Steinberg WaveLab 7 Operation Manual

							11.1 Dialogs 277
11.1.80 Save picture of active window
This dialog allows you to save a picture of the active WaveLab window.
You can save the picture with or without the enclosing window frame and the resulting picture
can be copied to the clipboard or saved to a file. If the second option is selected, you can
specify where the picture is saved and the format: BMP, JPG/JPEG and PNG formats are
offered.
You can access this dialog from most Workspaces in WaveLab via View>Save picture
of active window... .
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
11.1.81 Scripting window (Audio Montage Workspace)
This window allows you to write and execute scripts in the Audio Montage Workspace.
The inbuilt text editor helps you when writing scripts by highlighting the different parts of
the script with colors, making it more readable. A script can also be written in another text
editor, and loaded via the File menu. To run a script, from within the script window choose
Functions >Execute script .
For a general description of scripting, see
Scripting . For an overview of the scripting lan-
guage, see
ECMAScript Reference .
You can access this dialog from the Audio Montage Workspace via Workspace>Specific
tool windows >Script .
Note: To view trace or log messages when executing scripts that contain the logWin-
dow() function, ensure that the
Log window is visible and that it's warning filter buttons -
are selected.
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
Scripting
ECMAScript Reference
Log window
11.1.82 Scripting window (Audio File Workspace)
This window allows you to write and execute scripts in the Audio File Workspace.
The inbuilt text editor helps you when writing scripts by highlighting the different parts of
the script with colors, making it more readable. A script can also be written in another text
editor, and loaded via the File menu. To run a script, from within the script window choose
Functions >Execute script .
WaveLab 7 
						

							278 Interface Elements
For a general description of scripting, see Scripting . For an overview of the scripting lan-
guage, see
ECMAScript Reference .
You can access this dialog from the Audio File Workspace via Workspace>Specific tool
windows >Script .
Note: To view trace or log messages when executing scripts that contain the logWin-
dow() function, ensure that the
Log window is visible and that it's warning filter buttons -
are selected.
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
Scripting
ECMAScript Reference
Log window
11.1.83 Definition of shortcut(s)
This dialog allows you to define your own customized shortcut(s) for a particular function
(selected from
Customize Commands ). These custom shortcuts can save you time and
speed up your workflow in WaveLab.
You can define a shortcut using a:
ˆ Key sequence - any existing keyboard shortcut is displayed in the first keystroke field
and can be overwritten. There are some standard shortcuts that cannot be redefined;
in this case the related edit fields are disabled. Each shortcut is restricted to a specific
Workspace, so you can use the same shortcut in different Workspaces.
Press the key combination you wish to use and it will be displayed. If a keyboard shortcut
is already used by another command, a warning is given. Use the Clear button to erase any
shortcut entries already present.
There are additional spaces to allow you to define sequences containing up to four key
strokes. Please note these keys must be pressed/released one after the other, and the
action is performed when the last key has been pressed.
ˆ Keyword - enter a keyword which you can later use to activate the command by typing
it into the Keyword field command bar.
ˆ MIDI event sequence - use an external MIDI device (such as a MIDI keyboard or
dedicated control surface) to define a sequence of up to three MIDI events. First you
need to select the MIDI interface for incoming messages. Press the key or button on
your MIDI device and the corresponding MIDI event number will be displayed. You
can define a sequence by continuing to input further MIDI messages. You could use a
Program or Bank change message as a "modifier", for example.
Defining MIDI shortcuts can be useful if you want to use your external MIDI device to control
the transport in WaveLab, for example. You can also use your external MIDI device to control
WaveLab 7 
						

							11.1 Dialogs 279
almost any function within WaveLab. Select a MIDI device via Preferences...>Options
tab , activate "Use MIDI shortcuts" and specify a MIDI input port so that MIDI events are sent
rather than keyboard events.
You can access this dialog from the
Customize commands window by selecting a command
and choosing Edit shortcut... .
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
Customize Commands
Command bars
11.1.84 Signal generator
This dialog allows you to generate complex synthesized sounds in mono or stereo.
You can layer different waveform generators together and if outputting a stereo file, adjust
different settings for both the left and right channels. There are a multitude of settings to
adjust the character (Source tab), frequency (Frequency tab) and amplitude (Level tab) of
the generated signals.
To generate a sound follow these basic steps:
ˆ choose whether the file is to be mono or stereo, and define the number of samples, and
bit depth using the
Audio properties dialog .
ˆ choose how many layers of signal generators you wish to use (up to 64).
ˆ for each layer, use the source tab to choose the type of signal generator you wish to
use, switch to the frequency tab to define a frequency and its envelope, and use the
level tab to define a level envelope. If you have chosen a stereo file you can also choose
to adjust left and right channels independently.
ˆ once all settings are made, choose Generate and WaveLab calculates an Audio File
according to your specifications. The file is generated and opens up in a new window.
Generating signals can be useful for a variety of testing and measurement purposes. For
example, you could use the Signal Generator to create a sine wave sweep from say 20Hz to
20,000kHz to test your monitoring environment for resonant frequencies.
You can access this dialog in the Audio File Workspace via Tools>Signal Generator... .
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 properties dialog
DTMF Generator
WaveLab 7 
						

							280 Interface Elements
11.1.85 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
11.1.86 Smart bypass
This dialog allows you to correct for any level change introduced by plug-in effects in the
Master Section.
Some effects, when applied to the signal chain, can cause an increase or decrease in level
between their input and output signals and this impairs objective comparisons between pro-
cessed and unprocessed sounds. By compensating this level shift, an objective A/B com-
parison is possible. This is the core purpose of this feature, which is a must-have tool for
Mastering.
Although some plug-ins have an output level or make-up gain control (such as most com-
pressors for example), it can be quite difficult to determine the increase/decrease of level
when multiple plug-ins are used in an effects chain. This dialog can determine this differ-
ence in level and adjust the output gain accordingly. You can choose to hear the original
audio, the processed audio or the processed audio with the correction in level applied while
playing back audio. You can also select the method used to calculate the amount of level
correction used.
You can access this dialog from the Master Section via
Smart bypass.
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
Master Section
11.1.87 Special File Format
This dialog allows you to choose options as to how WaveLab will interpret any unrecognized
file formats or files containing raw data that you wish to open. You can define the sample
WaveLab 7 
						

							11.1 Dialogs 281
format, byte order, sample rate, file extension and whether or not the file contains mono or
stereo channels. You can also choose to ignore the file's header (start) or end of file data.
Once you have specified a format for a particular type of file, WaveLab remembers the new
format for the next time. This function can be useful for example, if you are working with a
rarely used Audio File format like those used by some game platforms or mobile phone ring
tones.
You can access this dialog in the Audio File Workspace via File>Open as... .
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 Format Dialog
11.1.88 Spectrogram options
This dialog allows you to adjust how the Spectrogram is displayed.
You can adjust the visual style of the spectrogram and its resolution. You can also specify
a cut-off point above which frequencies are displayed and to plot them using a linear or
logarithmic scale. This can be useful for isolating a certain range of frequencies: for example,
in sound restoration you may wish to focus on a high frequency band which is more accurately
displayed using a linear scale.
You can access this dialog from both wave windows in the Audio File Workspace via the
Spectrum tab >
Edit settings....
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
The Spectrum display
Spectrum editor
11.1.89 Surround Panner
This dialog allows you to adjust the pan of your audio between surround sound channels.
In the graphic display, the positions of the clip left/right audio channels are shown as small
squares. The proportional signal levels from the individual speakers are indicated by colored
lines from the speakers to the center of the display.
The graphic display shows the surround imaging of either the left/top (blue) clip audio chan-
nel, or the right/bottom (red) clip audio channel – the color of the speaker lines shows which
channel is selected for viewing and editing.
If you are viewing the left/top channel, you will see a blue square indicating the position of the
audio. The other, gray square (which is mirrored horizontally) represents the other channel.
Click this to view and edit this channel instead , it will be shown in red and red speaker
lines indicate the speaker levels.
WaveLab 7 
						

							282 Interface Elements
Each track can have its own Surround Pan window and you can have several of these open
at the same time if you need to.
To pan the sound, click the blue square and drag it to the desired position. This pans the
audio of the left/top channel – the other channel is automatically mirrored horizontally.
If you right-click in the graphical display, a pop-up menu appears allowing you to choose from
a number of positioning "presets". This can be a quick way to pan a signal fully left-front, for
example.
This dialog is closely related to surround panning envelopes. Indeed, you can automate
surround panning for individual Clips using envelopes. These envelopes can be selected
from the Focused Clip editor panel. You can choose to view either the Left-Right, Front-Rear
or the LFE curve. This is slightly different from using regular volume and pan envelopes.
The important point to understand: internally, there is a single surround pan envelope where
each envelope point contains a complete surround state (left-right position, front-
rear position and LFE amount) .
If you add an envelope point to the Left-Right surround pan envelope for example, you will
find that a point is automatically added to the Front-Rear and LFE envelopes, at the same
position in the Clip. This is because there is actually only a single surround pan envelope.
When you add an envelope point you are really adding it to this "full" surround pan envelope,
and it is shown in all three views. In other words, the Left-Right, Front-Rear and LFE curves
are three views of the same multidimensional envelope.
Note that if you move an envelope point, all surround pan envelopes are affected!
You can use the Surround Pan window to "program" each envelope point – this
makes it easy to set up automated surround panning for a Clip. While the Surround Pan
window is open, click on a surround pan envelope point. Its position is reflected in the
Surround Pan window. You can then simply edit the point in the Surround Pan window
rather than on the envelope.
You can access this dialog in the Audio Montage Workspace by right clicking on the small
surround panner window in the track view column.
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 Montages
11.1.90 Create Document Template
This dialog allows you to create a template from an active Audio Montage, Podcast or Batch
processor file. Starting a new document from a template can be a great time-saver.
Each template you create retains all the settings of the current document plus any tracks you
have created, although any data in the file, such as Clip references, are not saved. The next
time you create a new document you can choose a template file from a list which is then used
as a basis for the new document.
You can use this dialog to create a set of templates that you commonly use. For example,
if you are frequently mastering CDs in the Audio Montage Workspace you could create a
montage template specifically for that purpose.
WaveLab 7 
						

							11.1 Dialogs 283
You can access this dialog from the Audio Montage, Podcast or Batch processor Workspace
via File >Save special >Save as template... .
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
Template List Dialog
11.1.91 Template List Dialog
This dialog allows you to choose a previously saved template from an active Audio Montage,
Podcast or Batch processor file. Starting a new document from a template can be a great
time-saver.
Templates are saved using the
Create Document Template dialog . You can choose to use
an existing template as the basis for your new file or choose "None" to define a new blank
one.
You can only access this dialog if you have created at least one template previously by choos-
ing File >New... from the Audio Montage 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
Create Document Template
11.1.92 Time Format dialog
This dialog allows you to specify the way in which time is displayed on the waveform time
rulers and in several time-based fields related to the file.
You can set options using the following tabs:
ˆ Timecode - this provides a list of frames per second for various SMPTE timecodes,
and for CD resolution. Selecting "Other" allows you to enter a custom value. You can
also choose which frames/units are displayed. For example, if you are working with PAL
video you might choose 25 frames per second - or "25(SMPTE EBU)".
ˆ Clock- this allows you to display time units or to present the clock units in a compact
format.
ˆ Meter- this offers time signature, tempo (bpm) and ticks per quarter note (to allow the
time units to be compatible with your MIDI sequencer).
ˆ Offset- this provides a number of ways to specify a time offset for the time ruler. This
can be useful if you wish to move the "time zero" point of the file. For example, you
might want to have the time display zero on the first note of a recorded performance
whilst still maintaining the pre-roll part of the Audio File.
WaveLab 7 
						

							284 Interface Elements
You can access this dialog in the Audio File Workspace via View>Main view display >
Time Ruler >Time format... . Alternatively, you can access it by right clicking anywhere
on the time ruler in either waveform window to produce the Time Ruler context menu, and
choosing Time format... .
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
Timecode
Audio File editing
11.1.93 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
Adjusting Envelopes
11.1.94 Track dispatching
This dialog allows you to control the output of different tracks in your audio montage.
The purpose of this dialog is to provide an answer to the question "Into which
< b> output  channel will the mono channel, or the left and right channels, be mixed?"
WaveLab 7 
						

							11.1 Dialogs 285
For instance, in the case of surround output, there can be six destinations for a track channel.
Track allocation is dependent on the mode and how many channels you have selected when
defining your
Audio Montage settings . This in turn defines how many outputs are available
from this dialog. For playback, your soundcard must also have the available number of cor-
responding channels. These are set up in the
Audio Streaming Settings .
You can choose single or multiple channel outputs for each stereo and mono track in your
audio montage. For stereo tracks, you can define channels individually for both the left and
right channels of a stereo track. You can also apply a low pass filter to the Low Frequency
Effects ("sub-woofer") channel in order to eliminate unwanted higher frequencies from being
sent to sub-woofer speakers.
You can access this dialog in the Audio Montage Workspace by clicking on the Lf:Rficon
at the left hand edge of each track.
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 Montages
11.1.95 Value Format
This dialog allows you to control the formatting of the different types of data values in your CD
report. These include the date, time, audio time, track indexing and serial number formats.
For example, you may wish to display dates in the format "date/month/year" instead of with
a full time and date stamp (the default). You can choose from the many formatting options
available for each data type in its corresponding drop down menu.
You can access this dialog in the Audio Montage Workspace's CD window via Functions
> Generate Audio CD report... >Value Format .
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
CD
Audio CD Report
11.1.96 File attributes
This dialog allows you to define the file attributes (or meta-data) to be embedded in your
exported Audio File.
You can choose between entering standard WAV file meta-data tags or the extended file
header information available in Broadcast Wave Format (BWF).
Fill in the relevant information using the text fields provided, although it is not mandatory to
complete all fields.
In some cases there are buttons to assist you in entering data:
WaveLab 7 
						

							286 Interface Elements
ˆ - Uses the current date and time to fill in the Origination Date/Time field.
ˆ - Uses WaveLab as the name of the originator software.
You can access this dialog in the Audio File Workspace via Edit>File Attributes... .
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
WAV files
11.1.97 Audio File editing preferences
This dialog allows you to define settings for editing in the Audio File Workspace.
You can choose defaults for editing and playback, adjust the visual appearance of the wave-
form displays, and determine how WaveLab works with audio and peak files.
You can access this dialog in the Audio File Workspace via Options>Audio File editing
preferences... .
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
11.1.98 Write Audio CD
This dialog allows you to write an audio CD to either a
DDP image or a physical CD-ROM
disk using your computer's CD-R or DVD-R drive, or burn an audio CD from an existing
DDP Image. The dialog has controls for refreshing the list of attached devices, opening
the CD/DVD drive and erasing a CD-RW/DVD-RW disk or the contents of the DDP Image
directory. You can also choose to bypass audio from passing through the Master Section
before it is written. If you choose to burn a DDP image, the dialog allows you to select the
directory to output the DDP files, as well as the option to write a table of contents and cus-
tomer information.Choosing a CD-R or DVD-R drive displays choices for setting the speed,
number of copies and other options.
Important note for Mac OSX users
When using the CD-R/DVD-R drive on Apple OSX computers for importing or burning it is
important to note the following. If you insert a optical CD or DVD disk in the drive while the
drive is not selected in WaveLab for import or burning, WaveLab will not be able to "see" the
drive. The disk drive is "taken over" by other applications under Mac OSX and is not seen by
WaveLab when this happens. To avoid this occurring, make sure there is no disk in the drive
when opening any CD window within WaveLab.
WaveLab 7