True Peak vs Inter-Sample Peaks
Ah, peaks. The tiny mountains of digital audio that somehow cause mastering engineers to lose sleep. If you’ve ever wondered why your perfectly safe-looking mix suddenly clips after exporting to a streaming service, you’re about to meet the culprits: true peaks and inter-sample peaks.
True Peak: The Peaks You Can Measure
A true peak is exactly what it sounds like: the highest point your audio reaches in the digital domain when measured correctly. Most DAWs and meters show sample peaks, which are the amplitude of each digital sample, but these don’t tell the full story. True peaks estimate what happens between samples, giving a more accurate view of the maximum voltage your audio could reach when converted to analog or played back in a real-world system.
In other words, your mix might look safe on a meter, but the audio waveform might secretly be a tiny gremlin pushing past 0 dBFS when reconstructed in analog. That’s why mastering engineers nerd out over true peak meters, we’re basically worried about tiny, invisible monsters in your waveform.
Inter-Sample Peaks: The Sneaky Cousins
Inter-sample peaks are the specific instances where the reconstructed waveform between digital samples exceeds 0 dBFS. Think of them as the ghost peaks your DAW refuses to acknowledge.
If you ignore inter-sample peaks, your streaming master or final export could clip even if every sample in your DAW looks perfect. That is the moment a mastering engineer silently judges you for not leaving enough headroom, even if we all do it too sometimes.
Why It Matters
True peak and inter-sample peak awareness is especially important when:
Limiting for streaming platforms that apply normalization
Preparing audio for vinyl or broadcast
Ensuring your loudest hits don’t distort unexpectedly
Leaving just a tiny bit of headroom can save you from those “but it looked fine in my DAW” moments, and yes, sometimes we’ve all cried over that one sneaky peak.
Summary
Sample peaks: what your DAW shows per sample
True peaks: the maximum level your waveform reaches, estimated for analog playback
Inter-sample peaks: moments where the waveform exceeds 0 dBFS between samples
Mastering is the art of catching these invisible gremlins so your music stays loud, clean, and fearless on every system. Nerd out, measure carefully, and leave a little headroom. Your future self and your streaming platforms will thank you.
