Steinberg Wavelab Le 8 Manual

							Program Overview
Status Bar
31
Docking Command Bars
Command bars can either be used as separate floating windows or 
docked at the top, bottom, left, or right side of the workspace window.
•To make a command bar floatable, right-click the bar, and select 
Floatable. Then click the dots on the left side or the top of the 
command bar to drag the bar to another location.
• To dock a floating command bar, right-click the bar, and select 
Floatable. Then click the dots on the left side of the command bar 
to drag the bar to the top, bottom, left, or right side of the 
workspace window.
Status Bar
The status bar at the bottom of the screen of the Audio Files workspace 
and the Audio Montage workspace shows information about the active 
window using the units specified in the rulers.
The information displayed on the status bar is updated depending on 
the cursor position and on the audio selection that you have made.
Time/Level (dB)
Displays the time of the audio file at the mouse cursor position. In 
the Audio Files workspace, it also displays the level.
Audio information at edit cursor
Displays the time at the position of the edit cursor. This information 
changes when you reposition the cursor.
• To define the cursor position, click the indicator to open the 
Cursor position dialog.
• To focus the cursor position, right-click the indicator.
Audio selection indicator (Audio Files workspace)
In the Audio Files workspace, this displays the length of the current 
selection, or the total length of the audio file if no selection has 
been made. 
						

							Program Overview
Status Bar
32
When you have zoomed in, you can right-click the indicator to 
display the selected audio range, the focused clip, or the whole file. 
Left-click the indicator to open the Audio Range dialog, where you 
can define or refine a selection.
Zoom indicator
Displays the current zoom factor.
• To open a pop-up menu, where you can make additional zoom 
settings, click the indicator.
• To open the Zoom factor dialog, where you can edit the zoom 
factor, right-click the indicator.
Sampler key indicator (Audio Files workspace only)
Indicates the key of the current audio file (if defined). Click the 
indicator to open the Sample Attributes window.
Audio properties indicator
In the Audio Files workspace, this displays the bit resolution and 
the sample rate. It also indicates whether the audio file is mono or 
stereo. Click the indicator to open the Audio properties dialog.
In the Audio Montage workspace, this displays the number of 
audio channels and the sample rate of the audio montage. Click 
the indicator to open the Audio Montage properties dialog.
Play through Master Section
If this button is activated, the audio is played through the Master 
Section. If the button is deactivated, the Master Section is ignored.
Document button (drag and drop)
Allows you to drag the current file into another file, for example, an 
audio file to the Audio Montage workspace. This is equivalent to 
dragging the file tab.
Background information
The status bar shows the progress of some background 
operations, such as rendering an effect. The operation can be 
paused or canceled using the provided buttons. 
						

							Program Overview
Context Menus
33
Context Menus
Throughout WaveLab LE, various context menus are available. These 
menus group the commands and/or options that are specific to the 
current working window.
The context menus appear when you right-click certain areas and are 
useful for speeding up your workflow.
For example, right-click a file tab to open a context menu with some 
relevant file options. Right-click the ruler of the waveform window brings 
up the Time Ruler context menu that allows you to access a number of 
options for changing the time ruler display format.
You can find most context menu commands in the main menus, but 
some commands are only available in context menus. When you search 
for a function, right-click the current working window to check if it has a 
context menu.
Context menu in the montage window 
						

							Program Overview
Time Ruler and Level Ruler
34
Time Ruler and Level Ruler
In the Audio Files workspace, you can display a time and a level ruler in 
the wave window. In the Audio Montage workspace, you can display a 
time ruler in the montage window.
You can also determine which time and level units the rulers show.
Time Ruler and Level Ruler Options
You can specify the time and level (amplitude) formats for each ruler in 
each wave window and the time formats for each ruler in the montage 
window separately by right-clicking the ruler, and selecting a format 
from the pop-up menu.
Time Ruler Menu
Timecode
Displays a list of frames per second for various SMPTE timecodes 
and for CD resolution.
Clock
Displays time units.
Samples
Positions are shown as number of samples. The number of 
samples per second depends on the sample rate of the audio file. 
For example, at 44.1
 kHz, there are 44100 samples per second.
Bars and beats
If this is selected, the ruler is linear relative to the meter position.
Time rulerLevel ruler 
(Audio Files workspace only) 
						

							Program Overview
Time Ruler and Level Ruler
35
File size (Audio Files workspace only)
Shows positions in MegaBytes. Decimals represent KiloBytes.
Show grid (Audio Montage workspace only)
Displays vertical lines in the montage window, aligned with time 
ruler marks.
Time format
Opens the Time format dialog, where you can edit the 
appearance of the time ruler formats.
Save current settings as default
If this option is activated, the time ruler uses the current time format 
in all new wave windows or montage windows.
Set ruler’s origin to start of file
If this option is activated, the ruler’s zero position is set to the 
beginning of the first sample.
Set ruler’s origin at cursor
If this option is activated, the ruler’s zero position is set to the 
current cursor position.
Set ruler’s origin to BWF reference (Audio Files workspace only)
If this option is activated, the first sample matches the BWF time 
reference, provided that the time reference is available.
Level Ruler Menu (Audio Files workspace only)
dB
Sets the level format to decibels.
+-100 %
Sets the level format to percentage.
Normalized +1/-1
Sets the level format to a ruler gradation corresponding to 32-bit 
float audio.
16-bit range
Sets the level format to a ruler gradation corresponding to 16-bit 
audio.
24-bit range
Sets the level format to a ruler gradation corresponding to 24-bit audio.
Save current settings as default
If this option is activated, the level ruler uses the current level 
format in all new wave windows. 
						

							Program Overview
Time Ruler and Level Ruler
36
Time Format Dialog
In this dialog, you can customize the time format. The time format of the 
ruler is also used in various time fields, for example, the status bar and 
certain dialogs.
In the Audio Files workspace, depending on whether you want to set the 
time format for the overview display or the main view display, select 
View > Overview display > Time ruler > Time format or View > 
Main view display > Time ruler > Time format.
In the Audio Montage workspace, select View > Time ruler > Time 
format.
Timecode Tab
On this tab, you can configure the appearance of the Timecode option.
Frames per second
List of standard frame rates. From the drop-down menu, select 
Other to enter a custom frame rate. You can also choose which 
frames/units are displayed.
Show absolute frames
Shows the time format as a number of frames, without other time 
elements.
Show quarter frames
Adds the quarter frame number to the time format.
Show hundredth frames
Adds the number of a hundredths of a frame to the time format.
Show units
Adds time units to the time format of the ruler. 
						

							Program Overview
Time Ruler and Level Ruler
37
Clock Tab
On this tab, you can configure the appearance of the Clock option.
Show Units
Adds time units to the time format of the ruler.
Compact
Shows the time without unit indicators.
Meter Tab
On this tab, you can configure the appearance of the Bars and beats 
option.
Time signature
Lets you edit the time signature used to display the time 
represented as a musical notation.
Tempo
Lets you edit the tempo used to display the time represented as a 
musical notation.
Ticks per quarter note
Lets you edit the number of ticks per quarter note that are used to 
display times that are compatible with your sequencer.
Setting the Cursor Position
Many operations, such as playback and selection, depend on the 
current cursor position. For example, playback often starts at the cursor 
position. The current cursor position is indicated by a vertical flashing 
line.
There are various ways to move the cursor:
• Click somewhere in the wave window, the montage window, or the 
time ruler. If you have made a selection, click the time ruler to 
prevent deselecting. 
						

							Program Overview
Value Editing
38
• Click and drag in the time ruler.
• Use the transport controls.
• Select View > Move cursor to, and select an option.
• Use the cursor keys.
• Double-click a marker.
Working With a Meter-Based Display
If your working material is tempo-based, you can select the meter format 
(bars, beats, and ticks) for the ruler legend. This makes it easier to find 
musically related cutting points.
PROCEDURE
1.In the wave window or the montage window, right-click the time 
ruler, and select Bars and beats.
2. Right-click the time ruler, and select Time format.
3. On the Meter tab, set the Time signature and Tempo to values 
that match your audio file.
4. Set the Ticks per quarter note setting to a number that you feel 
comfortable with.
For example, this can be the same value that is used by your MIDI 
sequencer.
5. Click OK.
Value Editing
At various places in the program, numerical values can be edited by 
using a combination of text fields and spin controls.
These values are sometimes composed of several parts, for example, 
12
 mn 30 sec 120 ms. Each value can be edited by using any of the 
following methods:
• To change a value, click in a value field and type a new value, or 
click the small arrows in the value field.
• To change the value by one unit at a time, press the [Left Arrow] 
and [Right Arrow] keys. 
						

							Program Overview
Drag Operations
39
• To change the value by several units, press the page up and page 
down keys.
• To change the value using the mouse wheel, position the mouse 
cursor over a value, and spin the mouse wheel, or use the AI knob 
of your MIDI controller.
• To change the value with the mouse, click a value and drag the 
mouse up or down.
• To jump to the maximum and minimum values, press the [Home] 
and [End] keys.
• To move from one part of the value to another, press the [Left 
Arrow] and [Right Arrow] keys.
Drag Operations
WaveLab LE makes much use of drag-and-drop techniques to perform 
various operations, some of which cannot be performed otherwise. 
These are referred to as drag operations in this documentation.
•To drag an object, click and hold with the mouse when positioned 
on the object and drag it. Drop the object by releasing the button.
Many types of objects can be dragged between different source and 
destination locations including files, text, clips, items in a list, and markers.
NOTE
It is also possible to drag and drop files from WaveLab LE to Steinberg
						

							Program Overview
Drag Operations
40
• To open a file, drag a compatible file from the File Browser 
window of WaveLab LE, from the file browser of the operation 
system, or from another application to the tab bar.
• To create a copy of a file, drag its tab vertically to another position 
of the tab bar, then press [Ctrl]/[Option], and release the mouse 
button.
Dragging in the Audio Files Workspace and Audio Montage 
Workspace
• To insert an audio file in another audio file, drag the title bar tab or 
document button of the file onto the waveform area of another file. 
You can also drag an audio file directly from the File Browser 
window, the file browser of your system, or from another 
application into the Audio Files workspace.
• To move a marker, drag it along the time ruler.
• To create a copy of this marker, press [Shift], and drag it to another 
position on the time ruler.
• To delete a marker, drag it above the time ruler.
• To copy an audio selection, drag a selected region of audio onto 
the waveform area of the same file or another file.
• To change the extent of a selection range, position the edit cursor 
at the start/end of the selection range, and drag to the left or right.
• To move the edit cursor without losing the current selection, and 
to snap it to an anchor, press [Shift], and move the mouse near the 
audio file/montage cursor. The mouse cursor shape changes and 
you can drag the cursor left and right.
• To move the edit cursor without changing or losing the current 
selection, press [Shift], click the edit cursor, and drag it to another 
position.
• To scroll the waveform horizontally, click the bar above the time 
ruler and drag left or right. You can also click anywhere on the 
waveform using the 3rd mouse button, and drag left or right.
• To create a generic marker from a selected text, drop text that you 
have selected in an external application onto the time ruler. The text 
becomes the marker’s name.
• To create a stereo copy of a mono file, or a mixed copy of a stereo 
file, drag a tab to another position of the tab bar, press [Ctrl]-[Alt] 
(Windows) or [Options]-[Ctrl] (Mac), and release the mouse button.