Steinberg WaveLab 3 Operation Manual

WAVELAB
Overview 4 – 41
The Audio Database window
An Audio Database is a convenient way of storing and organizing audio 
files in libraries and categories, making it easy to locate and 
access spe-
cific files.
What is stored is not the audio files themselves, but instructions on where 
the files are located. Thus, the files can be located on any storage media 
connected to your computer.
You can read more about this in the chapter “Audio Databases” on page 
683.
The Workspace window
A Workspace lets you...

WAVELAB
4 – 42 Overview
The Master Section
This is a very important part of WaveLab, called the Master Section. It has 
a number of uses including:
• Adding real-time effect plug-in processors such as Chorus, Reverb, etc.
• Applying effects to files so that they are permanently made a part of the files (as 
opposed to using them in real-time).
• Monitoring and controlling the output level from every  WaveLab channel.
• Adding dithering.
For details, see “Master Section” on page 217.  

WAVELAB
Overview 4 – 43
Find your way around in WaveLab
Editing and processing
Where do I go if I want to…
• Edit an existing audio file?
When you open an audio file, it appears in a Wave window, in which you can edit it in vari-
ous ways. See “Editing in the Wave window” on page 69.
• Compile and edit several audio files on multiple tracks?
Create an Audio Montage. See “The Audio Montage” on page 371.
• Apply processing to a wave file?
The Process menu contains a number of options for manipulating wave...

WAVELAB
4 – 44 Overview
CD/DVD creation
Where do I go if I want to…
• Create an audio CD that can be played back in a regular CD player?
You can either create a Basic Audio CD (see “Preparing a Basic Audio CD” on page 347) 
or an Audio Montage (see “The Audio Montage” on page 371). As the name implies, the 
Basic Audio CD allows for quick and easy CD creation, while the Audio Montage lets you 
perform advanced, clip-based editing.
• Create a DVD that can be played back in a DVD-A player?
A DVD-Audio...

5
Basic methods 

WAVELAB
5 – 46 Basic methods
Why you should read this chapter
This chapter describes general methods that you will use when working 
with WaveLab. Getting accustomed with these procedures will allow you 
to work more effectively with the program.
Getting help
WaveLab comes with a detailed help system, making it easy to look up 
procedures and descriptions from within the program. There are several 
ways to access the help system:
• By selecting “Operation Manual” from the Help menu.
This takes you to the...

WAVELAB
Basic methods 5 – 47
Undo and Redo
WaveLab has an extremely extensive Undo function, applicable when work-
ing in Wave windows, Audio Montages or the CD Label Editor. You can:
• Undo as many steps back as you like, by using the Undo item on the Edit menu.
The only limitation is the available hard disk space. You can also use the shortcuts [Ctrl]-[Z] 
or [F3] to undo. [F3] has the added advantage in that you can undo even if a modal dialog 
is currently open.
• Redo as many steps as you like, by...

WAVELAB
5 – 48 Basic methods
Clearing the undo
There might be situations where you have “collected” a large number of 
undo possibilities that you know you don’t need. You might then clear the 
whole undo “buffer” for one file at a time. This will free up some primary 
memory (RAM) but more importantly it will also delete all the “undo files” 
from your hard disk, to free up space.
1.Select “Clear undo” from the Edit menu.
A window appears informing you of how much RAM and hard disk space you will gain...

WAVELAB
Basic methods 5 – 49
Working with windows
Basic window handling
WaveLab follows the basic guidelines for the Windows interface, which 
means standard “Windows procedures” apply.
Closing Wave windows
You can close a document window by clicking its close button, by select-
ing Close from the File menu or by pressing [Ctrl]-[W]. If document win-
dow(s) contain unsaved changes, you will be asked whether you want to 
save those changes before closing.
• If you hold down [Ctrl]+[Shift] when clicking...

WAVELAB
5 – 50 Basic methods
The document switch bar
A quick way to switch between the open document windows is to use the 
document switch bar.
In this example, clicking on the tab will bring the “MoonProject” window to front.
• You can position the document switch bar at the top, bottom, left or right 
side of the screen by using the document switch bar submenu on the View 
menu.
This submenu also lets you hide the document switch bar, if you like.
List of open files dialog
This dialog, opened from the...