How Loud Should Your Master Be?

There's no single magic LUFS number. The right target depends on your creative intention and the character of your song.

There's no single magic LUFS number. The right target depends on your creative intention and the character of your song.

The most common question in mastering: "What LUFS should I target?" The answer is NOT a single number. It depends on how you want your music to feel - dense and loud, or open and dynamic. Think of it as a dial between maximum impact and maximum emotion.

Auto mode: target by tier

Tier | Auto target | Genres | Character 🔥 Aggressive | -9 LUFS | Electronic, Techno, House, Trance, Dubstep, Metal, Trap | Total density, maximum energy ⚡ Moderate | -11 LUFS | Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, R&B, Indie, Reggaeton, Latin, Reggae | Loud but still breathing 🌊 Conservative | -12 LUFS | Jazz, Classical, Blues | Wide dynamics, silences matter 🌿 Delicate | -14 LUFS | Ambient, Folk | The music leads, mastering is invisible

Manual presets

If you prefer to choose the number yourself, the manual presets are separate from the Auto tiers and describe an intention rather than a genre group:

Preset | Target | Typical use High dynamics | -14 LUFS | Maximum dynamic range - Jazz, Classical, Folk, Ambient Modern streaming | -11 LUFS | Dense and modern - Pop, Rock, Electronic, Indie Competitive loudness | -9 LUFS | Loud and dense - Hip-Hop, Reggaeton, Pop, Rock High impact | -7 LUFS | Maximum density - EDM, Trap, Metal, Club/DJ

Warning: These ranges are common references, not mandatory targets. A great mix can sound excellent outside these values if the dynamics and tonal balance are right. A pop ballad might sit at -12 even though "Pop" appears in the Moderate tier. Always let the song decide.

Tip: LoudCraft's Auto mode analyzes your track's genre and energy to pick the ideal target automatically. You don't need to memorize this table - but understanding it helps you appreciate what the AI is doing and when to override it.

Key takeaway: Auto targets: Aggressive -9, Moderate -11, Conservative -12, Delicate -14 LUFS (at -2 dBTP above -14). Manual presets go from -14 (dynamic) to -7 (maximum density).