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Mastering For Streaming: The Best Tips For Improving Sound Quality

In the current world of music streaming, artists and audio engineers are facing a unique issue. They have to deliver music to their listeners from all around the world while also adhering to the loudness standards set by different streaming platforms. To make sure that your music provides a consistent listening experience to all your fans, it is important to understand the concept of loudness. Let’s find out what about it and also check out the tips for artists and audio engineers to meet these standards in recording studios in St. Louis Missouri.

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Understanding Loudness


Loudness is a perception of sound intensity, which is measured in decibels. Loudness and volume are not the same. Volume represents the objective measure of sound pressure levels. So, loudness can be different for every person as it is influenced by various factors like the frequency content of the sound and the listener’s environment.


The Loudness War


The music industry has been involved in the loudness war. There is an aggressive approach to compression and limiting for achieving the loudest possible sound in recorded music. The goal is to make the track feel unique when it is played along with others, especially when listening on the radio. However, this can also lead to a loss of dynamic range and sonic clarity. The quieter elements in the mix may even get lost when one goes for this.


Loudness Normalization


Streaming platforms have now implemented loudness normalization, which can help with the issue of different loudness levels and the negative consequences of loudness. This process helps automatically adjust tracks' playback volume so that one gets a consistent listening experience. This helps prevent any sudden volume fluctuations when one switches between tracks, and hence, the listeners get an enjoyable listening experience.


Loudness Standards for Music Streaming Platforms


Different streaming platforms have their loudness standards, which are measured in LUFS, which is loudness units full scale. It is an internationally recognized standard, which helps measure loudness by considering human perception. Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, etc. have -14 LUFS as their loudness standards, while Apple Music has -16 LUFS. However, these standards are not fixed and can change with time. So, you should stay updated with the latest information so that your music is optimized according to every platform.

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Tips for Artists and Audio Engineers:


Preserve Dynamic Range


You should avoid over-compression and limit it as this can help in preventing the loss of dynamic range in your music. Loudness normalization will automatically adjust the playback volume. So, you should not sacrifice the dynamics of your mix just to compete with the other tracks.


Use Loudness Meter


You can go for a loudness meter that can help with measuring RMS or LUFS. This will be quite useful when you understand how to interpret its readings properly. This tool will help you take care of the loudness levels of your mix and make the right adjustments in recording studios in St. Louis whenever necessary.


Aim for a Sweet Spot


You should be aware of the loudness standards of different streaming platforms that you are going for. But you can also target a loudness level of around -9 RMS so that you can create a balance that will be useful for almost all music genres.


If you are looking for a recording studio in St. Louis, you should get in touch with us at Kalinga Production Studios. We will ensure to provide you with the most seamless and convenient experience when you connect with us for your projects. At our recording studio, you will get the best environment for working on your future projects.


Contact us for more information.


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