How Loud Should You Master Your Music?

How Loud Should You Master Your Music?
In this video I show you what settings to use on your limiter when mastering for the best results.
After my popular "How to Master Your Music in 5 Simple Steps" video with over 650,000 views I wanted to update the loudness specs.

Ceiling - Set at least -1.0dB True Peak. Potentially up to -2dB True Peak
Ensure you select "True Peak" - This is essential.
Average LUFS - Hit at least -14 to avoid spotify limiting and then push it louder to your own preferences.

Tools Used:
Get 20% off for Youlean Loudness Meter 2 - PRO - Coupon Code: IN-THE-MIX

[instrumentalpalace]

This dude has the MOST professional way of saying "alotta tutorials don't know shit about what they're doing."

[GabzitoHD]

Here's what some chart toppers are mastered to, the professionals don't follow Spotify's advice

Flowers - Miley Cyrus: -7.2 LUFSi
Kill Bill - SZA: -7.4 LUFSi
Creepin' - Metro Boomin, The Weeknd & 21Savage: -6.9 LUFSi
Anti-Hero - Taylor Swift: -8.6 LUFSi
Unholy - Sam Smith & Kim Petras: -8.8 LUFSi
Die For You - The Weeknd: -8.0 LUFSi
I'm Good (Blue) - David Guetta & Bebe Rexha: -6.4 LUFSi
Rich Flex - Drake & 21Savage: -9.0 LUFSi
As It Was - Harry Styles: -5.6 LUFSi
Just Wanna Rock - Lil Uzi Vert: -7.5 LUFSi

[beatsiq]

This video is almost 3 years old, and it's still super helpful for those of us stepping foot into the music industry. Good work!

[primarypenguin]

I consider myself to know a decent amount about music production but I still almost always learn something new from your videos. Also your mindset of not stressing about about things and not giving everything this weird artificial sense of urgency is refreshing.

[jay-c.k.]

I think you’re the only one in the scene who is able to explain such complex processes in a understandable way😳👌🏼
You’re videos gave me a deep understanding of what I’m actually doing when it comes to mixing and mastering!
Thank you for the great work❤️

[RoXiuM]

I love how this video feels like a genuine guy is trying to help us achieve more in the world of music. That's why I subscribed a while back when you didn't even have 10k followers and the quality wasn't as good as now.
It's so authentic and you're giving great advices
Thank you so much ♥

[gandeef]

I always appreciate how reassuring your tutorials are. The mention of you being stressed out back in the day as well, and how there's really nothing to worry about, does make the whole learning process feel a lot less daunting to me. Thank you man!

[鄭華漢]

"Loudness comes from mixing !" Thank you for the explanation, really helpful !

[F-]

Btw how are the comments not 100% freaking out about how awesome that song is? I went to comments to find it but no :'(

[isaacingram]

literally just about to start mastering a song, perfect timing Micheal !

[inthemix]

Tools Used:
Get 20% off for Youlean Loudness Meter 2 - PRO - Coupon Code: IN-THE-MIX

[djn]

Good video! I found it interesting to hear the info on Spotify requirements as I would have just mastered like I normally would for CD. By the way, the reason that people say the peak limit should be -0.3 dB is because that is the best level for CD mastering. It gives you a safe level to ensure that there are no "overs" (inter-sample peaks over 0 dBFS) that your limiter doesn't catch, so there is no distortion when the DAW file is converted to a WAV.

During the height of the Loudness Wars (mid-2000s), people changed that to -0.1 dB because they wanted the level as hot as possible. The reason for -0.1 dB is exactly because of your example in the video, where you set the limiter to a True Peak value of -1 dB and the meter was still reading it as -0.9 dB, i.e. -0.1 dB different!

So, once again, thanks for the info on Spotify. It's interesting that streaming services do extra conversion of files and I will be adhering to their standards when using those platforms. Cheers!

[nickvieru]

To be honest, after viewing quite a few instructional channels on music production, yours is one of the best ones by far that actually delivers educational content on the topic being addressed, always delivering accurate information, with no intent of advertising. It seems that a lot of youtube tutorials s often say to beginner producers to trust their ear on many aspects. It seems a bit incorrect as in the beginning you don't really have the ears to actually hear or understand what is that sound you're looking for, you build it up in time.
In your case, rather than giving ambiguous terms as 'trust your ear and feeling', you give very clear improvements that can be made, with no intent of inflating them to grand proportions or giving fake promises in the form of 'this one thing will make your music better'.
Thank you for bringing such genuine content into the world! :)

[veniu]

Make a tutorial on how to get your fabulous hair

[Niele]

After watching countless videos on music production since exactly one year ago, I have come to the conclusion that you are the best teacher on the subject for me. Clear, calm, no bs. Thanks so much, you have taught me A LOT.

[HITOPMUSIC]

I died when he used “man to man” to emphasise his findings the loudness levels. 😂

[Bassboy]

I've read, watched, and practiced strategies behind "perceived loudness" on and off for 3 years, but something about the way you broke it down in this specific video made some major sense out of it all. Thank you!

[NayroGD]

Oh my god. You explained how to perfectly master a track under an hour than what I learnt in a full class of music production.
Hats off mate! 🎩👌

[permanent]

I used to check if my song is as loud as some of my favourite artists songs in soundcloud and ended up overcompressing my song. This was a great tutorial! Luv u <3

[MyNamesRevenge]

thank you oh my, you have no idea how many times i've recommended producers make videos about mastering and they respond with "just play it by ear, you'll get better" and i'm thinking, "well, there is obviously a science to it and i realize it still comes down to personal preference but things such as loudness aren't really preference when it comes to professionalism and wanting to stay consistent between songs