Steinberg Wavelab Elements 8 Manual

							Playback
Transport Bar
81
Move playback position backwards/forwards
Moves the edit cursor position to the left/right. If you click during 
playback, playback jumps to the new edit cursor position.
To move the edit cursor to the start/end of the file, press 
[Ctrl]/[Command], and click the Move playback position 
backwards/forwards button.
Loop
Activates the loop mode. Right-click the loop button to select 
whether to loopforever or only a few times.
Stop
Stops the audio being played. If playback is already stopped, the 
edit cursor is moved to the previous start position.
Play
Starts playing the active audio file or audio montage from the edit 
cursor position.
If the audio being played back is not the active audio file, the Play 
button has a different color. This happens if you switch to another 
workspace during playback, for example.
The playback button when playing back in the active window (left) and when playing 
in another window or workspace (right).
Record
Opens the Recording dialog.
Time display
Displays the edit cursor or playback position. Click to select 
another time unit.
Fold bar
Minimizes the transport bar. To unfold the transport bar again, click 
the thin line where the transport bar was located.
Settings
Opens layout menu of the transport bar and lets you edit shortcuts 
for the transport bar. You can also right-click the transport bar to 
open this menu. 
						

							Playback
Transport Bar
82
Transport Bar in the Podcast Workspace
In the Podcast workspace, a simplified transport bar allows you to play 
back the selected Podcast episode.
Play Button
Clicking the Play button on the transport bar starts playing back the 
active audio file or audio montage from the edit cursor position.
You can also use the Space bar or the Enter key on your keyboard to 
start playback. Pressing the Space bar during playback stops playback, 
while pressing Enter during playback makes playback restart from the 
last start position.
When loop is activated, the audio selection is looped, if available. 
Otherwise, the region defined by loop markers is looped, if available. If 
there are no selection ranges or loop markers, the entire file is looped.
The standard Play command is not influenced by the Play range, Play 
from anchor, and Play to anchor options.
Stop Button
The result of clicking the Stop button or on the transport bar or [0] on 
your numeric keypad depends on the current situation.
•If you trigger Stop in stop mode, the edit cursor moves either to 
the previous Playback start marker, or to the selection start 
(whatever is closer), until the start of the file is reached.
• If there is no selection or if the edit cursor is positioned to the left 
of the selection, it is moved to the beginning of the file instead.
Playing Back Audio Ranges
You can play back audio ranges using the Ranges options on the 
transport bar.
PROCEDURE
1.On the transport bar, select the type of range that you want to play 
back.
2. Optional: Activate pre-roll and/or post-roll. 
						

							Playback
Transport Bar
83
3. Position the edit cursor inside the range that you want to play back 
or make a selection range.
This selected range and, if activated, the pre-roll and post-roll times are 
displayed on the time ruler.
4. To play back the selected range, click the Play range button on the 
transport bar or press [F6].
RESULT 
The selected range is played back. Pre-roll and post-roll settings are 
taken into account. When the Loop mode is active, pre-roll is used 
before the first loop only, and post-roll is only used after the last loop.
Playing Back From an Anchor or Until an Anchor
You can play back audio from an anchor or until a specified anchor using 
the Anchor options on the transport bar.
PROCEDURE
1.On the transport bar, select an anchor type
If nothing is selected and you use the Play from anchor button, the edit 
cursor is the default anchor.
2. Depending on the selected anchor type, position the edit cursor in 
the wave window or montage window inside the range that you 
want to play back.
For example, if you have selected Region start marker, click somewhere 
in the area of the region marker pair from which you want to play back 
from/to. The green anchor marker jumps to the selected anchor.
3. Optional: Activate pre-roll and/or post-roll.
4. To play back from the anchor marker, click the Play from anchor 
button on the transport bar or press [F7]. To play back until the 
anchor marker, click the Play until anchor button on the transport 
bar or press [F8]. 
						

							Playback
Transport Bar
84
RESULT 
Play back starts from the anchor/until the anchor. Pre-roll and post-roll 
settings are taken into account.
About the “Play From Anchor” and “Play Until Anchor” 
Functions
You can play back audio from an anchor or until an anchor using the 
Play from anchor or Play until anchor functions on the transport bar. 
These playback functions behave differently depending on the pre-roll 
and post-roll settings.
Play from anchor
• If post-roll is selected, playback starts at the anchor position and 
stops after the post-roll time. If no post-roll is selected, playback 
continues until the end of the audio file or audio montage.
• If pre-roll is selected, playback starts from the selected anchor, 
minus the pre-roll time.
• If pre-roll and post-roll are selected, playback starts from the 
selected anchor, minus the pre-roll time and stops after the anchor 
point plus the post roll time.
• If the loop mode is activated, the pre-roll and post-roll settings are 
taken into account. This way you can play a loop around the edit 
cursor position, without having to make further range settings.
Play until anchor
• Playback starts from the cursor, and stops at the selected anchor. 
If the cursor is beyond the selected anchor, playback starts at the 
selected anchor. If pre-roll is activated, it is taken into account.
• If pre-roll is selected, playback starts from the selected anchor 
minus the pre-roll time, until the selected anchor.
• If there is no selected anchor, Play until anchor is disabled.
• The loop settings have no effect. 
						

							Playback
Transport Bar
85
Using the Auto Selection Mode
You can use the auto selection mode in combination with the playback 
shortcuts to play back audio ranges or anchors, without needing to 
interact with the transport bar. This makes it easy to monitor your editing 
actions.
PROCEDURE
1.On the transport bar, activate Auto selection mode.
2. In the wave window or the montage window, do one of the 
following:
• Make a selection range.
• Click inside the area of a marker pair.
• Click a fade-in, fade-out, or crossfade.
• Click anywhere in the wave/montage window.
•Drag a marker.
Depending on your action, the most appropriate range, or anchor is 
selected. For example, if you click inside a marker pair, this region is 
selected as playback range.
The time ruler shows the selected range or anchor.
NOTE
In Auto selection mode, you can still change some range and anchor 
options in the transport bar to play a different range/anchor. However, 
the range/anchor will be reselected when you starting editing again with 
the mouse.
3. Use the playback shortcuts to start playback.
• To play back the selected audio range, press [F6].
• To play back from an anchor, press [F7].
• To play back until an anchor, press [F8].
You can also use the Play range, Play from anchor, and Play to anchor 
buttons on the transport bar.
RESULT 
The selection range is played back, or play back starts from the 
anchor/until the anchor. Pre-roll and post-roll settings are taken into 
account.
NOTE
A selection range has priority over any other range. To allow other 
ranges to be auto-selected, deselect the selection range. 
						

							Playback
Transport Bar
86
Using Auto Replay While Editing
You can have playback automatically re-triggered while editing audio 
with the mouse. This is useful if you want to monitor the adjustment of a 
selection boundary, for example.
PROCEDURE
1.On the transport bar, right-click the Auto selection mode icon, 
and activate Auto replay while editing.
2. In the wave window or the montage window, make a selection 
range and hold the mouse button pressed.
3. Start playback by using one of the following shortcuts:
• To play back the selected audio range, press [F6].
• To play back from an anchor, press [F7].
• To play back until an anchor, press [F8].
4. Drag the cursor to the right or left.
The selection range is adjusted and played back until you release the 
mouse button. When playback ends, the new selection range is played 
back.
Automated Selection Mode Settings
You can select whether the automated selection mode should select 
only ranges, only anchors, or both. To use the selected settings, activate 
Auto selection of anchor and range, based on editing actions.
To open the automated selection mode settings menu, right-click the 
Auto selection of anchor and range, based on editing actions icon 
on the transport bar, and make your selection.
Auto replay while editing
If this option is activated, playback is automatically restarted when 
you hold down the mouse button while editing ranges or anchors, 
and used the shortcuts to trigger playback. This is useful to find a 
loop, for example.
This option works even when the automated selection mode is 
deactivated. 
						

							Playback
Transport Bar
87
Solo track when editing
If this option is activated, when holding down the mouse button 
when editing ranges or anchors in the montage window, the track 
is soloed when playing back via the shortcuts for Play range, Play 
from anchor, or Play until anchor. This option is only available in 
the Audio Montage workspace.
This option works even when the automated selection mode is 
deactivated, because it is independent from this mode.
Auto select range and anchor
If this option is activated, ranges and anchors are automatically 
selected.
Auto select range
If this option is activated, ranges are automatically selected.
Auto select anchor
If this option is activated, anchors are automatically selected.
Skipping Sections During Playback
You can automatically skip a selected audio range during playback. This 
way, you can audition what the material would sound like with certain 
sections cut out.
PROCEDURE
1.On the transport bar, activate Skip range.
2. Activate Use Pre-Roll and Use Post-Roll.
3. If you want to use the Play range function, activate one of the 
Ranges modes.
4. Depending on the Ranges mode, do one of the following:
• If you have activated Selected audio range, make an audio 
selection in the wave window.
• If you have activated Marked region where edit cursor is 
located, click the section between a marker pair.
The audio range that will be skipped is displayed on the time ruler along 
with the pre-roll and post-roll times. 
						

							Playback
Transport Bar
88
5. Select Play range, or press [F6]
RESULT 
The selected range is skipped during playback.
You can also use the factory preset for skipping selections during 
playback. Activate Skip range, make an audio selection, and press 
[Shift]-[F6].
NOTE
This mode also works with the standard Play button, if there is a time 
selection or if exclusion start and end markers are set. In this case, the 
pre-roll and post-roll times are ignored.
About Loops
Loop points are updated continuously during playback. If you change 
the loop start or end during playback, the loop changes. This way you 
can audition selection points for rhythmic material.
If you loop a section in an audio montage, playback loops within the 
boundaries of the current selection range. This selection range may be 
on any track, even if empty. The vertical position of the selection range 
is of no relevance for loop playback, only the left and right selection 
boundaries matter.
Pre-Roll and Post-Roll
You can start playback slightly before a specific position (pre-roll) and 
stop playback slightly after another position (post-roll). This gives you a 
brief context if you are auditioning a clip, for example.
The position can be an anchor or the start or end of a range. The pre-roll 
and post-roll times are displayed in the time ruler.
To activate pre-roll and/or post-roll, activate the Use Post-Roll and Use 
Pre-Roll buttons on the transport bar. 
						

							Playback
Transport Bar
89
When right-clicking the pre-roll or post-roll icon on the transport bar, 
you can select a pre-roll/post-roll time. Here, you can also select which 
play option you want to apply the pre-roll/post-roll to, and you can open 
the Edit Times dialog.
Pre-Roll and Post-Roll Times Dialog
This dialog allows you to define a short, an average, and a long pre-roll 
and post-roll time. These settings are global to WaveLab Elements.
In the wave window or the montage window, on the transport bar, 
right-click the pre-roll or post-roll icon, and select Edit pre/post-roll.
Playback Shortcuts
In addition to the buttons on the transport bar, there are shortcuts that 
can be used even when the wave window or montage window is not the 
active window.
Space bar
Start/stop playback.
0 on numeric keypad.
Stop. If the program is stopped and you trigger Stop again, the 
edit cursor moves either to the previous Playback start marker, or 
to the selection start (whatever is closer), until the start of the file 
is reached. This is the same as clicking the Stop button on the 
transport bar. 
						

							Playback
Transport Bar
90
Enter
Starts playback. If pressed during playback, playback restarts from 
the previous start position. This is the same as clicking the Play 
button on the transport bar.
[F6]
Starts playback of the selected range, depending on the selected 
option in the Ranges section of the transport bar.
[F7]
Starts playback from the selected anchor, depending on the 
selected option in the Anchors section of the transport bar.
[F8]
Starts playback until the selected anchor, depending on the 
selected option in the Anchors section of the transport bar.
Save Transport Bar Presets Dialog
In this dialog, you can save a transport bar setup as preset.
On the transport bar, click the preset icon, and select Save as.
Path name
Opens the root folder of the preset in the Windows Explorer/Mac 
OS Finder. Here, you can create subfolders for your presets.
Presets list
Lists all existing presets.