Is Clipping Always Bad?

Before I begin, sorry if this should be in the newbie section, or if it has already been asked before. I ran a few searches but can't really find a specific answer in a thread/post relating to this question


I know usually clipping is bad, and you shouldnt let the meter hit the red area (peak), but I'm curious is, is it okay to let some things clip? If so, when are where would it be acceptable?


Thanks
~1

dont clip, its nad for your speaklers, the ears etc

It can be OK in analog, in digital it tends to suck.

what if my drums only sound the way i want when they are clipping?

but like again, it muffles the speakers too

^^ then use some distortion/overdrive on them...

slight clipping is ok for drums BEFORE sampling.

I clip my final mixes to +3db all the time.
Digital clipping does sound bad at times though, I'll stick to analog clipping.

with digital recording. It is best to avoid cliipping. If an A&R is listening to your beat and hears clipping(out the window it goes)

I've had a question about this for a min. I've been assuming that its ok buuuut....is it ok to have individual tracks in the mix clipping as long as the master volume doesn't clip? Would there be distortion on those specific sounds? Also, say I record a verse and there's a word that clips while I record...if I keep this track and simply decrease its volume, will that word (track) still be distorted??? I've been itching to ask this question for a hot minute

well if it clipped on the way in, then yeah it will clip forever. if it is only clipping on playback then you can reduce the volume as needed. basically it is best to avoid clipping on the way in at all times. if you really can't get the desired affect with distortions etc then the best thing to do is take your clipped sample and resample it through the main outs. this way you have a new non-clipping sample but it still has the clipping sound on it, if that's your thing. hope that makes sense.

alot of mainstream tracks clip, but not really clipping.. it just sits on the edge right at the limit.

+3db dawg

I clip my final mixes to +3db all the time.
Digital clipping does sound bad at times though, I'll stick to analog clipping.
>>>>>>>>>>

thats pretty hot lamp! what do you record into a pc or a multitrack?

greg

I might have phrased some words wrong let me try and rephrase a question


Can I just get clarification LOL.... clipping is when the db meter goes into the red zone correct? (0.1 db and up is in the red levels)

because some people are saying they let it go all the way up to +3.0db?? Isn't that clipping right there??

Sorry, can someone clear this up for me

Thanks, appreciate it

~1

depends what it is going into- if a pc yes its didgital clipping if something like tape depends how much headroom above 0db the media has...

greg

right, with things like tape and tubes you have a lot more headroom for saturation. not that way in the digital world.