0 dBFS

When layering sounds in Ableton, the overall audio signal should not be clipped, which can lead to distortion. An example is when layering two claps. I figured in Ableton the audio signal can be limited with... a Limiter.

• 0 dBFS stands for 0 decibels relative to full scale, which is the maximum possible amplitude (ceiling) of a digital audio system. Any signal exceeding this value will be clipped.
• So there are only negative dBFS values, any higher than 0 will be clipped.
• Clipping introduces harmonic distortion, where additional frequencies are created which were not part of the original signal.
• Some genres use this clipping effect to add character to the sound.
• When mastering, keep audio levels well below 0 dBFS (e.g. -3 to -6), to have some headroom when creating music.