By TOM BOWSER
This Quick Start will teach you how to use "clip gain" to manually "De-Ess" or reduce the level of an S sibilant at the beginning of a word in a vocal track. In some cases, manual editing can be more effective than using a specialized De-Esser plug-in. You may choose to use both manual editing and a De-Esser plug-in simultaneously.
REMINDERS:
- Clip gain in Pro Tools allows you to adjust the gain/signal level of a clip before it reaches plug-ins inserted on the track or the tracks output level fader.
- The Clip Gain Line is only visible if the track is set to size small or larger.
Decrease the level of an S sibilant at the beginning of a word:
- Listen to locate an S sibilant you want to decrease. The S sibilant has a distinctive appearance that helps identify it (see the image below).
![S Sibilant In A Vocal Track Within Pro Tools S Sibilant In A Vocal Track Within Pro Tools](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4ZyvtXu-DtBqlt5Mec4GH_VQXZIuSeey8GlERN0mu-aGtFEkbHMD-e0RMCVQSImigALHg7CM4rVqeBsmSbR0CZ4j4Kbiid6pDl008POXwh8Ha7ftMLj_S4Q1gyWsl2sf41BhgLRtZTsJAdbruNX9l9KSgclGobk63qKaV5l788FTnXpu9gvsn0rhHzUg/s1600/S%20Sibilant%20In%20A%20Vocal%20Track%20Within%20Pro%20Tools.png)
- Press and hold down the SHIFT + Windows logo keys and then press the - key (hyphen) on your keyboard to show the Clip Gain Line. Press the - key again to toggle the visibility of the Clip Gain Line. The Clip Gain Line is used to adjust the clip gain level.
- Select the S sound (sibilant) you want to reduce. See the image below.
![Selected S Sibilant In A Vocal Track Within Pro Tools Selected S Sibilant In A Vocal Track Within Pro Tools](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKZeaQuW1mULDhfedwZp1Yp9ga8BOkEHXtqzKy8Me3iOKtZUOhqiwADI7cUe1Dw6L9cfnTE5E7meSlb8bst44rREsjAfa-IpiC4HkVqJOyavKUzUp9qh04-ouNCUDGg4Lyu2mDunsKdBC7T2fwFP5duQkdHWC-rWeB3kx4fUfVh_rHW7WEYhTIeQKv6IV/s1600/Selected%20S%20Sibilant%20In%20A%20Vocal%20Track%20Within%20Pro%20Tools.png)
- Hover your mouse cursor near the Clip Gain Line until it changes into the Trim tool as in the image below.
![Mouse Cursor Hovering Over Clip Gain Line In Pro Tools Mouse Cursor Hovering Over Clip Gain Line In Pro Tools](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJRyEehyphenhyphenGDJnl5LpGxxO6wdbV_ueyVXkn8oeQDGS1QR89GUo_Pgr_PrxxsRHo75jZJ61hNzUFAQsXJ1NMKvWorz-FaEDabELbdf3WxMC8X-CQ_Xwz8M9OjifRPd-3JyqqB4ij-bJninTcda_dNRnnLSqOIcpBPk3cAJz-yR2jwUPF519-MniMnal1Ds4g/s1600/Mouse%20Cursor%20Hovering%20Over%20Clip%20Gain%20Line%20In%20Pro%20Tools.png)
- Press and hold down the SHIFT + Windows logo keys on your keyboard.
- Roll your mouse scroll wheel backward to reduce the clip gain level of the S sibilant. Roll your mouse scroll wheel forward to increase the clip gain level if you've reduced the level too much. See #2 under TIPS: if you don't have a mouse scroll wheel.
Listen to verify that the change you made sounds natural (if that's what you want).
![Clip Gain Is Reduced By Dragging Clip Gain Line Down In Pro Tools Clip Gain Is Reduced By Dragging Clip Gain Line Down In Pro Tools](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG8umAZo44KMR3HqARIykGHfQFlmr6oshSsg9gq2YbqkzvUFtIu2oCnRRJR5FyFKwqxVZvHPfl44Nes176_OjhmvfAuMg6WskuhnKEhoiKczfpVKM1H3tZkwYn6QIRVPJ6Ku_ugFptiD2yWiYFK6mUg5Zku6-1UnCRaHvdSCeZAZ7Wdwu8QmyWjRfX7vgn/s1600/Clip%20Gain%20Is%20Reduced%20By%20Dragging%20Clip%20Gain%20Line%20Down%20In%20Pro%20Tools.png)
TIPS:
- To verify the current clip gain level:
- Hover your mouse cursor over the Clip Gain Line until it changes into the Trim tool.
- Press and hold down your left mouse button.
The clip gain level will display in a rectangle located at the top of the clip. I have underlined the clip gain level in red within the image below.
![Clip Gain Level Is Displayed in Pro Tools Clip Gain Level Is Displayed in Pro Tools](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2-Sad721ExD0ft3GP_JcbR1gXPu_ZPeZXXmCrZYzecimmTsVekireNlFqGbkqSoudpjzKIHzlbh6p_wU9z8CWbZYLxzAqgGBtPE8m0rzj-eEsWneTUByExB1_BiHnS1IaU4BCP79o69ekG4DyPZoPAecfjYDDb8_tNEGctARiOAMBU8CK-zmkjZBV3zd/s1600/Clip%20Gain%20Level%20Is%20Displayed%20in%20Pro%20Tools.png)
- A different way to modify the clip gain level once a selection has been made is to:
- Hover your mouse cursor over the Clip Gain Line until it changes into the Trim tool.
- Press and hold down your left mouse button.
- Drag the Clip Gain Line down to reduce or up to increase the clip gain level.
- For finer control over how much the Clip Gain Line moves when you drag it up or down:
- Hover your mouse over the Clip Gain Line until it changes into the Trim tool.
- Press and hold down your left mouse button.
- Press and hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard.
- Drag the Clip Gain Line up to increase or down to decrease the clip gain level.