Great vid DECAP, More people need to talk about clipping because it’s a critical part of mixing/mastering! A lot of newer producers think clipping is just a plugin in FL that you put on to distort 808’s or something bad altogether. For anyone interested here a Compression/Limiting vs Soft/Hard Clipping technical explanation: A Compressor/Limiter is taking the signal you give it, and pushing it down (for example -6dB). The reduction is dependent on things like Ratio, Threshold, Knee etc. With the right attack and release settings you can get a lot of punch out of a compressor, or even retain a lot of transient with a limiter. But regardless of how hard you push it, you’ll always be reducing the signal. With a Soft/Hard Clipper you’re like a magician. Take StandardClip for example, you set the clip threshold and then instead of reducing the signal on the transients it just makes it disappear. As if it was never there. As soon as the signal goes above the clip threshold, it chops it off, keeping everything below the threshold while making the peak of the waveform disappear. The difference between soft and hard clipping is what the shape of the waveform looks like when it’s being clipped. 100% hard clipping just cuts the waveform off flat, like the top of a Square wave. And Soft clipping will still keep everything below 0.0dB, but it’ll start rounding it off a little bit before it gets there so the top of the waveform looks a little more like a sine wave. Giving it a rounder and warmer tone. Hope this helps!
So sir may i asked you which of this between limiter and clipping is a go for the master channel....Which one you used between soft and hard clipper mostly for your production 🙏🙏i know it depends on the music I'm looking but i just wanne hear it from you,you seems legit 🙏🙏thank you....
It was never an either OR situation. Producers tend to use multi band compression going into a clipper, going into a compressor and / or limiter. Depending on the song and the genre, you usually need to do various compressor and / or limiter (loudness) layers. Instead of just maxing the level on the final Loudness Limiter! Also think of the clipper handling the peaks, so you’re limiter doesn’t have to react to those weird peaks throughout the song.
sick vid cuh. U right. Soft clippers are good when trying to lightly attenuate some transientd in a loud way. A musician named Baphometrix described them as "nice for loudness, and they are known to create a warm, subby sound when pushed enough"
Hey, this was really helpful! It was never clear to me why you'd use one over the other (soft clipping vs a limiter), but your examples helped a lot. Thanks for the practical tips!
Insanely easy to follow. Thank you brother. I've been producing for a few years now, but I honestly never really thought about Clipping/Limiting until recently that I'm at the stage that certain tracks need mastering. Thank you so much!
Huge fan of Knock, it’s sooo sick. Although you could easily just open a transient designer, I think it would be so gnarly to have quick transient control for sustain. Punch is giving the clarity and attack to the sounds, but having the ability to quickly adjust the sustain in Knock would be so damn good for tightening up the general decay of the sound. Much love, DECAP; keep up the awesome 🧡🙏🔥
Thank you for the great video! I think that maybe a better way to explain the transient "shaving" between a clipper (hard) and a limiter is that the clipper the body of that transient seems to keep as loud as before, but when limiting, it seems that some kind of "release"" time keeps the body of that peak being pushed down for while so, the overall snap, punch of the hit gets "too lowered" for most cases... Roughly, limiting is about volume shaping and clipping is about crunching with some distortion... I think the soft clipper is the best way for percussive instruments and a limiter can be a better choice for no transients dependent sounds like vocals, synth pads, reverbs... Or, like you've said, limiting the final mix or a bus, it's great. The negative point of this video is that would be way easier to notice the differences using a kick distortion-free... But that's only my point of view...
If you hold alt while increasing the gain in L2 you can hear what the limiter is doing without increasing the loudness. Much better way to hear what’s going on. Also, using Wave Observer to see what’s happening to the waveforms from different plugins is a game changer. I think Wave Observer is free too. I put it on the master and and it helps so much to see transients, levels of things like vocals compared to drums or sub base compared to drum transients, see what compressors are doing, like how much they’re actually compressing in real time and how the wave forms change with different attack, ratio, and release settings. Super helpful IMO and I use it all the time.
Bought the plugin and look forward to using it, as someone who was getting ready to explore drum processing as a beginner, I just wanted to say thanks and it looks great & simple.
Obvious difference was the hijats and minor elements got really loud when you went overboard with the limiter, cause the kick was getting suppressed more and more as you turned the gain up. With knock, the kick was getting louder too, so sounded like it was hitting harder but also getting a bit distorted
i've never even really considered clipping for some unknown reason... did a quick search for what other clipping plugins are out there and gotta say: KNOCK is definitely the sexiest of them all. you just sold me on picking this up after all. haha! 😎
Is it weird i can't hear any difference? I have this with more production technics where i can't hear these subtle changes. Does this come with experience or is my hearing bad?
Glue Compressor can do soft clipping - you just can't move between soft and hard clipping like KNOCK. Ableton also has a stock limiter - but isn't as transparent as something like Pro-L 2.
It's crazy that people are still getting this wrong. Pro L2 is a soft clipper followed by a compressor, like 90% of modern digital limiters are. It's stated in the manual : the attack time separates the clipper section from the compressor section, which works with the release time you set. A "limiter" is a high-ratio compressor, like the ones you find on Neves 2254 and 33609. It's not used so much nowadays by bedroom producers (but still are insanely great tools). Pro L2 doesnt work this way as the first section literally transforms transients into saturation, as a digital ceiling (that is what we call a clipper). A limiter also introduces saturation (as a high ratio compressor), but is not as extreme as a clipper : transients can exceed the threshold you set (even if it's 0,1db), and there's a release time for limiting to decrease after his action. A clipper doesn't have a release time : it's only a brickwall effect, a ceiling signal can't exceed. Pro L2's clipper part doesn't have release time : his following compressor section have. That's why you get a more transparent effect : you're telling the clipper when to stop and when to get a smoother compression release. With a long attack time (so no compression release), pro L2 can sound the same as a soft clipper. Thats what different algorithms are for. Pro L2 is a most transparent tool as what you call "clippers" because of its 2 portions. It separates the transient in two parts to get clipping without harshness, and transient ceiling without pumping. There's nothing wrong with the way people use clippers like Knockl and Pro-L2, and it's true you can consider one saturated and the other one transparent. However, this misconception leads to an inadequate understanding of modern limiters, and to an oversight of true limiters (Neves for instance). Theres a reason why mastering engineers crave for an original 2254 compressor/limiter which you often find around >10k $. Does wonders on masters. Knock = soft/hard clipper Pro 2 = half soft/hard clipper, half compressor with tweakable release time Neves = limiters (high ratio compressor with tweable release time)
If you're looking for a great Soft Clipper, check out KNOCK Clipper
pluginsthatknock.com
Great vid DECAP, More people need to talk about clipping because it’s a critical part of mixing/mastering! A lot of newer producers think clipping is just a plugin in FL that you put on to distort 808’s or something bad altogether.
For anyone interested here a Compression/Limiting vs Soft/Hard Clipping technical explanation:
A Compressor/Limiter is taking the signal you give it, and pushing it down (for example -6dB). The reduction is dependent on things like Ratio, Threshold, Knee etc. With the right attack and release settings you can get a lot of punch out of a compressor, or even retain a lot of transient with a limiter. But regardless of how hard you push it, you’ll always be reducing the signal.
With a Soft/Hard Clipper you’re like a magician. Take StandardClip for example, you set the clip threshold and then instead of reducing the signal on the transients it just makes it disappear. As if it was never there. As soon as the signal goes above the clip threshold, it chops it off, keeping everything below the threshold while making the peak of the waveform disappear.
The difference between soft and hard clipping is what the shape of the waveform looks like when it’s being clipped. 100% hard clipping just cuts the waveform off flat, like the top of a Square wave.
And Soft clipping will still keep everything below 0.0dB, but it’ll start rounding it off a little bit before it gets there so the top of the waveform looks a little more like a sine wave. Giving it a rounder and warmer tone.
Hope this helps!
Thanks dude
So sir may i asked you which of this between limiter and clipping is a go for the master channel....Which one you used between soft and hard clipper mostly for your production 🙏🙏i know it depends on the music I'm looking but i just wanne hear it from you,you seems legit 🙏🙏thank you....
great explanation, thank you for this
Finally someone makes sense. Thank you.
It was never an either OR situation.
Producers tend to use multi band compression going into a clipper, going into a compressor and / or limiter.
Depending on the song and the genre, you usually need to do various compressor and / or limiter (loudness) layers.
Instead of just maxing the level on the final Loudness Limiter!
Also think of the clipper handling the peaks, so you’re limiter doesn’t have to react to those weird peaks throughout the song.
sick vid cuh. U right. Soft clippers are good when trying to lightly attenuate some transientd in a loud way. A musician named Baphometrix described them as "nice for loudness, and they are known to create a warm, subby sound when pushed enough"
Thanks for this
Would be awesome to get a tutorial about multiband compressor
Hey, this was really helpful! It was never clear to me why you'd use one over the other (soft clipping vs a limiter), but your examples helped a lot. Thanks for the practical tips!
Insanely easy to follow. Thank you brother. I've been producing for a few years now, but I honestly never really thought about Clipping/Limiting until recently that I'm at the stage that certain tracks need mastering. Thank you so much!
oh also I love your samples on Splice. Used some :)
Maaaan, can we take a moment to appreciate your drum sequencing....unbelievable grooves that make you wanna snap your neck!
Clipping definitely getting those drums hitting hard. The knock plugin is the one stop shop for your drums btw!
Huge fan of Knock, it’s sooo sick. Although you could easily just open a transient designer, I think it would be so gnarly to have quick transient control for sustain. Punch is giving the clarity and attack to the sounds, but having the ability to quickly adjust the sustain in Knock would be so damn good for tightening up the general decay of the sound. Much love, DECAP; keep up the awesome 🧡🙏🔥
Best explanation of this, subscribed!
Thank you for the great video!
I think that maybe a better way to explain the transient "shaving" between a clipper (hard) and a limiter is that the clipper the body of that transient seems to keep as loud as before, but when limiting, it seems that some kind of "release"" time keeps the body of that peak being pushed down for while so, the overall snap, punch of the hit gets "too lowered" for most cases...
Roughly, limiting is about volume shaping and clipping is about crunching with some distortion...
I think the soft clipper is the best way for percussive instruments and a limiter can be a better choice for no transients dependent sounds like vocals, synth pads, reverbs...
Or, like you've said, limiting the final mix or a bus, it's great.
The negative point of this video is that would be way easier to notice the differences using a kick distortion-free...
But that's only my point of view...
If you hold alt while increasing the gain in L2 you can hear what the limiter is doing without increasing the loudness. Much better way to hear what’s going on. Also, using Wave Observer to see what’s happening to the waveforms from different plugins is a game changer. I think Wave Observer is free too. I put it on the master and and it helps so much to see transients, levels of things like vocals compared to drums or sub base compared to drum transients, see what compressors are doing, like how much they’re actually compressing in real time and how the wave forms change with different attack, ratio, and release settings. Super helpful IMO and I use it all the time.
bro i was just wondering this and now you drop this gem? thanks
I love the intro/outro track!
It hits sooo hard!
A clipper was used on it, probably.
Truly never knew when to use either until watching this so seriously thank you
interesting, ive always soft clipped on a drum buss prior to my master limiter, good to know i do at least one thing right
Bought the plugin and look forward to using it, as someone who was getting ready to explore drum processing as a beginner, I just wanted to say thanks and it looks great & simple.
Obvious difference was the hijats and minor elements got really loud when you went overboard with the limiter, cause the kick was getting suppressed more and more as you turned the gain up.
With knock, the kick was getting louder too, so sounded like it was hitting harder but also getting a bit distorted
It basically adds loudness to the transients while still keeping it under 0 unlike a limiter which only squashes it and making it sound flat
What would you use on acoustic guitars? strummed and finger picked.
lol man Decap please tell ne where you got those headphones
i've never even really considered clipping for some unknown reason... did a quick search for what other clipping plugins are out there and gotta say: KNOCK is definitely the sexiest of them all.
you just sold me on picking this up after all. haha! 😎
I have knock as well, although I've been using Kazrog K-Clip for a while too and its nice.
Just subbed DECAP. I'm going to try to apply these tips to my FL Studio setup. Preciate' it.
Been using KNOCK since i copped it. Definitely cant go back it just adds that extra sauce to the kick, hats, and snare
great explanation brother!
What is the difference between Saturation and Clipping? Can a saturator be used for clipping?
Saturator adds frequencies over ur tone.
Clip cuts of peaks, and balances out overall tones.
Everyday you lear something new. Thanks
Thank you for explaining it and making it so simple
thanks
Why not include compressor in the comparisson?
You look EXACTLY like Adrian Pimento from Brooklyn 99 bro!
A hardware 500 series or rack clipper? Do they exist? Where do I buy one?
all of these are various types of compression right? what shape does limiting do to the waveform?
Voxengo OVC-128 FTW. You 10/10 need oversampling when clipping. Doesn't get better than 128x oversampling.
saturator vs clipper? saturation rounds off the transients, could it be considered soft clipping?
Would you use like a T-Racks classic clipper on only the drumbus or on the master too?
what exactly does the clip knob in Knock do? is it a mix knob or does it drive the gain into the output ceiling with whatever clip mode you have set?
The clip knob drives the gain into the clipper. There is also a dry wet control.
You explained it the best
..just to ask you....Flatline vs Standard clip? what to choose...? regards
What about putting the knock plugin with just the softclipper on, on the master?
that was amazing, thank you brother
Super Dope Vid!
Can a multiband/filter feature be added to Knock so i could assign the modules for different frequencies?
Thanks for a video! :)
Thank you!
Is it weird i can't hear any difference? I have this with more production technics where i can't hear these subtle changes. Does this come with experience or is my hearing bad?
Talking about the difference between soft and hard clipping in this video.
Hard clipping sounds more distorted.
thanks decap soooo useful
Ty!
Knock is an insaley good plugin
🙌🙌🙌
Thanks sensei
Going to buy your clipper plug in
How can I be on your production team
A yoo thanks for these
Can you do this in ableton?
Yes. Stock plugins glue compressor and gentle limiter
Glue Compressor can do soft clipping - you just can't move between soft and hard clipping like KNOCK. Ableton also has a stock limiter - but isn't as transparent as something like Pro-L 2.
Soft clipping - it works well with the ableton saturator on the soft sine curve
I wonder if he likes to use clipping for drums
It's crazy that people are still getting this wrong.
Pro L2 is a soft clipper followed by a compressor, like 90% of modern digital limiters are. It's stated in the manual : the attack time separates the clipper section from the compressor section, which works with the release time you set.
A "limiter" is a high-ratio compressor, like the ones you find on Neves 2254 and 33609. It's not used so much nowadays by bedroom producers (but still are insanely great tools). Pro L2 doesnt work this way as the first section literally transforms transients into saturation, as a digital ceiling (that is what we call a clipper). A limiter also introduces saturation (as a high ratio compressor), but is not as extreme as a clipper : transients can exceed the threshold you set (even if it's 0,1db), and there's a release time for limiting to decrease after his action.
A clipper doesn't have a release time : it's only a brickwall effect, a ceiling signal can't exceed. Pro L2's clipper part doesn't have release time : his following compressor section have. That's why you get a more transparent effect : you're telling the clipper when to stop and when to get a smoother compression release.
With a long attack time (so no compression release), pro L2 can sound the same as a soft clipper. Thats what different algorithms are for.
Pro L2 is a most transparent tool as what you call "clippers" because of its 2 portions. It separates the transient in two parts to get clipping without harshness, and transient ceiling without pumping.
There's nothing wrong with the way people use clippers like Knockl and Pro-L2, and it's true you can consider one saturated and the other one transparent. However, this misconception leads to an inadequate understanding of modern limiters, and to an oversight of true limiters (Neves for instance).
Theres a reason why mastering engineers crave for an original 2254 compressor/limiter which you often find around >10k $. Does wonders on masters.
Knock = soft/hard clipper
Pro 2 = half soft/hard clipper, half compressor with tweakable release time
Neves = limiters (high ratio compressor with tweable release time)
knock broke my DAW and I knocked him out from pc!!!
thank you bald man
I just watched a 10 minute commercial
Thanks