How do I make all my songs the same volume?
Understanding Volume Levels in Audio
Audio volume levels refer to the loudness or amplitude of the audio signal, which is typically measured in decibels (dB). The decibel scale is logarithmic, meaning a 10 dB increase represents a 10x increase in power. There are two main ways to measure volume levels in audio:
Peak level measures the highest instantaneous level in the waveform. This captures short, loud spikes like drum hits. Root mean square (RMS) averages out the peaks and valleys to give a sense of the overall perceived loudness. RMS is more meaningful for setting consistent volume across tracks.
Having consistent volume levels across your mix is important for a quality listening experience. Variations in loudness between songs or within a track can be fatiguing for the listener as they constantly adjust their volume knob. Inconsistent levels also make it hard to hear quiet details or get a sense of impact from transitions. Professional mixes tend to aim for similar RMS levels across tracks to achieve seamless playback.
However, achieving this consistency can be challenging. Sounds within a track naturally have different peak and RMS levels. Compression and limiting help, but improper gain staging can still result in unwanted variations. Careful measurement, monitoring, and control of levels across the mix chain is required to nail consistent loudness.[1]
How Volume is Measured
Audio volume is commonly measured in decibels (dB), which is a logarithmic unit that expresses the ratio between two sound levels or power levels (
There are two main ways to measure audio volume using decibels:
- Peak level – This measures the highest instantaneous level, which is useful for preventing clipping.
- Average/RMS level – Measures the average over time, giving a sense of perceived loudness.
For music production, the recommended target level is around -14 to -10 dB RMS, with peaks no higher than -1 dB to allow sufficient headroom and avoid clipping (
What Causes Volume Differences Between Tracks
There are a few main factors that can cause volume differences between audio tracks:
Mastering and compression – The mastering and compression applied to a track has a big impact on the overall loudness. Some engineers aim for a very loud master, pushing the track to the brink of distortion. Other tracks are mastered more dynamically. This accounts for major volume differences.
Recording quality and technique – The way a song is recorded, engineered and mixed also affects loudness. A more amateur home recording may have noticeable dynamics and lower volume than a professionally produced track.
Dynamic range of instrumentation – The instruments and sounds used in a recording determine its dynamic range. A sparse piano ballad will inherently sound quieter than a dense rock song with distorted guitars.
Over time, the trend has been for popular music to get louder through compression and brickwall limiting. This is known as the “loudness war”. But there are still major volume differences between tracks based on how they were engineered and mastered.
Using a DAW to Normalize Volume
Audio normalization refers to adjusting the volume of audio tracks so that they have a consistent perceived loudness. This is important for achieving a cohesive listening experience, especially when mixing multiple tracks together. DAWs like Pro Tools include built-in tools to help normalize audio tracks.
The main normalization tool in Pro Tools is called Normalize. This analyzes the peak amplitude of the selected audio and then adjusts the gain so that the highest peak hits a target level, usually -1 dB. Here are the steps to normalize volume in Pro Tools:
- Select the audio track(s) you want to normalize.
- Go to AudioSuite > Normalize.
- Enter your desired Peak Level, such as -1 dB.
- Click Process to apply the normalization.
Pro Tools will now adjust the gain of the selected audio so that the loudest peak hits the target level. This brings up lower volume sections and results in a more consistent volume across the entire track. You can tweak the settings and re-process multiple times to fine tune the normalization.
The key benefit of using Normalize in Pro Tools is that it’s fast, efficient, and helps automate volume consistency across your project. However, over-normalizing can decrease audio quality, so use this tool carefully. Normalize just enough to balance track volumes – subtle normalization often sounds best.
Utilizing Compression and Limiting
Compression is a powerful dynamic range tool that can help make the overall loudness of your tracks more consistent. Compressors work by reducing the volume of loud sounds above a set threshold level and boosting the volume of quieter sounds. This evens out the dynamic range and brings up the overall average loudness of the track. Compression parameters like ratio, attack, and release allow you to precisely control how aggressive the compression is (see this article for more on setting compression parameters).
When setting compression for loudness maximization, higher ratios (8:1 or more) and faster attack times are desirable. This strong compression quickly turns down louder transients and sustains the lowered volume. However, too much compression can negatively impact the dynamics and punch of the music. Careful balancing is needed to achieve maximum loudness while retaining a pleasing, dynamic sound. Smart use of multi-band compression can allow maximizing loudness on some frequency ranges while preserving dynamics on others.
Heavy compression has pros and cons. On the pro side, it can definitely increase the average loudness and create a very dense, cohesive sound. However, too much compression tends to flatten transients and suck the life and excitement from a mix. The over-compressed “brick wall” of sound may be fatiguing to listen to long term. Tasteful, transparent compression combined with proper gain staging is usually the best approach for loud yet dynamic mixes.
Gain Staging for Consistent Levels
Gain staging refers to setting the gain or level at each point in an audio signal chain to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio. Proper gain structure ensures that you are achieving the cleanest signal possible as audio passes from input to output. Gain staging begins by setting the initial gain at the audio interface or mixer input for the strongest signal without clipping or distorting. From there, gain is adjusted through each processor, whether analog or digital, to maintain optimal levels.
Within a DAW, gain staging means adjusting the input gain as well as the gain trim on each plugin inserted on a track. The goal is to achieve appropriate gain at every stage while avoiding a buildup of noise or distortion. As explained in this Sound on Sound article, an ideal gain structure allows peaks to reach around -12 dB to -6 dB going into each stage. Leaving this much headroom prevents clipping while allowing enough level for proper plugin operation. By gain staging properly, you can achieve consistent levels across all your tracks.
Using Peak Limiters as a Final Step
A peak limiter is a powerful dynamics processor that can help control maximum loudness levels when mastering audio. Peak limiters work by setting a threshold that audio levels cannot surpass. Once the threshold is reached, the peak limiter will compress the audio to prevent it from getting any louder. This is an important final step in mastering to ensure the track’s maximum volume stays below 0 dBFS and prevents clipping and distortion.
The main controls on a peak limiter are the threshold and ceiling settings. The threshold sets the level where limiting begins, while the ceiling sets the maximum level the audio is allowed to reach. For mastering, a typical threshold is between -1 dB and -3 dB, while the ceiling is set to 0 dB so that no peaks exceed full scale. The lower the threshold, and the closer it is set to the ceiling, the more the limiter will compress the audio to control peaks.
This compression allows you to maximize the overall loudness of the track. Having a brickwall peak limiter as the last stage gives you freedom to drive the level hotter into it, knowing the limiter will cleanly catch any remaining peaks. This can achieve a competitive, punchy loudness while maintaining dynamics.
However, overdoing peak limiting can lead to some downsides. If pushed too hard, it can create audible artifacts like distortion or pumping. It can also over-compress the mix, reducing dynamics and making the track sound squashed. The ideal is to use just enough limiting to control peaks while retaining dynamics. Limiting should create transparency, not audible processing.[1]
Streaming Service Audio Level Standards
Music streaming platforms utilize loudness normalization to provide a consistent listening experience across tracks and albums. With normalization, the playback volume is adjusted based on the integrated LUFS loudness level.
The most common loudness targets for major streaming services are:
- Spotify: -14 LUFS integrated
- Apple Music: -16 LUFS integrated
- YouTube: -14 LUFS integrated
- Amazon Music: -14 LUFS integrated
- SoundCloud: -14 LUFS integrated
When mastering audio for distribution, it’s important to use a consistent target level that aligns with streaming service standards. This ensures the playback volume will be uniform across the album and comparable to other releases on the platform. Mastering to -14 LUFS integrated is a safe bet for distribution across most streaming services.
Loudness monitoring tools within a DAW or standalone can assist with analyzing LUFS levels and adjusting gain staging. This helps produce masters optimized for streaming loudness normalization.
Metering and Loudness Monitoring
In order to achieve consistent loudness across your audio tracks, you’ll need some tools to analyze and monitor the audio levels. There are a few main metering tools for this:
Peak meters show the highest sample value or peak level in your audio. While useful, peak meters don’t give the full picture of perceived loudness. LUFS meters measure loudness according to the LKFS (Loudness K-weighted relative to Full Scale) scale which better matches our perception of loudness.
LUFS readings follow the EBU R128 loudness recommendation standard. An integrated LUFS value represents the overall loudness of a track or mix. Short-term LUFS readings let you see changes over time and spot any overly loud or quiet sections [1].
Most DAWs and audio editors now include LUFS meters, but you can also use dedicated metering software. Online loudness meters like Audio Loudness Meter allow you to analyze your tracks’ loudness and make adjustments until you achieve your target loudness level.
With loudness meters as guides, you can accurately monitor your audio levels as you mix and master. This ensures you can match loudness across tracks and meet streaming service loudness standards for a consistent listening experience.
Achieving Consistent Volume Levels
Ensuring consistent volume levels between tracks requires following an end-to-end workflow that combines various techniques. As this article explains, it begins with gain staging each track to establish a baseline level before applying any effects. Compression and limiting can then help control dynamic range. Using peak limiters as a final step will prevent clipping and normalize perceived loudness.
For the best results, gain staging, compression, limiting, and peak normalization should be used together throughout the mixing and mastering process. As noted here, following an effective and consistent workflow is key. Ongoing loudness management is also important to monitor levels with metering and ensure they meet target standards for streaming services or other playback mediums, as discussed.
By combining techniques and keeping loudness top of mind from start to finish, consistent audio levels can be achieved across all tracks.
