Setting the volume correctly

Hello, I’ve just started making videos. I decided to go for Shotcut and made my first video. I’m currently wondering how exactly I adjust the volume of the videos. I checked that you use LUFS and no longer dB. I didn’t find a tutorial on how to set up the Lufs at Shotcut. But you can control most of it via amplification/volume.

But how do I set the LUFS correctly at audio volume so that the video has good sound? Are there any tutorials you can recommend?

Welcome,
you need the two factor normalize audio filter.

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For youtube you should target -14 LUFS(i) (this is perceived loudness for the whole video)

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@TimLau @alex007
Thanks for the anwser.

If I use the two factor normalize audio filter function, do I have to pay attention to the values in the audio volume again? Which value is decisive for this, would be the I in German with me Intrigue volume, whether I have come to the required LUFS? And what about music, do I just make it a little quieter?

My experience has been that even though -14 LUFS is recommended for YouTube, I need to go a few dB lower (it varies from one clip to another) because at -14 the loudest parts of the track almost always end up clipping. I typically find I have to be between -16 and -18 to avoid clipping. My workflow, then, ends up being:

  1. Two-pass normalize at -14
  2. Play the clip, listening carefully and watching the audio meter
  3. If there’s clipping, drop the level a bit (does not need to be re-analyzed), back up to just before the clipping, and continue playing; repeat as needed until reaching the end of the clip.
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I never did take care and I did use the standard value but -14 LUFS sounds fine.

If you have only some short loud sequences in the audio it might be better to use a lower LUFS value to avoid a possible clipping.

For the backround music you have to choose a lower LUFS value of your taste.

Most too loud or too quiet videos do not use the normalize audio feature including music clips.

If your voice is not always on the same level you might need the compressor instead to get a flat audio volume of your voice.

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One option is to add a compressor to shrink the dynamic range to 14 LU. Or, add a limiter on the Output track set to -1.5 dB, which is generally a safe “always do” technique to prevent distortion by lossy audio codecs.

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@alex007 @Austin

First of all, thank you very much and the videos currently sound good. Unfortunately, the problem is that there are places that break out in the video, mostly during shots/jets and accelerations. This causes clipping and I can’t find a video of how the compressor is supposed to work :stuck_out_tongue: . There are usually 5-6 such sections there, should I use track filter instead? Or would a limiter make even more sense?

Edit:this is what i use für the Limiter.

Mantra

I’ve never used this filter but it looks like the right one for this job.
if you already use the normalize filter the Eingangsverstärkung (idle gain?) can be set to zero or higher.
For a jet fighter the Begrenzung (maximum limit?) can be set to less than -8db eg.-12bB.

I use Normalize 2 passes, so I usually use -14-16 runs. Unfortunately, I can only process these deflections well with the limiter so far. I just don’t know whether I should change anything about the input gain. Limiting it to -7 dB usually helps, but unfortunately it comes across as quieter with more.

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