much with -7.

 

[Fade]

Ive also decided to calm way down on my basslines. They are just too bassy lol.

Basslines are such a pain to get right. It's always too much or too little!

 

[2GooD Productions]

Basslines are such a pain to get right. It's always too much or too little!

there is the old vu meter trick that I posted about ages ago, where you can get the right balance between kick and bass, then mix everything else after that has been done. I havent done it in a couple years though. I throw my mixes together pretty quickly, which is why they can be a bit hit and miss, but if I was to release something, I would mix it properly and go through it step by step.
I should be aiming my bass level for BEFORE turning the bass up a touch lol, not what it sounds like after.

 

[Fade]

there is the old vu meter trick that I posted about ages ago, where you can get the right balance between kick and bass, then mix everything else after that has been done. I havent done it in a couple years though. I throw my mixes together pretty quickly, which is why they can be a bit hit and miss, but if I was to release something, I would mix it properly and go through it step by step.
I should be aiming my bass level for BEFORE turning the bass up a touch lol, not what it sounds like after.

Yeah I remember you posting that. Good tip. I usually do that by ear and bring everything else in slowly but still the other issue is ear fatigue. That's why I never mix the same day I made the beat.