Steinberg Wavelab Le 8 Manual

							Playback
Transport Bar
71
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. Position the edit cursor inside the range that you want to play back 
or make a selection range.
3. 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. 
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.
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
72
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.
Transport Bar Settings
In the transport bar settings menu, you can customize the transport bar. 
This is useful to optimize the transport bar according to the available 
screen space.
To open the settings menu, right-click the transport bar, or click the 
Settings button on the transport bar.
Hide
Hides the transport bar. To make it visible again, select 
Workspace > Command bars > Transport bar.
Fold
Minimizes the transport bar. To unfold the transport bar again, click 
the thin line where the transport bar was located.
Top/Bottom
Aligns the transport bar at the top/bottom of the wave window or 
the montage window.
Large transport buttons/Small transport buttons
Determines the size of the transport bar buttons.
Align buttons left/Align buttons right/Center button
Moves the transport bar buttons to the corresponding position.
Edit shortcuts
Opens the Customize commands dialog, where you can edit the 
shortcuts for the transport bar commands. 
						

							Playback
Playing Back Only One Channel
73
Playing Back Only One Channel
You can choose to play only the left or the right channel of an audio file 
in the Audio Files workspace.
PROCEDURE

						

							Playback
Using the Play Tool
74
Using the Play Tool
This tool allows you to play back from any position on one or both stereo 
channels.
PROCEDURE
1.In the Audio Files workspace, select the Play tool from the Edit 
tools command bar, or press and hold [Alt]/[Option].
2. In the wave window, click at the position where you want playback 
to start.
The cursor shape indicates whether the left (L), the right channel (R), or 
both channels are played back.
RESULT 
Playback continues for as long as you keep the mouse button pressed, 
or until the audio file ends. After playback has stopped, the cursor is 
moved to the playback start position.
Playback Scrubbing
Playback scrubbing helps you find a certain position in an audio file, by 
restarting playback repeatedly when you click and drag on the time ruler 
during playback or use the Play tool.
Scrubbing Using the Play Tool
PROCEDURE
1.In the Audio Files workspace, select the Play tool from the Edit 
tools command bar, or press and hold [Alt]/[Option].
2. Click in the wave window, or click and drag the time ruler.
If you click in the wave window, playback starts at the position where you 
clicked. If you click and drag in the time ruler, the audio is played back 
from the edit cursor position and a small section is looped once. 
						

							Playback
Scroll During Playback
75
Scrubbing Using the Time Ruler
PROCEDURE
1. Optional: In the Audio Files workspace, activate Options > Stop 
after playback scrubbing, to stop playback after scrubbing.
The edit cursor then jumps back to the start position.
2. Start playback.
3. Click the time ruler and hold the mouse button pressed, and drag 
left or right.
4. When you are done scrubbing, release the mouse button.
Playback Scrubbing Preferences
You can define the behavior of the Play tool in the Audio file editing 
preferences.
In the Audio Files workspace, select Options > Audio file editing 
preferences > Editing tab.
•If Restrict to Play Tool is activated, scrubbing is not available 
when you click and drag on the time ruler during playback.
• The Sensitivity setting determines the length of the audio loop that 
is played once when click and drang on the time ruler with the Play 
tool activated.
Scroll During Playback
You can determine how the view should be scrolled in Play mode.
In the Audio Files workspace or the Audio Montage workspace, select 
View > Scroll during playback.
The following options are available:
Immobile view
Disables scrolling. 
						

							Playback
About Playback in the Audio Montage Workspace
76
View follows cursor
The view automatically changes to keep the playback cursor visible.
About Playback in the Audio Montage 
Workspace
Playback in the Audio Montage workspace works the same way as in the 
Audio Files workspace. However, there are some things to note.
Mute and Solo Tracks
You can mute or solo tracks in an audio montage by using the 
corresponding menu in the track control area.
Click the number, and select Mute and/or Solo.
Playing Back Individual Clips
You can play back an individual clip on a track. Overlapping clips or clips 
on other tracks are muted.
PROCEDURE
1.In the Audio Montage workspace, right-click the lower part of the 
clip that you want to play back.
2. On the menu, select one of the following play options:

						

							 77
Audio File Editing
Audio file editing refers to opening, editing, and saving audio files.
Wave Window
The wave window displays audio files graphically. Here, you view, play 
back, and edit individual audio files.
The wave window consists of two displays. You can use one display as 
an overview to navigate through the project and the other as the main 
view for editing.
You can synchronize the waveform displays so that they display the 
same part of the audio file, by clicking the Sync with other view button. 
						

							Audio File Editing
Wave Window
78
Magnetic Bounds in Audio Files
Certain positions, such as markers or selection edges, can be defined 
as magnetic. Dragged elements can snap to these positions. This makes 
it easier to position items accurately.
For example, when you move a marker and it gets close to one of the 
magnetic bounds, the marker snaps to this position. A label is displayed, 
indicating the snap position.
Magnetic Bounds Menu
On this menu, you can specify which positions should be magnetic. 
When Snap to magnetic items is activated, items that you move snap 
to these positions.
In the Audio Files workspace, select Options > Magnetic bounds.
You can let items snap to the following positions:
Start/End of file
Moved elements snap to the start/end of the file when they are 
moved near these positions.
Time ruler marks
Moved elements snap to the time ruler grid when they are moved 
near these positions.
Markers
Moved elements snap to marker positions when they are moved 
near these positions.
Selection edges
Moved elements snap to the selection edges when they are moved 
near these positions.
Cursor
Sets the edit cursor magnetic when moved near this position. 
						

							Audio File Editing
Wave Window
79
Zero Crossing
A zero crossing is a point where the waveform crosses the zero level 
axis.
If you cut out a portion of a wave and paste it in somewhere else, there 
often is discontinuity where the two waves are joined. This discontinuity 
results in a transient in the wave, which is perceived as a click or bump 
in the sound.
To avoid this, you must make the splice at a zero crossing, especially if 
you do not use crossfades.
If you activate Options > Snap selection to zero crossings, the 
selections that you make are always adjusted so that they start and end 
at the nearest zero crossing.
WaveLab LE can automatically search for zero crossings and extend the 
selection outwards so that it begins and ends at a zero crossing. This 
helps avoid clicks, pops, and bumps.
When you perform editing operations, such as cutting, pasting, or 
dragging, make sure that the material is inserted at a zero crossing. 
						

							Audio File Editing
Wave Window
80
Setting Up the Zero Crossing Detection
You can let selection edges automatically snap to the nearest zero 
crossing point when making a selection. In the Audio file editing 
preferences dialog, you can specify whether to allow snap at high zoom 
factors, and specify the scan range for the zero crossing detection.
PROCEDURE
1.In the Audio Files workspace, select Options > Snap selection 
to zero crossing.
2. Select Options > Audio file editing preferences.
3. On the Editing tab, fill out the Snap selection to zero crossing 
options.
4. Click OK.
Moving the Cursor Position to the Closest Zero Crossing
You can automatically move the cursor position to the closest zero 
crossing.
PROCEDURE
1.In the Audio Files workspace, position the cursor in the waveform.
2. Select View > Move cursor to > Snap position.