clipping, compressors - how important is this stuff?

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shackrock

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alrighty - i'll start off with clipping.

as i understand it, clipping is pretty much just when your audio reaches the top level of sound before distortion?
with my songs, they clip all the time, i mean - close to always clipping. But - they sound great anyway. So, why should i turn it down if it sounds good how it is?

next, comes compression. I understand how to use compressors (i use computer ones...like FAsofts, etc.....NOT outboard ones.), and can work them fairly well. My question is, since pretty much they are just for getting your song to stop "clipping", and to increase the overall volume perhaps, do i really need to do that if it still sounds ok how it is? should i waste 20 bucks on a nice compressor? or should i invest 20 bucks on a nice compressor? or sohuld i stick with a free one?
thanks a million
 
Clipping is the digital version of what distortion is if you record onto analog tape with your levels set too high. It's an UGLY sound. You can't miss it. If you're getting nice hot levels, and it sounds good, go for it!

Compression can be used to raise levels, yeah, but it's also to keep your levels even. Non-electric instruments, particularly acoustic guitars and the human voice - and some electric instruments, such as the bass, are really tough to fit into a mix unless the tracks are compressed at least a little.

Really nice compressors are what you'd prefer, of course, but I use the free one from BlueLine.
 
blueline, eh?

and where can i find this blue line one? i use some french on...JS i think....and it has only threshold, gain in/out.

Thnaks again
 
Hey ,
I had ? or maybe still do have the blue line pack installed. How the -F- do you get it off yer hard drive?
,rod:confused:
 
Hey,
Thanks man.
I remember when i installed the plug-in pack there were instructions on how to remove it, I tried a few times and had no luck. I removed it out of my control panel ,but still had it comming up in vegas. I used some DX remover so it didnt show up inside of vegas, but never really knew if it was totaly gone.
,rod
 
"..as i understand it, clipping is pretty much just when your audio reaches the top level of sound before distortion? "
with my songs, they clip all the time, i mean - close to always clipping.

Actually, clipping is when you go _past_ the top level, and it is distorted. A lot of times, the red light comes on below the actual clipping point, and if it's very brief, like a snare hit, you might not notice it anyway.
I'm tempted to try it on some tracking just to see what happens.
 
Compression is used for much more than just keeping your levels down. It can add sustain to a guitar. It can make your snare hits sound more like they are all at the same volume. It can help you dig out a track that is hopelessly burried under the mix. It can give your bass guitar more "punch". It is a very useful tool. You should not overlook compression just because you are not clipping durring recording. In fact, I don't even use my compressor while recording most of the time.
 
Okay, two things.

First, my ears ain't what they used to be. For example, I've let stuff go by that other ears than my own have identified as distortion. So if you're going into the red when you're tracking, I'd listen REALLY closely before keeping it. On the other hand, big names like Alanis on Jagged Little Pill have got audible distortion on some cuts, so if you're as good as Alanis, you can get away with it. :D

Secondly, there's compression while you're tracking, and there's compression in the mix, and they've got slightly different purposes. Tracking compression is to keep signals from distorting. Mixing compression is to squish the whole track, most often so you can boost its overall level and bring it up in the mix.

BTW: rodvonbon - did that directx uninstall prog work for you? Reason I ask: I've still got stuff surfacing in Cool Edit's Direct X option that I thought I deleted weeks ago. Nothing pisses me off more than something sticking around after I thought I deleted it. It's like stepping on the brakes and they don't work. It's like getting rid of the cat, and it shows up the next day...
 
just add my little rant

Please let me add this, as i believe people understand something a lot better if It's explained from a lot of different views.

Bear with me whilst I explain basics, a lot of you may already know this, but there's always one or two that don't!!!

A digital system can sample an input between -32768 and +32768 (i'm out by 1 or 2). Every sample that is taken is given a value between these two, so that when the music is played back, each value corresponds to a voltage.

When you clip, it means that your signal hits +32786 or -32786 and tries to go higher again. Your soundcard can't go any higher than this, so It just put out it's maximum voltages to the speakers over and over again. Speakers don't like the same value over and over again, it equates to a DC signal. This causes the distortion known as clipping.


Using a compressor on a final mix is important. (in my opinion) and can show the difference between a proffesional and an amateur. Admittedly, if your recording an orchestra NEVER COMPRESS (my opinion), but if It's any other kind of music, always compress (notice I didn't say how much).

30 years ago, compression wasn't used much on a final mix, but, since then, the amount of compression used on songs has increased linearly, as people try to make their songs 'sound louder' - The guys in Motown started compressing when they realised that their songs would sound louder (read better) on the radio.

Ahhh... rant over, don't know where I began now... oh bugger.

hope it helps.

Rochey
 
<30 years ago, compression wasn't used much on a final mix, but, since then, the amount of compression used on songs has increased linearly, as people try to make their songs 'sound louder' - The guys in Motown started compressing when they realised that their songs would sound louder (read better) on the radio. >

Yes it was. It was called vinyl mastering!
 
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