01
What is the difference between peak and loudness?
Peak is the single highest instant in the recording. Loudness is the average energy across time, which is much closer to what a person perceives. A recording can peak at maximum on one door slam while the voice underneath sits far too quiet, which is why peaks alone are a misleading guide.
02
Two meters, two things
A recording can peak at maximum on one door slam while the voice underneath is far too quiet, which is why peaks alone are a misleading guide.
| Measurement | What it shows | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Peak | The single loudest instant | Avoiding distortion |
| Loudness over time | Average energy across the clip | Comparing against other clips |
| Peak only, no distortion | Says nothing about how loud it feels | Almost nothing on its own |
| Loudness matching the feed | The clip sits where others do | This is the target |
03
Measuring loudness in practice
Many editing programs include a loudness meter that shows an integrated value in LUFS, the standard unit for perceived loudness. Play the whole clip through the meter and read the integrated figure at the end. That single number tells you how loud the clip will feel compared with others.
If your editor lacks a meter, free plug-ins and standalone tools can measure an exported file. Measuring a few of your clips once gives you a reference for future exports.
04
Keeping voices even
Loudness depends on the whole clip, but viewers mostly notice the voice. Keep speech at a steady level by using a compressor gently, which reduces the gap between quiet and loud moments. A voice that stays consistent is easier to follow on a phone speaker.
Background music should sit clearly below the voice. If viewers have to strain to hear the words over music, the clip fails even if the overall loudness is correct.
05
Avoiding distortion
Pushing a clip too loud causes distortion, especially on laughs, shouts and sudden noises. A limiter set just below the maximum catches these peaks and prevents harsh crackling. Listen to the loudest moments of each clip before publishing.
Distorted audio cannot be fixed after upload, so it is worth checking every time.
Headphones reveal it best.
06
Matching across your own clips
Viewers who watch several of your clips in a row notice when one is much quieter or louder than the others. Export all clips to a similar loudness so they feel like part of the same series.
Save your export settings as a preset once you find a level that works, and reuse it every time.
07
Sit where the rest of the feed sits
- Measure across the whole clip. One loud instant tells you nothing about the rest.
- Aim for consistency across your posts. Viewers notice a change between your clips more than an absolute level.
- Leave a little room at the top. Material pushed hard against the ceiling suffers more in processing.
Post one clip and listen to it between two others.
Questions people ask
- Should I make my clip as loud as possible?
- No. Platforms bring loud material down towards a common target, so the extra loudness is discarded and the damage done to get there is not.
- How do I measure this at all?
- Most editing tools show a loudness reading across a whole clip rather than a peak meter. That reading is the one to compare between posts.
- Does compression change the level?
- Processing adjusts loudness towards a target, so what you upload is not what plays. Getting close to sensible is enough.
- What happens if I ignore it entirely?
- Your clips arrive at inconsistent volumes, which reads as amateurish across a feed even when each one is individually fine.
- What matters most?
- Recording at a sensible distance. It solves level, noise and clarity at the same time.