Steinberg SpectraLayers Pro - 6.0 User Manual
Contents
1 What's new 1
2 Introduction 2
2.1 System requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3 Getting Started 5
4 The Interface 9
4.1 The Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.1.1 The Tool Settings toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.1.2 The Tools toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.1.3 Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.2 Waveform Display and overview bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.3 Spectral Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4.4 Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4.4.1 The Display panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4.4.2 The History panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.4.3 The Channels panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.4.4 The Layers panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
4.5 Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
4.5.1 Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
4.5.2 Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
4.5.3 Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4.5.4 System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
4.5.5 Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
4.6 Saving and recalling layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
CONTENTS ii
5 Working with projects 32
5.1 Creating a new project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
5.2 Opening a project or an audio file . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
5.3 Importing an audio file as a layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
5.4 Recording to a layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
5.5 Adding a new layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
5.6 Grouping layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
5.7 Inserting time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
5.8 Deleting time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
5.9 Merging layers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
5.10 Resampling a project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
5.11 Reinterpreting a project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
5.12 Exporting your mix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
5.13 Editing with ARA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
5.14 Editing with Pro Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
5.15 Saving a project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
5.16 Saving and renaming a project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
6 Viewing and selecting spectral data 38
6.1 Measuring spectral data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
6.2 Positioning the cursor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
6.3 Selecting spectral data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
6.4 Adjusting a selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
7 Modifying spectral data 49
7.1 Erasing spectral data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
7.2 Cloning spectral data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
7.3 Drawing a frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
7.4 Drawing noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
CONTENTS iii
8 Processing spectral data 51
8.1 Generating silence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
8.2 Generating a tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
8.3 Generating noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
8.4 Adjusting the volume of a selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
8.5 Mixing channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
8.6 Reducing noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
8.7 Reducing reverb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
8.8 Spectral Imprinting : casting and molding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
9 Working with metadata 57
9.1 Editing information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
9.2 Editing markers and regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
10 Tips 59
10.1 Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
10.2 Integration with DAWs and Samplers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
10.3 Editing in an external editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
10.4 Command line options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
11 Changelog 67
Index 68
Chapter 1
What's new
New features in version 6.0
• ARA2 Integration
• Reworked interface and look
• New Advanced Selection System
• New Move tool
• New Master Mute and Solo in the Layers and Channels panels
• New Target Active Layer Color switch and new Standard and Compact layout mode in the Layers panel
• Frequency and Harmonics selection tool tracking improved
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on
the part of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. The software described by this document is subject to a License
Agreement and may not be copied to other media except as specifically allowed in the License Agreement. No part
of this publication may be copied, reproduced, or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior
written permission by Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. Registered licensees of the product described herein
may print one copy of this document for their personal use.
All product and company names are ™ or ® trademarks of their respective owners. For more information, please
visit www.steinberg.net/trademarks.
© Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, 2019.
All rights reserved.
Chapter 2
Introduction
Spectral...
In most audio applications, audio is displayed as a waveform that represents audio in the time domain (amplitude
vs. time):
This representation shows the global power of sound; however it doesn't show what's inside the sound.
Spectral data represents sound in the frequency domain. You can think of it like a musical score: the higher the
peaks, the higher the tones; the stronger the peaks, the stronger the tones. Everything can be analyzed with this
representation: music, voice, even noise.
Spectral analysis uses discrete FFT sampling: you have to choose between time and frequency accuracy. A FFT
Size of 2048 or 4096 is usually good for most situations (with a file sampled at 44,100 Hz or 48,000 Hz). Feel free
to change the size on the fly as the accuracy of your work highly depends on it.
You should also play with the multiplier and gamma settings to see the small peak details in the spectral view.
...Layers
The layer system allows you to refine your work extensively in a nondestructive way, thanks to the additive and
subtractive nature of layer mixing.
If you cut and paste data from one layer to a different layer, you add the layers nondestructively: the sum of the two
layers is identical to the source data, but you have full control over the mute/volume state of the data you extracted
to that new layer.
If you copy and paste data from one layer to a different layer, and then invert the phase of that new layer, you
subtract the layers nondestructively: the first layer still contain all the original data, and the new, inverted layer acts
to subtract the original data. When this negative layer is muted, you get your original data back. The volume of this
inverted layer controls how much you want to mask from the original data.
Processes and Tools
Processes work the same way they do in usual audio applications: you select an area, and the process is applied
to the whole area. For more information, see Processing spectral data
The difference with SpectraLayers is that you can select not only time but also frequency areas, so the process is
only applied to a certain range of frequencies.
The processes are also different by nature, because they are designed to use spectral data instead of raw audio
data, so the purpose and range is not the same as usual audio processes.
Tools work the same way they do in paint applications: they are local to the mouse position and allow you to work
on specific frequencies. For more information, see The Tools toolbar
• Navigation tools allows the user to navigate the spectrogram.
• Transform tools allows the user to shift layers in time or to rescale them.
• Measure tools give the user specific information about spectral data. For more information, see
Measuring spectral data
3
• Selection tools allow the user to select spectral data. For more information, see Selecting spectral data
• Modification tools allow the user to retouch spectral data. For more information, see Modifying spectral data
• Draw tools generate spectral data from scratch. For more information, see Drawing a frequency
See also System requirements
2.1 System requirements 4
2.1 System requirements
Windows
• Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.x or Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Dual-core processor (quad-core processor recommended)
• 4 GB RAM
• 4 GB of free hard disk space (for temporary files)
• OpenGL 3.3 compatible graphics card
• 1280x720 display resolution
• Windows-compatible audio hardware
macOS
• macOS 10.12 (Sierra), macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) or macOS 10.14 (Mojave)
• Dual-core processor (quad-core processor recommended)
• 4 GB RAM
• 4 GB of free hard disk space (for temporary files)
• OpenGL 3.3 compatible graphics card
• 1280x720 display resolution
• CoreAudio-compatible audio hardware
Chapter 3
Getting Started
Beneath its streamlined interface, SpectraLayers Pro provides you with powerful tools for spectral editing.
This topic will help you find your way around SpectraLayers Pro so you can unlock its full potential.
1. When you first start SpectraLayers, the tools are unavailable until you open a file or create a project.
2. We'll create a project by open an existing audio file.
Click the Open button (or choose File > Open) to create a project from an audio file. After you click
Open, you'll browse to the file that you want to be the first layer of your SpectraLayers project.
After you open the file, you'll see it displayed and highlighted in the Layers panel in the bottom-right corner of
the SpectraLayers workspace.
The tools are now available on the left side of the SpectraLayers workspace. For more information, see
The Tools toolbar
In the center of the screen is the spectral display. In the spectral display, the horizontal axis represents
time, and the vertical axis represents frequency. The spots you can see correspond to a mix of the various
frequencies and noise that compose your audio file. The higher the spots, the higher the pitch of sounds in
your audio file. For more information, see Spectral Display
You can play your audio file by clicking the Play button or pressing the space bar.
3. Before performing any edits, you need to select a layer.
Click the layer in the Layers panel to select it if it isn't already selected. A selected layer is highlighted in the
Layers panel.
4. Now let's modify the spectrogram.
After you select a layer, the tools in the Tools toolbar are available. The Retouch tools act directly on the layer
you selected.
Select the Eraser tool and click and drag in the bottom of the spectral display to erase data in the lower
frequencies of your audio file. For more information, see Erasing spectral data
Now play your audio file, and notice how the sound is different — you've done your first spectral editing.
6
5. The first step in most editing is selecting data in the spectrogram. Let's create some selections.
Let's take a closer look at some frequencies. If your file contains vocals or musical instruments, you'll see
horizontal lines that represent syllables or musical notes. Several of these lines on top of each other represent
harmonics, and they create the audio signature of each voice and instrument.
6. Zoom the spectral display to find the parts of a spectrogram that you want to edit.
Use the Zoom tool at the top of the tools bar on the left to change the magnification of the spectral
display.
You can navigate the spectral display using the Hand tool next to the Zoom tool. Drag with the Hand
tool to move the spectrogram within the spectral display.
When you zoom in horizontally or vertically, you may notice that the frequencies will appear blurry:
The FFT Size control in the Spectral Settings toolbar allows you to refine the spectral display. You can choose
a different resolution by dragging the slider or typing a value in the edit box.
After increasing the frequency resolution, you can see that the frequency lines are thinner.
Experiment with different FFT sizes to find the setting that allows you to see each line clearly.
7. Let's select frequencies so we can cut them and paste them to a new layer.
Click the Frequency Selection tool in the Tools toolbar. Move your mouse around the spectral display
and see how the tool snaps to the different frequencies in the spectral display: the frequency under the tool
is highlighted:
You can preview highlighted frequencies as you move the mouse in the spectral display by pressing the Tab
key on your keyboard.
7
With the Add to Selection button in the Tool Settings toolbar selected (or by holding the Shift key), click
a few frequencies on top of each others, and see how they are also highlighted. It means they have been
added to the selection. Notice the regular Play button (or space bar) now plays the current selection.
8. Let's cut the selected frequencies. Choose Edit > Cut or press the Ctrl+X (Windows) or Command_X (Mac).
Notice that the frequencies you selected in the previous step are removed from the spectral display.
Play your project again. If you extract enough data, you can completely remove voices, instruments, or any
sound from your audio.
Don't hesitate to create several layers and experiment with the different tools. You can even adjust the FFT
size setting in the middle of an extraction if needed!
9. Finally, let's paste the contents of the clipboard to a new layer:
a. Click the New Layer button (or choose Layer > New) to create a new layer.
b. Click the new layer in the Layers panel to select it.
c. Choose Edit > Paste or press Ctrl+V (on Windows) or Cmd+V (on Mac). Notice the spectral color of that
layer match its color setting in the Layers panel.
8
10. Click the Mute button on the new layer or drag its volume fader to the left to reduce its volume. Notice
the content fades away from the spectrogram as well. If you play your project, the frequencies you pasted to
the new layer will be removed or attenuated.
Chapter 4
The Interface
• The menu bar provides general project and options management, as well as specific editing and processing
actions.
• The transport toolbar provides access to transport commands. For more information, see The Toolbars
• The tools to the left of the spectral display provide access to spectral selection, modification, drawing, measurements, and navigation. For more information, see The Tools toolbar
• The waveform display and overview bar help you navigate your project. For more information, see
Waveform Display and overview bar
• The spectral display displays the spectrogram of the layers in your project. For more information, see
Spectral Display
• The panels on the right side of the spectral display show display settings, editing history, audio channels, and
your project's layers. For more information, see Panels
• See also Preferences and Saving and recalling layouts
4.1 The Toolbars 10
4.1 The Toolbars
SpectraLayers Pro includes several toolbars you can use.
Choose View > Toolbars, and then choose a toolbar to show or hide it.
4.1.1 The Tool Settings toolbar
Choose View > Toolbars > Tool Settings to show or hide the Tool Settings toolbar.
The Tool Settings toolbar displays controls for the active editing tool. For more information, see The Tools toolbar
4.1.2 The Tools toolbar
Choose View > Toolbars > Tools to show or hide the editing tools.
The editing tools on the left side of the spectral display provide access to spectral navigation, measures, selections,
modifications and drawings.
Move Tool
Button Item Description
Move Click to move, stretch and pitch the current layer or the current selection in the spectral display
by dragging it.
This tool can also auto-activate layers.
Selection Tools
4.1 The Toolbars 11
Button Item Description
Cursor Selection
The Cursor Selection tool offers two modes you can use to select spectral
data. Click the button to switch the Select tool, or click and hold to choose a
selection mode.
• Time Selection : Click and drag to create a selection that includes
the full frequency range within a time selection.
• Frequency Selection : Click and drag to create a selection that
includes the full time range within a frequency selection.
Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
• Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing
selections.
• Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even
when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest
way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
• Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.
• Intersect with Selection : in this mode, areas you click are intersected with the current selection.
• Fade: sets the fade (either in time or frequency depending on the tool)
of the selection edge.
Hold Shift as a shortcut for Add to Selection, Alt as a shortcut to Remove from Selection, and Shift+Alt as a shortcut for Intersect
4.1 The Toolbars 12
Button Item Description
Marquee Selection
The Marquee Selection tool offers four modes you can use to select spectral
data. Click the button to switch to the Select tool, or click and hold to choose
a selection mode.
• Rectangular Selection : Click and drag to create a rectangular
selection. All data in the rectangle is selected.
• Elliptical Selection : Click and drag to create an elliptical selection. All data in the ellipse is selected.
Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
• Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing
selections.
• Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even
when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest
way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
• Remove from Selection
moved from the current selection.
• Intersect with Selection : in this mode, areas you click are intersected with the current selection.
: in this mode, areas you click are re-
• Fade: sets the fade (either in time or frequency) of the selection edge.
Hold Shift as a shortcut for Add to Selection, Alt as a shortcut to Remove from Selection, and Shift+Alt as a shortcut for Intersect
4.1 The Toolbars 13
Button Item Description
Lasso Selection
The Lasso Selection tool allows you to draw shapes in the spectral display.
When you close a shape, all data inside the same is selected. Click the button
to switch to the Lasso tool, or click and hold to choose a selection mode.
• Lasso Selection : Click and drag to draw a free-form lasso around
the data you want to select.
• Polygonal Lasso Selection : Click and drag to draw a straightline-segment lasso around the data you want to select. Double-click to
close the selection path.
When using the Polygonal Lasso Selection tool, the Options >
Frequency Scale setting determines the shape of the polygon
segments: Linear creates straight-line segments, and Mel, Bark,
ERB, and MIDI-Logarithmic create curved segments that match
the scale.
Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
• Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing
selections.
• Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even
when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest
way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
• Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.
• Intersect with Selection : in this mode, areas you click are intersected with the current selection.
• Fade: sets the fade (either in time or frequency) of the selection edge.
Hold Shift as a shortcut for Add to Selection, Alt as a shortcut to Remove from Selection, and Shift+Alt as a shortcut for Intersect
4.1 The Toolbars 14
Button Item Description
Selection Brush
The Selection Brush tool allows you to paint a selection in the spectral display.
Click and drag to paint.
Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
• Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing
selections.
• Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even
when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest
way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
• Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.
• Intersect with Selection : in this mode, areas you click are intersected with the current selection.
• Size: sets the size of the brush (in pixels).
• Aspect Ratio: sets the aspect ratio of the brush.
• Hardness: sets the hardness of the selection edge. 0% creates a
soft, feathered edge that helps you create blended sounds, and 100%
creates a precise selection with sharp edges — perfect for creating
precise selections of narrow frequency bands.
• Pen Pressure : select the Pen Pressure button to use pen pressure to multiply the Hardness value when drawing frequencies on a
tablet.
Hold Shift as a shortcut for Add to Selection, Alt as a shortcut to Remove from Selection, and Shift+Alt as a shortcut for Intersect
4.1 The Toolbars 15
Button Item Description
Magic Wand
The Magic Wand Selection tool allows you to paint a selection in the spectral
display by intelligently selecting shapes. Click and drag to paint.
Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
• Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing
selections.
• Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even
when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest
way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
• Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.
• Intersect with Selection : in this mode, areas you click are intersected with the current selection.
• Tolerance: sets the amplitude threshold (in dB) that is used to select
frequencies. A higher threshold allows more content to be selected; a
lower threshold creates a more focused selection.
• Maximum Width: sets the maximum width (in seconds) of the selection.
Hold Shift as a shortcut for Add to Selection, Alt as a shortcut to Remove from Selection, and Shift+Alt as a shortcut for Intersect
Frequency Selection
Allows you to select a frequency band in the spectral display. Click and drag
to create a selection.
Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
• Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing
selections.
• Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even
when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest
way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
• Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.
• Intersect with Selection : in this mode, areas you click are intersected with the current selection.
• Thickness: sets the number of bins (spectral samples) around the
peak frequency that will be selected. Low settings work well for selecting clearly defined frequency bands such as hum. Higher settings
expand the selection, incorporating more deviations from the baseline
frequency.
• Tracking Limit: sets the maximum width (in seconds) of the selection.
4.1 The Toolbars 16
Button Item Description
Harmonics Selection
Allows you to select harmonics (a full set of frequencies, with frequency tracking) in the spectral display.
Click and drag over the fundamental tone to establish a selection that isolates
the target and spans its entire harmonic spectrum.
Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
• Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing
selections.
• Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even
when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest
way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
• Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.
• Intersect with Selection : in this mode, areas you click are intersected with the current selection.
• Thickness: sets the number of bins (spectral samples) around the
peak frequency that will be selected. Low settings work well for selecting clearly defined frequency bands such as hum. Higher settings
expand the selection, incorporating more deviations from the baseline
frequency.
• Tracking Limit: sets the maximum width (in seconds) of the selection.
• Master Rank: set this control to the order of the harmonic that you will
hover over when making selections. The tool will seek up to the number
of harmonic overtones shown in the Count value. Set the Master Rank
to a higher number if you need to highlight a higher harmonic during the
selection process. For example, imagine you’re attempting to isolate a
sound in which the fundamental and first three higher harmonics are
obscured by other sounds in the program, but you have a clear view
of the fourth harmonic. Set the Master Rank control to 4 and hover
over the fourth harmonic. The Harmonic Selection Tool will seek down
while simultaneously seeking upward to the limit defined by the Count
setting.
• Count: sets the number of harmonics to be targeted for selection.
• Lock to clicked frequency: locks the tool to the frequency you click
for fast selection when dragging.
4.1 The Toolbars 17
Button Item Description
Transient Selection
The Transient Selection tool allows you to select transients (mainly clicks,
certain consonants, note attacks and drum sounds). Click and drag to select.
Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
• Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing
selections.
• Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even
when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest
way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
• Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.
• Intersect with Selection : in this mode, areas you click are intersected with the current selection.
• Tolerance: sets the amplitude threshold (in dB) that is used to select
frequencies. A higher threshold allows more content to be selected; a
lower threshold creates a more focused selection.
• Maximum Height: sets the maximum height (in Hz) of the selection.
Hold Shift as a shortcut for Add to Selection, Alt as a shortcut to Remove from Selection, and Shift+Alt as a shortcut for Intersect
Modification Tools
Button Item Description
Eraser
Allows you to erase an area in the selected layer.
Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
• Size: sets the size of the brush (in pixels).
• Aspect Ratio: sets the aspect ratio of the brush.
• Opacity: sets the strength of the eraser. 100% completely erases the
spectral data under the eraser, and lower settings allow you to erase gradually.
• Pen Pressure : select the Pen Pressure button to use pen pressure
to multiply the Opacity value when using a tablet.
4.1 The Toolbars 18
Button Item Description
Amplifier
Clone Stamp
Allows you to brighten the spectral data in the selected layer.
Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
• Size: sets the size of the brush (in pixels).
• Aspect Ratio: sets the aspect ratio of the brush.
• Hardness: sets the hardness of the tool's edge. 0% creates a soft, feathered edge, and 100% creates a sharp edge.
• Gain: sets the intensity of the amplifier effect.
• Pen Pressure : select the Pen Pressure button to use pen pressure
to multiply the Opacity value when using a tablet.
Allows you to clone an area from and to the current layer. You have to pick a
source location first.
Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
• Pick Source: click Pick Source and click an area of the spectrogram to
choose the part of the spectrogram you want to clone.
• Size: sets the size of the brush (in pixels).
• Aspect Ratio: sets the aspect ratio of the brush.
Repair Frequency
Drawing Tools
• Hardness: sets the hardness of the tool's edge. 0% creates a soft, feathered edge, and 100% creates a sharp edge.
• Exposure: sets the intensity of the dodge effect.
• Pen Pressure : select the Pen Pressure button to use pen pressure
to multiply the Opacity value when using a tablet.
• Use tablet pressure: when activated, pen pressure will multiply the
strength value.
• Aligned: select this check box if you want the source to move when you
move the cursor. When the check box is cleared, the tool will begin from
the original source each time you click.
• Sample All Layers: select this check box if you want to sample from
all layers when using Pick Source. When the check box is cleared, you
sample from the selected layer.
Allows you to repair a frequency in the selected layer.
Drag the mouse cursor from one damaged end to another damaged end of a
frequency, and the tool will reconstruct the missing part.
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