Loudness Meter

📝 Basic steps to use one: Insert it on the Master Bus (or output track) → Load the loudness meter plugin (e.g., Youlean, iZotope Insight, Waves WLM) on your DAW’s master channel. → If using standalone software, route your audio output into it.

Play your full track or mix → Hit play from start to finish to let the meter capture the integrated loudness over the entire piece. → Watch the momentary, short-term, and integrated readings:

Momentary LUFS (M): ~400ms window (quick changes)

Short-term LUFS (S): 3-second average

Integrated LUFS (I): entire track average

Check your target level → Compare the Integrated LUFS to your goal (e.g., Spotify recommends around -14 LUFS, broadcast TV around -24 LUFS). → Adjust mix/master volume or compression to meet target.

Check the True Peak (TP) reading → Ensures you’re not clipping above 0 dBTP (digital inter-sample peaks). Some platforms (like Apple Music) may reject audio peaking above -1 dBTP.

Reset meter and re-check if needed → After changes, reset and re-run the meter to confirm.

🧐 Example use: mastering for Spotify 👉 Insert Youlean Loudness Meter on the master 👉 Play entire track, check Integrated LUFS 👉 Aim for around -14 LUFS 👉 Confirm True Peak ≤ -1 dBTP 👉 If too loud/quiet, adjust limiter, compression, or gain, then check again

🚩 Key things to avoid: ❌ Only looking at momentary or short-term values → focus on Integrated for overall loudness ❌ Ignoring true peak → could cause distortion on streaming ❌ Metering only loud parts → must measure the whole song

Waves WLM

✅ Spotify Loudness Target Integrated LUFS: ~-14 LUFS

True Peak: ≤ -1.0 dBTP

No hard requirement, but exceeding this causes loudness normalization (Spotify turns it down).

🎛️ Waves WLM Setup for Spotify

1. Load WLM Insert WLM on your master bus/output channel as the last plugin in your chain.

2. Select Preset WLM doesn’t have a direct “Spotify” preset, but here’s what to use:

Preset:

Go to Presets → Select EBU R128 (this follows European broadcast loudness norms but is close to what Spotify uses).

Now, modify it slightly:

3. Manual Settings (Modify the EBU Preset) Target Loudness (LKFS): Change from -23 to -14

True Peak Limit: Set to -1.0 dBTP

Short Term Integration Time: 3s (leave default)

Momentary Integration Time: 400ms (leave default)

💡 LUFS = LKFS (they’re effectively the same for WLM purposes)

4. Use “Trim” Button (Optional) WLM has a Trim button that tells you how much gain to add/subtract to hit your target loudness.

After a full playthrough, click “Reset”, play your full track.

At the end, WLM shows the needed gain adjustment to hit -14 LUFS.

Apply this adjustment manually (in your DAW) or let WLM do it by enabling “Trim”.

5. Read the Meter After playback, note these:

Integrated Loudness: Should be ≈ -14 LUFS

True Peak: Should be ≤ -1.0 dBTP

Range: This is your dynamics range (don’t compress too much just to hit loudness)

🛠️ Summary Settings for Spotify in WLM Setting Value Target Loudness -14 LUFS True Peak Limit -1.0 dBTP Preset EBU R128 + adjust Trim Optional Measurement Range Leave default

Would you like screenshots or help configuring this for a DAW like Ableton,