April 2025 Monthly Training Blast - Volume Normalization
Hey guys, Alex with AEP here with another Monthly Training Blast. Right off the bat, I just want to lay out our plans going forward with these videos; as a company, we believe that proficiency at emergency management and response involves being knowledgeable on a variety of subjects, enough to be able to “go with the flow” and adapt to any given situation. Because of this, and because we are a staff of folks with talents in a lot of different subjects, we thought it would make sense to vary the scope of these training blasts, in the hope that every month we can bring you a tip for something different and outside of the box, and maybe something that you have never even considered thinking about before.
That being said, I’m here this month to talk about the Volume Normalization setting in Spotify. Volume normalization is a feature in Spotify that automatically adjusts the volume of different songs to make them sound more consistent. The intention for this is to avoid jarring changes in volume when listening to songs in a playlist, When volume normalization is turned on, all songs are played at the same volume, regardless of how loud or soft they were originally recorded. But the setting has some major drawbacks, enough so that some would argue it does more harm than good and should be turned off as a default. Volume normalization can be bad for several reasons:
It can make it difficult to appreciate the dynamics of a song. In music, ‘dynamics’ are the changes in volume that occur throughout a song. When volume normalization is turned on, these dynamics are flattened out, removing any tension and which generally makes the song sound less interesting. By turning off volume normalization, you can allow songs to play at their natural volumes. This can be especially important for genres that rely on subtle dynamics. This can also make it difficult to hear quieter songs, especially if you are listening in a noisy environment.
It can damage the audio quality of a song. When volume normalization is used, the audio signal is compressed to make it all the same volume. This compression can introduce distortion and other artifacts, which can damage the overall sound quality of the song. Spotify’s playback compresses music quite a bit, more than most other streaming services, so listening to a song on the platform already means that the audio quality is suffering by default. Why make it any worse?
Producers that mix and master music are generally very good at making the songs they engineer sound good; volume normalization actively works against their intentions, robbing you of the full experience of the music you’re listening to.
Steps to Turn Off Volume Normalization in Spotify
Open the Spotify app on your computer or mobile device.
Click on your profile icon in the top-right corner.
Select "Settings" from the drop-down menu.
Scroll down and click on "Show Advanced Settings."
Under the "Playback" section, uncheck the box next to "Normalize volume."
Click on "Save" to apply the changes.
Outside of turning off volume normalization, you can and should support artists directly, whether that’s buying their music directly from their website or on Bandcamp, and going to see your favorite artists in a live setting.
While you’re on your preferred streaming service, spotify or otherwise, have you checked out the Lifeline 911 podcast? Co-hosted by AEP instructor Erica Roberts, the podcast explores a wide range of topics related to emergency preparedness, including expert interviews, practical tips, and real-life stories. Whether you're a seasoned dispatcher or just started your emergency communications career, Lifeline 911 is here to provide valuable insights and guidance to help you navigate this job field.
That’s it for this month, everyone stay safe out there!
https://lifehacker.com/you-can-make-spotify-sound-better-1849743180
https://www.tomsguide.com/how-to/how-to-disable-audio-normalization-on-spotify