Steinberg Wavelab Elements 8 Manual

							Audio Analysis
3D Frequency Analysis
141
Focusing Hot Points
After a global analysis, you can focus the display on a certain hot point.
PREREQUISITE 
In the Audio Files workspace, select Analysis > Global Analysis, and 
perform the analysis.
PROCEDURE
1. Use the Number of hot points scroll bar to move the position 
indicator to the position in which you are.
2. Click the Focus button.
The wave window zooms in on the selected point. The Global Analysis 
dialog is reduced to the bottom part.
3. To return to the unzoomed view and return to the full view of the 
Global Analysis dialog, click the Focus button again.
3D Frequency Analysis
Using the 3D Frequency Analysis, you can view an audio file in the 
frequency domain.
Use the 3D Frequency Analysis to:
• See how the frequency spectrum is distributed in a mix.
• Identify which frequencies to reduce or boost as a basis for 
equalizing.
• See which parts of the frequency spectrum are occupied by a 
certain background noise that you want to filter out.
A wave display (time domain) informs you about the start and end of a 
sound in a file, but lacks information about the timbral contents of the file 
that a frequency graph (frequency domain) provides. The graph that is 
used in WaveLab Elements is often referred to as an FFT (Fast Fourier 
Transform) plot. If you select a stereo recording, a mix of the two 
channels is analyzed. 
						

							Audio Analysis
3D Frequency Analysis
142
The wheel control allows you to view the frequency spectrum from 
different angles. For example, you can open several 3D Frequency 
Analysis windows, each with a different perspective. This allows you to 
get a better view of an otherwise crowded graph.
Creating a Graph for 3D Frequency Analysis
The length of the selected audio affects the accuracy of the analysis. For 
short selections, the result is more detailed. Consider making a separate 
analysis of the attack in which the most drastic variations occur.
PROCEDURE
1.In the Audio Files workspace, select the section of the file that you 
want to analyze.
If you make no selection, the whole audio file is analyzed.
2. Select Analysis > 3D Frequency Analysis.
The audio is analyzed.
3. To edit the analysis parameters, click the 3d analysis options 
button.
4. Adjust the parameters, and click OK.
The audio is re-analyzed. 
						

							Audio Analysis
3D Frequency Analysis
143
3D Analysis Options
In the options dialog of the 3D Frequency Analysis dialog, you can 
define which frequency range is analyzed and modify the appearance of 
the graph for the 3D frequency analysis.
In the Audio Files workspace, select Analysis > 3D Frequency 
Analysis, and click the 3D analysis options button.
Top/Bottom frequency
Specifies the highest/lowest frequency of the range.
Logarithmic ruler (octaves)
Divides the frequency ruler in equally spaced octaves.
Amplitude
Select whether you want the peaks to be proportional to their 
amplitude (Linear) or to their power (Logarithmic with decibel 
scale).
Colors
Defines the color scheme of the graph.
Background
Defines the background color. 
						

							 144
Offline Processing
Offline processes are useful for a variety of editing purposes and 
creative effects. For example, when the computer is too slow for 
real-time processing or when the editing requires more than one pass.
After the processing the audio file is permanently altered.
Applying Processing
Processing can be applied to a selection or to a whole file. For certain 
operations processing the entire file is necessary.
NOTE
If Process whole file if there is no selection is activated in the 
Options > Audio file editing preferences > Editing tab, the whole file 
is automatically processed if no selection exists.
PROCEDURE
1. In the wave window, make a selection
2. Select the type of processing that you want to apply from the 
Process menu.
3. If a dialog appears, make the settings.
4. Click Apply to render the effect to file. 
						

							Offline Processing
Gain Dialog
145
Gain Dialog
In this dialog, you can apply a gain to change the level of an audio file.
In the Audio Files workspace, select Process > Gain.
Click Find current peak level to obtain a report on the peak level of the 
audio selection, or the whole file if there is no selection. This is useful if 
you want to calculate how much you can increase the overall gain of a 
file without clipping (exceeding 0
 dB), for example.
This processor also lets you add clipping. Clipping is when the gain is 
raised to a point where distortion is added. While this is normally not 
wanted, mild clipping can add some punch, for example, to accentuate 
the attack of a drum sound.
Normalize Level Dialog
In this dialog, you can change the peak level of an audio file.
In the Audio Files workspace, select Process > Level Normalizer.
Peak level
Enter the peak level (in dB) that you want the audio selection to 
have.
Stereo Link
Applies the gain to both channels. 
						

							Offline Processing
Normalize Level Dialog
146
Mix to Mono
Mixes the left and the right channel. The resulting mono file will 
have the specified peak level. This ensures a mix without clipping.
Find current peak value
Creates a report on the peak level of the current audio selection, 
or the whole audio file if there is no selection.
Basic Envelope Operations
By adding points to the envelope curve you can create an envelope 
curve that changes the volume of the material over time. When you point 
the mouse in the display or move a point, the current position and level 
change is shown in the field above the display.
•To add a point, double click the envelope curve.
• To select a point, click it.
• To select several points, click and drag the selection rectangle.
• To move a point, click and drag it. If more than one point is 
selected, all points are moved.
• To move the whole curve up or down, click the envelope curve, and 
drag up or down.
• To move the curve segment between selected points, select the 
points, click the envelope curve between the points, and drag up 
or down.
• To move two points horizontally, press [Shift], click the curve 
segment between two points, and drag left or right.
• To move the segment between 2 points vertically, press 
[Ctrl]/[Command], click the segment, and drag up or down. 
						

							Offline Processing
Fades in Audio Files
147
Fades in Audio Files
A fade-in is a gradual increase in level and a fade-out is a gradual 
decrease in level.
You can create fades by selecting an individual fading type for each 
fade-in/fade-out, or by using the Easy Fade function.
Creating a Fade-In and Fade-Out
PROCEDURE
1.In the Audio Files workspace, make a selection.
2. Depending whether you want to create a fade-in or a fade-out, 
select one of the following:
• To create a fade-in, select Process > Fade-in.
• To create a fade-out, select Process > Fade-out.
3. Select the type of fade that you want to create.
A graph in the waveform indicates the resulting shape.
Applying Easy Fades
The Easy Fade function allows you to quickly apply a default fade-in or 
fade-out to an audio file.
The shape of the fade is governed by the default fade/crossfade setting 
in the Options > Audio file editing preferences > Editing tab, in the 
Default fade/crossfade section.
PROCEDURE
1. In the Audio Files workspace, make one of the following selections:

						

							Offline Processing
Crossfades
148
Crossfades
A crossfade is a gradual fade between two sounds, where one is faded 
in and the other faded out. You can automatically create a crossfade 
when pasting an audio section into another.
Creating Crossfades
The material that you want to crossfade can either be in two different 
sections of the same audio file, or in two different audio files.
PROCEDURE
1.In the Audio Files workspace, select the section that you want to 
fade-in.
2. Select Edit > Copy, or press [Ctrl]/[Command]-C.
3. Select the section that you want to fade-out.
The length of this selection determines the length of the actual crossfade 
(check the length on the status bar). The section can be within the 
selected audio file or in another wave window. However, the selection 
must not be longer than the selection that you just copied.
4. Select Edit > Paste and crossfade, and select one of the 
crossfade types.
5. Play back the file and adjust the crossfade if necessary.
RESULT 
The crossfade is created. Any material that originally appeared after the 
selection in the file into which you paste, is moved so that it now appears 
after the pasted material.
Any excess material in the copied selection appears after the fade at full 
level.
NOTE
If both files already have full level sections in the crossfade area (for 
example, if you have normalized both files), clipping and distortion might 
occur. If this happens, reduce the amplitude of both files by 3 to 6
 dB 
and try again. 
						

							Offline Processing
Inverting the Audio Phase
149
Paste and Crossfade Options
These options allow you to select a crossfade type for pasting.
In the Audio Files workspace, select Edit > Paste and crossfade.
Linear (equal gain)
Level changes linearly.
Sinus (equal power)
Level changes according to a sine curve, the power of the mix 
remains constant.
Square-root (equal power)
Level changes according to the square-root curve, the power of 
the mix remains constant.
Inverting the Audio Phase
Inverting the phase turns the signal upside down. The most common use 
for this function is to fix a stereo recording where one of the channels 
has been recorded out of phase with the other.
PROCEDURE
1.Optional: If you only want to invert the phase for a certain time 
range of the audio file, create a selection range in the wave 
window.
2. In the Audio Files workspace, select Process > Invert phase.
An inverted phase is indicated by an icon in the wave window. 
						

							Offline Processing
Reversing Audio
150
Reversing Audio
You can reverse an audio file or a part of an audio file as if playing a tape 
backwards.
PROCEDURE
1.Optional: If you only want to reverse a certain time range of the 
audio file, create a selection range in the wave window.
2. In the Audio Files workspace, select Process > Reverse.
DC Offset
A DC offset is when there is too large a DC (direct current) component 
in the signal. This most often appears due to mismatches between 
various types of recording equipment.
A DC offset is problematic for the following reasons:
• It affects where the zero crossing positions.
• Certain processing options do not give optimal results when 
performed on files with a DC offset.
Removing DC Offset
PROCEDURE
1.In the Audio Files workspace, open the audio file that you want to 
check for DC offset and fix.
2. Select Process > Remove DC offset.
A dialog appears, stating the amount of DC offset in the audio file. You 
can also create a selection range in the wave window and then select 
this option, to only show the DC offset in the selection range.
NOTE
This function should be applied to whole files, since the problem is 
normally present throughout the entire recording.
3. Click OK to remove the DC offset.