Adjusting the volume when changing TV channels or at song transitions when listening to music is set to become a thing of the past – in part due to the efforts of Audio Engineering Society (AES) members in the development of standards and guidelines, and in influencing and refining governmental regulations to unify best practices.
Many of those same individuals joined a working group of the AES Technical Council’s Broadcast and Online Delivery (TCBOD) Committee to develop an informational web portal devoted to education on the fundamental concepts of audio loudness, its measurement and management. The AES Loudness Project website is now open to the world.
‘This destination web portal was developed over the span of two years with content and input from many of the world’s leading experts in audio loudness,’ says David Bialik, chair of the TCBOD Loudness Website working group. ‘It builds from the basics in an easily accessible format to deliver the core knowledge that all audio engineers should possess about loudness in order to maintain consistency in perceived loudness across content and source changes.’
At launch, the Loudness Project portal has three components – illustrated text sections covering Loudness Basics and Loudness Normalization, and an extensive list of References and Resources, with additional content to follow.
‘Audio loudness is an essential concept and loudness measurement an essential part of today’s media production and distribution,’ says Bialik. ‘For audio engineers from students to seasoned veterans, this website is a resource for learning about loudness as we work together for the common goal of delivering the artistic intent of content creators and a predictable, consistently satisfying listener experience.’
