Individual Track Meter doesn't indicate clipping

[tstu102]

What is wrong with metering in Pro Tools 11.

My individual tracks do not show red when they are clipping, yet the master does. This is so entirely, ridiculously unacceptable.

Preferences

My peak hold is 3 seconds, my clip indication is infinite. Track and Master Meter types are linked.

Post fader metering is on

I switched to Pro Tools Classic meter type bc the new kind was just awful. The release of the meter was...absurd.

Can't even believe this.

Please help.

Thanks

[tstu102]

And now there is a bug - I have peak hold - infinite on. Sometimes there will be no peak holding on the master channel, but an individual audio channel will hold peaks. Other times this switches - the peaks are seen on master channel and not on individual channel. Unbelievable.

Please help, thanks! I can't believe I have to pay for Pro Tools phone support...

[wafare]

Pro Tools 11 does not show clip indication on tracks once recorded. The only time you'll see clipping at the track is during record or if the track is record enabled. Within a 32bit float environment, it's virtually impossible for you to clip the mix bus internally. You do however get clipping indication at the master because you will clip if the level is over 0 dB heading from the digital domain into the analogue domain. PS, other DAW's do this as well and it's actually how it should be and should have been.

[musicman691]

So much misinformation here. Recording or record enabled is not the only time you will see clipping. That pertains only to audio tracks. Aux tracks and Instrument tracks can clip at any time if levels are too high. You just have to be careful with whether you're using pre or post fader metering if you want to see the clipping.

As a reason a master track or main output can show clipping but your individual tracks don't it's a simple matter of you're adding a bunch of individual tracks together and even if the levels on other tracks aren't high when you add enough tracks together you could get clipping on a master/main out. Lesson to be learned here and that is you never want to have your levels so high the metering goes into the orange, let alone red. With the recording systems we have access to there's no need to run levels as high as used to have to be done in old analog tape recording days to overcome noise.

To tstu102:
How do you know your individual tracks are clipping when they don't show red?

Almost forgot: when you're recording audio from the analog world (misc, guitars, etc.) the faders do nothing to control the recorded level of the signal. You have to deal with that on the input to your audio interface.

[wafare]

There's no misinformation about my post at all..... Clearly I was talking about audio tracks and it appears that the original post is referring to the same. It is absolute fact that my reasons stated with regard to audio tracks and the master output bus are true........ BTW, regardless of pre or post metering, you will not see clipping of an audio track post recorded....Avid changed the metering for a reason.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by wafare

There's no misinformation about my post at all..... Clearly I was talking about audio tracks and it appears that the original post is referring to the same. It is absolute fact that my reasons stated with regard to audio tracks and the master output bus are true........ BTW, regardless of pre or post metering, you will not see clipping of an audio track post recorded....Avid changed the metering for a reason.

You made NO mention of audio tracks and your post didn't infer that either. And it IS possible to clip the output an audio track after recording depending on the plugins one is using.

[mesaone]

tstu102, are you aware that the clip lights on most tracks are now yellow, not red? Red clip lights only exist on Master tracks, to indicate clipping at the DAC.

[wafare]

Originally Posted by musicman691

You made NO mention of audio tracks and your post didn't infer that either. And it IS possible to clip the output an audio track after recording depending on the plugins one is using.

Yes, you certainly can clip within plugins and the PLUGIN will turn red but there will be NO clip indication at the channel meter. I'm not trying to have an argument with you, I'm simply stating the changes that have in fact occurred in Pro Tools 11. Even before pro tools 11, if you saw red at the meter post recording is didn't mean its clipping. It only meant that IF that channel at that level makes its way out unattenuated my a master fader or some other aux, that it WILL clip the converter. In effect its a FYI. Only on record and record enabled audio tracks does the clip indication ACTUALLY mean that the recorded material is clipped.

[wafare]

Originally Posted by mesaone

tstu102, are you aware that the clip lights on most tracks are now yellow, not red? Red clip lights only exist on Master tracks, to indicate clipping at the DAC.

You will see red clip indication at the channel meter of a audio track if in record mode or record enabled mode and the input source is greater than 0dB. This is how the system is designed. Most mix engineers never have paid much attention to individual audio track meter. We do of course maintain proper gain structure through each plugin instantiated on the inserts. If there is clipping at a plugin, you will see the plugin turn red indicating clipping but that won't be indicated at the channel meter.

[mesaone]

He said he didn't see red clip lights on the track meters. That could be because the clip lights are still there, just yellow instead of red.