Hitting loudness is easy if you over‑limit, but the mix will sound flat. The key is understanding LUFS and true peak so you can push volume without destroying dynamics.
What LUFS actually means
LUFS measure perceived loudness. Integrated LUFS covers the whole track, while short‑term shows local changes. The goal is consistent loudness without crushing transients.
Streaming targets
Many platforms normalize around -14 LUFS integrated and recommend -1 dBTP true peak. It is not a hard rule: genre and intent matter.
- -14 LUFS is a common reference, not a mandate.
- -1 dBTP helps prevent codec distortion.
- Always compare within your genre.
True peak and intersample peaks
Intersample peaks happen when the reconstructed analog waveform exceeds 0 dBFS even if the digital samples do not clip. That is why true peak control is essential in mastering.
How Piroola handles it
S9_MASTER_GENERIC.py prepares final limiting and S10_MASTER_FINAL_LIMITS.py checks LUFS, true peak, and correlation to apply micro‑adjustments without killing dynamics.
- Applies gentle limiting with a safe ceiling.
- Verifies integrated LUFS and final true peak.
- Stores metrics for the technical report.
Manual step‑by‑step
- Measure LUFS and true peak on your mix.
- Set limiter ceiling between -1 and -0.5 dBTP.
- Lower threshold until you reach the target LUFS.
- Listen for pumping or distortion.
Common mistakes
- Over‑limiting and losing transients.
- Ignoring true peak and clipping in encoding.
- Forcing a target that does not fit the genre.
Checklist
- Integrated LUFS in the desired range.
- True peak below the safety ceiling.
- Dynamics and punch preserved.
