
Preventing clipping
Recording sound at too high a volume level can result in distortion, or “clipping.” You hear clipping as a sharp, crackling sound, which is undesirable in most cases. In a GarageBand project, clipping can occur in one of two situations:
- When you record a Real Instrument with the track volume level set too high
- When you export a project with the master volume level set too high
When the red dots to the right of the level meters, called “clipping indicators,” light up, the track or overall project is clipping at some point. Once you identify where clipping occurs, there are several ways you can try and remove it. Different situations require different solutions, depending on what is causing the distortion.
To prevent clipping, try any of the following:
- To prevent clipping in a Real Instrument track, lower the output of the audio interface or device connected to the track. If you are recording a microphone, move the microphone further away to lower its output level.
- To prevent clipping in the overall project, you can try any or all of the following:
Add a volume curve, then add control points at the place where distortion occurs to lower the volume level.
If the project is using an effect, lower the level of the effect at the place where distortion occurs.
If there are several regions at the place where distortion occurs, delete or mute some of them.
Re-record regions at the place where distortion occurs so they are lower in volume or intensity.
