Standard RMS for film & TV?

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AHawley
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Standard RMS for film & TV?

Post by AHawley » Thu Jul 03, 2014 2:04 pm

Does anyone know the standard RMS to aim for, when submitting for placements in commercials or shows? Usually when I master I aim for -12 to -13 dB, but I'm not sure if they would like it to be any louder than that for those types of listings.

Any thoughts?

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Re: Standard RMS for film & TV?

Post by andygabrys » Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:42 pm

Should be close. Although music usually never plays at full volume picking a couple commercial ref tracks in the style of your song is helpful for getting close. Mainly so it doesn't sound deficient when played after a super hot track.

You might want to analyze a few tracks too. Although -12 sounds good, most commercial masters are a bit hotter, like -9 or -10 dB. YMMV.

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Re: Standard RMS for film & TV?

Post by Kolstad » Tue Jul 08, 2014 1:25 am

Could also use reference tracks with this wonderul plugin http://www.samplemagic.com/details/184/magic-ab
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Re: Standard RMS for film & TV?

Post by mojobone » Tue Jul 08, 2014 11:48 pm

Probably depends greatly on the crest factor, AKA dynamic range; try to match the peak-to-RMS average ratio of popular tunes in your target genre, then leave 3dBFS headroom for mastering/postproduction, unless you're prepping the tune for public release.
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Re: Standard RMS for film & TV?

Post by Len911 » Wed Jul 09, 2014 4:24 am

AHawley wrote:Does anyone know the standard RMS to aim for, when submitting for placements in commercials or shows? Usually when I master I aim for -12 to -13 dB, but I'm not sure if they would like it to be any louder than that for those types of listings.

Any thoughts?
The caveat is "submitting". One standard is the K-System with the -12db (broadcast), -14 (pop), -20 (classical). The thing to remember is that it is very unlikely that your "master" will go directly into the production for film and Tv. They will actually do the "mastering".

This is only my thought, that I am aware of,lol, but I would argue that the whole goal really is to optimize your recording so that anyone who sits down to listen to it, that whatever volume they might adjust to their preference, will not have to keep adjusting the volume to hear the total dynamic range, the softest note to the loudest note. That's where compressors/limiters shine and function to make that happen. So theoretically, if you isolated the softest and loudest note by using markers or however, and adjusted the comp/limiter, you should find a sweet spot.

By doing that you will also ensure that whatever position in the song someone is in, they will only have to adjust the volume once, and comfortably hear the whole dynamic range for the remainder of the piece.

Human nature is that if something is WAY loud, people will make a drastic change and over compensate for the volume, or just hit the mute button. If someone is concentrating on the volume, they aren't listening to the music.
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Re: Standard RMS for film & TV?

Post by AHawley » Fri Jul 11, 2014 10:02 am

Thanks for the feedback guys! Much appreciated.

Len, I have heard of the K-System before but I have never learned how to use it. Any good references you know of to read up on that approach?

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Re: Standard RMS for film & TV?

Post by andygabrys » Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:49 pm

AHawley wrote:Thanks for the feedback guys! Much appreciated.

Len, I have heard of the K-System before but I have never learned how to use it. Any good references you know of to read up on that approach?
http://www.digido.com/how-to-make-bette ... art-2.html

K system for Katz I assume.

best thing about it is using it to calibrate the volume of your monitors playing in your room so that you get repeatability by feel. you can get a C weighted DB meter app for iPhone if you don't have the physical meter.

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