Steinberg Wavelab Pro - 9.5 Operation Manual

Operation Manual

Cristina Bachmann, Heiko Bischoff, Christina Kaboth, Insa Mingers, Matthias Obrecht, Sabine Pfeifer, Benjamin Schütte, Marita Sladek

This PDF provides improved access for vision-impaired users. Please note that due to the complexity and number of images in this document, it is not possible to include text descriptions of images.

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.

WaveLab Pro_9.5.20_en-US_2018-02-21

6 WaveLab Pro Introduction

6 Platform-Independent Documentation 6 Help System 6 Conventions 7 Key Commands 8 How You Can Reach Us

9 Setting Up Your System

9 Connecting the Equipment 9 Audio Cards and Background Playback 9 Latency 10 Defining Audio Connections 13 CD/DVD Recorders 13 Remote Devices

22 WaveLab Pro Concepts

22 General Editing Rules 22 Startup Dialog 23 Basic Window Handling 24 Selecting Audio 31 Sliders 31 Renaming Items in Tables 31 File Browser 33 Tab Groups 35 Peak Files 36 Companion Files 36 Processing Precision 37 EBU Loudness Standard R-128

39 Workspace Window

39 Audio Editor 40 Audio Montage 40 Batch Processor 40 Podcast Editor 40 Basic Audio CD 40 DVD-Audio 41 Script Editor 41 Control Window 42 File Tab 43 Info Tab 45 Tool Windows 45 Meter Windows 45 Slide-Out Windows 46 Docking and Undocking Tool Windows and

Meter Windows

48 Command Bar 49 Status Bar 50 Context Menus 51 Time Ruler and Level Ruler 55 Managing Tabs 57 Activating Full Screen Mode 57 Log Window

59 Project Handling

59 Opening Files 60 WaveLab Projects 63 File Groups 65 Value Editing 65 Drag Operations 66 Undoing and Redoing Actions 68 Zooming 73 Presets

75 File Operations

75 Recently Used Files 76 Favorite Files 77 Save and Save As 79 Templates 84 File Renaming 84 Naming Schemes 86 Deleting Files 86 Temporary Files 86 Work Folders vs. Document Folders 89 Exporting to SoundCloud 89 Copying Audio Information to the Clipboard 89 Setting the Focus on the Current File

90 Playback

90 Transport Bar 101 Starting Playback From the Ruler 101 Using the Play Tool 101 Playback Scrubbing 102 Timecode Window 103 Jog/Shuttle Function 104 Scroll During Playback 105 Playback in the Audio Montage Window 106 Speaker Configuration

108 Audio File Editing

108 Wave Window 116 Audio Editor Tabs 124 File Handling in the Audio Editor 145 Changing the Audio Properties 146 Metadata 151 Snapshots 152 Silence Generator Dialog 154 Bleep Censor 155 Waveform Restoration with the Pen Tool

156 Audio Analysis

156 Analyze Tab 157 Global Analysis 165 Audio File Comparator 167 3D Frequency Analysis

169 Error Correction

169 Correction Tab

Table of Contents 

172 Correcting Errors

173 Offline Processing

173 Process Tab 175 Applying Processing 175 Gain Dialog 176 Level Normalizer Dialog 177 Loudness Normalizer 179 Pan Normalizer Dialog 179 Envelope Dialog 181 Fades in Audio Files 182 Crossfades 183 Phase Inverting 183 Reversing Audio 183 DC Offset 184 Time Stretching 186 Pitch Shift 188 Pitch Quantizing Dialog 189 Pitch Bend 190 Resample 191 Effect Morphing

194 Audio Montage

194 Montage Window 197 Audio Montage Tabs 214 Signal Path in the Audio Montage 214 Creating New Audio Montages 216 Audio Montage Duplicates 219 Creating an Audio Montage from an Audio File 220 Import Options for Audio Montages 221 Missing Files Dialog 221 Assembling the Audio Montage 232 Rearranging Clips 238 Clip Editing 255 Audio Montages within Audio Montages 260 Managing Source Files of Clips 264 Track Activity Indicator 264 Envelopes for Clips 272 Fades and Crossfades in Audio Montages 280 Clip Time Stretching 281 Clip Pitch Shifting 281 Effects for Tracks, Clips, and the Montage

Output

296 CD Markers 296 CD Window 303 Snapshots 304 Mixing Down – The Render Function 305 Loudness Meta Normalizer 307 Navigator Window 308 Notes Window 308 Groups 310 Audio Montage Backups 311 Multichannel Operations in the Audio Montage 321 XML Export and Import of Audio Montages 321 AES-31 Files Export and Import

324 Recording

324 Setting Up the Recording Dialog 325 Dropping Markers During Recording 325 Recording Dialog 331 Recording in the Audio Montage Window

332 Master Section

332 Bypassing the Master Section 332 Master Section Window 350 Rendering

358 Recording from an ASIO Input 359 Smart Bypass 361 Saving Master Section Presets 365 Monitoring Background Tasks 366 Dropouts

367 Markers

367 Marker Types 368 Markers Window 372 About Creating Markers 375 Deleting Markers 376 Moving Markers 376 Moving Multiple Markers 378 Navigating to Markers 378 Hiding Markers of a Specific Type 378 Converting Marker Types 379 Renaming Markers 380 Selecting Markers 380 Selecting the Audio Between Markers 381 Binding Markers to Clips in the Audio Montage 381 Exporting the Markers List as Text 382 How Marker Information is Saved

383 Metering

383 Meter Windows 383 Real Time vs. Non-Real Time 383 Metering Monitor Modes 384 Meter Settings 384 Multichannel Metering 384 Resetting the Meters 385 Using Presets in the Meter Windows 385 Level Meter 388 Loudness Meter 390 Phasescope 391 Spectroscope 392 Spectrometer 394 Live Spectrogram 396 Bit Meter 397 Oscilloscope 398 Wavescope

399 Basic Audio CD

399 Basic Audio CD Window 402 CD Markers 402 Preparing a Basic Audio CD 404 Opening CD Tracks for Editing 404 Playing Back Files in the Track List 405 Saving Basic Audio CD Tracks as Separate Files 405 Saving Basic Audio CD Tracks as One File

406 DVD-Audio

406 Structure of a DVD-Audio Project 406 DVD-Audio Formats 407 DVD-Audio Format Considerations 407 DVD-Audio Window 409 Preparing a DVD-Audio 410 Opening Audio Montages for Editing 411 Checking the DVD-Audio Conformity

412 Writing Operations

412 Write Audio CD or DDP Dialog 414 Erase Optical Media Dialog 414 About Writing Audio Files 417 About Writing Audio Montages 429 Write DVD-Audio Function 433 Data CD/DVD Projects

Table of Contents 

436 Audio CD Formats

440 Spectral Editing

440 Spectrogram 441 Wavelet Display 442 Spectrogram Options Dialog 443 Spectrum Tab 449 Spectrum Processing 453 Audio Inpainting 454 Spectrum Watermark 456 Master Section Processing

458 Auto Split

458 Auto Split in Audio Files 461 Auto Split in Audio Montages

464 Loops

464 Basic Looping 465 About Refining Loops 472 Looping Audio Which Is Not Very Well Suited

for Looping

474 Sample Attributes

476 Generating Signals

476 Signal Generator 480 DTMF Generator

482 Importing Audio CD Tracks

482 Import Audio CD Dialog 485 Importing Audio CD Tracks 486 Searching Track Names on the Internet 486 Submitting Track Names to the Internet 487 Ultra-Safe Mode 487 Converting Audio CD Tracks to an Audio

Montage

487 Converting Audio CD Tracks to a Basic Audio

488 WaveLab Exchange

488 WaveLab Pro as External Editor for

Cubase/Nuendo

489 Cubase/Nuendo as External Editor for WaveLab

Pro

490 Batch Processing

491 Batch Processor Window 498 Offline Processors 499 Working with the Batch Processor 506 Watch Folders 519 XML Files in Batch Processing

525 Batch Conversion

525 Batch Conversion Dialog 526 Batch Converting Files

527 Batch Renaming

527 Batch Renaming Dialogs 527 Batch Renaming Files 529 Batch Renaming Markers 530 Batch Renaming Clips 532 Renaming Operation Categories and Types 535 List of Renaming Operations 536 Preview Section 536 Range Parameters 538 Previewing and Performing All Renaming

Operations

538 Regular Expressions

542 Podcasts

542 Podcast Editor 546 Global Podcast Options 546 Creating a Podcast 547 Setting Up a FTP for Podcast Publishing 547 Publishing Podcasts 547 FTP Settings Dialog 548 Checking the Podcast

549 Customizing

549 Workspace Layout 550 Customizing the Wave Window and the

Montage Window

552 Customizing Shortcuts 557 Customizing Command Bars 557 Plug-in Organization 564 Variables and Text Snippets 567 Scripting 569 Touch Bar (macOS only)

570 Configuring WaveLab Pro

570 Global Preferences 576 Audio Files Preferences 581 Audio Montages Preferences 586 Synchronizing WaveLab Pro Settings on Several

Computers

587 Multi-User Settings 587 External Tools

591 Index

WaveLab Pro Introduction

Platform-Independent Documentation

The documentation applies to the operating systems Windows and macOS.

Features and settings that are specific to one of these platforms are clearly indicated. In all other cases, the descriptions and procedures in the documentation are valid for Windows and macOS.

Some points to consider:

●

The screenshots are taken from Windows.

●

Some functions that are available on the File menu on Windows can be found in the program name menu on macOS.

Help System

There are several ways of accessing the help system. The documentation is available online and most of it can be downloaded in PDF format from steinberg.help.

●

To open the “What’s This” help, you have the following possibilities:

●

To visit steinberg.help, enter steinberg.help in the address bar of your web browser or open WaveLab Pro and select Help> steinberg.help.

To show tooltips, move the mouse over an interface icon.

To open the help for an active dialog on steinberg.help, click the question mark icon on the title bar (Windows) or in the dialog (macOS) to show the Help button, and then click the Help button, or press F1 (Windows) or Cmd-? (macOS).

To use the menu help, move the mouse over a menu item.

To see information on what kind of editing can be performed when using the mouse and modifier keys in the Audio Montage window, move the mouse over the montage window. The help text is displayed on the info line at the bottom of the window.

In any window, press Shift-F1 and move the mouse over an interface item, or select Help> What’s This?.

In a dialog, select the question mark icon on any title bar (Windows) or in the dialog (macOS), and move the mouse over an interface item or a menu option.

Some “What’s this” tooltips include a link to a dedicated help topic.

RELATED LINKS

Info Line on page 234

Conventions

In our documentation, we use typographical and markup elements to structure information.

WaveLab Pro Introduction Key Commands

Typographical Elements

The following typographical elements mark the following purposes.

PREREQUISITE

Requires you to complete an action or to fulfill a condition before starting a procedure.

PROCEDURE

Lists the steps that you must take to achieve a specific result.

IMPORTANT

Informs you about issues that might affect the system, the connected hardware, or that might bring a risk of data loss.

NOTE

Informs you about issues that you should consider.

EXAMPLE

Provides you with an example.

RESULT

Shows the result of the procedure.

AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK

Informs you about actions or tasks that you can perform after completing the procedure.

RELATED LINKS

Lists related topics that you can find in this documentation.

Markup

Bold text indicates the name of a menu, option, function, dialog, window, etc.

EXAMPLE

To open the Metadata dialog, open the Metadata window and click Edit.

If bold text is separated by a greater-than symbol, this indicates a sequence of different menus to open.

EXAMPLE

Select File> Open.

Key Commands

Many of the default key commands, also known as keyboard shortcuts, use modifier keys, some of which are different depending on the operating system.

When key commands with modifier keys are described in this manual, they are shown with the Windows modifier key first followed by the macOS and the key:

●

Windows modifier key/macOS modifier key-Z

EXAMPLE

Ctrl/Cmd-Z means: press Ctrl on Windows or Cmd on macOS, then press Z.

WaveLab Pro Introduction How You Can Reach Us

How You Can Reach Us

On the Help menu in WaveLab Pro, you find items linking to additional information.

The menu contains links to various Steinberg web pages. Selecting a menu item automatically launches your browser and opens the page. On these pages, you can find support and compatibility information, answers to frequently asked questions, information about updates and other Steinberg products, etc. This requires that you have a web browser installed on your computer, and a working Internet connection.

Setting Up Your System

Before you start working, you need to make some settings.

IMPORTANT

Make sure that all equipment is turned off before making any connections.

Connecting the Equipment

Your system setup depends on many different factors, for example, the kind of project that you want to create, the external equipment that you want to use, or the computer hardware available to you.

Audio Cards and Background Playback

Latency

When you activate playback or recording in WaveLab Pro, other applications cannot access the audio card. Likewise, if another application uses the audio card, WaveLab Pro is unable to play back. The Windows MME driver is an exception from this.

You can run WaveLab Pro together with other applications and always give the active application access to the audio card.

PROCEDURE

1. Select File> Preferences> Audio Connections.

2. Select the Options tab.

3. Activate Release Driver.

4. Do one of the following:

●

If you want to release the driver when WaveLab Pro is in the background, activate When WaveLab Pro is in Background.

●

If you want to release the driver only when Cubase is in the foreground, activate When Cubase is in Foreground.

Latency is the delay between when audio is sent from the program and when you actually hear it. While a very low latency can be crucial in a real-time DAW application such as Steinberg Nuendo or Cubase, this is not strictly the case with WaveLab Pro.

When working with WaveLab Pro, the important issues are optimum and stable playback and editing precision.

The latency in an audio system depends on the audio hardware, its drivers, and settings. In case of dropouts, crackles, or glitches during playback, raise the Buffer Number setting on the

Setting Up Your System Defining Audio Connections

Options tab in the Audio Connections, or increase the buffer size in the ASIO control panel, specific to the audio card.

RELATED LINKS

Audio Connections Tab on page 11

Defining Audio Connections

To be able to play back and record audio in WaveLab Pro, you must specify how the internal input and output channels in WaveLab Pro are connected to your sound card and which device you intend to use for audio playback and recording.

You can define the buffer settings for your device as well as set up connections to external gear, such as external effects units. You should select at least two channels for stereo playback and recording.

If you have no third-party audio card, you can select the Windows MME driver or Built-in Audio (Mac) options. You can also use MME with most third party audio cards, with the advantage that you can record and play at different sample rates. However, Windows MME drivers do not allow audio monitoring in the Recording dialog or multichannel operation, and other drivers generally offer better sound quality and performance.

RELATED LINKS

Audio Connections Tab on page 11

Selecting an ASIO Driver

Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) is a computer device driver protocol for digital audio specified by Steinberg. It provides a low-latency and high fidelity interface between a software application and the soundcard of a computer.

PROCEDURE

1. Select File> Preferences> Audio Connections.

2. Open the Audio Device pop-up menu and select your ASIO driver.

The ASIO Plug-ins tab and the Control Panel button are activated.

3. Optional: Click Control Panel and make your settings.

4. On the ASIO Plug-ins tab, select the audio ports that are used for recording and monitor

input of the ASIO plug-ins.

Selecting a Windows MME Driver

PROCEDURE

1. Select File> Options> Audio Connections.

2. Open the Audio Device pop-up menu and select Windows MME.

3. On the Playback tab, select the audio ports that are used for playback.

4. On the Recording tab, select the audio ports that used for recording and monitor input.

Setting Up Your System Defining Audio Connections

Audio Connections Tab

This tab allows you to specify how the internal input and output channels in WaveLab Pro are connected to your sound card and which device you want to use for audio playback and recording.

● To open the Audio Connections tab, select File> Preferences> Audio Connections.

Global Settings

Audio Device

Allows you to select the audio device that you want to use for playback and recording audio. If you do not have a third-party audio card, you can select the Windows MME driver or Built-in Audio (Mac) options.

Control Panel

When you select an ASIO driver, the Control Panel button is activated. Click the button to open the settings application of your sound card, which is usually installed with the sound card. Depending on your sound card and driver, this provides settings for buffer size, digital formats, additional I/O connections, etc.

Refresh

This button causes audio devices to be evaluated again to reflect device changes.

Playback Tab

This tab allows you to select and name audio ports that are used for playback. If you are monitoring on a surround system, specify your surround speaker outputs here.

You can also specify the Preferred Sample Rate for playback. Furthermore, you can rename the channels and set up the Speaker Configuration to be able to switch between different speakers.

Setting Up Your System Defining Audio Connections

Recording Tab

This tab allows you to select and name your audio ports that are used for recording and input monitoring. The inputs that you define here are then available in the Recording dialog. Furthermore, you can rename the channels and select the Speaker Configuration.

External Gear Tab

This tab allows you to select inputs from and outputs to external audio processing equipment. The name of this tab corresponds to the installed driver, for example, ASIO Plug-ins.

Options Tab

This tab allows you to specify the number of buffers and the control driver functionality.

Buffer Number

Increasing this value improves the elasticity of audio streaming to avoid dropouts.

MME Specific – Buffer Size

Increasing this value improves the elasticity of audio streaming to avoid dropouts. This is only available when an MME driver is selected.

Initialize Streaming Engine at First Use

Initializes the audio streaming engine when playback or recording are used for the first time. If this option is deactivated, the audio streaming engine is initialized at program startup.

Reset Driver When Changing Sample Rate

Resets the driver when sample rate is changed. When playback or recording must be set to a new sample rate, some audio device drivers must be fully reset to work properly. This operation takes some time.

Setting Up Your System CD/DVD Recorders

Perform Short Fade In/Out When Starting/Stopping Playback

Performs a short fade in when starting playback and a short fade out when stopping playback. This avoids clicks that are caused by waveforms that are not starting on a zero-crossing point.

Release Driver

Allows you to run WaveLab Pro together with other applications and always give the active application access to the audio card.

● If When WaveLab Pro is in Background is activated, the driver is released when WaveLab Pro is in the background.

● If When Cubase/Nuendo is in Foreground is activated, the driver is released when Cubase/Nuendo is in the foreground.

CD/DVD Recorders

For general instructions on installing internal or connecting external recorders via USB or Firewire, refer to the instruction manual for your computer or your recorder.

Make sure to have the latest firmware version installed on your recorder unit. For CD recorders, the existing firmware must support disc-at-once mode. In addition, running a unit with older firmware can prevent you from writing sub-index markers into the tracks, for example.

Remote Devices

You can use remote devices to remote-control WaveLab Pro.

Several commands can be controlled with knobs and sliders of your remote control device. For all commands that can be assigned to a keyboard shortcut, a MIDI trigger can also be assigned.

Remote Devices Tab

This tab allows you to select a device to remote-control WaveLab Pro, and see and edit the control map of MIDI control devices.

● To open the Remote Devices tab, select File> Preferences> Remote Devices.

Setting Up Your System Remote Devices

Device Editing Tab

This tab lets you select a MIDI control device, see the control map, assign WaveLab Pro commands to MIDI controls, and import/export control assignments.

Device Menu

Select the MIDI device to edit. Select MIDI Shortcuts for Menus to define the MIDI input port that is used for MIDI shortcuts. The shortcuts can then be assigned on the Shortcuts tab.

Select MIDI Control Device #1 – #10 to select a slot for a connected MIDI control device. You can then assign a device by selecting a MIDI input port and output port.

Active

Activates the selected device and scans the MIDI ports.

In-Port/Out-Port

Select the MIDI input/output ports of the device that you want to use.

Edit Map

Activates the edit mode of the MIDI control map for the selected device. To leave the edit mode, click again.

Save

Saves the modifications that have been made to the MIDI control map.

Undo

Undoes the modifications that have been made to the MIDI control map.

Reset

If the map has a factory preset, clicking Reset resets all changes that have been made to the map. If the map has no factory preset, the map is cleared.

Setting Up Your System Remote Devices

Import

Export

Name

Only Display Assignments

Expand/Collapse

WaveLab Pro Action List

Opens the file browser where you can select a map definition file (XML file). This kind of file can be supplied by a MIDI device manufacturer or another WaveLab Pro user, for example.

Lets you export a map definition file (XML file). This file can be sent to another WaveLab Pro user, for example.

Lets you enter a map name.

If this option is activated, the control map only displays the parameters that are associated with a remote control.

Expands/collapses the folder tree of the control map.

This folder tree lists the parameters that you can remote-control. The top folder represent contexts. The related parameters can only be controlled if the context is active. For example, if an audio file is active.

A remote control can be used in several contexts if these are exclusive. For example, parameters that can be used for an active audio file or an active audio montage.

The Global folder contain the parameters that can always be controlled.

Control Editor – Save

If a control has been created or modified, click this button to save it.

Control Editor – Undo

If a control has been modified, click this button to undo the changes.

Control Editor – Clear

Erases the selected control’s definition.

Control Name

Lets you enter a name for the control. Each control must have a name.

Type

In the Type section, you can edit the type of the selected control.

When more than one type of control can be assigned to a parameter, you can select a type from the first pop-up menu. You can choose between relative and absolute editing for some parameters. For example, a Master Section slider can be associated to a remote motorized fader (absolute editing), or to an infinite knob (relative editing).

Several protocols are supported to interpret the MIDI messages. You can select the protocol that you want to use from the second menu. The MIDI Learn function can automatically change this protocol, according to the received MIDI messages.

Remote controls send messages but can also receive messages from WaveLab Pro, to light up a button or move a motorized fader, for example. You can select the mode to use from the third menu.

Message

Activates the MIDI Learn function. If this option is activated, you can use the control (knob, fader, etc.) on your MIDI controller. When MIDI messages are received, they are analyzed after the MIDI activity stops for several milliseconds. The result is

Setting Up Your System Remote Devices

Clear

Conditions

Options Tab

This tab lets you use the MIDI Learn function to assign a control of a MIDI remote control device to a function.

Emulate Mouse Wheel

Edit Focused Numeric Field

displayed in the Message field. The result is then used by WaveLab Pro as the control identifier.

Erases the MIDI event that identifies the control.

A modifier is a WaveLab Pro parameter that can be activated by a MIDI control (for example, a foot switch) or a computer key (Ctrl/Cmd, Shift, etc.). By associating a remote control with one or two modifiers, you can use a single remote control to edit different parameters.

If this option is activated, the AI knob of Steinberg controllers acts as a mouse wheel in the WaveLab Pro user interface, except for plug-ins.

If this option is activated, the AI knob Steinberg controllers can be used to edit the focused numeric field that you find in many WaveLab Pro windows and dialogs.

Selecting a MIDI Remote Control Device

PREREQUISITE

The MIDI remote control device is connected to your PC/Mac.

PROCEDURE

1. Select File> Preferences> Remote Devices.

2. On the Device Editing tab, select one of the MIDI control device slots or the MIDI Shortcuts for Menus option from the pop-up menu at the top.

3. Select Active to activate the selected device.

4. From the In-Port and Out-Port pop-up menus, select a MIDI input port and output port.

Assigning a MIDI Controller to a Parameter

If you are using a Steinberg remote control device, for example, the CC121, the controls are already assigned to parameters. You can customize these default settings.

PREREQUISITE

You have set up your MIDI remote control device.

PROCEDURE

1. Select File> Preferences> Remote Devices.

2. From the pop-up menu at the top of the dialog, select your MIDI control device.

3. On the Device Editing tab, click the Edit Map button.

4. In the tree structure, click the parameter that you want to remote-control.

5. In the Control Editor section, enter a name in the Control Name field.

6. Select the type of control.

Setting Up Your System Remote Devices

Depending on the type of control on the MIDI remote control device, you must select a control with relative values (knob), trigger values (button), or absolute values (fader).

7. Click in the Message field, and on your MIDI remote control device, move the control that you want to assign.

The name of the controller is displayed in the Message field.

8. Click Save to the right of the This Control is Modified message.

9. Click Save to the right of the Edit Map button.

RESULT

The MIDI controller is now assigned to the function.

Assigning Custom Parameters to Plug-ins

You can assign custom parameters to many VST 3 plug-ins.

PREREQUISITE

In the Remote Devices tab, assign the controls of your MIDI controller to the plug-in custom parameters. If you are using the Steinberg CC121 controller, the parameters are assigned by default.

PROCEDURE

1. From the Master Section or the Effects window, open the plug-in that you want to control with the MIDI remote control device.

2. Ctrl/Cmd-click the circle icon at the top of the plug-in window to enter the Edit mode.

3. Click OK.

The icon indicates that you are in MIDI learn mode.

4. Move the mouse over a plug-in parameter, and move the MIDI control that you want to assign.

Repeat this for all the parameters and controls that you want to assign.

5. When finished, click the tool icon to exit Edit mode, and click OK.

RESULT

The assignment is saved. You can now control the assigned parameters with your MIDI remote control device. A plug-in can be controlled via the custom parameter if the Remote Control Mode is activated and only one plug-in can be activated at a time.

When a plug-in is activated for remote control, it also has precedence over other application settings that are controlled by the same parameter.

To remove all remote control assignments on the plug-in, hold Ctrl/Cmd and Shift, and click the Remote Control Mode button.

RELATED LINKS

CC121 Advanced Integration Controller on page 18

Setting Up Your System Remote Devices

Importing and Exporting Remote Control Definition Files

Map definition files are XML files, containing control assignments for your remote devices. You can exchange them with other users or save a backup copy.

In the Remote Devices tab, select the Device Editing tab.

●

To import a map definition file, click Import, browse to the location of the map definition file, and select the file.

●

To export a map definition file, click Export, and browse to the location where you want to save the file.

Editing Changes in the Remote Control Devices Settings

Changes that have been made to the map, for example, changing the name of a control, can be saved, reset, undone, and removed in the Control Editor section of the Remote Devices tab.

●

To save any changes that you have made, click Save.

●

To restore the factory preset of a MIDI remote control device, click Reset. If the control device does not have factory presets, the map is cleared.

●

To undo your last action, click Undo.

●

To remove the control definition of the selected control or to unassign the selected control, click Clear.

Using Modifiers for Remote Controlling Parameters

You can use the same controller for controlling different parameters, using one or two modifiers. A modifier can be a MIDI control (for example, a foot switch) or a modifier key on your computer keyboard (for example, Shift and/or Ctrl/Cmd).

To determine one or two modifiers, open the Remote Devices tab, and when editing a parameter, select the modifiers from the Conditions section.

You can use the Shift and Alt modifiers to alter the edit steps of infinite knob controls as follows:

●

Press Shift to edit values in small steps.

●

Press Alt to edit values in bigger steps.

CC121 Advanced Integration Controller

You can use Steinberg’s CC121 Advanced Integration Controller to control WaveLab Pro.

This section describes the WaveLab Pro factory preset for the CC121. For detailed information on how to use the controller, refer to the manual that came with the CC121. Note that the CC121 was originally designed for Cubase. The following mapping combines the WaveLab Pro functionality with the CC121 controls. The controls that are not listed in the following paragraph are not assigned to a parameter.

Channel Section

You can use all controls of the CC121 channel section, except the fader, to control the elements of the selected track in a WaveLab Pro audio montage. You can use the fader for the Master

Section.

Fader

Controls the Master Section fader.

PAN knob

Controls the gain of the selected track.

Setting Up Your System Remote Devices

Mute

Solo

CHANNEL SELECT

EQ Section

With the EQ section you can easily control the Steinberg Studio EQ plug-in.

If the EQ TYPE button is activated on the CC121, you can adjust the parameters of the focused Studio-EQ. All necessary EQ parameters, such as Q/F/G of each band, EQ TYPE selection, and ALL BYPASS on/off can be set. You can switch to WaveLab Pro navigation mode by turning off the EQ TYPE button. In WaveLab Pro navigation mode, you get access to alternative functions, such as scrolling, zooming, and switching between windows.

Mutes/Unmutes the selected track.

Activates/Deactivates solo for the selected track.

Selects the previous/next track in the audio montage.

To move the cursor to the previous/next clip edge in the audio montage, hold Alt. To move the cursor to the previous/next region edge, hold Shift. To move the cursor to the previous/next marker in the Audio Editor, hold Ctrl/Cmd.

EQ TYPE activated:

Bandwidth knobs (Q)

Adjusts the Q (bandwidth) of each EQ band.

Frequency knobs (F)

Adjusts the center frequency of each EQ band.

Gain knobs (G)

Adjusts the gain of each EQ band.

Activates/Deactivates the EQ bands.

ALL BYPASS

Activates/Deactivates bypass for all plug-ins in the Master Section.

EQ TYPE deactivated:

LOW ON

Opens the Audio Editor.

LOW-MID ON

Opens the Audio Montage window.

HIGH-MID ON

Opens the Batch Processor window.

HIGH ON

Opens the preferences tab.

EQ-1 knob for the EQ Gain (G)

Scrolls left/right on the timeline.

EQ-2 knob for the EQ Gain (G)

Adjusts the horizontal zoom on the timeline.

EQ-3 knob for the EQ Gain (G)

Adjusts the vertical zoom on the timeline.

Setting Up Your System Remote Devices

EQ-4 knob for the EQ Gain (G)

EQ-1 knob for the EQ Frequency (F)

EQ-2 knob for the EQ Frequency (F)

EQ-3 knob for the EQ Frequency (F)

EQ-4 knob for the EQ Frequency (F)

Transport Section

In this section you can control the transport functions of WaveLab Pro.

Previous button

Scrolls tracks on the Audio Montage window or scrolls vertically on the Audio Editor.

Scrolls left/right on the overview timeline of the Audio Editor.

Horizontally zooms in/out on the overview timeline of the Audio Editor.

Vertically zooms in/out on the overview timeline of the Audio Editor.

Vertically scrolls on the overview timeline of the Audio Editor.

Moves the cursor position to the left.

Rewind button

Moves the edit cursor position to the left.

Forward button

Moves the edit cursor position to the right.

Next button

Moves the cursor position to the right.

Cycle button

Activates/Deactivates Cycle mode.

Stop button

Stops playback. Press again to move the cursor to the previous start position. Press a third time to move the cursor to the beginning of the project.

Play button

Starts playback.

Record button

Press once to open the Recording dialog. Press again to start the recording. Press a third time to stop recording. The recorded file opens in the Audio Editor.

Function Section

In this section, you can adjust functions, such as fades and envelope level, by using the VALUE knob.

VALUE knob

Rotate this knob to adjust the assigned function. Press the knob to reset the parameter to its default value.

FUNCTION button 1

Adjusts the fade in settings of the active clip.

FUNCTION button 2

Adjusts the fade out settings of the active clip.

Setting Up Your System Remote Devices

FUNCTION button 3

FUNCTION button 4

AI Knob Section

WaveLab Pro can be controlled with the AI knob of Steinberg’s CC121, CI2+, and CMC-AI controllers. With the AI knob, you can control the parameter that the mouse points to.

NOTE

The AI knob only works on parameters that are automatable.

In this section you can control parameters via the AI knob.

AI KNOB

Adjusts the envelope level of the active clip.

The element clicked last in the Nudge section of the Edit tab in the Audio Montage window is assigned to this button.

Controls the VST 3 plug-in parameters, emulates the mouse wheel, for example, for scrolling, and lets you edit a focused numeric field. To control a parameter with the AI knob, move the mouse cursor over the parameter that you want to control, and move the AI knob. You can activate/deactivate the emulation of the mouse wheel and the editing of the focused numeric field in the Options tab.

LOCK

When the mouse cursor points to a parameter, press LOCK to control this parameter regardless of the position of the mouse cursor.

JOG

Activates Jog mode. While Jog mode is activated, press LOCK to enter shuttle mode.

CUBASE READY Indicator

The CUBASE READY indicator has no function in WaveLab Pro.

Foot Switch Section

The foot switch has the same function as Shift. Press and hold the foot switch while turning the AI knob to fine tune parameters.

WaveLab Pro Concepts

This chapter describes general concepts that you will use when working with WaveLab Pro. Getting accustomed with these procedures allows you to work more effectively with the program.

General Editing Rules

The common editing operations apply to any Steinberg product.

●

To select and move interface items, and to select ranges, click and drag with the mouse.

●

Use the keys of your computer keyboard to enter numeric values and text, to navigate lists and other selectable interface items, and to control the transport functions.

●

Common operations like cut, copy, paste, or the selection of multiple items can be performed using standard keyboard shortcuts.

NOTE

The behavior of your product is also governed by your preference settings.

Startup Dialog

When WaveLab Pro starts, the Startup dialog opens where you can select which project or project template you want to open.

WaveLab Pro Concepts Basic Window Handling

Create

Empty Project

My Default Project Template

Templates

Open

Last Project

Recent Project

Recent File

Creates an empty project.

Opens the default startup project template. The default project is defined on the Template page. If no default project is defined, an empty project is created.

Allows you to open a template in a new project.

Opens the project that you last used in WaveLab Pro, including all files that were open.

Allows you to open a recently used project.

Allows you to open a recently used file.

Browse

Allows you to select the files that you want to open.

Use as Default (Do Not Show This Dialog Again)

If this option is activated, the option that you select is used from now on and the startup screen does not open anymore. To display the Startup dialog, even if this option has been activated, press Ctrl/Cmd when starting WaveLab Pro.

RELATED LINKS

Workspace Layout on page 549

Basic Window Handling

WaveLab Pro follows the basic guidelines for the Windows/macOS interface, which means that Windows/macOS standard procedures apply.

Closing Windows

●

To close a file group tab or a file tab, click the X button of the corresponding tab or press

Ctrl/Cmd-W.

●

To close a file tab without saving your changes, hold Ctrl/Cmd-Shift, and click the X button of the tab. This avoids having to confirm a warning message whenever you want to close an unsaved tab.

●

To close all files of a file group at once, right-click a file group tab and select Close All Files.

●

To close all file tabs but the selected file tab, right-click a file tab and select Close All But This.

●

To individually select the file tabs that you want to close, right-click a file group tab and select Select Files to Close. This opens the Files to Close dialog, where you can select the files that you want to close.

●

By default, files are removed from the project when you close them. To keep the files in the project even when you close them, right-click a file tab and activate Keep in Project after Closing.

WaveLab Pro Concepts Selecting Audio

RELATED LINKS

Permanently in Project vs. Temporarily in Project on page 63

Switching Between Files

You can have multiple files open and switch between them.

●

To bring a file to the front, click the corresponding tab.

●

To switch between the files, hold Ctrl/Cmd, and press Tab continuously.

●

To switch back and forth between the last two active files, press Ctrl/Cmd-Tab. Between each step you have to release all keys.

●

To switch backwards, press Ctrl/Cmd-Shift-Tab.

●

To toggle between the active file and the last edited file, press F5.

Selecting Audio

Almost all types of editing and processing that you perform in WaveLab Pro operate on the audio selection. There are numerous ways to make an audio selection.

●

To select the whole audio file, double-click it. If the audio file contains markers, triple-click it.

Selecting a Range by Dragging

The standard way to select a range in the wave window is to click and drag.

If you drag all the way to the left or right side of the wave window, it scrolls automatically, allowing you to select larger sections than what can be shown in the wave window. The speed of the scrolling depends on how far from the wave window edge you are.

Audio Range Selection in an Audio File

You can edit, process, or play back selections of an audio file.

● To access the audio range selection options, in the Audio Editor, select the Edit tab.

The following selection options are available in the Time Selection section:

Range

If you click Range, the Range Selection dialog opens. In this dialog, you can define selection ranges very accurately.

If you click the arrow to the right of the Range button, the presets list opens. In the presets list, you can select between the selection range factory presets and your custom presets.

All

Selects the entire waveform.

Toggle

Toggles the selection range on/off.

Extend

Opens a menu where you can select the following options:

● Extend to Start of File extends the selection to the start of the audio file. If

there is no selection, a selection is created from the edit cursor position.

● Extend to End of File extends the selection to the end of the audio file. If

there is no selection, a selection is created from the edit cursor position.

WaveLab Pro Concepts Selecting Audio

● Extend to Previous Marker extends the left edge of the selection to the

nearest marker to the left or the start of the audio file. If there is no selection, a selection is extended until the edit cursor position.

● Extend to Next Marker extends the right edge of the selection to the nearest

marker to the right or the end of the audio file. If there is no selection, a selection is extended until the next marker position.

● Extend to Cursor extends the selection to the edit cursor position.

● From Start of File Until Cursor selects the range between the start of the

audio file and the edit cursor position.

● From Cursor to End of File selects the range between the edit cursor position

and the end of the audio file.

● From Cursor to Previous Marker selects the range between the edit cursor

position and the previous marker or the start of the audio file.

● From Cursor to Next Marker selects the range between the edit cursor

position and the next marker or the end of the audio file.

● From Playback Position to End of File creates a selection range from the

playback position to the end of the audio file. If no playback is taking place, the position of the edit cursor is used.

● From Playback Position to Start of File creates a selection range from the

playback position to start of the audio file. If no playback is taking place, the position of the edit cursor is used.

● Double Selection Length doubles the length of the current selection range.

● Halve Selection Length halves the length of the current selection range.

Channels

Opens a menu where you can select the following options:

● Extend to All Channels extends the current selection range to all channels.

● Left Channel Only reduces the current selection range to the left channel

only.

● Right Channel Only reduces the current selection range to the right channel

only.

Regions

Opens a menu where you can select the following options:

● CD Track selects the range between the two CD track markers that encompass

the edit cursor.

● Loop Region selects the range between the two loop markers that encompass

the edit cursor.

● Exclusion Region selects the range between the two exclusion markers that

encompass the edit cursor.

● Generic Region selects the range between the two generic markers that

encompass the edit cursor.

RELATED LINKS

Range Selection Dialog on page 26

Audio Range Selection in an Audio Montage

You can edit, process, or play back selections of an audio montage.

● To access the audio range selection options, in the Audio Montage window, select the Edit tab.

WaveLab Pro Concepts Selecting Audio

The following selection options are available in the Time Selection section:

Range

Extend

If you click the Range button, the Range Selection dialog opens. In this dialog, you can define selection ranges very accurately.

If you click the arrow on the right of the Range button, the presets list opens. In the presets list, you can select between the selection range factory presets and your custom presets.

Opens are menu where you can select the following options:

● Double Selection Length doubles the length of the current selection range.

● Halve Selection Length halves the length of the current selection range.

● From Playback Position to End of File creates a selection range from the

playback position to the end of the audio montage. If no playback is taking place, the position of the edit cursor is used.

● From Playback Position to Start of File creates a selection range from the

playback position to start of the audio montage. If no playback is taking place, the position of the edit cursor is used.

Toggle

Toggles the current selection range on/off.

RELATED LINKS

Range Selection Dialog on page 26

Range Selection Dialog

This dialog allows you to specify an audio range for editing, processing, or playing back.

● In the Audio Editor or the Audio Montage window, select the Edit tab, and click Range.

Start

Zero

The selection begins at the start of the file.

WaveLab Pro Concepts Selecting Audio

Cursor

End Position Minus Length

Start of Selection

End of Selection

Marker (with Name)

Offset (±)

Custom

The selection begins at the edit cursor.

The selection begins at the specified end position minus the Specific Length value.

The selection begins at the start of the current selection range.

The selection begins at the end of the current selection range.

The selection begins at the marker that is selected from the pop-up menu below.

Allows you to specify an offset for the selected start position.

Allows you to specify a start time for the selection. The time unit is the same as the time unit that is selected for the time ruler.

End

End of File

The selection ends at the end of the file.

Cursor

The selection ends at the edit cursor.

Start Position Plus Length

The selection ends at the specified start position plus the Specific Length value.

Start of Selection

The selection ends at the start of the current selection range.

End of Selection

The selection ends at the end of the current selection range.

Marker (with Name)

The selection ends at the marker that is selected from the pop-up menu below.

Offset (±)

Allows you to specify an offset for the selected end position.

Custom

Allows you to specify an end time for the selection. The time unit is the same as the time unit that is selected for the time ruler.

Options

Specific Length

Allows you to specify the selection length.

Set as Selection Length

Clicking this button freezes the current selection length. This is useful if you want to move the selection.

WaveLab Pro Concepts Selecting Audio

Round Down Length

Snap to Zero-Crossing

Channels

Play

With the play options, you can preview the specified audio range.

Play to

Play from

Play Once

If this option is activated, the selection length is rounded down to the length specified in the value field.

If this option is activated, the start and the end of a selected range always snap to a zero-crossing point of the waveform.

Select whether the selection spans the left channel, the right channel, or both.

Plays the range before the specified position.

Plays the range after the specified position.

Plays the selection once.

Play Looped

Plays the selection in a loop.

Play Duration

Sets the playback length. Note that this overrides the From/To parameters.

Memorizing Selection Length and Cursor Position

You can copy the length of a selection range and the edit cursor position to an internal memory. This is useful if you want to use these values in several places in WaveLab Pro.

●

To save the length of the active selection range, in the Audio Editor or the Audio

Montage window, select the Edit tab, and right-click Copy. Here, select Memorize Selection Length.

●

To save the position of the edit cursor, in the Audio Editor or the Audio Montage window, select the Edit tab, and right-click Copy. Here, select Memorize Cursor Position.

●

To apply the memorized information, right-click any time edit field and select Set Memorized Position or Set Memorized Duration.

WaveLab Pro Concepts Selecting Audio

Selecting in Stereo Files

If you are working on stereo material in the Audio Editor, you can apply an operation to one channel only or to the entire stereo material.

Which channel is selected when you click and drag in the wave window depends on where you position the mouse cursor. The pointer shape indicates which channel will be affected.

The following pointer shapes are available:

Select left channel

Clicking in the upper half of the left channel selects the left channel.

Select both channels

Clicking in the middle area between the left and the right channel selects both channels.

Select right channel

Clicking in the lower half of the right channel selects the right channel.

Switching the Selection Between Channels

You can switch the channel selection that you have made for a channel to all channels or switch the selection to the other channel.

PROCEDURE

1. In the wave window of the Audio Editor, select a range.

2. Select the Edit tab.

3. In the Time Selection section, click Channels and select one of the following options:

●

Extend to All Channels

●

Left Channel Only

●

Right Channel Only

You can press Tab to switch between the different channel selections.

Selecting in the Overview of the Audio Editor

The ranges that you select in the overview of the Audio Editor also apply to the main view.

PROCEDURE

● In the wave window of the Audio Editor, hold down Ctrl/Cmd and click and drag in the overview.

Moving a Selection Range

If a selection range has the correct length, but the wrong position, you can move it.

PROCEDURE

1. In the wave window, hold down Ctrl/Cmd-Shift.

WaveLab Pro Concepts Selecting Audio

2. Click in the middle of the selection and drag to the left/right.

Extending and Reducing the Selection

You can resize a selection range in the wave window or the montage window.

There are several ways to extend/reduce the selection:

● Select a range, Shift-click outside the selection range, and drag to the left/right, or click and drag the edges of the selection range to the left/right.

● To extend the selection to the previous/next boundary (marker or start/end of file), press

Shift and double-click the non-selected area between the boundaries.

Extending and Reducing the Selection Using the Cursor Keys

●

To move the start/end of a selection in the wave window to the left/right, hold down Shift and press the left/right cursor keys. To move it in bigger steps, press the Page Up/Page

Down keys.

●

To extend a selection to the previous/next boundary in the wave window (marker or start/ end of the audio file), hold down Ctrl/Cmd+Shift and press the left/right cursor keys.

Deleting Selections

There are several options for deleting a selected range.

Audio Editor

The following options can be found on the Edit tab in the Cutting section.

Crop

Removes the data outside the selection.

Delete

Removes the selection. The audio to the right of the selection is moved to the left to fill the gap.

Smooth Delete

Removes the selection. Crossfades are inserted at the edges. You can edit the default crossfade length and its type in the Audio Files Preferences, on the Editing tab.

Audio Montage Window

The following options can be found on the Edit tab in the Removal section.

Crop Clip

Removes the data outside the selection.

Erase Selected Range

Erases the clip parts inside the selection range on the selected track, without filling the gap.

Erase Selected Range on All Tracks

To access this option, click the arrow icon at the right of the Erase Selected Range option. Erases the clip parts inside the selection range on all tracks, without filling the gap.

Delete Selected Clip

If there is a selection range, the clip parts inside the selection range on the selected track are deleted and the right section of the clips is moved to the left to fill the gap.

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