CLIPPING IS BAD... Until You Learn How To Use It

Clipping has become a hot topic over the past 2 years with more plugins available, but many people use them incorrectly. Some claim clipping is bad, though often they master everything to minus 14 LUFS, making the point moot.

Introducing Clip Zero, a scientifically-based method for using clipping effectively throughout your audio session.

• Soft clipping shaves off transients and introduces saturation with a rounded curve • Hard clipping creates sharper clipping and allows for more volume increase • Soft clipping removes more material but adds saturation in exchange

Hard clipping creates square waveforms while soft clipping maintains rounded edges. Delta mode tools like K Clip show only what the clipper removes from the signal.

Using a clipper only on the master to reach loud levels causes everything to sound squashed and distorted.

The problem isn't the clipper itself but how sounds are balanced before reaching it. Individual tracks like kick and snare sit near zero dB, but when combining all elements, peaks exceed zero dB.

Turning down individual track volumes to prevent peaks above zero dB destroys the desired balance between elements.

When the clipper or limiter focuses on catching peaks instead of processing the whole waveform, it prevents effective loudness maximization.

Apply clipping to individual tracks before the master to prevent problematic peaks. Use hard clipping on drums and soft clipping on elements like pads for saturation.

• Insert a clipper on the kick drum and set hard clipping mode • Apply the same technique to the snare • Soft clip pads and tops to add saturation • Apply clipping to each bus in the session

Eliminating peaks above zero dB without the audio sounding distorted, creating a cleaner signal for the master chain.

The stock clipping rack works for quick adjustments, but advanced work requires more detailed tools like Max for Life plugins.

• Built-in compensation algorithm prevents volume from changing drastically when pushing the clipper • Allows you to hear damage being done to the signal

• Multiple clipping algorithms including germanium option for character • Lightweight enough to use on every track in a session • Link input and output points to compensate for volume changes automatically

Detail preservation fader allows transparency when clipping. Set input to the positive peak value to clip at zero dB, useful for master chain work.

Gold Clip Lite provides a lightweight CPU alternative to the full version, suitable for use on one or two tracks in a session.

Apply clipping to all tracks in the session, then verify levels are correct before moving to the master chain.

Use New Fangled Saturate with Delta mode enabled to catch the loudest peaks and transients, aiming for balanced loudness without distortion.

Clip Zero is called that intentionally. It should be applied to genres requiring minus 8 or above short-term LUFS or integrated LUFS, making it suitable for highly dynamic signals with many peaks.

• Good balance and clear sound without significant distortion • Right balance across all sounds throughout the session • Proper clipping levels prevent peaks while maintaining audio quality • Reference detailed guides by Bath Metrics for in-depth understanding