What exactly is "dithering?"

Sample Packs? VSTs? DAWs? EQ? What DOES the knee on the Compressor do? All computer-related music making topics belong here!

What exactly is "dithering?"

Postby Navron » 14 Dec 2013 23:33

Okay, so from many reads through some overly complicated definitions, I understand that dithering is basically a process to reduce the size of your song while retaining it's fidelity? Am I wrong, partially right, somewhere in the middle?

As far as I know, dithering shouldn't have any impact on the overall peak levels of the song, or affect the dynamics in any way, shape, or form.

I've gotten a lot better at mixing over the years, and I can master my songs pretty close to the 0dB standard in commercial music (Yes I know mastering yourself isn't the best idea for those who are about to chime in about that,) but when I add a dithering plugin at the end of my mastering chain, my song clips.

Now, this is a weird clip. It's an export clip. If I play the song full through, it doesn't clip, yet when the export finishes, the clipping flag indicates the song has clipped at some point during export, and it only happens when I use the dithering plugin.

So, for the sake of preventing my eventual mental breakdown over this, could somebody please un-dumb the concepts of dithering, why dithering would make a song clip during export, and any tips?

For the record, I use Cubase 6.5 and the dithering plugin is Apogee UV22HR.
DAW: Cubase 6.5, Ableton Live 8
Preferred Genre: Industrial/Trance
Hardware: Schecter Diamond Series Bass, Yamaha Acoustic Guitar, BP355 Effects Pedal, Keystudio 49K Keyboard, Akai APC40, Korg nanoKEY2 25k Keyboard
User avatar
Navron
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 955
Joined: 14 Nov 2011 21:28
OS: Windows 7
Primary: Cubase 6.5

Re: What exactly is "dithering?"

Postby HMage » 15 Dec 2013 02:47

Dithering is a way to avoid audible harmonic artifacts when reducing bit depth:

Simple bit depth reduction (to nearest value) will change values 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 to 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1. This will change the shape of waveform, in some cases it's very audible, in some cases it's subtle, but it's considered reduction in quality.

In graphics you probably have encountered the same — try making smooth gradient between close greyscale values — it'll result in banding instead of actual smooth transition from 155,155,155 to 150,150,150.

Adding noise before we start removing precision increases perceived smoothness — in both graphics and audio. The secret is in choosing noise that is least perceivable by human ear/eye.

Yes, dithering affects peaks slightly, because of added noise, but usually by smallest possible value — that's why you should have a bit of headroom even in heavily compressed master, putting peaks exactly at 0dBFS is asking for trouble.
User avatar
HMage
 
Posts: 346
Joined: 05 Nov 2011 11:44
Location: Moscow
OS: Mac OS X, Windows
Primary: Ableton
Cutie Mark: Blank flank

Re: What exactly is "dithering?"

Postby Navron » 15 Dec 2013 12:53

Thanks! That helps explain a lot.
DAW: Cubase 6.5, Ableton Live 8
Preferred Genre: Industrial/Trance
Hardware: Schecter Diamond Series Bass, Yamaha Acoustic Guitar, BP355 Effects Pedal, Keystudio 49K Keyboard, Akai APC40, Korg nanoKEY2 25k Keyboard
User avatar
Navron
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 955
Joined: 14 Nov 2011 21:28
OS: Windows 7
Primary: Cubase 6.5

Re: What exactly is "dithering?"

Postby tymeworkbeats » 15 Dec 2013 13:02

Yup. Sounds about right to me
Last edited by tymeworkbeats on 06 Jan 2014 14:18, edited 1 time in total.
tymeworkbeats
 
Posts: 4
Joined: 10 Dec 2013 20:44
OS: Mac OSX
Primary: Logic Pro
Cutie Mark: Blank flank

Re: What exactly is "dithering?"

Postby senntenial » 17 Dec 2013 18:35

MAN AUDIO STUFF IS SO COMPLICATED
jeez the amount of stuff you guys know is so cool, thanks for the lesson HMage :D
My website with free music resources
18 year old full stack web dev and designer
User avatar
senntenial
Global Moderator
 
Posts: 634
Joined: 25 Feb 2012 01:44
Location: Pennsylvania
OS: Windows 7-8, Ubuntu
Primary: FL Studio
Cutie Mark: ponies are for losers

Re: What exactly is "dithering?"

Postby S.P.P » 19 Dec 2013 06:29

To add to what HMage said, you should only really be looking to dither once. All the engineering stage should be done at 24bit; and when when it's mastered and ready for release, the mastered track should be exported to 16bit and THEN and ONLY THEN dithered. Kinda goes without saying really, but the amount of people I see at college or hear dithering and changing bit depth at random times .. Just thought it was something to bring up. :p
User avatar
S.P.P
 
Posts: 1090
Joined: 26 Mar 2013 04:08
Location: England
OS: Windows 10
Primary: FL Studio, Ableton, Pro Tools


Return to Resources, Software, and Mixing Advice



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests

cron