How LOUD You Listen To Your Mix Matters! (The 'magic' number?)

Is there a "right" level for listening? Yes! And it varies, depending on whether you're mixing, mastering, producing or recording.

Learn how your listening level effects what you hear, and what to do about it. Justin Colletti shares the strategies the best pros use to get this part of their process right.

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[CraigFlowersMusic]

Stupid algorithm. I watch production channels all the time for years, and this is the first time you've shown up in my feed. No wonder my channel simply will not grow lol Anyway I just came to say that I've been instinctively doing just what you say: mixing at 70dB and mastering at 83, and I didn't even know it until I paused the video, downloaded an spl meter for my phone, and went to check. Thanks for the content, new sub here. Maybe come give my newer stuff a critique sometime? I always ask professionals to lend me their ear. Be the first to respond? Have a good one!

[paulmenard]

This is quickly becoming my favorite YouTube channel. Great content

[andrewsrea]

I listen from 80dB to 85dB for critical reference in initial tracking, mixing and mastering. I use extremes to test tracks and mixes, or to drive a performance from the artist. Breaks are important, sometimes overnight. I also test program material in consumer playback devices at levels that my family members set, getting feedback from them as well. People say my recordings compete with professionals, so it works for me.

[redbigapplefloppa]

As an amateur i realized that when mixing/mastering the level plays a big role, but i wasn't sure how it works and how you deal with the different sound. So this tutorial ist just what i needed, thank you for sharing this with us!

[isajoha]

I have been making multiple presets in the RME (soft mixer) with different fixed levels instead of using an external speaker monitoring unit in one of my studio rooms and tested out some good fixed referencing SPLs (levels) for mixing & mastering I have been doing lately. Took a while to get used to not working with an external speaker/monitor control unit (with a volume knob) and changing the levels via the software window instead. ;-) I mostly listen to multiple volumes during production, mixing & mastering. Listening at a very low volume sometimes makes it easier to hear if something is way too loud compared to everything else, IMHO. If I listen too loud too long the compressors in my ears kicks in and it is harder to make good decisions during mixing.

[truBador]

Thank you Justin for all the great content. I'm a bit of a one man band experiencing this stuff trial and error and your useful observations are right on.

[sm]

Another reason to mix at lower volumes is compression. At some point, your sound system is going to start compressing the sound. At some point, your ears are going to start compressing the sound. If you are mixing at higher levels, you are making mixing decisions based on these "false" compressions, and your mix will not fit together as well at lower volumes. I have heard otherwise solid professional mixes that completely fell apart at "background" levels, and I think it was precisely for this reason.

[mickeymessstudios]

I mix at a level where I can still hear the keyboard of my DAW... I am in what's considered an untreated room, got used to how it sounds. Mastering I do so I can't hear the keyboard anymore.... but I love this video and the great information you give us. I will purchase an SPL meter cuz I really wanna know what level I am actually mixing at generally.. :-)

[magnuslundberg]

Thanks Justin. Very valuable as always. I tend to mix at lower levels like 60 dB but to check things I use a second louder level. My room is treated on basic level combined with Sonarworks. When doing the initial static mix I listen on headphones and an Avantone placed in the middle of the listening position. Moving forward in the mixing procedure I tend to do a lot of reference listening in mono as well as stereo. Low end always hard to get right but isolating low end at 200 hz and compare with the reference usually makes it good enough. Thanks again Justin, always learn SO much from you in this podcast:)

[garyrandall]

Justin, during the mastering process, are you listening at 80dB only during the loudest part of the composition to make your adjustments?

[krispybowgod]

Found you through your videos with plugin alliance as I recently started using more brainworx plugins. Keep up the great content. As a producer who has been shifting more into the engineering side lately I’ve learned a lot

[danbauman]

Thanks for the great information, presentation method and openness to "theme and variation" as there are so many factors to making music sound good.

[licornerougeprod]

I'am always monitoring at 2 distinct levels, even 3 depending on what phase of the mix I'm in... A bit of headphones control can help to compare, specially if you don't have multiple A/B monitors. Those listening Levels ALSO WORKS on headphones so think about it !
+++ for the musicians just OUT of the Recording Room "trick" it always works IF your pimary choices were good and your listening feels well balanced immediately, so when they get out of the studio and enter in the Mixing Room they don't feel lost and yes : "IT SOUNDS AWESOME ! " is VERY motivating for the rest of the session and the next takes... You have 1 mn to mix it better if you monitor back through your sequencer like I do, before they enter the room. Generally reproducing the same levels and PANS of the analog console I'm using to record AND that I always direct monitor on : simply copying back my analog settings on the ProTools console (levels, Pans) Helps !
Cheers !

[camerondodd]

You are a god.Thank you for all this golden advice!

[mr.wolfbeats]

Wow!!!!
I can't thank you enough s2
this episode was super useful and clarifying for me indeed
now i have a solid perspective on the subject <o/
i spend most part of my day listening to classic references so i'm quite familiar with the acoustics in my room
i tend not to crank the volume in any case at all cause my ears are too sensitive, but, i often like to do some comparings with reference tracks in a higher volume to get some perspective about loudness peaks, transition sections, etc.
I like doing multiple levels of listening aswell, i do most part of my mixes with the around 70db of volume(which is 50% of the knob in my audio interface), and from time to time i check it with other volumes, around 15% to track the tail and cleareance of the Sound fx, 20-30% of the knob to feel more of the mid range, 50%(flat) and 60-70% to check for any unbalance on the low end
i really feel like, if you divide this kinda process, the outcome turns out better, but i'm always up to experimenting new ways of thinking and new techniques to get better results
this channel has been one of the most inspiring content for mixing and mastering ideas
thank you again and keep up the good work
greetings from Brazil, Lobo

[michaelkonomos]

Risk of hearing loss starts at 70db believe it or not, and becomes more pronounced at 85db. Individual experience will differ from person to person, but that’s the statistical finding currently from what I have read. If your ears are your livelihood take good care of them!

[randydaniels]

Justin awesome advise and the only thing to add about switching monitors from small to large in the mastering, mixing and tracking process, switching to a descent set of Headphones can have an incredible ability to catch something a little earlier. I have used DT 770's for over 30 years. Having been employed as the technical support in World Class Studios I have found bad or noisy switches, potentiometers and sliders that Engineers and Producers could not find with much more expensive Headphones. A great set of Headphones go a long way. I chose DT 770's not for recording but for Live Engineering but when I used them in the Studio they were amazing at revealing suttle problems that monitors did not expose. Justin what are your favorite phones for tracking, mixing and mastering. I am sure there are other great headphones and personal opinions of this tool. Great contain. Cheers from Nova Scotia.

[paulmenard]

3 for me

I start around 65-70
It’s where i start.
Once i get it sounding good i reference really high (around 80-85 and then lastly whisper quiet. I find at the final quiet you start to hear more little dynamics and where they fit in the mix.

From ther back to loud volume to reference and I’m using about one or two quick revisions away.

[rautshsale]

nice thought we would not have a pod this week

[davebops]

Hi Justin - that was a great video!
I've been thinking about this quite a bit recently, especially wondering how loud 'professionals' mix. By pure luck it appears that I mostly do something reasonable; I tend to mix at broadly 'conversational' levels and have occasional forays into "louder" when I want to check the detail of bass and kick tracks. However, I don't know what SPL I'm at and would have had no idea without watching your video...I will look into maybe getting an app now. Thanks for all the great content you continue to share - I really like your channel
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