How Loud Should a Mix Be Before Mastering (What to Aim For)
The question of “how loud should my mix be” has confused producers and engineers since the dawn of the mixing desk. LUFS, dB, and RMS are all acronyms that need to be considered but are often confused.
Many producers have fallen victim to the loudness war, cranking the levels up as high as possible - but a strong focus on a single dimension (loudness) can distract from other forms of polishing and enhancement that could have been applied, making a track sound very loud but somewhat flat.
In this guide, we’re going to clear up all your questions so you’ll know exactly how loud your mix should be before mastering.
Quick Answer - How Loud Should a Mix Be Before Mastering?
In general, your pre-master file should peak between -6 dB and -3 dB True Peak to leave headroom for the master. Your average loudness (RMS) should sit around -20 to -16 dB.
Aim for an integrated loudness average of around -23 to -18 LUFS.
You can measure these with the WLM Plus Loudness Meter.
One of the most important things to avoid when mixing is clipping or eating up all the available headroom. You should never hit 0 dB, and make sure to leave enough space for the mastering engineer to have the final control over dynamics.
An AI-powered service like Waves Online Mastering is often a faster, more cost-effective solution after you’ve mixed your track. Or check out our guide on Mastering Mistakes To Avoid for some beginner advice.
What Loudness Means in a Mix
Loudness, volume, and mixing levels are three terms that are often used interchangeably and can be a bit confusing. But there are different definitions, with technical math behind them.
To correctly prepare your mix, you need to understand the difference between three loudness measurements: Peak, RMS, and LUFS.
Peak Level
Peak metering, given in dB, provides a measurement of the absolute loudest point of an audio waveform. These peaks are typically triggered by loud transient sounds like drum hits.
In digital audio systems, the highest limit is 0 dBFS. If a waveform is pushed beyond this point, the information gets cut, squaring off the waveform, creating harsh digital distortion. Peaks can even occur on imperceptibly short timeframes.
Use: You can think of peak level as an indication of the max loudness of your track. By ensuring that your track never peaks above -3 to -6 dB, you leave dynamic headroom and space for the mastering engineer to push it to the limit.
True Peak
Standard Peak meters measure the highest individual sample value, but they don’t always tell the whole story. True Peak (a measurement sometimes denoted as dBTP) accounts for “inter-sample peaks.” These are the peaks that occur between samples when the digital signal is reconstructed into an analog waveform. A True Peak reading can be higher than the traditional Peak reading, making it more accurate and modern to use.
RMS
RMS (Root Mean Square) is a calculated average of your signal over a short time window - typically around 300ms, which originates from voltage measurements on analog desks.
This measurement is closer to how the human ear works, rather than the absolute precision of peak level. The peak level will spike above this, so it’s not an absolute measure of max loudness.
Use: If the peak measurement looks at the highest tips of the waveform mountain, RMS is the average of the signal’s entire energy.
Mixes with high Peak and low RMS can sound thin and spiky, while a high RMS and low peak can sound squashed and dense. Use it for an average measure of momentary loudness.
Aim for an RMS around -20 to -16 dBFS.
The Relationship: Dynamic Range and Crest Factor
Why do we measure both Peak and RMS? The magic happens in the space between them.
- Crest Factor: The difference in dB between the Peak level and the RMS level.
- Dynamic Range: The ratio between the loudest possible signal and the quietest parts of your mix.
By monitoring both, you ensure you aren’t sacrificing the punch and dynamics of your music just to achieve a higher average volume (RMS).
- High Crest Factor: A Peak of -3 dB and RMS of -20 dB (17 dB difference) = A softer, dynamic mix.
- Low Crest Factor: A Peak of -3 dB and RMS of -8 dB (5 dB difference) = A powerful, full-on mix.
LUFS
LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale) is a modern measurement of RMS for analysing the average loudness of a track in its entirety (integrated). A unique feature of LUFS is that it uses K-weighting, which mimics how the human ear has variations in sensitivity across the frequency range.
Use: LUFS is a measurement used by digital and streaming platforms like YouTube, Apple Music, and Spotify to check that all songs enter their system at a similar level. While the final LUFS is something for the mastering engineer, for the pre-master, aim for around -18 to -23 LUFS, as this gives a good signal-to-noise ratio.
How Mastering Engineers Use the Space You Leave
While it may seem counterintuitive to not crank your mix as close to the top as possible, you must leave headroom for the mastering engineer, both in terms of dynamics and absolute (peak) range. You need to work to the best dB level for mixing.
If you send over a mix at -0.1 peak dB and -8 LUFS, the mastering engineer has no room to work with. If you’re mastering your own mix, you still need to leave yourself space.
By leaving space, you give the engineer the ability to:
- Apply surgical EQ cuts and boosts to fix tonal issues.
- Add saturation, glue, and coloring EQ to unlock the last 10% of a mix.
- Apply compression and limiting to maximize loudness without destroying dynamics and transients.
Ideal Loudness Targets for a Pre-Master Mix – and Why
To keep the mastering engineer happy, aim for these loudness targets when preparing your mix.
Pre-Master Peak Target
Looking at peak levels, you want to leave the mastering engineer headroom and make sure that your transient information isn’t too high.
Scan to the loudest part of your track, and make sure that it sits somewhere between the range of -6 and -3 dB, and never above.
This means that it’s loud enough to have a decent signal-to-noise ratio, but avoids digital distortion and eating up headroom.
The RMS of your pre-master should be around -20 to -16 dB. This ensures your track has enough weight and body without squashing the transients.
Pre-Master LUFS Target: -23 to -18 LUFS
If you’re wondering, What LUFS should I mix to before mastering?, the answer is pretty clear.
For a pre-master, aim for around -23 to -18 LUFS. This gives the engineer a good signal-to-noise ratio to work with, presenting all the sonic information at an appropriate level.
Streaming services tend to normalize to -14 dB, so being a bit below this gives the mastering engineer space to work and can help to prevent over-compression.
Bit Depth and Sample Rate
Aim to generally work at a sample rate of 44.1 kHz to 96 kHz or higher, and export at a bit depth of 24 to preserve your dynamics.
While it’s not a measurement of loudness, it’s important that you have other audio settings correct.
You’re often recommended to export at the same bit depth and sample rate that you recorded at. However, you can often use upsampling plugins that can apply processing at higher rates than your recordings.
Common Issues When a Mix Is Too Loud or Quiet
If your pre-master doesn’t reach these targets, you risk running into several common mastering mistakes beginners should avoid.
- A Flat Mix - If your mix is already too loud and compressed, the mastering engineer can’t add or restore the punch of your track, as the transients are already squashed.
- Digital Clipping - If you’ve already pushed your mix into the red (hitting 0 dB), the tops of your waveforms are going to get cut off as there’s no more room for information. This creates harsh digital distortion that can’t be corrected in the master.
- High Noise Floor - Being too quiet is also dangerous, as when the mastering engineer uses compressors and limiters to increase the loudness, they’re also going to increase the noise, making hiss and background grit louder, competing with the actual signal.
Tools and Tips for Proper Metering
To get the right mixing levels, you’re going to need more than just your ears and stock DAW meters. You need specialised metering plugins to get an accurate reading of your mix’s loudness.
The Tools
- The WLM Plus Loudness Meter is by far one of the most accurate, comprehensive, and flexible metering tools. Providing readouts for all the essential measures (and more), with a bunch of targeting and customization options. You won’t need much more than this to make sure you’re hitting the perfect levels across the board.
- This VU Meter is a nifty way to measure your average levels (RMS), with customisation for easy targeting.
The Tips
- Use Dynamic EQ and Compression - Rather than using static tools, dynamic plugins like the F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ and C6 Multiband Compressor help you to target issues only when they arise. Saving time on automation and preventing unwanted impacts throughout your mix.
- Use Classic Leveling - While you don’t want to put too much on your master bus, you can still stick some stuff there before sending it over. Using tools like the CLA-2A Optical Compressor (on individual tracks, groups, and the master) can provide smooth, steady gain reduction to maintain a consistent LUFS and tamed peaks.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Should I Normalize My Mix Before Sending It for Mastering?
No, you should never normalize a mix before sending it for mastering. Normalization generally forces the loudest peak to 0 dB, eating up all your headroom and restricting your mastering engineer’s dynamic workspace.
Do I Need to Bypass Limiting on My Mix Bus?
Yes, you should avoid putting limiters on your mix bus if you’re sending it off for mastering. It’s fine to work with one on temporarily to hear how your mix might sound when mastered, but if you leave it on during rendering, you’re going to crush your dynamic potential.
How Do Metering Standards Differ Across DAWs?
Most modern DAWs use the same peak dBFS (Decibels relative to Full Scale) measure to indicate where your signal is peaking. However, sometimes the UI itself varies from DAW to DAW, particularly when it shows clipping. It’s often best to use a dedicated metering plugin for more accurate and varied measurements, as many DAWs don’t provide LUFS or RMS.
Why Does My LUFS Change After Small Adjustments?
LUFS is a measurement that works on an average reading over time. Small adjustments in one section of an arrangement (particularly loud parts like choruses) can drastically alter the LUFS. Before finalizing your pre-master, make sure to play the song from start to finish into your LUFS measuring tool.
Conclusion
Finding the right loudness levels for your mix is a fine balance between a full, healthy signal and leaving room for the mastering process.
By sticking to the measurements above, you’re guaranteed to provide your mastering engineer with the quality and space they need. You need to leave them enough (but not too much) headroom to be able to enhance your track to its full potential.
The same rules apply if you’re mastering your own mixes or using an automated service like Waves Online Mastering.
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