Loudness metering and logging

The Loudness Meters provide data about an audio file's momentary loudness, short-term loudness, integrated (overall) loudness, and loudness range. You can use these values when mastering for broadcast to ensure compliance with loudness standards (such as the CALM Act).

A loudness log is a report of the loudness of an audio file and it allows you to provide documentation that your files adhere to loudness standards.

Generating a loudness log

A loudness log is a report of the loudness of your project, and it allows you to provide documentation that your audio adheres to loudness standards.

The log provides data about a project's momentary loudness, short-term loudness, integrated (overall) loudness, and dynamic loudness. You can use these values when mastering for broadcast to ensure compliance with loudness standards (such as the CALM Act).

Generating a loudness log when rendering a file

  1. Use the Render As dialog to save your file.

    For more information, see Rendering your project

  2. Click the Render Options button and select the Save loudness log next to media file checkbox if you want VEGAS Pro to analyze the loudness of your file and create a log file that summarizes its loudness values.

    The loudness log is created using the same folder and base name as your sound file with _loud.txt appended to the name.

    The log will record the file name, format, loudness metering mode, and loudness values throughout the file.

    IMPORTANT

    Loudness logging is performed after the plug-in chain, but before any codec is applied to your rendered file. Because audio compression may affect audio levels, choose Tools | Generate Loudness Log to analyze a rendered file after saving to a compressed format.

    When the Master bus mode drop-down list on the Audio tab of the Project Properties dialog is set to 5.1 Surround, surround processing is applied when measuring loudness (a gain of ~1.5 dB is applied to the left and right surround channels). When the Master bus mode drop-down list is set to Stereo, all channels contribute equally to the loudness measurement. For more information about loudness values, please see Loudness meters

Generating a loudness log for the timeline

  1. Select the data you want to analyze.

    TIP If no data is selected, the entire timeline is analyzed.

  2. Choose Tools | Generate Loudness Log.

    The loudness log is created using the same folder and base name as your project file with _loud.txt appended to the name.

    The log will record the file name, format, loudness metering mode, and loudness values throughout the selection or file.

    If the Open editor when new loudness log is generated checkbox is selected on the Audio tab in the Preferences dialog, the log will be automatically opened in your default text editor.

    When the Master bus mode drop-down list on the Audio tab of the Project Properties dialog is set to 5.1 Surround, surround processing is applied when measuring loudness (a gain of ~1.5 dB is applied to the left and right surround channels). When the Master bus mode drop-down list is set to Stereo, all channels contribute equally to the loudness measurement. For more information about loudness values, please see Loudness meters