How Loud Should a Type Beat Be on YouTube? The LUFS to Hit
Published · by Loopin
Aim for about −14 LUFS integrated with true peaks no higher than −1 dBTP, and check it on a phone speaker before you upload. Going louder just makes YouTube turn you down.
Hit the number: about -14 LUFS, -1 dBTP
For a type beat headed to YouTube, the target is about −14 LUFS integrated, with true peaks at −1 dBTP or lower. Our LUFS for YouTube guide covers the reading in more detail. YouTube plays louder uploads back at a lower volume, so a beat pushed to −8 LUFS gets turned down and arrives with less punch than a clean −14.
Measure the whole beat, not the loudest eight bars. Integrated loudness over the full length is the number that matters, so run the meter from the first note to the last tail. If your meter shows short-term values jumping around, ignore them and read the integrated figure once the whole beat has played.
Know when it is fine to go a bit hotter
Trap, drill and club-leaning beats can sit around −11 to −10 LUFS if the density is part of the sound. The cost is a little more squash and, once YouTube turns it down, little or no loudness advantage. If you are unsure, upload both and listen at the same volume.
Keep the true peak at −1 dBTP in either case. Lossy conversion can push peaks over 0, and a clipped snare on the preview is the first thing a rapper hears. If you want a second pass at the same beat, run it through the free masterer again with a different feel and compare.
Run the ten-minute check
Export the stereo mixdown with the master limiter off and peaks around −6 dBFS. Master the beat free with the feel that matches the sound: Punchy for hard drums, Club for dance, Warm for soulful loops. The default export is a 16-bit WAV at about −14 LUFS with a −1 dBTP ceiling; Punchy lands around −11 and Club around −10.
Flip the loudness-matched Original vs Mastered switch. If the 808 is clearer and the snare still snaps, keep it. Previews and A/B are unlimited, but free downloads are capped at 1 per rolling 24 hours with no account, 2 with a free account, so choose the feel before you download.
Check it where your listeners are
Play the master from your phone speaker and a pair of cheap earbuds. If the kick vanishes on the phone, the sub is carrying too much of the bass and the upper bass needs a little more presence. If the hats hurt, take the top end down in the mix, not the master.
Then check the uploaded video. YouTube re-encodes, so listen to the version actually on YouTube at your usual volume, once, before you promote it. Do this on a fresh upload, not a cached one, and note the loudness you hit in your beat sheet so the next beat in the batch matches.
Decide what you give the artist versus what you upload
A loud, finished preview is for the YouTube viewer. The file the artist records over should keep headroom: our mastered vs unmastered beat post covers what to send them. Do not upload your 0 dBFS bounce as the stems of record.
Keep the tagged version at the same loudness as the clean one, so the buyer hears what they are buying. For general platform targets, see mastering for Spotify, Apple and YouTube.
Frequently asked questions
What LUFS should a type beat be for YouTube?
About -14 LUFS integrated with true peaks at -1 dBTP or lower. YouTube turns louder uploads down.
Is -14 LUFS too quiet for a type beat?
No. At playback YouTube normalises toward that level, so a clean -14 competes with louder uploads and keeps more punch.
Can a trap beat be louder than -14 LUFS?
Yes, around -11 to -10 LUFS suits dense trap and club beats, but expect YouTube to turn it down and check you have not squashed the drums.
How do I measure LUFS for a beat?
Use a loudness meter in your DAW on the full export and read integrated LUFS. Loopin's default export is about -14 LUFS with a -1 dBTP ceiling.
Should I master the beat I give the artist?
Keep headroom on the file the artist records over, and use the mastered version for YouTube and previews.
Does the tagged version need a different level?
No. Keep the tagged preview at the same loudness as the clean version so buyers hear what they are buying.