Reducing/smoothing digital clipping

Posted: Tue May 28, 2002 1:03 am

i recorded a set on a MD and a slight digital clipping occured which sounds really clicky and shit. it mostly occurs when bassdrumm or bassline is kickin or some heavy mid range action. I checked the waveform and it looks like just plain square type clicking maybe thee is somekind of advanced declicking soft that smoothes these harsh square like clicks....anyone?

has anyone else had experience like this and fixed the problem or atleased reduced the harsh clipping so it won't sound like someone is stunning a needle thru your ear drum? <img border="0" alt="[retard]" title="" src="graemlins/retard.gif" />

Posted: Tue May 28, 2002 7:30 am

Although I've never used it, I have heard stories of good results using Sonic Foundry's Noise Reduction 2.0 (which has a clipped peak restoration tool) for this exact type of problem. They have a demo version available for download - check it out & let us know how it works.

Posted: Tue May 28, 2002 8:31 am

This is a very common problem when recording too hot a signal in the digital world. Make sure your levels are not clipping when you record. It's that simple. There is no benefit to having the level clipping unless you want it to sound clipped. Digital is unlike anolog where hitting the tape hard gives you tape saturation or compression that can often sound good.

What you might try if you can't go back and record the part is run that signal into an L1 or some other type of limiter. It wont work as well as if you did it while recording but it my help.

Posted: Wed Jun 12, 2002 11:12 pm

simply put and right to the point Joe Lambert :p but if you still want to try noise reduction software, try waves gold bundle or their new platinum bundle, you won't be disapointed. you can also try soundforge 6. very good with that as well. i use both in my studio and couldn't be with out either of the two(waves gold bundle & soundforge 6)

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