Audio Clipping from GOOD mixdown??!!

the dutchman · #1 10-12-2002

HOW can a good audio mixdown create clipping in Cakewalk?
I'm recording on VS880 to DAT with GOOD volume control. THEN, when I record to Cakewalk on my way to CD burning, my tracks wind up clipped!
I have tried using the Master Console, but my recorded tracks in CW wind up TOO low in volume for a decent burn!
Can anyone help me understand this??

Paul881 · #2 10-12-2002

Let us understand this correctly. What you are saying is that when you record multi tracks to the DAT, import/record them to C/W, export them to CD, they become clipped?

I don't use DAT so I'm guessing here but if you have multi tracks in c/w all nicely levelled with no clipping, if you bounce them all to a stereo or mono track, before exporting to CD, they will summate so that you will exceed 0 db and therefore clip. The key is to record as hot as you can w/o clipping and then when mixing down, ensuring again that no clipping takes place.
The use of compression squashes the peaks in the dynamic range of your tracks, enabling you to increase the overall volume of the song without clipping.
Hope this helps.

mixsit · #3 10-12-2002

Are you giong digi out from a dat that is not clipped, and it is clipped when you open it in cake?

Shailat · #4 10-13-2002

The important question is are you hearing distortion or not.

If its just the meters you see are cliping then that is common to all softwares. Even Pro Tools can show clipping but in reality it's not.

James Argo · #5 10-13-2002

Shailat was right...
Once I have a recorded track. CWPA 9 shows the track has many audio clip here and there... I curious, because I didn't hear anything distorted/anoying sound. Then I export 'em to CoolPro using Tools menu, and... hoop laah... CoolPro doesn't seem to see those clips. All was well. The same wave block. Then I pull it back to Cake... Some reported were disapears, while still some remains... Then I knew sometimes (...just sometimes) I should believe what I hear than believe to what I see.

James Argo · #6 10-13-2002

... and welcome to the board, the dutchman.

the dutchman · #7 10-14-2002

Thank you for your input - all of you.

To answer a few questions...
I'm recording multitrax on a digital workstation and mixing down to stereo to my DAT machine. On both counts, there is no clipping of the signal (either by meter indicators, OR by hearing - and I listen via several sources before actually recording down). THEN, when I send the mixdown from DAT to C/W, it clips on me. In a desperate act, I have started using C/W Express that came with my sound card and I'm having "some" success with that, but still the C/W clipping 'thing' stymies me.

James Argo · #8 10-14-2002

There you go...
You didn't mention what's your sound card, and how did you set the recording property things. Each card has their own specific recording level range. I assume you transfer 'em analog, right ? then you must set the recording level too high. Try to turn it down a bit. How do you describe the wave you recorded ? a lot of fluctuating spike ? or just average wave block ?

Aaron Cheney · #9 10-15-2002

Yep. Sounds like you're slamming the inputs on your soundcard.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com

jono_3 · #10 10-16-2002

trying putting a touch of tight compression on the master track, that should squash any small clips and keep audible distortion down...just dont over do it or its gonna sound like babies off the empire state building

the dutchman · #11 10-16-2002

Having MUCH better success. You were right; I was 'slamming' my sound card inputs. Also found that the burning software came with a decent WAV editor, so I can actually perform a 'final-FINAL' mixdown before burning.

Hope I can be of help to someone else as you have been for me.

mixsit · #12 10-16-2002

Is there a reason you are not transfering back to cake via spdif?
There would be less loss of quality and no levels to reset.
Thanks
Wayne

the dutchman · #13 10-19-2002

Uh...my only reason at this point is the need for a quick recording and... uh... a lack of understanding. I have not taken the time to find my manuals and thus am at a loss as to where to plug in the SPDIF for my digital workstation, or my dat. Both have the capability (as I recall reading) but don't have a "labelled" output connector as such.
Thanks for the nudge - it's time I dug out the manuals again.

mixsit · #14 10-19-2002

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