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Audio Problem Detector

Scans audio for common technical and tonal problems. Returns a severity-coded list of detected issues with frequency locations and suggested fixes.

Parameters

Parameter Type Default Description
file_path string required Path to audio file

Example Output

Illustrative summary; MCP responses use structured JSON.

$ detect_problems vocals.wav

{ "problems": [ { "type": "lossy_codec", "severity": "dealbreaker", "message": "Possible lossy codec artifact: 24.6 dB spectral shelf drop above 16kHz.", "details": { "shelf_drop_db": 24.6, "energy_14_16khz_db": -38.2, "energy_16_20khz_db": -62.8 } }, { "type": "snr", "severity": "significant", "message": "SNR is 42.3 dB (poor). Signal RMS: -8.5 dBFS, noise floor: -50.8 dBFS.", "details": { "snr_db": 42.3, "signal_rms_dbfs": -8.5, "noise_floor_dbfs": -50.8, "quality": "poor" } }, { "type": "sibilance", "severity": "moderate", "message": "Excessive sibilance: 5-10kHz band energy is 7.4 dB above expected level.", "details": { "band_energy_db": -16.2, "overall_energy_db": -22.1, "excess_db": 7.4 } }, { "type": "dc_offset", "severity": "minor", "message": "DC offset detected: 0.003000 (mean sample value, left channel).", "details": { "dc_offset": 0.003, "channel": "left" } } ], "clean": false, "summary": { "dealbreaker": 1, "significant": 1, "moderate": 1, "minor": 1, "total": 4 } }

What the Numbers Mean

Severity levels (most to least serious):

  • dealbreaker — Highest-priority detector flag. Inspect the source and delivery needs first; a severity label is not a listening test.
  • significant — Likely audible and worth addressing.
  • moderate — Noticeable on careful listening. Worth considering.
  • minor — Technical issue but may not be audible. Optional fix.

Problem types:

  • clipping — Samples at the configured amplitude threshold, checked on each channel. At the default threshold, integer PCM’s representable full-scale rails are also detected. A flagged rail is a reason to inspect the source; reducing gain cannot restore already clipped detail.
  • dc_offset — Non-zero baseline. Reduces headroom and can cause clicks at edit points.
  • inter_sample_peak — Reconstructed peaks exceed sample peaks by the configured overshoot threshold. Severity also considers true-peak level; a flag does not necessarily mean the peak exceeds 0 dBTP.
  • noise_floor — Broadband noise floor above acceptable levels.
  • snr — Signal-to-noise ratio below professional levels.
  • hum — Power line interference at 50/60 Hz and harmonics.
  • sibilance — Harsh “s” and “t” sounds, 5-10 kHz.
  • mud — Excessive low-mid energy, 200-500 Hz, that obscures clarity.
  • harshness — Aggressive upper-mid energy, 2-4 kHz, that causes listener fatigue.
  • resonant_peak — Narrow spectral peaks that may warrant listening; the measurement does not establish their cause.
  • lossy_codec — A sharp high-frequency shelf that may indicate prior lossy encoding. It is a heuristic, not proof of a file’s history.

There is no sensitivity parameter on this MCP tool. To change a detector threshold, use the documented analysis settings and report which defaults you changed.

Example Prompts

Quick check

Are there any problems with my vocal recording at vocals-take3.wav?

Mix problems

Check my mix for any technical issues before I send it to mastering

Sensitive scan

Run a sensitive problem detection on master.wav — I want to catch everything

  • full_diagnostic — Includes problem detection plus all other analyses
  • analyze_spectrum — Detailed frequency view to investigate detected mud/harshness
  • analyze_loudness — Check if clipping is related to overlevel
  • fix_audio — Automatically apply corrective processing for detected problems

Pro tip

Run problem detection early — before you start mixing. Fixing DC offset, hum, or sibilance at the source is always better than processing a mix that already has these issues baked in.