
So, why is the loudness war over?
Well, all the streaming platforms have individually decided to match the loudness of the music on their platform to one singular loudness level. This level is called the EBU R 128 standard. So, whether you make super loud dubstep or very light orchestral music, the average loudness for all listeners on a given platform will be exactly the same.
The platforms in question have adopted using a target playback level with LUFS (Loudness Unit Full Scale). Here is the level your music will now be streaming at based on the platform you use…
So, if you make a track that is -6 LUFS, Spotify is going to lower the gain of that track until it’s 8 LUFS quieter and streams at -14 LUFS. This essentially eliminates the need to master your music at extreme levels of loudness. At the end of the day, it all gets turned down anyway.
The pros of this?
Well, we can now have more dynamics in our music – which translates to added emotion and an enhanced musical journey for the listener.
In fact, music that has a greater dynamic range and a lower value can actually now sound louder when streamed through one of these services, as opposed to a track that’s been over-limited with a small dynamic range. Here’s an image to help wrap your head around this concept…
Pretty crazy, right? The world of music production is changing fast – and we stand by the fact that this is a very positive shift for engineers, producers and artists alike. This is why I have created my own audio scanner. This service allows me to upload any track to my website and get a spectrum analysis and the correct loudness rating for your song. If you just need a scan report of where your song is at thats available now. You can be confident in knowing that your song will be mastered or reviewed for all platforms and will have the maximum standard broadcast loudness if you choose for us to master your songs. Get your tracks reviewed today. Music review specials are only $20 per song which includes a scan report. See sample scan report below:
Before Mastering
After Mastering
Stereo Mastering Services Price List
Stereo mastering is the final process before a song is released to the public. This is where levels are balanced, frequencies receive finishing touches. Files submitted for mastering should be in the highest resolution available, and generally in .WAV or .AIF format. Masters submitted must be in the format of the final 2 channel stereo mix. Additionally, for the best possible masters, we recommend removing any pre-mastering processing such as limiting, and keeping the highest peak-level of each song at -1dB or less. This allow us enough headroom to best sculpt the dynamics and over-all sound of your songs. Finished songs are delivered as downloadable Redbook Standard WAV files.
Per Song
1 - 3 Songs $54
4 - 6 Songs $48
7 - 9 Songs $44
10 + Songs. $42
Express Service Per Song
24 Hour+ $15
48 Hour+ $8
72 Hour+ $5
Additional Mastered for Streaming Versions (Apple, Spotify) Our standard service includes high resolution WAV masters at 16-bit 44.1kHz Red Book standard. Other formats are available at an additional cost.
Add on Per Song
Additional Mp3 Versions (320 Kb/s) $5
Additional 24-bit Versions (HD 24-bit 44.1kHz) $12
Additional Mastered for Streaming Versions (Apple, Spotify) $18
Additional Versions for Vinyl Cutting (HD) $26
For more information on getting your songs mastered click here
Stereo mastering is the final process before a song is released to the public. This is where levels are balanced, frequencies receive finishing touches. Files submitted for mastering should be in the highest resolution available, and generally in .WAV or .AIF format. Masters submitted must be in the format of the final 2 channel stereo mix. Additionally, for the best possible masters, we recommend removing any pre-mastering processing such as limiting, and keeping the highest peak-level of each song at -1dB or less. This allow us enough headroom to best sculpt the dynamics and over-all sound of your songs. Finished songs are delivered as downloadable Redbook Standard WAV files.
Per Song
1 - 3 Songs $54
4 - 6 Songs $48
7 - 9 Songs $44
10 + Songs. $42
Express Service Per Song
24 Hour+ $15
48 Hour+ $8
72 Hour+ $5
Additional Mastered for Streaming Versions (Apple, Spotify) Our standard service includes high resolution WAV masters at 16-bit 44.1kHz Red Book standard. Other formats are available at an additional cost.
Add on Per Song
Additional Mp3 Versions (320 Kb/s) $5
Additional 24-bit Versions (HD 24-bit 44.1kHz) $12
Additional Mastered for Streaming Versions (Apple, Spotify) $18
Additional Versions for Vinyl Cutting (HD) $26
For more information on getting your songs mastered click here