How to set Levels to Avoid Clipping (Gain Staging 101)

Struggling with clipping in your home studio recordings?

In this video, Robert explains key concepts for setting recording levels in any DAW (Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Reaper) to ensure clean, professional sound.

Learn the difference between Gain and Volume, the ideal digital recording level (-18dBFS), and tips for avoiding distortion.

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[gregvadnais]

"You know how drummers like to play loud AFTER soundcheck..." Dammit... You nailed us. Great vid. quick and to the point. Appreciate it!

[AugustBurnsSam]

This channel is great. You present the information really straightforwardly, and you aren't dull or difficult to pay attention to. Keep up the great work!

[bolivar]

Thanks a lot, this was very helpful! I wish you health and inner peace in these challenging days.

[chaoticlove]

What would you recommend for a Rode nt2a going into a focusrite interface? The problem is some people say aim for highest peaks to be -6db, others -12db etc? What's the best? And to avoid the condensed mic picking up all that white noise when its super sensitive? The vocals for the track are pretty dynamic, many quiet parts and many loud parts? I'll probably use the waves vocal rider to record also

[CrossStrain]

Quick, easy, and no Bull... Thank you.

[matrixate]

Uh, you need to clarify if you're taking about 24bit or 16bit audio. Actually, -12db is recommended as a max RMS when you're recording at a 24bit depth because you have much more headroom for plugin processing with a lower nose floor. That means that you'll have peaks that can go up to -6db. Now, -18db is necessary when you're recording at 16bit depth but again, that's RMS; you'll still peak at -10db. You don't have as much headroom at 16bit, so the extra -6db will be a safeguard against clipping. To complicate things even more, you may have to lower to the clip gain if you are summing 100 tracks versus 8 tracks. In that case, yes, -18db could be required. However, you'll need a higher gain if you're recording and mixing a few tracks, like up to 8 or less. You probably should have been a bit more exact and clearer. No one explains this right.

[j.p.westen]

if doing spoken word for audiobooks/voice acting should I be aiming at a constant -18db or peak at -18db?

[nickiaco]

thanks for the video

I'm finding that my recordings between -12 and -18 dBFS sound quiet relative to other audio when listening through my headphones plugged into my interface. I'm using a Scarlett Focusrite interface with Logic Pro. Is this something that gets fixed during the mastering process, or should I turn up the volume in my recordings?

thanks!

[tudorgheorghe]

I m a old senior masters audio engineer.So is like we should chare more about shaping tone on the rec / production step up to that minus 18 dB digital scale right? So we end up sculpting for fitting in the mix like using substractive eq ! No add eq on mixing right? 😊

[hrushikeshv]

Can u make video on flute recording and editing

[TheRTM]

Question: Does this work with software Instraments??

[idkhow]

So adjust the gain to get it in -18db?

[marcos]

So lemme think, this -18 db thing that you talking about it relates when you finally mixed everything out and the master track doens't hit the -18 db over, right? For you work with a good headroom and use some resources such as limiter and compressor to raise the thing up, ins't?

[MoneyRouteRay]

Should I gain clip on my interface or inside my daw ?

[thegreatestguitaristonmars]

Are you referring to input or output levels?

[Brutuscomedy]

Or clip your AD converter on purpose, especially if it has a setting (or soft limiter) for this. Also, you can exceed 0dB in a daw with 32 bit floating point.

[genolexismusic]

Definitely did not expect to see Bryan Cranston during a recording tutorial. There is nothing the man can not do 😂

[chrisdaviesguitar]

So, I have an amp sim plug in, when I switch it on, it pushes everything into the red. To reduce clipping, I have to reduce the volume on that track to -42db. Any advice?

[commercialand]

So aim for -18 does this mean at peak? at their loudest moment, or should the continuous singing be lower as to leave headroom in case it hits -18

[justinmclaren]

The bottom of STAV’s “digital skyscraper” is blurred because there’s not enough digital resolution to capture the sound clearly at low gain.