New mix, Old song.

Digital clipping means you've tried to push a level through your converters, and they can't represent that number digitally so they just don't try.

Say for arguments sake converters can handle volume on a made up scale of 1 to 100.
If you try to feed a audio through that peaks at 110, the converters just chop it flat at 100. This sounds bad.

Same happens on playback. If you exceed the max level your converters can handle in the mix, the output will clip.

Basically, turn your preamp or source down if the clipping is on the way in, or turn the mix down if it's clipping on the way out.
 
ManInMotion711 said:
Does anyone have any helpful tips on how to avoid having the guitars clip?
Click to expand...

Sure. Make sure when you record something that the input levels aren't too high. If the input meters in your software are hitting about 2/3 of the way to the top, you're probably good to go.
 
Steenamaroo said:
Digital clipping means you've tried to push a level through your converters, and they can't represent that number digitally so they just don't try.

Say for arguments sake converters can handle volume on a made up scale of 1 to 100.
If you try to feed a audio through that peaks at 110, the converters just chop it flat at 100. This sounds bad.

Same happens on playback. If you exceed the max level your converters can handle in the mix, the output will clip.

Basically, turn your preamp or source down if the clipping is on the way in, or turn the mix down if it's clipping on the way out.
Click to expand...

Yeah, exactly. But was this one mangled when he recorded it, or has he just set the playback level too high? MIM? Which is it?
 
ManInMotion711 said:
Say for instance im very new to this sort of thing. How can i tell its clipping. What should i be listening for?
Click to expand...

Ok, that's hard to describe, but I'm pretty sure your guitars were clipping in the intro.
Scrutinise the intro and see if there's anything undesirable to your ears.

The high guitar note at 15 seconds is a good example (although it's audible before that).
Do you hear the distortion that doesn't sound like the good kind?

It kinda sounds like when you have a small hifi or bad headphones and you turn them up too loud. Like they're not capable of that volume?

The best way to avoid it is to implement some tracking and mixing rules, and to keep an eye on your input/output meters.
Obviously it's best to be able to hear the problem, but still...

When you're tracking, your preamp/interface should have a clipping LED. It'll flash if you overload the pre/converters.
Keep your gain down so that never flashes. You can also keep an eye on the track meters in your software as you record.
Just make sure you haven't adjusted anything or added volume altering effects : The meter needs to accurately reflect your input level.

Now, play and watch the meters. There's no hard fast rule but try to make sure your absolute peaks are a good 10db away from 0.0.
Yes, your recording will be quiet.....it's meant to be. :)

The same applies when you're mixing. Watch that output meter and make sure it's not hitting 0. (Most daws throw up a red clip light at the top of the meter if you hit 0.)

If you want a loud mix then that's a separate issue but, either way, make sure your master fader peaks at maybe -6 or so? No higher!
If it's higher than that, turn everything down a little bit.
To be honest, lower than that is absolutely fine too...maybe even better.
 
Steenamaroo said:
Ok, that's hard to describe, but your guitars were clipping.
Scrutinise the intro and see if there's anything undesirable to your ears.

The high guitar note at 15 seconds is a good example (although it's audible before that).
Do you hear the distortion that doesn't sound like the good kind?

It kinda sounds like when you have a small hifi or bad headphones and you turn them up too loud. Like they're not capable of that volume?

The best way to avoid it is to implement some tracking and mixing rules, and to keep an eye on your input/output meters.
Obviously it's best to be able to hear the problem, but still...

When you're tracking, your preamp/interface should have a clipping LED. It'll flash if you overload the pre/converters.
Keep your gain down so that never flashes. You can also keep an eye on the track meters in your software as you record.
Just make sure you haven't adjusted anything or added volume altering effects : The meter needs to accurately reflect your input level.

Now, play and watch the meters. There's no hard fast rule but try to make sure your absolute peaks are a good 10db away from 0.0.
Yes, your recording will be quiet.....it's meant to be. :)

The same applies when you're mixing. Watch that output meter and make sure it's not hitting 0. (Most daws throw up a red clip light at the top of the meter if you hit 0.)

If you want a loud mix then that's a separate issue but, either way, make sure your master fader peaks at maybe -6 or so? No higher!
If it's higher than that, turn everything down a little bit.
To be honest, lower than that is absolutely fine too...maybe even better.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much. This actually cleared alot up for me. And so i can record low and then when mastering i worry about volume and such correct?
 
ManInMotion711 said:
Thank you very much. This actually cleared alot up for me. And so i can record low and then when mastering i worry about volume and such correct?
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's it. :)
No problem.

The whole volume thing can be problematic.
I'm still a noob in that arena, but something to be aware of is this -
Peak volume and perceived volume are two very different things.

You can make any mix loud by squashing the crap out of it, but it will suffer for it.

Some mixes have a much higher perceived volume just because of their frequency content and how they're mixed.
IE. The just sound louder than others.

My mix that peaks at -0.1 might sound a LOT quieter than your mix that peaks at -6...See?

It's a minefield and I'm certainly no authority, but it's better to achieve a loud mix through skilful mixing that through squashing something and pushing it too hard. ;)
 
No sweat.
Yes...Same idea for everything.

I'd generally be more careful about drums and vocals because they're likely to have bigger peaks.
A distorted guitar record is usually pretty level. Clean guitar can have strong spikes....


Best thing to do is just do a test recording and set the gain for that mic/instrument setup.
 
Cool song and great playing. is that your band?

how are you micing the kick? all beater and no boom. mixed too loud too. The drummings so tight I'd guess you're using midi drums except for the fact that they sound so dry and all the toms and snare sound the same where as samples sound over the top tuned. Do have access to more mics? Are you close micing anything? Check the 3 mic drum recording technique if you haven't already.

The background vocals need a better reverb, maybe less eq?, and stereo spread.

All in all an acceptable demo though.
 
ap said:
Cool song and great playing. is that your band?

how are you micing the kick? all beater and no boom. mixed too loud too. The drummings so tight I'd guess you're using midi drums except for the fact that they sound so dry and all the toms and snare sound the same where as samples sound over the top tuned. Do have access to more mics? Are you close micing anything? Check the 3 mic drum recording technique if you haven't already.

The background vocals need a better reverb, maybe less eq?, and stereo spread.

All in all an acceptable demo though.
Click to expand...

No band just me. And to mic the kick i have a kic mic in the bass drum off center pointed right at the beaters. And i promise that they arent programmed drums. They are acoustic. and yes i know it ws mixed to loud. Im working on fixing that now. And as far as micing technique, i use 4 mics. 1 one the snare, 1 in the kick and 2 overheads. I use the Glyn Johns technique. And yea i was thinking the same thing about the background vocals. I appreciate all the input though
 
Hmm. well you can't argue with Glyn Johns. I've found that you get more bass not quite inside the kick, but right where the front head would be- I also like to remove the front head or mic around the hole. Are you eqing anything? I'm just not hearing much bass or high end.
 
I do mic the kick drum, not so much the snare, im gonna sit down and redo my EQ for the kick cause im not liking the way its sounding.
 
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