![Razz :P](./images/smilies/icon_razz.gif)
First of all I apologize for my level of English :S and I hope that everything I put is understood. Second, sorry this "big" text :S but I prefer to detail as much as possible my doubt.
I've been preparing an album for some time now, an electronic one (a kind of mix between Jarre/Vangelis/similar artists and Synthwave music).
I'm not a professional, everything I do is for hobby and to learn everything I can, I always learn new things from the synthesizers, from the DAW itself, etc.
In this album, I have set out to learn a little bit about mastering (not as a professional obviously but at least to make the mix sound a little better hehe).
And well, I'm learning to use which plugins are necessary (eqs, compressors, limiters, etc.) in what order and more or less when they would be necessary to use them.
I got to master one of my songs and, both personally and the opinion of a relative of mine (he is a professional but playing the piano, he has no knowledge of mastering), we think it sounds pretty good (or at least a little better than the original mixed song).
However, since some time ago I have seen both tutorials in Youtube and in other websites that you have to be careful with the LUFS and that should not exceed -14.
I have been investigating a little and more or less I understand the idea (the song should not bet too noisy).
Even I have read news of about Spotify that if your song surpassed -14 (or did not arrive) automatically it adjusted to -14.
Using the Youlean Loudmeter VST plugin I discovered that my mastered song was set to -9!
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif)
However, I decided to compare songs from other artists (one of the advices I saw was to use a song from another artist to compare the master) and I can see that, at least, the artists I listen to, do not follow this rule :S.
For example, Carpenter Brut, I consider that the songs are very well mastered. I opened an empty project in my DAW, I put one of his songs (Turbo Killer), I analyzed it with Youlen Loudmeter and I got a value between -3 or -4 LUFS!
![Surprised :o](./images/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif)
Later I checked if it was listened equally strong in Spotify (thinking that perhaps it would sound lower when surpassing these LUFS) and it sounds exactly as strong!
I tried with another Synthwave artists: Le Matos, Power Glove and Waveshaper... same results :S (a bit lowered, about -9 LUFS).
So, my question is, are the LUFS really necessary? Why these artists can overcome the LUFS and nothing happens to them (apparently, maybe I'm totally wrong or maybe I'm not analyzing the song properly). What do you advise me to know what volume is appropriate for the final mix?
Although you don't answer me, thank you very much, at least, for reading this booklet and I'm very sorry :S.
If you agree, when I have the most advanced album I would like to share with you one of the songs, unmastered and mastered, and I would like to know your opinion
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
Cheers and thanks again!