Digital clipping occurs when amplitude exceeds ±1, truncating the waveform and causing distortion

In digital audio, sample values are conventionally normalized to the range −1 to +1. If an algorithm produces values outside this range (e.g., summing ten full-amplitude oscillators) and the audio interface cannot handle them, the interface clips those values to ±1. The resulting flat-topped waveform introduces harmonic distortion (spectral components not in the original). Clipping sounds harsh and is distinct from the deliberate saturation of analog circuits. In synthesis, the fix is to scale down the output — dividing by the number of summed sources, or using a gain object after summing. Monitoring with a level meter before the output stage prevents surprise clipping.

Examples

Ten oscillators each at amplitude 1.0, summed directly → amplitude 10.0 → clips to ±1 → harsh buzz. Fix: multiply the sum by 0.1 before the ezdac~.

Assessment

A patch sums five sawtooth oscillators each at amplitude 0.3. Will this clip, and why or why not?