One of the most common issues video editors face in their editing workflow is audio clipping between splits in their video. This makes unnecessary popping or clicking sounds in the video that are unpleasant to the ear.

A quick fix might be to head to the Crossfade options in the Audio Transitions menu and drag the ‘Constant Gain’ effect over every single split, but this can be tedious to do for an entire project file. If you’re looking for a more efficient way to fix audio clipping in Adobe Premiere Pro, we’ll let you in on the best methods today.

What exactly is audio clipping and how to identify it in Premiere Pro?

Audio clipping is when there is a hard cut in the waveform of your project, which creates an abrupt transition that can be jarring for viewers to listen to. You can especially notice this when working with dialogue, sound effects, or music tracks.

When looking at a waveform, audio clipping can be identified when the audio reaches the top line of the waveform, representing audio that is either too loud or distorted.

You can keep an eye on audio clipping whilst working on your project by looking out for your audio levels in the Audio Meter Panel. If the meter reaches 0 dB (or the red zone) then it means that your audio is clipping. You can add the Audio Meter Panel to your Premiere Pro interface by accessing it in the [Window] menu and selecting [Audio Meters].

4 Best Ways to Fix Audio Clipping in Premiere Pro

1. Use Crossfades For Smooth Transitions

Get the effect of adding ‘Constant Gain’ to every cut without the manual labour. You can easily add crossfades to your transitions by:

• Selecting all of the audio clips where you want transitions to happen.

• Using the [Shift+D] shortcut to ‘Apply Default Transition’ (which can also be done by right-clicking —> this will automatically apply a short crossfade (’Constant Power’), and get rid of clipping whilst creating a smooth transition.

2. Copy and Paste the Desired Transition Effect

If, for example, you prefer to have the ‘Constant Gain’ effect, but want a faster method to apply it than manually adding it to every transition, you can simply copy and paste the transition:

• Apply the ‘Constant Gain’ effect to one split.

• Right-click the effect and copy it [Ctrl/Cmd+C]

• Select the split where you want your transition, then paste [Ctrl/Cmd+V]

3. Reduce the Volume

Another simple way to fix audio clipping in Premiere Pro is by simply lowering the volume.

• Right-click on your audio clip.

• Select [Audio Gain…]

• Adjust Gain by however many decibels that you’d like.

4. Use the Hard Limiter effect

For another all-in-one fix, try using the hard limiter effect.

• Got to the [Effects] menu.

• Select [Audio Effects]

• Select [Hard Limiter] and set a maximum dB level (e.g., 4dB) to add a restriction to how high your audio levels can go.

Fixing audio clipping in Premiere Pro doesn’t have to be a painful process. Whether you opt to automate crossfades, use the copy-paste method, simply reduce the volume, or use the hard limiter effect, these techniques will help ensure your audio transitions sound seamless.

For more Premiere Pro editing tips and tricks, explore our latest content on the Cutback blog or Cutback’s official YouTube channel.