Clipping: A solution outside of normalising? N00b needs help

Hello,

I am sure clipping has been talked about before, but a search of it didn't give me the help I am looking for.

I have recorded a band on a digital 8 track. These files have been saved as .wav files.

I have taken these files off the 8 track and onto my computer.

I began mixing them in Adobe Audition. Even before I started mixing for the right levels of each instrument, There was clipping on the master levels.

I have mixed/mastered the song now. It is finished and no individual instrument clips, but the master levels still do.
The quality whilst it is clipping is good on computer but distorted on CD.

I have normalised the final mixdown, but it is of worse quality. It sounds MUFFLED.

I may be asking the impossible, but is there any solution ?
I dont want to be restrained volume wise, but I can't go over 0db without it clipping.

Can anyone offer and advice or assistance?

Thankyou Very Much
Ben

You could try mastering with a compression plugin like Yamaha's Final Master or the Final Plug in AA.

If the individual tracks are not clipped, but the mix is, there are a few things to look at

TURN EVERYTHING DOWN!
1+1=2.  If you add two tracks together, the sum will be louder than either of the tracks.  You need to back down on both tracks to keep the master level correct - or back down on the master fader.

Make sure you mix down to a 32-bit float file.
32 bit float can exceed 0dB without clipping the data.  From there you can normalize and the results will not clip on playback.  (A 32 bit file that exceeds 0dB will SOUND clipped because your sound card will clip when playing it back).

Even if you're working with 32 bit float files (highly recommended), some effects, at least 3rd-party plugs, can clip if overdriven.  I don't recall the plug I was using, but in a chain of effects, one was overdriven even though the final output level looked good and it was causing distortion.

There's probably more, but that's what comes to mind right now.
I need to fire up the coffee pot.

I think this gentleman may be looking for the dreaded AS LOUD AS POSSIBLE button? Only a guess on my part, but if so try hard limiting, then everything will be as loud as everything else. In my opinion it sounds horrible, but if that is what you are after - it works

I dont want to be restrained volume wise, but I can't go over 0db without it clipping.

Welcome to the forum Ben.  Are you trying to go over 0db without clipping?  In case you don't know, 0db in the digital world is the proverbial brick wall.  Everything over 0db will clip.

ok. thankyou everyone for your help. yea i am new to all this. i will try the suggestions everyone has made and see what happens. ill get back to you.

another idea i had was this... i have no edited all the files and added any effects etc. so now i might insert them back into my digital multitrack. all 8 tracks individually as .wav files. Then ill get the levels right there and export it as a mastered file. Because on the mulitrack I can crank it, with good quality. PC seems to have more restrictions.

Thankyou I'll try all the above tomorrow. Its getting late in Sydney Town now though.

Here it is, with hard limiting (process)