Topic: Clipped in some areas, how to edit?

[3-Fan]

I recorded a show last week in a not so open environment.  My 1st time.  Any ways, I guessed on my pre setting prior to the show and it turns out I was a tab bit hot and clipped.  I finally was able to get to my pre and turn things down so I was peaking around -6db.  So I've got a chunk of the show (maybe 10 minutes) or so where I have some clipping and then the rest is golden.

How do you recommend going about editing this show?  Hard limit the clipped portion down to the peaks of the OK portion, then go into my normal editing routine?

Any suggestions are warranted.

Thanks!
Greg

[heyitsmejess]

i have had some success using soundforge, using tools > detect clipping.  i choose the preset for "detect only audible clips", and let the program take care of the rest.

[3-Fan]

OK that finds them for me Jesse, then what?  Use the Pencil to try to correct each one?  But then when I goto normalize the whole show, the good part of the show will still be down in the -15 db range while clipped sections are at 0.  Not good on the ears!

[ilduclo]

try the clipped peak reduction in Cool Edit, works great! Best bet is to reduce clippage on the entire set, then you can amp back up to under clip volume (normalize to peaks)

[Scooter123]

In GoldWave and other Wave Editors, Select Edit > Compression > Reduce Peaks. 

There will likely be some presets which will work for you.  Pick the most offending area, and run a quick test of a second or two.  If that brings it below 0db, then you are golden.  Then apply that preset to section.  If you made the least aggressive compression preset which will bring that section below 0db, then it won't affect the rest of the tape, and you won't have to compress the whole show, only that section. 

But your eyes will be proof of that.  Run the presets on a couple of short sections to see what the result might be. 

Unless the section looks like a 2x4, I don't sweat compression too much; most of the time it is just symbals and handclaps which are the offending noises; Indeed I do add a little compression to every tape to reduce the dynamic range, and bring those peaks down a tad below 0db. 

[rsimms3]

try the clipped peak reduction in Cool Edit, works great! Best bet is to reduce clippage on the entire set, then you can amp back up to under clip volume (normalize to peaks)

This is what I use for clipped shows.  There are three presets - None, Light, Heavy or something to those effect.  I would copy the clipped portion to a new file and then do some trial and error with that section using the clip reduction tool for that part of the show.  Once you figure out the right amount of reduction, you can take that number back to your original file and apply it to the entire file.  Then you can go back and increase the volume for the softer sections and use a transition between the softer parts and the louder parts.  Doing a transition volume adjust during crowd chatter works pretty good as you don't really notice the change in volume. 

[bdasilva]

Isotope RX    Don't they do a trial copy.     unbelievable!

[easy jim]

Isotope RX    Don't they do a trial copy.     unbelievable!

Just got myself an education copy of Izotope RX...can't wait to try it out with some old DAT masters.

[Roving Sign]

of the approaches mentioned thus far - which ones are truly "clip repair"?

some seem more like "Clip masking" - basically reducing the volume of the offending area...

[newplanet7]

Can you really repair a clip though.
If it's audible/saturation/distortion i would say no.
If it's inaudible just reduce the sections volume and normalize it with the rest of the show.
Most of the time if I clip it comes in the form of clapping hands, which is easily remedied.

[mr qpl]

of the approaches mentioned thus far - which ones are truly "clip repair"?

some seem more like "Clip masking" - basically reducing the volume of the offending area...

not really,  not just vol redux. I think it's best described as interpolation.....