Introduction
The terms amplitude, loudness, and dynamic range are fundamental in the world of audio engineering, and understanding them is essential to create a well-balanced and enjoyable mix. In the quest for louder music, the past few decades have seen the rise of the “loudness war,” an industry trend pushing for increased loudness at the expense of dynamic range. However, mixing and mastering with a focus on preserving dynamic range is crucial for maintaining the quality and listener experience of your music. This article will cover what amplitude, loudness, and dynamic range mean, explore the history and impact of the loudness war, and provide tips on achieving the right balance in your mixes to avoid listener fatigue.
Restoration is not a remedy for a poor-quality recording or bad mix/master. The goal of a higher dynamic range is to reduce listening fatigue!
Understanding Amplitude, Loudness, and Dynamic Range
Amplitude: The Foundation of Sound’s Power
Amplitude is the measure of the strength or intensity of a sound wave. It refers to the distance between the crest (peak) and trough (lowest point) of a sound wave, representing the amount of energy it carries. In audio, we measure amplitude in decibels (dB), a logarithmic unit that gauges the intensity level of sound.
Higher amplitude means a stronger sound wave, which translates to a louder sound. However, amplitude alone doesn’t determine how “loud” a sound is perceived by our ears. That’s where loudness comes in.
Loudness: The Perception of Volume
Loudness is how humans perceive the intensity of a sound. It’s subjective, as factors like frequency and context can influence our perception of how loud something sounds. For instance, high-pitched sounds are often perceived as louder than lower-pitched sounds, even at the same amplitude.
In audio production, loudness is measured in units like LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale), a standard measurement used to assess perceived loudness across streaming platforms.
Dynamic Range: The Breath of Music
Dynamic range is the difference between the quietest and loudest parts of a track. This range gives music its sense of space, depth, and emotional intensity. Tracks with a high dynamic range offer a greater contrast between soft and loud passages, creating a more engaging experience for listeners. Dynamic range is essential for maintaining musicality and preserving the nuances of a recording. In mixing and mastering, balancing dynamic range ensures that a track doesn’t feel flat or overly compressed.
(Loudness) War and Peace: A Brief History
The loudness war began in the late 20th century when record labels and producers began competing to make their music sound louder than others, believing it would stand out more on the radio and in stores. By maximising loudness through compression and limiting, engineers were able to push tracks closer to the 0 dB threshold, giving them a more upfront sound.
However, as the loudness increased, the dynamic range decreased, leading to what’s known as “clipping” and distortion in extreme cases. Over time, listeners became accustomed to louder music, and many engineers began sacrificing dynamic range for loudness in an attempt to stay competitive.
While it did make music louder, it also led to unintended consequences: ear fatigue. With overly compressed tracks, listeners experience a lack of contrast between loud and soft parts, making the music feel tiring and monotonous.
Key Milestones in the Loudness War:
- 1990s: CDs and early digital formats amplified the push for loudness due to increased headroom and the ability to compress tracks more aggressively.
- 2000s: Digital distribution and streaming intensified the loudness race as tracks needed to “stand out” on various media.
- 2010s-2020s: Streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube introduced loudness normalization, which levels out track volumes. This shift encouraged more dynamic mixes by removing the competitive need for loudness.
The Impact of Limited Dynamic Range: Ear Fatigue and Listener Experience
Tracks with reduced dynamic range are often described as “brick-walled,” with little variance in loudness. Without contrast between soft and loud moments, the music can feel overwhelming and fatiguing to the listener.
Causes of Ear Fatigue
- Continuous loudness: With no quieter moments, the brain becomes overwhelmed by constant high-intensity sound.
- Lack of space: Tracks with low dynamic range lack “air” or space, leading to a cluttered and overly dense sound.
- Reduced clarity: Compression artifacts and clipping degrade sound quality, which adds an abrasive quality to the listening experience.
Image Suggestion: A side-by-side visual comparing a waveform with dynamic range versus a heavily compressed waveform, to illustrate the difference.
When mixing and mastering with a good amount of dynamic range, you allow the listener’s ears time to adjust, creating a more pleasant and less tiring experience. This isn’t just a benefit to the listener but also improves the overall quality and fidelity of the music.
Musicians and Producers: Tips for Mixing and Mastering with Dynamic Range in Mind
Preserving dynamic range in your mix or master will enhance both its quality and impact. Here are some key tips:
Avoid Overuse of Compression
Compression is a bit like how I imagine most people think of me: he’s alright, but preferably in small doses. Compression is a powerful tool in audio production but can lead to a loss of dynamic range when overused. Try using subtle compression to retain the character and dynamics of the original performance.
Focus on EQ Balancing
Well-balanced EQ across frequency bands can give the illusion of loudness without needing to squash dynamics. A properly balanced EQ allows each instrument to stand out without fighting for space.
Use Automation
Automation can help control volume levels across a track, ensuring that quieter sections are audible without excessive compression. This technique allows you to bring out softer details without sacrificing the louder, more intense moments.
Monitor Loudness Levels
Using loudness meters (e.g., LUFS meters) during mastering can help you ensure your mix meets the loudness standards of streaming platforms without sacrificing dynamics. Each platform has different standards for loudness, so aim for the appropriate LUFS target to maintain competitiveness and clarity.
Benefits of Maintaining a Healthy Dynamic Range
Maintaining a healthy dynamic range enhances a listener’s experience and ensures the integrity of the original sound. Some key benefits include:
- Enhanced Musicality: Allows each instrument and sound to retain its character.
- Improved Listening Experience: Listeners won’t experience fatigue as quickly, making them more likely to engage with the track fully.
- High-Quality Sound: Minimises distortion and clipping, resulting in a cleaner, more professional sound.
Understanding and respecting amplitude, loudness, and dynamic range is essential for creating music that resonates with listeners. While the loudness war may have pushed many toward higher levels, the trend today is moving back toward embracing dynamic range, thanks to loudness normalization on streaming platforms. Mixing and mastering with dynamics in mind allows you to craft a mix that is not only sonically engaging but also respectful to the listener’s ears. In doing so, you ensure that your music remains enjoyable, impactful, and timeless.
Let Me Give You an Example
For this example, I’m using a pop song I created—featuring guitars, drums, synths, and vocals. The “Untouched” version is a mixdown without any mix bus limiting or adjustments. You’ll notice, however, that the waveform shows a slight increase in volume toward the end, which might be a bit louder than a mastering engineer would typically prefer. Overall, though, the track is mixed and ready to go.
Here are the specific settings applied in each version:
- Untouched: The original track with no additional adjustments.
- Hard Compression: Applies heavy compression, which reduces overall volume while compressing the waveform.
- Hard Compression + 10 dB Boost: Uses the same compression settings as above, but with an added 10 dB boost to bring the track’s volume back up.
- Brickwalled: A brickwall limiter with settings commonly used in modern pop music mastering, limiting peaks for a louder, more consistent sound.
Here’s how things look as well as the stats:
The dynamic range measurements are provided by YouLean Loudness Meter 2 Pro (a feature-rich, free version is available).
The numbers as per MAAT DrOffline MkII are:
You’ll notice that the brickwalled version reduces the track’s dynamic range by a literal half.
This is hardly a conclusive example, but it should give you an idea of how the dynamics of a song can be ruined. The brickwalled version has a DR number of 7 which isn’t too bad given some of the mainstream releases out there sit at 5 or 6.
It’s definitely eye-opening to check out how your favourite albums compare at the Dynamic Range Database, especially if you look at the various re-releases and remasters and how crushed they can be when compared with the originals.