The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    It looks like the streaming services have ended the loudness wars. ?

    As a heads up... If you post music to a streaming service (including youtube) you want to get the loudness correct while it is in your control. Otherwise the streaming service will compensate which could result in unwanted compression if your musi is too loud, or unwanted clipping if your music is to quiet.

    I wonder if you can get there without buying the Loudness Referee plugin talked about in this video.

    Last edited by fep; 04-20-2019 at 03:21 PM.

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  3. #2

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    I answered my own question and found a free LUFS plugin. So, if you know the LUFS setting for the site you download (or downloud or damnloud) to then you can set if accordingly.

    YouTube -13 LUFS for instance. Just set to -13 LUFS with compression and limiting to a track I'm currently working on and that is pretty damn loud to me, louder than I usually use, perhaps too loud for me. Hmm the wave file image doesn't look slammed.

    Here's the bit I set to -13 LUFS, judge for yourselves, I'd be interested in your opinion: Box

    Here's pictures of the wave image of my track sample at -13 LUFS, and the free plugin, and the streaming services LUFS levels that they'll compensate too if you don't.
    Attached Images Attached Images Have the Loudness Wars Ended?-lufs-jpg Have the Loudness Wars Ended?-wave-image-png Have the Loudness Wars Ended?-settings-png 
    Last edited by fep; 04-20-2019 at 03:22 PM.

  4. #3

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    Thanks, Fep! This is useful information.

  5. #4

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    I looked at some of my videos and it looks like youtube is not increasing the volume if you are below their LUFS settings. So it appears you are safe in not having your audio messed with if you are at or under -13 LUFS. You can right click a youtube video and select "stats for nerds" and the image below pops up. Note the Volume/Normalized line... 100%/100% even though this video is 3 db under. So, they didn't mess with it. I checked the LUFS in my DAW and this track was at about -17 LUFS. Here's the video so you can hear the loudness level of what I posted.

    Attached Images Attached Images Have the Loudness Wars Ended?-youtube-compensation-weight-jpg 

  6. #5

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    Here is another one that it just so happens I was at -13 LUFS on my DAW, just a coincidence as I did this before I even knew about or measured LUFS. Again this one wasn't messed with by YouTube.

    And so you can hear the relative loudness of this one:
    Attached Images Attached Images Have the Loudness Wars Ended?-youtube-compensation-png 

  7. #6

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    And here is one that got it's volume reduced because it was too loud... A Bruno Mars official video, they should know better. Note the Volume/Normalized line 100%/70%

    Listen how compressed and overly loud this is:
    Attached Images Attached Images Have the Loudness Wars Ended?-youtube-compensation-bruno-mars-png 

  8. #7

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    Evidently mine was too loud?

    Have the Loudness Wars Ended?-screen-shot-2019-04-20-5-40-17-pm-jpg

  9. #8

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    Frank, what's the name of the free LUFS plugin you found? Do you use Reaper?

    This loudness stuff has always been a mystery to me. Thanks for the info.

  10. #9

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    Hi Jack. The free LUFS meter I found is. YOULEAN LOUDNESS METER 2. And , yes I do use reaper.

    If you use reaper check out this video which is where I found the LUFS meter:

  11. #10

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    Loudness War & Peace (Bob Katz):

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by fep
    Hi Jack. The free LUFS meter I found is. YOULEAN LOUDNESS METER 2. And , yes I do use reaper.

    If you use reaper check out this video which is where I found the LUFS meter:
    Thanks, Frank. That was very helpful.

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by M-ster
    Loudness War & Peace (Bob Katz):
    "2020 will be a lot like 1980".

    That video from 2011 and Bob Katz predicted the future, although we got there a few years early.

    What should one mix for these days? I think most of what I post on YouTube or Facebook is listened on a 1/8" smartphone speaker or a tiny laptop speaker, if I'm lucky ear buds. That is the disturbing reality. I'll be damned if I mix for those delivery systems.

  14. #13

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    The loudness wars, like the wars on brown people, will never end. There are just occasional brief lulls.