Mixing audio for TV: EBU R128 

So nice to hear, thanks! :)

Thanks man! :)

Thanks!!

Top, thanks! :)

Hi Stephan, thanks for your kind words! To answer your first question: the most important thing is that it sounds good :) Setting the level afterwards is no problem in that regard, as long as it sounds good. Of course, if you keep an eye on the EBU meter while mixing, you will probably set your monitor volume higher in the first place and you won't have to change the master level much in the end. If you use brick wall limiting or compression on your master fader, it may make a difference though. If you *want* the sound of that limiter/compressor, that's great. Just turn down the level in the end. But if you use it only to make your mix sound louder, you may want to try to mix without the limiter and see how your mix sounds in the end. The nice thing with R128 is that you have the freedom to use the available dynamic range. Small side note: here in the Netherlands radio stations use very heavy sound processing to make their station sound bigger, brighter and louder compared to other stations. And to create 'their own sound'. So if you made a very dynamic mix, it will sound completely 'flat' on the radio no matter what you do. :) So again, the most important thing is that your mix sounds great and everything in your mix has it's own place in the stereo image. Make a '3D' mix, where the voice-over sounds close and up front and the music sounds as if it is just behind the voice-over. Your second question: if the radio station wants you to deliver your mix in R128, it's no problem that the peak level is at -10 dB. As you said yourself, the thing with R128 is that it already *is* at the same level to the ear. And that's what matters, that is what R128 tries to measure. Peak levels don't say much about how loud something sounds.

​@@AudioKickstartcom Hi Gijs! Actually, I've already written a reply days ago but it seems it somehow didn't get through. So, once again: thanks a ton for your detailed explanation and your help! I think I really understand it now. I kinda like the sound of the compressor; at least when it's not over-used. I think I will stay with using it but I guess I will stay play around and see how it sounds without. Also, what pity most radio stations in the Netherlands have their own mix and they just use it on top of every mix they get. You spent so much time editing/mixing and then they just get rid of it 😄 I am not sure how our radio stations in Germany do it though... it could be the same case here. I guess I will just make sure to include the correct EBU levels nevertheless and send them the proper mix in the first place 🙂

Yeah, a good mix will translate to every system! 😄👍🏻

Hi, Thanks for your comment! I think you are right, this could be more accurately described as mastering, although the process of mixing and mastering is usually something you do in one go when mixing for TV, at least in my experience. I do have a written tutorial about the whole mixing-for-TV process here: www.audiokickstart.com/en/mixing-audio-for-video-the-mixing-process/. Maybe this gives a little more insight, if you have some specific questions you can always send me an email: gijs@audiokickstart.com.

Hi, thanks for your question. Yes, the system is not perfect and can be fooled a little in some ways :) In my experience it is a combination of a number of factors, it’s perhaps a little too much to put in a comment, but email me at gijs@audiokickstart.com if you want to discuss this!

Thanks for your kind words! :)

In theory, yes you will lose something when reimporting, adjusting the volume and bouncing to disk again, even if you keep the sample rate and bit rate the same. But I wonder how many people would actually hear this in a blind test if you re-convert only once, my guess is not so many :) But Cubase does have some nice ways of lufs measuring itself if I’m not mistaken, and you could also use the Youlean plugin in Cubase so you don’t have to switch to Audition just for that final step.

@@AudioKickstartcom thanks for the early reply i will try...

Hi! It’s all about the integrated level of the whole ad or show. So if the level is -25 at some point and -20 a little later, it doesn’t matter as long as the integrated value, so the ‘average’ level of the whole show is -23LUFS. But you want the listener to have a pleasant listening experience, of course :) So big and distracting level differences, in dialogue tracks for example, are usually corrected for by hand and/or with the help of compressors/limiters, have a look at this tutorial: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bXMU-BCqd7Y.html Hope that answers your question! :) If not, feel free to email me at gijs@audiokickstart.com.

Hi and thanks! The problem frequencies on TV speakers are usually around 200 Hz in my experience. If you do something 'wrong' there and boost that area too much, it could sound very boomy and/or bad. :) Although in a TV ad the mid and mid-high frequencies deserve more attention than anything else, boosting a little around 150-160 Hz (and maybe cutting a little in the problem area around 200 hz) may work to get some sense of low-end in your commercial, so cutting off everything below 150 is a bit to much in my opinion. I do usually put a high-pass filter on the master around 75Hz though, to make sure the energy is not wasted on the low-end nobody will hear.

@@AudioKickstartcom Great thanks, I'll try that for sure!

Hi and thanks! :) I think the first thing to check with the station is what they need those multiple channels for. I’ve only come across this when there are multiple ‘ingredients’ to be delivered, so let’s say channel 1 and 2 contain the full mix left and right and channel 3 and 4 contain the music & effects. Those extra channels can be used for remixes, localizations, etc. If that is the case, you need to make sure that your final mix that is going to be aired is at -23 lufs, so that would be channel 1 + 2 (as a stereo pair). I assume this is also true in this case, but it’s best to check with them before uploading.

When I test this, there doesn't seem to be a difference. But I don't know what the 'default' settings are in the Youlean meter, just to be sure I always select R128 anyway :)

Hi! I'm sorry, I have not encountered R138 before, can't help you with that I'm afraid!

@@AudioKickstartcom no worries, they just made a typing error when i Said i had not heard of R138, thank you anyways for a nice video!

No, you just leave it at -23 LUFS...If you change the level to -1dBFS the station will probably reject it. :)