MIX VOLUME matters (and how to SET IT CORRECTLY) - What sound engineers NEED to know

►► Download the FREE Home Studio Treatment Framework and get everything out of your room and speakers → www.acousticsinsider.com/home...
Learn how to build your own professional-looking broadband bass trap that works down to 40Hz and a diffusor front that keeps your high-end lively:
→ www.acousticsinsider.com/bbt
Volume creep. It’s a real thing.
You know what I’m talking about.
It’s when you gradually turn up the volume throughout the session. Just a little bit more, and more, and more, one bit at a time.
Worst case: Until your ears are shot, your brain is fried, and you have no idea what is going on in the music.
But even if you’re just in the “volume knob fidgeting” camp, you’re not doing yourself any service.
Constantly messing with the mix volume is one of the most detrimental things you can do to your perception of the music.
In this week’s video I’m going to explain why that is, and then give you a simple 2 step process to:
- find the mix volume that works best for you
- how to keep it constant
- how to best use that in combination with reference tracks
Related blog post on Acoustics Insider:
www.acousticsinsider.com/blog...
Acoustics Insider on Social Media:
/ acousticsinsider

[@nattydj8646]

Was really hoping to see a test tone with SPL measurements at the mixing seat, and a DB level for a tone or sweep at that position relative to DBSF, like how the film and television industry works.

[@MackBXIII]

That's a good color on you.

[@rickydee2152]

Hi Jesco, great video! Since I have acoustically treated my room (DIY using yours and Graham Waks acoustic treatment framework fundamentals), I find that I don’t creep up as much. I generally mix at around 60dB which I find comfortable for my ears. If I do find myself with some volume ‘creep up’, then that usually means I have to have an ear break. I will try your LUFS approach too and see how that goes. Thanks again for the video and all your content.

[@marclezwijn]

Hi Jesco, I like your video on mix volume. I'm a little confused though. If using reference tracks to begin with these will be mastered to -16 to maybe -14 LUFS et cetera depending on the (stream) platform and such. Now you suggest to bring that down to -18 LUFS or lower. Why? I can turn down/up the monitor volume anyway to a nice level to work with and keep an eye on the average LUFS while mixing. It might be that you want to create a mix-LUFS beginning instead of a mastered-LUFS with mastered reference tracks? I hope you can see why I lost you there a little.

[@pyntagon3572]

Is it really true you can set it to any volume you want? There is of course the 83dB SPL Dolby standard (which would be lower for smaller rooms), which is informed by the Fletcher-Munson curves. I'd think there is a higher boundary set by ear fatigue/damage and a lower boundary set by workable tonal balance and transient perception. A commenter here mentioned here he mixed around 60dB. That might be a measuring mistake, but if true, I feel that might be below the lower boundary, with not enough low end and transients sticking out.

[@kablah19]

How do we regulate the LUFS with music that’s not 1 dynamic level the whole time? What should we do with songs that have quiet sections and loud sections?

[@AvithOrtega]

I personally noticed that using Headphones allows me to know perfectly where I am in terms of Volume, I can perfectly set the volume of a song to a specific level, a level that is loud enough to mix and have a good amount of dynamic range, but also a level that is below the threshold dangerous dB level, I can also easily detect how much dynamic range a song has.
But when I recently changed to studio monitors this precise perception of volume went away completely, I tend to stay at a certain level but every certain time I feel the need to increase it more and more, sometimes I reach the max volume of my audio system and I want to go even further.
Your tips for setting it correctly are very good, but I am still wondering of the psychoacoustic explanation of why I can measure loudness perfectly with headphones but not with loudspeakers.

[@Oliver-ty7xu]

Great advice, but how would you go about if you are mastering at louder LUFS units? For example, my mixes fall generally around -19 or -18 LUFS, but after mastering they can be around -12 or -11, if I play these tracks at this reference volume it'll be quite loud (though maybe thats the point?) and will probably give me ear fatigue.

[@simonbarth3181]

The loudness of your shirt is spot on!