Mastering engineer Ryan Schwabe shares his approach to learning clipping techniques using his Gold Clip and Orange Clip plugins. He advocates positioning the clipper before the limiter and adjusting the clipper's ceiling to manage gain reduction effectively.
This method minimizes the limiter's impact on the mix by shifting some of the gain reduction to the clipper, allowing the limiter to perform more transparently. Schwabe emphasizes starting with small adjustments, such as 0.5 to 1 dB, to achieve a clean sound and advises ensuring the clipper isn't adding gain to accurately assess its effect.
For those aiming to achieve loud mixes without compromising punchiness, Schwabe's insights reveal how balancing the clipper and limiter can lead to aggressive yet clean results. His techniques offer a way to manage dynamics while maintaining the mix's aesthetic appeal.