trying to understanding clipping

[guttadaj]

Howdy, folks.

I'm using Sonar 2.2 and have some confusion on clipping. I know that digital clipping is BAD NEWS, but I'm wondering when it's REALLY BAD NEWS.

If my signal comes in too hot during tracking and clips, then is that track pretty much shot? Do I have to re-track? If I compress the signal or turn the volume down, it probably won't clip on replay, but the signal I'm dealing with is basically chopped off and bad, right?

However, say I manage to track without clipping. Then, during the mixing phase, say one of my tracks is clipping while my main A bus is not (Compressor effect on it, volume lower, or some other such reason). Is this also really bad and pretty much unusable?

It's hard for me to understand what's going on with the signal in the digital context, since it seems like "clipping" = "game over", where it just equaled "warm fuzzies" in the analog world. But does that mean clipping anywhere??

Thanks,
-Jeff

 

[lapieuvre]

Hi,

Basically don't clip when you track and you will be allright. After that you won't be game over, let's say that your tracking was alright and you put an eq and boost the bass. if your take was close to 0db then after pushing the bass then clipping may occur... just bring the volume of the track down.

Thierry

 

[mixsit]

If you're tracking 24 bit just leave some safety room below zero. There's so much dynamic range available conversion noise isn't an issue generally. (mosquitoes to thunder claps anyone or is it just 80db s/n mics? )
Even quick short spikes over can be invisible. I've had some flat tops I thought were going to crunch but didn't.
Then once it's in ACKUS, the mix bus has some extra head-room in there, as well as the track itself if I'm not mistaken.

One way to line the whole thing up so it all falls in place easier, is to track at reasonably moderate levels, say -6 to -12-ish, then when all the tracks come together they're all in the ballpark to begin with. Some even suggest that you could record the tracks at the level they will be mixed at. The system is very wide and forgiving. Not to worry.
Good hunting
Wayne

 

[guttadaj]

Thanks, guys! (Love this BBS!!)

I think I understand now. Basically, clipping anywhere in the mix is bad news, but it's only Game Over (only way to fix is to retrack) when the clipping happens during tracking.

So, if I see one of my tracks clipping even when my Main A Bus is not (due to a compressor on it), this is still a problem and should definitely be fixed at the track level, right?

Thanks!
-Jeff

 

[moskus]

So, if I see one of my tracks clipping even when my Main A Bus is not (due to a compressor on it), this is still a problem and should definitely be fixed at the track level, right?

Yes, if has clipped at the track, you nedd to re-track it.

 

[cstockdale]

Thanks, guys! (Love this BBS!!)

I think I understand now. Basically, clipping anywhere in the mix is bad news, but it's only Game Over (only way to fix is to retrack) when the clipping happens during tracking.

-Jeff

I would rephrase that: "It is also game over if you clip in the mix and apply destructive editing"...ie, it you take the track through your compressor, and it clips, and you "apply editing", save and exit the program, you won't be able to undo the clipping anymore!!! This is why I (and many others) archive the original tracks as I record them and keep them around in case I do something stupid like that.