There was a period when the ads on TV suddenly had a great jump in volume

[G+_George Kozi]

Originally shared by George Kozi

 

There was a period when the ads on TV suddenly had a great jump in volume. Sound wise. You fixed the volume on your TV to a level that pleases you, and the moment a commercial break started it was like BUY THIS AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY!!!!!!

STOP AGING BY SCHMEARING THE STUFF WE MADE ALL OVER YOU, AND BUY LOTS OF IT!!!!!!!

BE AFRAID OF STUFF, BUY INSURANCE!!!!!!

 

It made you desperately scramble to find the bloody remote, to stop the damned TV from shouting at you. I absolutely despised that, and hated the guts of the guy who invented it. Luckily (at least here in The Netherlands, and possibly EU wide) they put rules in place that prevent that from happening. However, that's not true for YouTube. Catch up Google!

[G+_Ned Jeffery]

Unfortunately that's simply how dynamic range works. Content usually has loud parts and soft parts. Whereas a 15 second commercial doesn't have to worry about that. It just has one volume. And because of the way digital audio works, there is no benefit to having the audio signal at anything less than the maximum possible volume.

[G+_Dave Trautman]

Compression is also the culprit here. It is true the actual level change is a bit like loud Uncle Larry entering the room telling a joke. Commercial announcements are louder by contrast. Usually there is not a lot of loud stuff going on in TV and they certainly won't stop for a commercial break during any louder "action" parts. But commercials are also built differently and, if it is mostly someone pitching verbally, they get to "10" right away. Sound compression is also used to keep the level the same all the way through, as was already mentioned.

 

I find it funny that people don't complain about the quiet commercials which feature some social issue or public concern; which are not trying to persuade you only with words. Some of the finest commercials in the world are awarded at Cannes each year and most of those are not "loud" and obnoxious pitches. They are clever, innovative, beautiful, and most of them are funny or entertaining. If only all commercials were given this kind of care and attention.

 

I could show you the metered levels on three different pieces of TV and how their actual loudness is exactly the same, but your perception of them would be where one is louder than the next. It is somewhat relative.

 

The other factor is with the "interruption" it presents. When there is a slow and serious scene unfolding it draws us into the story and then we are hit with an interruption which blasts its message proudly and loudly. This is often more annoying than just being a different loudness.

 

I keep the remote handy at all times and I'm quick as a bunny to hit MUTE for every commercial break. As someone who has been in the business for a long time I can also usually leave the room and be back for the end of the last commercial. It's a gift.