Digital Clipping

[Executioner213]

I don't really exactly know if it's digital clipping I'm experiencing, but I am getting buzzing/crackling going on with a song I'm doing in the guitars. Is there any way to correct that (I've actually tried EQ'ing it out, and that wasn't happening) or even a surefire way to prevent it?

 

[STINNETT]

That sounds like a soundcard issue. Perhaps a latency problem. Try adjusting your settings and see if it goes away.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

yeah what are you running?

 

[Brett - K A L I S I A]

From what I understand the cracking is on the guitar track. You can try Waves restoration tools (X-Click), it could help... To avoid this in the future, record in 24 bits and don't go in the red.

 

[Matt Crooks]

If it's not digital clipping you could be having word clock issues if you're using multiple digital devices.

 

[Kazrog]

If you can post a sample that would help us give you more specific advice. Digital clipping is bad ummkay.

 

[Muttley]

I don't really exactly know if it's digital clipping I'm experiencing, but I am getting buzzing/crackling going on with a song I'm doing in the guitars. Is there any way to correct that (I've actually tried EQ'ing it out, and that wasn't happening) or even a surefire way to prevent it?

Do you have a CRT monitor? If so, turn it off when recording, as it might be inteference picked up by the guitar.

Muttley

 

[Executioner213]

http://esnips.com/web/Executioner213sMusic is where you can hear a clip.

The CRT monitor might be the source of problems, but I don't think it's it in particular....maybe....

I know it's not word clock issues, I'm not running anything that complex...not even really running anything using word clock features.

Guitar->tube screamer->Triaxis->2:90 simulclass->Carvin Legacy cabs w/ v30's->sm 57

Real drums havn't been recorded yet, so a scratch track using samples from DFH are in. Synth sounds done using SampleTank2 and other various programs (Native Instruments, IK Multimedia, Korg, Moog, etc). All recorded through Acid Pro 5 either using my M-Audio Delta 66 cards or my Hercules Game Theater XP's rca inputs (seems the latter is giving me less latency, since I don't think my machine can really fully handle the 2 Delta cards). I can give you all the specs if you'd like, but I have a feeling its something stupid. Thanks in advance!

 

[~BURNY~]

Ouch, that's bad... What happen if you increase latency?

 

[Gomez]

sounds like clocking issues.

 

[Volcane]

When you monitor as you play, does it sound OK?

I had a very similar problem with an Athlon/Motherboard chipset problem a couple of years ago, and if your PC is a bt behind the times it might be related. I had to 'go Intel' to fix it.

Long shot dude, but that is an annoying prob.

 

[Executioner213]

How would I fix it if it's a clocking issue?

I don't have spiffy studio monitors like some of you have....I just have PC speakers (w/ sub), but I also listen to a lot of what I do through headphones while I do it, burn it to disc and play it in other systems, etc.
It still seems like its there regardless.

Question....would it maybe make sense that its something from the board also? I've thought about also recording at a different sound volume (maybe higher?), using less volume from the board, and then volumizing it later? I've read that it's better to record at higher volumes because more sound comes across, but does that necessarily mean that I have to have the channel cranked on the mixer as well?

When you guys listen to that clip, doesn't it seem like it's mostly on the right side of the mix? It seemed like it wasn't really evident until after I recorded my tracks...so....

 

[Executioner213]

 

[cobhc]

Just looks like theres too much midrange in there it's clipping pretty much all the time in the mid range, and that's just looking at the mp3 in winamp. I assume you've not gone into the red when recording the gtrs? and the overall mix in your daw doesnt show clipping?

Edit: Just read that you tried eq'ing it out to no avail, hmm i get something similar when recording with my mic, could be a shitty soundcard problem, what soundcard do you have?

 

[dave krieg]

i dont wanna come off as a complete asshole, but holy mother of god thats some digital clipping if i've ever heard some. turn it up and ull hear it better, rather not, cus thatll make you bleed. the riff is so sweet, so I would reccomend re-recording the motherfucka and perhaps messing with a different micing position. i love combining an off axis signal with a direct signal. MIX SHIT UP! keep on rockin dude!

 

[Executioner213]

No it was not clipping when I recorded it...hence, I think it's something else, but I may be wrong (no, no it was not in the red).

I put the one guitar track that I believe is the culprit through Waves X-Crackle and it took out about 70% of that clipping noise....maybe, for now, I'll just doctor it with that, and re-record it later when it really matters....we're just recording right now to have a basic demo, and to "practice" for when we actually put real effort into it. Long story, I'll spare you all from it.

 

[Executioner213]

Oh yeah, I also figured out how to change the latency and all of that that you were talking about, Burny....I'll try that as well. I'll just have to experiment with it. Thanks again for all the input, folks!

 

[DNW]

Firstly, there's no way some stock soundcard or whatever that is should lower latency than a Delta 66. Dick with your settings until the Deltas are set up properly. Secondly, two Delta 66s and the stock sound running at once? Possibly some kind of hardware conflict that might be going on there? Dunno. I'm no computer genius personally.

What are you running the mic into? Maybe you're using some cheap lil mixer and you're clipping at that stage? Or maybe you're putting too high levels from there into the soundcard, and clipping there. Check your levels at every stage, make sure nothing's in the red. Try some doing more recording, and really make sure you're not clipping anything at the input stages.

 

[Executioner213]

Once again, nothing was in the red....I was very meticulous about that.

 

[Executioner213]

I think it may have something to do with where I placed my mic when I started recording my tracks. I moved the mic closer to the center of the cone, about an inch away from the relative center. Things have only been buzzy since I started my tracks, but I didn't hear the buzz when I was setting shit up. I don't know for sure, but that might have been it....putting the mic in a new place that causes high end buzz or something.