Master clipping, yet all levels below 0db

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
Post Reply
heavenface
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2019 3:00 pm

Master clipping, yet all levels below 0db

Post by heavenface » Mon Apr 08, 2019 3:06 pm

HI yall, I have been using Ableton for a bit, but I am unfamiliar with DAW language so bare with me. So I have 2-3 tracks going at a time and none of them are showing that they are clipping, but I can still hear that they are. The clipping is audible when the tracks are soloed as well, and changing the volume seems to not change this. To give you an idea, they are 3 midi tracks (one is a sample and the other 2 are ableton instrument effects.)
Can anyone give me an idea as to why there is clipping? I've tried changing some stuff around but I am at a loss as it stands.

scheffkoch
Posts: 593
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2015 12:37 pm

Re: Master clipping, yet all levels below 0db

Post by scheffkoch » Mon Apr 08, 2019 3:15 pm

...sounds like you have to lower the channel's/instrument's/fx's gain (e.g. with utility) instead of lowering the volume with a fader...look at your channel's plugins...there are small lights at the left and right side of each plugin...they have to be in the green (and not red since this indicates that a vst is clipping)...keyword for this would be "gain staging"...
macbook pro m1pro, macos monterey, rme multiface via sonnet echo express se I, push 2, faderfox mx12, xone:k2

Fanu
Posts: 426
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2009 7:50 pm
Location: Helsinki

Re: Master clipping, yet all levels below 0db

Post by Fanu » Mon Apr 08, 2019 3:28 pm

You're probably roasting something on the tracks with some plugins.
Or running something hot into something on the master.

As we know, track levels per se don't matter as long as master stays green, thanks to 32-bit float audio engine.
But levels between/into plugins is another matter.

Post Reply