Clipping quirk

[VomitHatSteve]

On my last few mixes, I've been running into a weird quirk with clipping.

I'll go through the mix in short bursts (listen to a bit; hear something wrong; go back to fix it; continue), and once I'm happy, listen all the way through.
When I'm listening all the way through, the mix will suddenly clip some place that it hadn't before. I'll jump back to a second or two before the clip, and it will disappear, only to reappear when I start playback from the beginning.
Sometimes, the clip will return if I jump several seconds before where I first hear it, but sometimes not.

I suspect this has something to do with compression, but I'm not familiar enough with the math to be sure.

Any ideas?

[mjbphotos]

What are you 'fixing' before the clipping happens? If it happens consistently in the same place, it's something in your FX chain - make sure you haven't automated a parameter accidentally.

[jimmys69]

Not sure if this is in any way related, but I have noticed this happening at times with a transient plugin on drums. I usually just place a limiter after the plug to avoid the problem. Not really a fix, but it stops the issue from creating a problem.

[VomitHatSteve]

"Fixing" being adding some automation to a track or two to get the volume below the clip threshold.

[mixsit]

I'd first ask are these big spikes -well above your normal peaks? Or put another way- is the mix running hot enough where 'normal peaks are close to 'zero?

One of the things I like about bouncing my mixes down to a new track in the proj is you get to zero in on stuff like that and being it's aligned with the sources you just scan up above in the tracks to see where it's coming from.
Or, what combinations of things.
Every once in a while it seems there's peaks that sort of don't even follow what's above in the tracks. 'Random unhappy coincidental pile-ups? (You know like them rogue waves' they have out at sea you hear about

[mixsit]

Another one too add
Sometimes I'll see a spikes that disappear from the waveform view as soon as track's zoom' is changed

[VomitHatSteve]

Nah, these are pretty close to the nearby peaks. I can usually get rid of the clip by cutting a DB or two from one of the louder voices (main vox or a single drum hit usually)