Ableton Forum

Hi, there!

I was wondering if there is a way to completely remove clipping while recording vocals? I know I can lower the levels, but sometimes I get a pretty high scream and I don't have that much time to move away from the microphone, lol. I just want a small wall that will avoid the waveform to go beyond the limit. I tried adding the compressor while recording, but heck, clipping was still there.

You want a limiter, which is a type of compressor. Live's native Limiter should do the trick for you.

You'd need a compressor BEFORE your soundcard. Anything clipped is clipped.

Several things to try:

1. Turn down your preamp gain. If you are clipping, you might be recording too hot. You should try aiming for a maximum peak anywhere from -20 dbfs to -10 dbfs. I find when I aim that low, I get nowhere near clipping. It is also possible you might have a mic with high gain or a pre with a high minimum gain. If your mic or pre has a pad switch, it should solve that issue. I'm assuming you are recording at 24 bit.

2. Get further from mic. If you are 6 inches from mic, do you clip at 12 inches.

3. Record with external preamp and compressor.

4. Get a UAD Apollo and record with compression.

Ummmm... yeah. You're both right. My only excuse was that I was still at work and my brain was elsewhere. Please ignore my post.

Sc0RcH wrote:Hi, there!

I was wondering if there is a way to completely remove clipping while recording vocals? I know I can lower the levels, but sometimes I get a pretty high scream and I don't have that much time to move away from the microphone, lol. I just want a small wall that will avoid the waveform to go beyond the limit. I tried adding the compressor while recording, but heck, clipping was still there.

Hey, if money is no object, grab one of these. Not a plug in, but the real thing. Problem solved.

kb420 wrote:

Sc0RcH wrote:Hi, there!

I was wondering if there is a way to completely remove clipping while recording vocals? I know I can lower the levels, but sometimes I get a pretty high scream and I don't have that much time to move away from the microphone, lol. I just want a small wall that will avoid the waveform to go beyond the limit. I tried adding the compressor while recording, but heck, clipping was still there.

Hey, if money is no object, grab one of these. Not a plug in, but the real thing. Problem solved.

This is one of the compressors the UAD Apollo emulates. Matter of fact they have 4 different version of the LA2A.

They probably don't sound 100% like the real thing but at the same time the Apollo can emulate other compressors at well if you want to totally change your sound up.


But that said the LA2As are really nice vocal compressors for smoothing out a vocal and are easy to use as well.

The best limiter is working the mic. It takes practice.