WLM Meter question for those who have it.

Are you trying to follow ITU, EBU and ATSC specifications.
Is that why you are using this plug in ?
 
I thought the plug in was geared more towards Broadcast and film.
 
 
 

Thanks for your replies, chucke and interpolated, I appreciate it. It seems that few people are using this plug but I thought I would see if anyone here did and it looks like the answer is "no" except for interpolated. Yes, chucke, I am trying to get familiar with it for metering because soon, according to "the music industry", the whole world will be using this new way of measuring loudness-as a standard.
But, at least I have something to work with now so thanks for your input, interpolated. What metering device do you use, chuckebaby? Anybody else want to tell which meter they use?
 
thanks guys!
 
bob

bobernaut
according to "the music industry", the whole world will be using this new way of measuring loudness-as a standard.

Where did you hear this ? ^^^^^
 
I would suggest the K system. I  use a few different meters and frequency analyzers when mastering.
This is because some have features that others don't. but my go to meter is Brainworx BX Meter.
Waves Dorrough Meter is another great tool as is Waves PAZ
 
 
 

Here's an interesting article on where the OP is coming from, Chuck:
http://www.soundonsound.c...iques/end-loudness-war

Obviously we're not getting there overnight but all in all I believe this is a good direction and WLM can help you follow the suggested standard.

I think the best option is one that can display them all and if not all,most. That way people who think in metric can communicate to people who still think in imperial.
 
By the far the easiest way to think about all of this is, digital 0dB will always be unity gain. No matter what system you use. At least until you start pushing the levels louder. I discovered that -18dB = 0dBU on my system for most things, so setting my monitor knob to around 2 o clock which I usually use a test tone to do this.
 
BBC (British Broadcasting Company) used to use their own system. Loudness in steps with 4 dB between interval. Meaning essentially 6 steps over 0 would be 24 dB. Maybe they still do.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPqr0gwOyr0
 
Funky music, sounds like the orb.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYx0MIUtoSI
 
Currently I set my Master fader to 0dB, make sure my bus tracks are still in the green/yellow zone and aim for about -23dB LKFS which means I  try for between -8dsBFS~-10dBFS on the master output. As this means I can amplify/limit each bus independently and balance them as required at a later stage or indeed send the mix to a mastering engineer with acres of headroom. None of my stuff is worth paying to be mastered however it's still a good practice to go through.
 
I've been pushing the envelope recently making my stuff louder however I'm going to step it back again as I feel my equipment isn't able to resolve the detail as it I feel it should at higher levels. Anyway I am always learning and being edumacated all of the times.
 

New article from Waves, which includes some boasts about Waves WLM.

Thanks a bunch for everyone's replies and contributions, its all good stuff for sure. Thanks for the articles, brconflict and Sanderxpander. Those were really good sources I think and I added them to my growing file. Also, thanks to interP, Sander and brcon for your videos; there was some great stuff in there too. And everyone else who mentioned the meters they use or suggest.
I am sticking with the WLM for awhile longer but am checking into some of these others that you all mentioned too. By the way, I got the WLM for very cheap-something like 39.00-that's the main reason I picked it up. I think it is regularly something like nearly 400.00 and that's not a fake sale because I remember not that long ago when that plug and most of their other plugs were "not" on sale (lately, they are going goofy with putting nearly everything they have on sale). I sort of couldn't refuse I guess.
Anyway, these things seem to be apparent to me so far about the WLM and the new way of measuring:
(In no particular order-please correct me where necessary)
 
1) It doesn't matter nearly as much now as it recently did as to how loud you (us) make the master because the various online delivery services pinch it off anyway and therefore make all songs the same volume.
 
2) According to the article which brconflict supplied (from Waves), the consensus is to shoot for about -16 LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale)  or -6 dbTP (True Peak). This is, I think, what I was trying to figure out with the original question, so in a roundabout way, I did get the answer. I know, it would be nice if I could construct my questions better!)
 
3) Few people, at least around here, are using the Waves WLM, and instead, believe that several other plug-ins are superior meters.
 
There are probably more, but that's it for now, I am sure you guys will be able to add more if you are in the mood.
 
Now, just to clear something obvious up for me:
 
On your Master bus for your mix (not the actual master), what do you set the following at?
 
OutptVlm
 
Input Gain
 
Do you set these the same for each song or is it different depending on certain things?
I read different things from different sources about these settings and am quite curious about what you all do with these settings. Even interP says, I think, something somewhat contrary to what some others say; but maybe I am not following him all that well!
 
What are some of the numbers that some of you have uploaded to itunes or the like use? Is there a purpose in trying to make your upload master as loud as you can (without sounding awful), or do you just accept that they (services) will adjust your work anyway and so therefore you just play it safe and upload something well beneath their cut-off? It seems to me that there is a battle going on between the old way and the new way and that no one really knows just what exactly, is going on.
 
Professional Mastering guys ( I think they are all dudes?) don't want to give up their way of life and their "secret" ability to make music louder. But, at the same time, the emerging industry (online) is saying that they will control how loud their music (what is given to them to sell), will be. Is this not correct to your thinking?
 
Why make the master overly loud only to have the online music world turn it down? This is primarily the center of my original query-what is the right number for anyone putting their music online?
 
 
I hope you all have some time to give your input about these questions because, I for one, could really benefit from your experience, wisdom and all-around knowledge pertaining to this area. And, if you don't well, thanks for everything you have done, it is deeply appreciated!
 
bob