Final checks
Saturation and clipping
Soft saturation colours; hard clipping damages.
Soft saturation rounds the tops of the waves: it adds harmonics, warmth and density. Heavy saturation becomes audible as distortion. Digital clipping cuts sharply and creates an unpleasant harshness.
In mastering, light saturation can add density; unintended clipping is a fault.
The game has you tell these three degrees apart.
Listen for
- Warmth, a discreet thickening (soft saturation).
- Grain, audible distortion (heavy).
- A dry harshness on the peaks (clipping).
The classic mistake
Adding saturation to "gain level" without comparing at equal loudness.
Put it into practice
Saturation · Discovery
SaturationThe lesson is complete when the level is passed (35/50).