Simple Explanation

A harsh distortion that happens when a signal is pushed too loud and gets chopped off at the top and bottom.

Concise Technical Definition

A form of distortion where a signal exceeds an amplifier's limits and is abruptly truncated, producing flat-topped waveforms and high harmonic content.

Layman-Friendly Analogy

Like yelling into a microphone so loud that the sound cuts off and turns into crackling.

Industry Usage Summary

Common in overdriven amplifiers or digital overload situations; often avoided in hi-fi audio but sometimes used deliberately in guitar amps or sound design.

Engineering Shortcut

Signal exceeds limits → waveform gets squared → harsh distortion.

Full Technical Explanation

Hard clipping occurs when an amplifier or processor is driven beyond its maximum output voltage or digital headroom, causing the tops and bottoms of the waveform to be abruptly cut off or “clipped.” This results in flat-topped waveforms when viewed on an oscilloscope and introduces significant harmonic distortion, particularly odd-order harmonics, which contribute to a harsh, buzzy sound. Unlike soft clipping, which rounds the waveform more gradually, hard clipping introduces more aggressive distortion. While undesirable in high-fidelity audio, hard clipping is sometimes used intentionally in electric guitar amplification and other sound design applications for its aggressive sonic character.