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Re: New Guy, Clipping, and thanks to all here

Subject: Re: New Guy, Clipping, and thanks to all here
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Sun, 25 Jul 2004 14:35:27 -0400
From: "Donald Weiser" <>

> 
> Not to bore you but over the years I have made recordings of music
> (remember vinyl?), to reel-reel, then to Lucifer's own invention, the
> 8-track, and then to cassette tape.  I was always very aware of not
> going into the red causing distortion.  And so what do I do with my
> first several nature recordings I made in the field?  While not
> comfortable with the the new device quite yet, I clipped the heck out
> of everything!  My brook & waterfall recordings sounded like a
> helicopter was hovering just above the mics.  A special thanks to
> Martyn here for sending me an email (after I'd sent him a snippet)
> that went something like, "OH MY GOD, YOU'RE RECORDING AT WAY TOO HIGH
> A LEVEL!!!!"

Welcome to the "perfect" world of digital recording.

You are in good company in your transition to digital recording. Every 
one of us who's gone through it did the same thing. Digital has zero 
tolerance for even a single errant high wavetop. Different thing from 
the soft landing analog would give you.

Do lots of sonograms on your recordings. Even when you think you have 
eliminated all the clipping, there will probably still be some. Getting 
that last bit is the hard part, but pays off in better sound quality.

Analog, you had to stay right up at the top as the dynamic range was 
often less than the range of your subject. Luckily the damage from 
overage was not major. But, digital gives you a lot more dynamic range, 
normally far more than is needed. So, placing a safety margin in your 
metering will not hurt you. I generally go for 15dB or so pad, if I push 
it to as small as 10dB I often really regret it. Metering digital is a 
whole new artform.

BTW, my first nature recording was done on a wire recorder. By hanging 
the mic out the window. Yes, I remember all those, though I avoided 8 track.

Walt




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