How loud should you make your YouTube videos? It's a simple step, but one that makes a huge difference. We'll cover how loud your videos should be, how to check any video on YouTube, and how to get your videos right every time using a limiter.

Watch more audio tutorials here!    • Audio Tutorials  

- Premiere Pro -
Once you've finished your mix, head over to the master track on the mixer. Add a compressor (optional), a limiter, and the "Loudness Radar" (from the "Special" category).
The Loudness Radar will give you a readout in LUFS (or LKFS). You can play back your video, and see what reading you get. Then adjust your limiter to compensate, just like I showed in the video!

- Final Cut Pro -
FCP doesn't have a conventional mixer, so this is the best way I've found to "master" you videos. If you have a better way, use that and let me know in the comments!
Once you've completed everything in your mix, select all of your audio clips and create a compound clip. This should preserve your mix, but create one clip you can add FX to.
Add a compressor (optional), a limiter, and the "MultiMeter" to that compound clip.
The MultiMeter gives you a few different readouts, but LUFS is one of them. You want to particularly pay attention to "LU-I", this is what YouTube will be using.
As in my video, adjust your limiter until your "LU-I" is as close to -14 as possible!

- My Gear -
My camera (newer version): https://amzn.to/3iDRTcC
Canon 50mm f1.8: https://amzn.to/2TsOkuV
Sigma 17-50mm f2.8: https://amzn.to/35hBGBY
My microphone: https://amzn.to/3cG5iwW
My headphones: https://amzn.to/3gjy5JH
My portable recorder: https://amzn.to/2TsOz9j
My voiceover mic: https://amzn.to/3vkunnA
My interface: https://amzn.to/2Smi9xn

- Timestamps -
00:00 - Why does loudness matter?
00:52 - How to measure loudness
01:26 - How loud can a YouTube video be?
01:52 - How to test any video on YouTube
02:56 - How to make your videos louder


Disclaimer: I'm not sponsored by any of these companies, but some of the links above are affiliate links. They won't cost you any extra, but I get a small commission if you use them.