Steinberg Wavelab Elements 8 Manual

							Recording
Recording Dialog
211
Auto-start on sound - Record previous samples
Allows you to include a short section of audio before the start 
point, to capture attacks, for example. It is only relevant when the 
option Auto-start if sound detected is activated.
Silence Detection - Threshold (RMS)/Silence duration required
The threshold value used for the options Auto-stop if silence and 
Auto-create markers at silence points. It is used in conjunction 
with the Silence duration required setting, so that recording is 
stopped or a marker is added if the input level stays below the 
threshold value for the specified duration.
Recording programming - Start
Determines the time at which recording starts when the option 
Auto-start at specific time is activated.
Recording programming - On tomorrow
If this option is activated, you can specify a time on the next day.
Recording programming - Duration
Determines the length of the recording when the option Auto-stop 
after specific duration is activated.
Pause memory
This is a safety buffer when you are using the Pause button. When 
you resume recording, this buffer is used to restore the last short 
section of audio before you deactivated the pause button. This 
way, you can resume recording even if you deactivated the Pause 
button a bit too late.
Meter Display
Level/Spectrum
Specifies which meter to display.
Settings
Opens the LeveL/Pan Meter Settings dialog, where you can 
customize the meter settings.
Reset
Resets the peak values. 
						

							Recording
Recording Dialog
212
Monitor
If this option is activated, the audio input is also sent to the output 
ports (not available if Windows MME drivers is used).
Mix with playback
If this option is activated and the same audio ports are selected for 
monitoring and for playback (in the VST Audio Connections 
dialog), the signals are mixed. If this is not activated, the monitoring 
signal has priority.
This allows you to toggle between the auditioning of the recorded 
signal and the playback signal, and to have full control over the 
monitor outputs.
Next marker name
Edit the name of the next marker to insert.
Meter Display
In the lower part of the Recording dialog, you find a meter display. This 
is useful for checking the input level and the frequency spectrum of the 
input signal.
The meters in the Recording dialog are miniature versions of the Level, 
Spectrum in the meter windows. Activate the meters, by activating the 
Monitor checkbox.This is done automatically, if the option Activate 
monitoring when opening record window is activated on the Options 
tab in the Recording dialog.
To reset the meters, click the Reset button.
Level Meter
In the Level meter, horizontal bars show the peak level (outer bars) and 
average loudness (VU, inner bars) of each channel. Values are also 
shown numerically. When clicking the Settings button, the Level/Pan 
Meter Settings dialog opens.
Spectrum Meter
The Spectrum Meter shows a bar diagram, providing a continuous 
graphical representation of the frequency spectrum. From the Settings 
pop-up menu you can choose whether to restrict to high audio levels, or 
to include medium or low audio levels. 
						

							Recording
Recording Dialog
213
Disk Capacity Indicator
This indicator at the bottom of the Recording dialog indicates the 
approximate amount of available disk space on the hard disk specified 
in the File to create section, or the hard disk that you have selected for 
temporary files.
NOTE
When there is less than 30 seconds of available hard disk space left, the 
disk capacity indication is displayed in red. 
						

							 214
Master Section
The Master Section is the final block in the signal path before the audio 
is sent to the audio hardware, to an audio file, or to the audio meters. 
This is where you adjust master levels, add effects, and apply dithering.
The settings and effects in the Master Section are taken into account 
in the following cases:
• When playing back an audio file in the wave window.
• When playing back an audio montage. Note that the Master 
Section effects are global for all clips and tracks in an audio 
montage, as opposed to the individual clip or track effects.
• When using the Render function.
• When writing a CD from the audio montage.
By default, the Master Section is active. You can turn it off for each file 
individually by deactivating the Play through Master Section button at 
the bottom of the wave/montage window.
To turn the Master Section off globally, deactivate the Playback goes 
through Master Section button at the bottom right of the Master 
Section. 
						

							Master Section
Master Section Window
215
Master Section Window
In this window you can apply effect plug-ins, adjust the master level, 
apply dithering, and render the audio file or audio montage.
To open the Master Section window, in any workspace, select Global 
> Master Section.
The Master Section consists of the Effects pane, the Master Level 
pane, and the Dithering pane. 
						

							Master Section
Master Section Window
216
Signal Path
The three panes in the Master Section window correspond to the three 
processing blocks of the Master Section: Effects, Master Level, and 
Dithering.
The signal passes through these blocks from top to bottom, as shown 
in the following figure:
In the Master Section, the signal goes through all plug-ins, even when 
some plug-ins are soloed. However, the sound is not affected by this 
because the muted plug-ins are bypassed from the playback process 
stream.
When removing the bypass, the process signal is immediately available 
without latency. This allows you to quickly switch between different 
solo/mute settings.
Effects Pane
This pane in the Master Section allows you to add up to 4 effect 
plug-ins in series, and manage them.
In the Audio Files workspace or the Audio Montage workspace, select 
Workspace > Shared tool windows > Master Section. 
						

							Master Section
Master Section Window
217
Rearrange
Rearranges the Master Section according to the sample rate and 
channel configuration of the active audio file. The internal bus of 
the Master Section and any active plug-ins are configured 
accordingly.
This operation is performed automatically before playback or 
rendering. It is sometimes helpful to manually rearrange the Master 
Section, because some plug-ins do not accept a mono or stereo 
signal as input, or a given sample rate. In that case, clicking the 
button informs you about any problems, before playback or 
rendering.
This operation has no effect if playback is already in progress or if 
there is no active audio file.
Show one more slot
Makes one more slot visible.
Hide bottom slot
Hides the bottom slot.
Fold/unfold section
Expands or collapses the Effects pane.
Bypass during playback
Bypasses the plug-in during playback and optionally for a 
rendering operation. The signal is still processed by the plug-in, 
but is not injected in the audible stream.
Solo (bypass)
Bypasses all plug-ins except this one during playback.
Effect plug-in slot
Slot where you can insert an effect plug-in.
Presets menu
Lets you store and restore preset settings. The Presets menu 
offers additional options to save and load default banks and 
effects.
Plug-in visibility
Activates/deactivates the plug-in window.
Switch effect on/off
Excludes the plug-in from both playback and rendering, and 
rearranges the bus without this effect. 
						

							Master Section
Master Section Window
218
Supported Effect Plug-in Formats
WaveLab Elements supports different plug-in standards. WaveLab 
Elements-specific plug-ins, VST
 2 plug-ins and VST 3 plug-ins, and 
plug-ins that adhere to the Microsoft DirectX standard.
WaveLab Elements-specific Plug-ins
Some specific plug-ins are included in WaveLab Elements, for example, 
the Crystal Resampler plug-in.
VST Plug-ins
Steinberg’s VST plug-in format is supported by a lot of programs and 
plug-in manufacturers. You find a number of VST plug-ins included with 
WaveLab Elements. Other plug-ins can be purchased separately from 
Steinberg or other manufacturers, or in some cases downloaded from 
the internet.
NOTE
If you have Cubase installed on your computer, you can use the effects 
that are included with Cubase in WaveLab Elements. See the Cubase 
documentation for details.
Plug-ins that Adhere to the Microsoft DirectX Standard
These are known as DirectX or DX plug-ins and are also widely available.
Setting Up Effects
The number of effects available depends on which plug-ins you have 
installed.
•To select an effect plug-in for a slot, click the slot, and select an 
effect from the pop-up menu. When you have selected an effect, it 
is automatically activated, and its control panel opens.
• To turn off an effect, click its Switch effect on/off button. To 
activate the effect, click again.
• To remove an effect plug-in, click the slot, and select None.
• To hide the control panel of an effect, click its Plug-in visibility 
button.
• To solo an effect, click the Solo button to the left of the effect slot. 
This allows you to check the sound of that effect only. You can also 
bypass effects in their control panels.
• To change the order of the slots, and thus the order in which the signal 
passes through the effects, click a slot, and drag it to a new position. 
						

							Master Section
Master Section Window
219
Master Section Plug-in Window
In the plug-in windows of the Master Section, you can make settings for 
a Master Section effect plug-in, such as bypass, solo, render in place, 
monitoring, or presets.
In the Master Section’s Effects pane, click an effect’s Plug-in visibility 
button to open the corresponding plug-in window for the effect.
Bypass during playback
If this option is activated, this plug-in is bypassed during playback, 
and optionally for a rendering operation. To deactivate an effect 
when rendering, use the Switch effect on/off buttons in the 
Master Section’s Effects pane.
Solo (bypass)
If this option is activated, all plug-ins except this one are bypassed 
during playback.
Render in place
Processes the audio in place without any intermediary step. 
Bypassed plug-ins are excluded and rendered audio is crossfaded 
at boundaries.
Switch effect on/off
If you deactivate the plug-in, it is excluded from both playback and 
rendering.
Presets
Opens a menu to save/load presets for this plug-in.
Effect Plug-in Presets
With WaveLab Elements comes a number of factory presets for the 
included effect plug-ins that you can select and use as is, or use as a 
starting point for your own settings.
Third-party plug-ins can provide their own factory presets. To access 
the presets for an effect, click the Preset button in its control panel 
window. The available functions depend on the type of plug-in. 
						

							Master Section
Master Section Window
220
Presets for VST 3 Plug-ins
Applying and saving presets for WaveLab Elements specific plug-ins 
works exactly as with any other preset, apart from the fact that there are 
no preset tabs or menu items as in dialogs. Instead, clicking the Preset 
button opens a separate Preset dialog.
The options in this dialog are the same as for dialogs with Preset tabs.
The file format is compatible with Cubase.
Presets for VST 2 Plug-ins
VST 2 plug-ins have their own preset handling. When you click the 
Preset button for this type of effect, a pop-up menu with the following 
options opens:
Load/Save Bank
Loads and saves complete sets of presets. The file format is 
compatible with Cubase.
Load/Save Default Bank
Load the default set of presets or saves the current set of presets 
as the default bank.
Load/Save Effect
Loads or saves a preset. This is also compatible with Cubase.
Edit name of current program
Allows you to define a name for the preset.
Preset List
Allows you to select one of the currently loaded presets.
Presets for DirectX Plug-ins
For DirectX plug-ins, the same functionality is provided as for WaveLab 
Elements plug-ins. In addition, you can import native presets created for 
the plug-in.