Mysterious Audio Clipping Conundrum at DVinfo.net

Meryem Ersoz · August 13th, 2007, 07:18 AM

dear audio gurus:

i have an audio file, supplied by an outside source, that sounds great in the Quicktime Player, nice and clean, and sounds great in iTunes playback, also nice and clean. but when i import it into FCP, the audio is red-lining in several places and has that fuzzy clipping sound at its peak.

short of a re-do, is there a solution? or something i am missing? which playback should i trust (inclining towards FCP, since that will be the source of delivery....)? is there something wrong with my copy of FCP maybe? but the levels seem fine with my other audio tracks (music, sfx).

confused and need advice!

Mike Peter Reed · August 13th, 2007, 07:47 AM

If you've got Soundtrack Pro as part of FCS then open it up in there. If you zoom in and see plateaus in the waveform you've got clipping at source. If you don't have STP as part of FCS then something like Audacity will let you view the waveform (or, even FCP itself if you configure the timeline to display the waveform).

David Ennis · August 13th, 2007, 07:54 AM

Not being an FCP user I can't explain its behavior, but the file itself is either clipped or not. If it's not, surely you must be able to crank it down to an acceptable level in FCP.

If FCP doesn't allow you to examine the waveform graphically to check for clipping, download a free copy of Audacity.

David Ennis · August 13th, 2007, 07:56 AM

Wow, those were pretty similar simultaneous posts, Mike. :>]

Meryem Ersoz · August 13th, 2007, 02:01 PM

good advice, thanks guys!

August 13th, 2007, 07:18 AM	#1
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3,015	Mysterious Audio Clipping Conundrum dear audio gurus: i have an audio file, supplied by an outside source, that sounds great in the Quicktime Player, nice and clean, and sounds great in iTunes playback, also nice and clean. but when i import it into FCP, the audio is red-lining in several places and has that fuzzy clipping sound at its peak. short of a re-do, is there a solution? or something i am missing? which playback should i trust (inclining towards FCP, since that will be the source of delivery....)? is there something wrong with my copy of FCP maybe? but the levels seem fine with my other audio tracks (music, sfx). confused and need advice!

August 13th, 2007, 07:54 AM	#3
David Ennis Fred Retread Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hartford, CT Posts: 1,227	Not being an FCP user I can't explain its behavior, but the file itself is either clipped or not. If it's not, surely you must be able to crank it down to an acceptable level in FCP. If FCP doesn't allow you to examine the waveform graphically to check for clipping, download a free copy of Audacity. __________________ "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence..." - Calvin Coolidge "My brain is wired to want to know how other things are wired." - Me

August 13th, 2007, 07:56 AM	#4
David Ennis Fred Retread Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Hartford, CT Posts: 1,227	Wow, those were pretty similar simultaneous posts, Mike. :>] __________________ "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence..." - Calvin Coolidge "My brain is wired to want to know how other things are wired." - Me

August 13th, 2007, 07:47 AM	#2
Mike Peter Reed Regular Crew Join Date: May 2007 Location: Hants, UK Posts: 185	If you've got Soundtrack Pro as part of FCS then open it up in there. If you zoom in and see plateaus in the waveform you've got clipping at source. If you don't have STP as part of FCS then something like Audacity will let you view the waveform (or, even FCP itself if you configure the timeline to display the waveform).

August 13th, 2007, 02:01 PM	#5
Meryem Ersoz Wrangler Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 3,015	good advice, thanks guys!