Steinberg WaveLab 7 Operation Manual

							4.12 About Regular Expressions 87
Regular Expressions
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							88 WaveLab Concepts
WaveLab 7 
						

							Chapter 5
Audio File editing
The Audio File Workspace's Wave window is the heart of WaveLab's audio editing capabili-
ties. This is where you view, play back and edit individual Audio Files.
The Wave window gives you a graphical representation of an Audio File. It consists of two
parts:
ˆ The upper waveform ( Overview)
This is mainly used for navigating through long files. Since you can have different zoom
factors in the two areas, the Overview can display the entire wave while the Main view
only shows you a detailed portion for precise editing.
ˆ The lower waveform area ( Main view)
This is where the audio editing action takes place. You can perform various operations
on the wave such as copying, cutting, pasting, moving and deleting.
Waveform views
In the Audio File Workspace, the main wave editing window and the overview can indepen-
dently be set to display one of three display modes:
ˆ Wave- this is the default waveform display.
ˆ Loudness - this displays the average loudness of an Audio File, which can be useful
in many circumstances. For example, this display mode gives you an overview of the
amount of compression applied to a song. The more dips in the curve, the more dy-
namics in the audio material. An even curve with few dips indicates that the material
is compressed with a limited dynamic range (which is common for modern pop/dance
music). Up to four different curves can be shown simultaneously in the Loudness enve-
lope display. These curves have different colors and represent the average loudness of
the signal in different areas of the frequency spectrum. This can be useful to visualize
where in the frequency domain the loudness is "spread" at a given time, or to display
the loudness of a specific part of the spectrum. The curves can be shown individually
or in any combination.See
Loudness envelope options for more details.
ˆ Spectrum - This displays the audio as a "spectrogram" which allows you to view the
level intensity of each area in the frequency spectrum across the time line. The Spec-
trum display mode in conjunction with the
Spectrum editor provides you with a unique 
						

							90 Audio File editing
editing/restoration tool. See The Spectrum display for more information on the unique
Spectrum display mode.
Rulers
There are both time and level rulers. These can be hidden and displayed (see the Ruler and
Wave Display context menus). You can also set which units of time and level they show. To
access the settings for both rulers, right-click anywhere on the relevant ruler.
Editing Tools
Precise editing of your audio is achieved in the main (lower) waveform window. There are
three main tools that are used for directly editing an Audio File:
Time Selection cursor - This is the default cursor and allows you to select and resize
regions of audio you wish to edit. Click and drag in the main waveform window to make a
selection. You can modify the selected region by click-dragging on the edges of the selection.
You can also modify a selected audio region by holding down [Shift]and clicking on the
waveform. The selection extends/shrinks to the clicked point. If you hold the cursor over one
channel of a stereo file you can make selections in that individual channel. You can double-
click inside a region to select it then drag the mouse to select the next or previous regions,
that is, you snap to markers while dragging.
Spectrum Selection cursor - this cursor allows you to select and define regions when
in the Spectrum view. See
Spectrum editor for more information on making selections and
using the Spectrum view for advanced editing purposes.
Pen tool- this tool allows
you to redraw the waveform directly in the wave window. It can be used to quickly repair
waveform errors by hand. The Pen tool can only be used if the
Zoom resolution is set to at
least 1:8 (one pixel on the screen equals 8 samples) or higher. If you wish to redraw the
waveform of both channels in a stereo file at once, press [Shift]while drawing.
Once you have defined an audio selection there are many editing tools available in the Edit
menu of the Audio File Workspace for you to explore. These range from basic editing com-
mands such as Copy and Paste to special functions which can perform tasks such as trim-
ming, muting, crossfading, appending, prepending, silencing and repeating an audio selec-
tion, for example. It is well worth exploring the tools available in this menu.
There a number of options available that affect editing in the waveform window. See
Audio
File editing preferences
for more information on the various preferences available.
Editing Shortcuts
You can navigate through your Audio File by dragging the Time Selection cursor. Alternatively
you can use the following keyboard shortcuts:
ˆ Use the [Left Arrow] and [Right Arrow] to move the cursor one pixel in either direction.
ˆ Use[Ctrl]/[Command] + [Left Arrow] and [Right Arrow] to move the cursor twenty
pixels in either direction. You can also use the [Page up] and [Page Down] keys.
ˆ Use the [Home] and [End] keys to navigate to the beginning and end of the wave.
You can also scroll and zoom within the Audio File Workspace using several other mouse
and keyboard shortcuts. See
Zooming and scrolling for more detailed information.
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To audition your Audio File hold down [Alt]/[Option]and click anywhere in the waveform to
begin playback.
Dragging can also be used with several editing functions in the Audio File Workspace. See
Audio File Workspace in
Dragging operations for more information.
Related topics
Offline processing
Analysis
Metering
Transport controls
Specific tool windows
Shared tool windows
Mix dialog
The Spectrum display
Spectrum editor
Tools
Zoom factor
Peak Files
5.1 Offline processing
Offline processes are used for a variety of editing purposes and creative effects. Offline
processing refers to functions that are only performed when saving the file.
"Offline" means the process can't be monitored during playback, either because they require
too much processing power or because they require an analysis pass prior to processing.
Note that WaveLab only writes temporary files when applying an effect, so the original Audio
File is safe. Only when saving the original is the original audio possibly modified.
These offline processes differ to realtime processes (such as listening to effects via the
Master Section for example), which only temporarily render an effect while audio is played
"through" them.
Applying processing
Processing can be applied to a selection or to a whole Audio File. For certain processing
operations processing the entire file is necessary. This will be indicated by the effects re-
spective dialog. If "Process whole file if there is no selection" is selected in the
Audio File
editing preferences
editing tab, the whole file will automatically be processed if no selection
exists.
To apply processing to some audio, proceed as follows:
1. Make a selection. If the file is in stereo, you can apply processing to either channel or
both, by selecting one channel or both.
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2. Select the desired offline process from the Process menu.
3. If a dialog appears, make the appropriate settings. If the dialog uses presets, you can
load one of them to fill out the settings automatically.
4. When you have finished with the settings in the dialog, click the Apply/Paste/Process
button to permanently render the effect to file.
In some cases a status bar dialog is displayed showing the progress of the operation. If you
need to interrupt a long process, click the "Cancel" button on the status bar dialog.
Undo/Redo processing
Even though offline processes appear to alter the file permanently, you can always reinstate
a previous version using WaveLab's "undo" feature. The number of Undo/Redo commands
is limited only by your available hard drive space. Access the Undo and Redo commands via
Edit >Undo orEdit >Redo .
Tips for using Offline Processing
Processing dialogs are non-modal - meaning that they stay open and on screen even after
processing has been applied. This means that you can still playback audio and access un-
do/redo commands to audition the results of your effect and make any further adjustments to
any settings. You can also use key commands and access any other menu commands while
leaving the offline process dialog open. Remember that using and saving presets when you
have settings you are happy with can also save you time.
WaveLab contains a powerful array of offline processing tools including the following:
Change Level
Level envelope
Normalize Level
Silence Generator
Loop Tone Uniformizer
Pitch correction
Time stretching
Loop Tweaker
Effect morphing
Loudness distribution
Loudness normalizer
Pan Normalizer
Pitch bend
Pitch quantize
Related topics
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							5.1 Offline processing 93
Presets
Rendering
5.1.1 Change Level
This dialog allows you to apply a gain to change the level of an Audio File.
You can also use "Find current peak level" to obtain a report on the peak level of the current
audio selection (or the peak level in the whole file, if "Process whole file if there is no selection"
is selected in the preferences). This can be useful if you wish to calculate how much you can
increase the overall gain of a file without introducing clipping (exceeding 0dB), for example.
To change the level, enter the desired gain and click Apply.
You can access this dialog by choosing Process>Change level... in the Audio File
Workspace.
For an explanation of each parameter and interface feature, click on , or the 'What's this?'
question mark icon. For more information see
Getting Help
Related topics
Audio File editing
Value editing
5.1.2 Level envelope
This dialog allows you to create a volume envelope which can be applied to a selected range
or a whole Audio File. This could be useful if you need to even-out loud and quiet parts, for
example.
You can edit the envelope by:
ˆ Double clicking on the line to add a point: double click on a point to remove it.
ˆ Selecting multiple points (using [Shift]click) allows you to move the selection as a
group.
You can also use the controls to delete or reset points in the envelope. Use the envelope
smoothing button to toggle the envelope points between a straight (polygonal) line or a
curved path.
Click Apply to apply the envelope to the audio selection or file.
You can access this dialog in the Audio File Workspace via Process>Level envelope... .
For an explanation of each parameter and interface feature, click on , or the 'What's this?'
question mark icon. For more information see
Getting Help
Related topics
Audio File editing
Adjusting Envelopes
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5.1.3 Normalize Level
This dialog allows you to change the peak level of your Audio File.
Enter the desired peak level (in dB) that you wish the audio selection to have. You can also
use "Find current peak level" to obtain a report on the peak level of the current audio selection
(or the peak level in the whole file, if "Process whole file if there is no selection" is selected
in the preferences). You can choose to apply the same gain to both stereo channels (Stereo
Link) or mix down to a mono file (Mix to Mono) with the assurance that no clipping will occur
when both channels are mixed together.
To normalize the selected audio, enter the desired peak level and click Apply.
You can access this dialog by choosing Process>Level Normalizer... in the Audio File
Workspace.
This function is also available as a batch processing plug-in. You can access it from Batch
Processing Workspace >Plug-ins window >Multipass Plug-ins >Normalizer .
For an explanation of each parameter and interface feature, click on , or the 'What's this?'
question mark icon. For more information see
Getting Help
Related topics
Audio File editing
Value editing
5.1.4 Silence Generator
This dialog allows you to generate "silence", either by replacing an audio selection, or by
specifying a duration.
You can also specify a cross fade at each end of the silent region, for a smoother transition.
Radio buttons determine where the silent period is placed in the audio.
In WaveLab you can also specify a file to be inserted instead of "true" silence. This can be
useful for example, if you wish to keep the ambience, or background noise of a particular
environment in a recording.
You can access this dialog in the Audio File Workspace via Edit>Silence (advanced)... .
For an explanation of each parameter and interface feature, click on , or the 'What's this?'
question mark icon. For more information see
Getting Help
Related topics
Silence
5.1.5 Loop Tone Uniformizer
This dialog allows you to create sounds that will loop, from audio that is seemingly "un-
loopable". These are normally sounds that constantly decay in level or continuously change
in timbre. The Loop Tone Uniformizer applies processing to the sound that evens out changes
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in level and timbral characteristics in order for a sound to loop properly. For example, this
could be useful for creating looped samples for a softsynth or hardware sampler.
To use the Loop Tone Uniformizer you need to have a loop defined using a pair of loop markers
. The original length of the loop is not changed.
Uniformizers
This tab allows you to specify the method/s used to even out the sound you wish to loop.
Choose between "Slice mixing" and/or "Chorus smoothing". For a full explanation of how
each of these methods operate use the "What's this?" help function.
For slice mixing, you may need to experiment to see how many slices are needed. Generally
the more slices you use, the more natural the sound will be (up to a certain point).
Pre Cross fade
The Loop Tone Uniformizer also includes the option to cross fade the end of the loop with
the start of the newly processed section so that transition into the newly looped section is
smoother during playback. Use the envelope drag points or value sliders to adjust the cross
fade.
A note about Post Cross fading
If you have used the Loop Tone Uniformizer within a region of an Audio File, the transition
from the end of the loop into the original file in many cases won't be very natural. This can
be fixed as follows:
1. Close the Loop Tone Uniformizer and open the Loop Tweaker.
2. Click on the Cross fade tab and deactivate the Cross fade option (the check box).
3. Click on the Post Cross fade tab and make sure Cross fade is activated.
4. Set up the post cross fade parameters and click Apply.
It can also be a useful tip to lock the loop markers after you use this command on a selection
within an Audio File. Once the loop is processed in place, moving the loop markers will upset
playback of the loop.
You can access this dialog in the Audio File Workspace via Process>Loop Tone Uni-
formizer... .
For an explanation of each parameter and interface feature, click on , or the 'What's this?'
question mark icon. For more information see
Getting Help
Related topics
Markers
Adjusting Envelopes
5.1.6 Pitch correction
This dialog allows you to detect and change the pitch of a sound without affecting its length.
ˆ Amount of Shift - use these controls to find out the current pitch of the audio and if
desired, calculate the required shift to match a specific pitch.
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ˆ Method - use these controls to adjust the method and quality you wish to use when
processing the pitch change. You can also choose how the length of the sound is
affected by the operation. By default this process will not change the length of the
sound.
This tool could be useful for fixing an off-key vocal note in a live recording, or tuning the pitch
of a kick drum sample to fit a particular song, for example.
You can access this dialog from the Audio File Workspace via Process>Pitch Correc-
tion... .
Pitch correction is also available as a batch processing plug-in in the Batch Processor
Workspace. In addition, Pitch correction for a Clip is available from the Focused Clip window
(via Edit >Pitch shift... ).
Note that for Batch processing and Clip processes, the envelope option is not available.
For an explanation of each parameter and interface feature, click on , or the 'What's this?'
question mark icon. For more information see
Getting Help
Related topics
Adjusting Envelopes
5.1.7 Time stretching
This dialog allows you to change the duration of an audio selection (usually without changing
its pitch).
You can view exact time information on the original audio selection you wish to stretch and
choose the amount you wish to "stretch" it in seconds, beats per minute or as a percentage.
You can also choose which method WaveLab uses to stretch the audio and the quality/speed
of the processing.
If you select "Use modulation envelope" you can vary the time stretch over time using an
envelope editor that becomes available. When choosing a method, it is useful to experiment
with the different algorithms available to find which one suits your source material the best.
Use "What's this?" to find out more information on each method and determine which one
will produce the best time stretch without introducing unwanted artifacts.
This function is useful if you want to speed up or slow down a recording to match other
material, such as matching the tempo of two drum beats, or fitting an audio track to a section
of video, for example.
Time stretching is also available as a batch processing plug-in in the Batch Processor
Workspace. In addition, Time stretching for a Clip is available from the Focused Clip window.
Note that for batch processing and Clip processing, the modulation envelope option is not
available. You can access this dialog from the Audio File Workspace by choosing Process
> Time stretching... .
For an explanation of each parameter and interface feature, click on , or the 'What's this?'
question mark icon. For more information see
Getting Help
Related topics
WaveLab 7