Instagram Reels Distortion

Community Questions
#1

Hi everyone,

IG Reels is driving me insane…

It’s fine if I upload a video where I talk or use audio from the IG library, however…if I try to upload a video which already has original audio (music)…after that IG has done its processing the audio is CLIPPED!

It’s interesting, not just because I mastered the audio and I know it’s not clipping, but also because it doesn’t clip if I upload it to YT, FB, TikTok, or even as Instagram Feed video…it only happens with the Reels…I tried using the “mixing” feature to make it quieter but it sounds distorted anyway, just a little quieter but with added overdrive.

Anyone having similar issue with the wonderful IG?

Please let me know

Thank you

Francesco

#2

Hey bro,

Hmm that’s so strange. Have you updated the app? Sometimes the weirdest things can fix themselves when you have the most up to date version of the app.

It might be that your video file is too large and it’s compressing weirdly too? Try exporting it for a phone?

Let me know!

Damo

1 Like
#3

Hi Damian,

Thank you so much for your reply!

I’ve been fiddling with it for quite some time…I tried updating the app, I tried everything…I also tried mastering the audio at -2dB output threshold but Reels keep messing with my audio.

It’s unbelievable honestly because I master music all the time, usually at -0.3dB and I never have issues on TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram Feed, IGTV, Instagram Stories etc… same with streaming platforms, stock music websites and so on…

I only struggle with Reels audio, I think I am gonna post them as Feed video and stop wasting time…it’s really odd.

Francesco

#4

Hmmm very strange, are you finding this with everything you hear on Reels or are you hearing HQ audio on Reels in general?

1 Like
#5

Thanks Damian,

Other people Reels sound find, as well as any Reels with my own music that I pull out from the IG library instead of uploading the audio myself if that makes sense…which is really weird because I mastered those tracks too…but as I said (I don’t wanna play the card “I master audio for work every single day”) I upload the same short videos on every single platform including IG Feed and Stories, they never sounded clipped…and the last attempt was bounced at -2dB, i.e. 1.7dB less than the standard ceiling for most audio.

At this point the only explanation is that the app doesn’t work well on my specific phone, which is a cheap Motorola e7 plus, I will ask some friends to try and put the video on from other phones to see if my theory is plausible.

Thank you again

#6

Hey, I reckon it’s probably your phone’s capability rather than what you’re exporting as :slight_smile:

1 Like
#7

Yes, Damian, I think you’re right…and I am asking friends to test it for me…uploading from different phones? So far I had no luck with a second android…it might be a bug with certain brands or with android in general, I came across other distorted Reels in the last few days (from other accounts).

I might as well try INSSIST, it lets you upload Reels from desktop which would be great honestly and it’s not too expensive either, wondering if anyone on this forum has ever tried it/has any feedback whatsoever especially around its safety. :slight_smile:

#8

So, few weeks later I am still having issues with Reels, I bought a new phone but it didn’t help.

It might well be an issue with all Android phones because I see many distorted Reels every day and I wonder why people (and Instagram) are cool with it…Feed videos and Stories sound perfectly fine, it’s just the Reel “processing” at the end that adds some sort of cheap maximixer, making the audio unpleasantly clipped.

If anyone who tried INSSIST could please share their experience here I would be most grateful. I have read different opinions about it and I am not sure if it’s safe to use (data-wise).

Many thanks

Francesco

#9

I’m having a separate issue - when my reels upload, the sound is completely muted. Also using android. This is very frustrating as I’ve only just started to upload content and have only successfully uploaded one reel with audio.

#10

hmm that’s really weird, it shouldn’t mute. Check out this link - Why Do My Instagram Reels Have No Sound?[1 Simple Solution] - Say Geeks

#11

Hi Mark, this can easily happen when the sound is added to a video via a DAW for example…you still get an MP4 but Instagram doesn’t recognize the audio…

Might not be your case but it’s most likely to do with file types and how the whole video is exported.

Hope that helps

#12

Going back to the main Instagram issue:

The solution is bouncing the audio at -6dB True Peak.

Yep.

Instagram for android should be awarded the noble prize for the worst audio codec of all time also. The amount of Reels out there where you can hear that saturated, mid-rangey and totally artificial digital clipping is unbelievable…

If you are old enough you might remember the time when MP3s came along, the audiophiles where throwing their toys out of the prem saying that it was outragious…that CDs becoming the norm was already bad enough and downgrading to MP3s seemed like the worst thing that could happen to audio…

Now we primarily consume audio via Instagram…wondering what’s next… ahahahah