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Gear / Technical Help => Post-Processing, Computer / Streaming / Internet Devices & Related Activity => Topic started by: DavidPuddy on August 16, 2019, 07:39:46 PM
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Hello,
I am getting clipping in my final tracked files and it is likely user error. Can anyone please correct me if my workflow is bad?
Import wav to Audacity (limiter, normalize to -1db, fade in/out, export as flac), track with Sound Studio.
When I play back the individual files, I get clipping, but not in Audacity. Do I need to export the FLAC files at a lower db? Thanks
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I avoid limiting and normalizing by adjusting envelopes, so I am just guessing here. But, it is my understanding that a limiter should come last in the chain. Also, if you are normalizing, there should be no need for limiting, or visa versa.
That being said, I suspect the limiter in Audacity is truncating the wav similar to a clip, just at a lower volume. Of course I could be completely not right also.
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That being said, I suspect the limiter in Audacity is truncating the wav similar to a clip, just at a lower volume. Of course I could be completely not right also.
this could be the case. If the limiter has a setting for maximum output level, set it for -1dB and skip the normalize step. Still got problems? Please post a short sample!
(do the files exported clip in sound studio? Do they clip in VLC or some other playback program?)
Double check in audacity that the channel level is not cranked up! An accidental mouse drag can hose your output!
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Hello,
I am getting clipping in my final tracked files and it is likely user error. Can anyone please correct me if my workflow is bad?
Import wav to Audacity (limiter, normalize to -1db, fade in/out, export as flac), track with Sound Studio.
When I play back the individual files, I get clipping, but not in Audacity. Do I need to export the FLAC files at a lower db? Thanks
Are you combining files - like a multi-track, or is this just one file you're trying to cut up?
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Try normalizing with Sound Studio and see if the end result is the same (I use Sound Studio to normalize and track). But how did you normalize - by peak level?
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Hello,
I am getting clipping in my final tracked files and it is likely user error. Can anyone please correct me if my workflow is bad?
Import wav to Audacity (limiter, normalize to -1db, fade in/out, export as flac), track with Sound Studio.
When I play back the individual files, I get clipping, but not in Audacity. Do I need to export the FLAC files at a lower db? Thanks
Are you combining files - like a multi-track, or is this just one file you're trying to cut up?
yea if you're combining files (aud + sbd) I find it best to have both about -3db. once combined the overall gain will go up. then raise again if there is room.
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Are you combining files - like a multi-track, or is this just one file you're trying to cut up?
Excellent point. My current multi track workflow is
sources @2448 > mix @2448 (low enough that it doesn't peak) > wav > gain & limit & reduce to 16 bit > wav@1648
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Not combining any sources, just 2 tracks. I tried out the suggested envelope (to knock down peaks) and then normalized up to -3db and it sounds pretty good with no clipping. Could I have gone up to -1 without clipping? Maybe, but this sounds pretty good to me.
Here's the torrent if you want to listen:
http://bt.etree.org/details.php?torrentId=606651
Thanks all for the help. I think using the limiter to knock down peaks and then normalizing to -1db was where I went wrong.
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Why are you normalizing at all? Doesn't the limiter have a max output level setting that does the same thing? I set mine to -0.13dB, to be exact.
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With Ozone 8, I have to enable the limiter, or use maximizer, in order to use dither. Since I mostly took care of the peaks in volume with envelopes and pushed the gain to 0db manually, using either can produces clips unless I invert the threshold and ceiling values in the limiter, basically turning it off. Even then, it can still produce clips depending on the "flavor" of limiting I choose.
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The limiter in Audacity doesn't offer make up gain from what I can tell. I use it to knock down the peaks a bit but I'm sure there's a better way to do that.
I'm thinking of just upgrading my RX7 Elements to the full package and ditching audacity anyway. The only thing I use it for is fades, envelope, and amplification, which I imagine Izotope can do far better.
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I do not think that Rx does fades of envelopes, it definitely does not offer multi-tracking. It does work well with Reaper though, which is not much more than free.
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The limiter in Audacity doesn't offer make up gain from what I can tell. I use it to knock down the peaks a bit but I'm sure there's a better way to do that.
I'm thinking of just upgrading my RX7 Elements to the full package and ditching audacity anyway. The only thing I use it for is fades, envelope, and amplification, which I imagine Izotope can do far better.
Try the Apple: AUPeakLimiter plug in, it's got pre-gain!?