Adjust at the right level
Clip gain changes one clip. Track and bus gain affect larger groups. If only one line of dialogue is too quiet, a clip adjustment avoids raising every other line on that track.
Listen before making a numerical change. Different recordings can have the same peak level but very different perceived loudness.
Make clean entrances and exits
Use a short fade where a sound begins or ends abruptly. For a music bed, shape the entrance around the story and give the ending enough time to resolve. An excessively long fade can hide the first word of speech, so inspect the boundary closely.
Play across the edit with surrounding clips. A fade that sounds natural in Solo may leave a gap in the complete mix.
Recheck after structural edits
Trimming, retiming, and moving clips can change where gain envelopes or fades sit relative to the important sound. Listen again after a major timing change.
Avoid solving distortion by simply turning down an already clipped recording. Keep the original source and evaluate whether a different take or recording is needed.