Levels
Gain staging
Too low, you hear the noise; too high, you clip.
Each stage of an audio chain has a working range. A signal too weak brings up the noise floor when raised; a signal too strong goes over 0 dBFS and clips: the tops of the waves are cut, and the sound becomes harsh and distorted.
Good gain staging keeps headroom at every stage: aim for peaks well below 0 dBFS, and enough level to stay clear of noise.
The game has you recognise both faults by ear.
Listen for
- A constant hiss under the music (weak signal raised).
- Harshness and crackle on loud passages (clipping).
The classic mistake
Pushing every stage to the maximum: clipping builds up and cannot be undone.
Put it into practice
Gain staging · Discovery
Gain stagingThe lesson is complete when the level is passed (35/50).