How to set the perfect audio levels for video

VHS and headphones next to audio dials

Something you’ve probably heard if you’ve spent time on sets is the phrase “checking levels.” A sound guy comes over, adjusts your mic, and has you talk about something — often what you had for breakfast, they love to hear about breakfast — while he looks at a monitor for mysterious signals.

Well, they’re not that mysterious, actually. What the engineer is checking for is pretty basic: how much of your voice that mic is picking up, because your volume level in the room may not be the same as what’s being recorded. 

Leveling is important for a number of reasons. It might seem like it could be replaced by listening, but the human ear is fallible, and changes based on the person (and the volume of their headphones). Leveling tells you what the machines are hearing — and lets you know that you’ll have enough information to work with when you get to post-production. It can also alert you that you’re recording way too much noise, which will then have to be normalized and compressed as you edit. And while there’s nothing wrong with compressing — almost everything you hear has been compressed once or twice — having to do it too often or too aggressively can really flatten your sound. 

Here’s everything you need to know about leveling for video.

An audio/video editor that includes transcription, screen recording, and publishing.
Check out our useful, powerful tools.

3 audio levels for video

When you’re recording for video production, you’ll ultimately end up dealing with three sets of levels. They are:

Recording

This is basically what we mentioned above — checking to make sure that the loudness of what you’re laying down is in the right range for a) human ears and b) your publishing platform of choice. During audio recording, audio levels are typically measured in decibels, or dB. You want your decibels measuring in the negative — 0dB is usually considered the absolute limit. 

Mixing

But paying attention to levels doesn’t end there! Because again when you’re mixing, what you hear coming out of your speakers isn’t necessarily the true loudness level of your audio clips. It’s also especially important to pay attention to levels as you equalize your tracks. Did boosting a certain frequency add loudness that you now need to reduce? Did cutting a different one make someone’s voice too quiet to hear all of a sudden? You'll still be measuring levels in dB here, but you'll also want a loudness monitor that's measuring in Loudness Units Full Scale (LUFS) while you're mixing.

Export

Many video editing programs include an opportunity for a final tweak as you export your video file. In Descript, we have several ways to normalize audio: you can set the program to cut off at certain peaks, or ask it to push toward a certain pre-set loudness level. You can also turn this feature off if you feel confident that you got what you wanted during the audio mixing process! Just know that many platforms will perform automatic audio normalization when they start playback of your content, so it’s worth it to make sure you’re within their range before you send it off to them. 

What are the correct audio levels for video?

This depends on the platform where you’ll eventually be publishing. While it may be tempting to catch a viewer’s attention through sheer loudness, it’s important to know what the platform norm is so that people who are clicking through a bunch of content don’t suddenly have to adjust the volume when your video comes on. That will annoy them, and make them more likely to press skip. Typically, creators who post to platforms like YouTube try to keep dialogue between -6 and -12 dB. 

How to set your audio levels step-by-step:

For recording

When you’re recording, setting levels begins with knowing where you want to end up. You’ll want to leave yourself plenty of room for things to get louder as the conversation progresses — a technique that’s called leaving headroom. So when you set your levels, a person’s talking voice should be registering several decibels below your peak loudness measure. A lot of resources recommend a 3dB gap, but others say 10-12 is more realistic.

For mixing

You’ll still want these levels to be a bit quieter than your desired final result. Think of it this way: if you’re mixing at max loudness, when it comes time to master and export the file, there’s no room to move things around. And make sure to listen using different methods as you’re mixing — what sounds fine in headphones might not work on laptop speakers, and vice versa. 

For exporting

This is usually the simplest part, since your video editor will do the work for you. But if you’re new to audio editing, try exporting with several different settings to get a sense of what each one does, and the effect it has on the mix. 

Things to think about when leveling audio:

Use backup mics

Let’s say you did all of the above, and still have crucial bits of audio that came in too loud. That’s where having a backup mic in another position can save your butt. Generally speaking, the more options you give yourself while recording, the better.

Background music

To make sure your background music doesn’t overwhelm any spoken or voiceover tracks, Descript offers a feature called ducking that will automatically adjust one track when another one kicks in. 

Audio compression and voice style

Using a compressor is always an option, and one you’ll be employing at various points on your audio tracks. But it can flatten the quirks and charms of someone’s voice, so the more you want to emphasize that, the more carefully you should level when recording. 

Using your own judgment

This is both the easiest and the hardest part. How do you learn to trust yourself? Well, it takes a good amount of trial and error — but also education. Close your eyes and really listen to the sound mixes on shows you admire and want to emulate. Talk to other engineers in the field. Watch tutorials! And ultimately, trust that your vision and your taste will get you where you need to go. 

Featured articles:

Podcasting

How to mix audio: A complete guide

Learn how to mix audio: Explore essential tips and techniques to create professional-sounding tracks and elevate your podcast production.

Video

Using EQ and compression for better video sound

Sound is a crucial component of video, and the two most important tools for editing video sound are compression and EQ.

Podcasting

How to mix podcast audio that's studio quality

All raw audio can be improved substantially with some simple steps, which can give your podcast a much more professional sound.

Podcasting

Podcast loudness standard: Getting the right volume

To spare your podcast listeners the horror of a deafening volume increase from one show to the next, you’ll want to normalize your playback volume using the podcast loudness standard.

Video

How to reduce background noise: 15 tips for high-quality audio

Reducing background noise requires a two-pronged approach: setting up properly to record, and knowing the right way to fix audio quality in editing. This guide will show you how to do both.

Podcasting

How Studio Sound can liberate your workflow

Finding the right tone of voice ought to be simple: speak naturally, sound like yourself, and ignore anyone who gives you grief about it (they probably will, especially if you’re a female creator).But for whatever reason it’s not simple at all for a lot of us. Here are a few tips and tricks from creators who have mastered tone of voice.

Articles you might find interesting

Video

Lighting for video: essential lights and techniques

No matter your budget or experience, there are some basic techniques and tools that can help you improve your lighting, upgrade the look of your videos, and set you apart.

Podcasting

Remote video recording 101: Essential tips for podcasters

To get the best quality audio and video from your remote recording, you’ll want to check out the techniques, low-cost tools, and software suggested in this article.

Video

How to sync audio and video: 3 options with tips

It’s frustrating when your video sound lags behind what people see on screen. Here’s how to sync both the audio and video footage.

Video

Best vlogging cameras to capture your essence

Looking for a quick list of the best vlogging cameras money can buy? We’ve got all the stats right here.

Podcasting

Listen up: How to start thinking like an audio engineer

Audio engineers understand how the human ear organizes sound; their job is to exploit that so that listeners hear clear voices, hitting the right beats with the right inflections.

Related articles:

Share this article

Get started for free →