Steinberg Wavelab Yellowtec Edition User Guide
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.
©
Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, 2017.
All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
5 Introduction
5 Platform-Independent Documentation
5 Help System
6 Conventions
7 Key Commands
7 How You Can Reach Us
8 Setting Up Your System
8 Connecting the Equipment
8 Audio Cards and Background Playback
8 Latency
9 Defining VST Audio Connections
12 WaveLab Yellowtec Edition Concepts
12 General Editing Rules
12 Startup Dialog
13 Shortcuts
14 Basic Window Handling
14 Selecting Audio
16 Sliders
17 Renaming Items in Tables
17 File Browser
18 Peak Files
19 Workspace Window
19 Audio Editor
19 Audio Montage
20 File Tab
20 Info Tab
21 Tool Windows
21 Meter Windows
22 Slide-Out Windows
22 Docking and Undocking Tool Windows and
Meter Windows
22 Command Bar
23 Status Bar
25 Context Menus
25 Time Ruler and Level Ruler
28 Managing Tabs
29 Activating Full Screen Mode
30 Project Handling
30 Opening Files
30 Value Editing
31 Drag Operations
32 Undoing and Redoing Actions
32 Zooming
38 Presets
40 File Operations
40 Recently Used Files
41 Favorite Files
42 Save and Save As
44 File Renaming
44 Deleting Files
45 Copying Audio Information to the Clipboard
45 Setting the Focus on the Current File
46 Playback
46 Transport Bar
52 Starting Playback From the Ruler
53 Using the Play Tool
53 Playback Scrubbing
54 Playback in the Audio Montage Window
55 Audio File Editing
55 Wave Window
59 Audio Editor Tabs
63 File Handling in the Audio Editor
76 Changing the Audio Properties
76 Meta-Data
78 Silence Generator Dialog
81 Offline Processing
81 Level Normalizer Dialog
82 Loudness Normalizer
84 Pan Normalizer Dialog
85 Fades in Audio Files
85 Crossfades
87 Audio Montage
87 Montage Window
89 Audio Montage Tabs
93 Signal Path in the Audio Montage
93 Creating New Audio Montages
93 Audio Montage Duplicates
94 Creating an Audio Montage from an Audio
File
95 Missing Files Dialog
96 Assembling the Audio Montage
99 Rearranging Clips
101 Clip Editing
105 Track Activity Indicator
105 Envelopes for Clips
107 Fades and Crossfades in Audio Montages
110 Mixing Down – The Render Function
3
Table of Contents
111 Recording
111 Setting Up the Recording Dialog
112 Dropping Markers During Recording
112 Recording Dialog
114 Master Section
114 Master Section Window
120 Rendering
122 Monitoring Background Tasks
122 Dropouts
123 Markers
123 Markers Window
125 About Creating Markers
125 Deleting Markers
126 Moving Markers
126 Renaming Markers
127 Selecting Markers
127 Selecting the Audio Between Markers
127 Binding Markers to Clips in the Audio
Montage
128 Metering
128 Meter Settings
128 Resetting the Meters
128 Level Meter
130 Loudness Meter
134 Phasescope
136 Customizing
136 Plug-in Organization
139 Configuring the Software
139 Global Preferences
139 Audio Files Preferences
141 Plug-in Reference
141 Compressor
143 DeEsser
145 Expander
146 Gate
148 Limiter
149 Brickwall Limiter
150 GEQ-10/GEQ-30
151 StudioEQ
153 PostFilter
155 RoomWorks
158 Index
4
Platform-Independent Documentation
The documentation applies to the operating systems Windows and Mac OS.
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 Mac OS.
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 Mac OS.
Introduction
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 Yellowtec Edition and select Help> WaveLab Yellowtec
Edition 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 (Mac OS) to show the Help button, and then
click the Help button, or press F1 (Windows) or Cmd-? (Mac OS).
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
(Mac OS), 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 99
5
Introduction
Conventions
Conventions
In our documentation, we use typographical and markup elements to structure information.
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.
Markup
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 undertake after completing the
procedure.
RELATED LINKS
Lists related topics that you can find in this documentation.
Bold text indicates the name of a menu, option, function, dialog, window, etc.
EXAMPLE
To open the Meta-Data dialog, open the Meta-Data 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.
6
Introduction
Key Commands
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.
For example, the default key command for Undo is Ctrl-Z on Windows and Cmd-Z on Mac OS.
When key commands with modifier keys are described in this manual, they are shown with
the Windows modifier key first, in the following way:
•
Windows modifier key/Mac OS modifier key-key
EXAMPLE
Ctrl/Cmd-Z means: press Ctrl on Windows or Cmd on Mac OS, then press Z.
How You Can Reach Us
On the Help menu in WaveLab Yellowtec Edition, 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.
7
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
When you activate playback or recording in WaveLab Yellowtec Edition, other applications
cannot access the audio card. Likewise, if another application uses the audio card, WaveLab
Yellowtec Edition is unable to play back. The Windows MME driver is an exception from this.
You can run WaveLab Yellowtec Edition together with other applications and always give the
active application access to the audio card.
PROCEDURE
1. Select File> Preferences> VST Audio Connections.
2. Select the Options tab.
3. Activate Release Driver when WaveLab Yellowtec Edition is in Background.
Latency
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 Yellowtec Edition.
When working with WaveLab Yellowtec Edition, 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 Options tab in the VST Audio Connections, or increase the buffer size in the ASIO control
panel, specific to the audio card.
8
Setting Up Your System
Defining VST Audio Connections
RELATED LINKS
VST Audio Connections Tab on page 10
Defining VST Audio Connections
To be able to play back and record audio in WaveLab Yellowtec Edition, you must specify how
the internal input and output channels in WaveLab Yellowtec Edition 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
VST Audio Connections Tab on page 10
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> VST 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.
Selecting a Windows MME Driver
PROCEDURE
1. Select File> Options> VST 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.
9
Setting Up Your System
Defining VST Audio Connections
VST Audio Connections Tab
This tab allows you to specify how the internal input and output channels in WaveLab
Yellowtec Edition are connected to your sound card and which device you want to use for
audio playback and recording.
• To open the VST Audio Connections tab, select File> Preferences> VST 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.
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.
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.
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.
10
Setting Up Your System
Defining VST Audio Connections
Release Driver
Allows you to run WaveLab Yellowtec Edition together with other applications and
always give the active application access to the audio card.
• If When WaveLab Yellowtec Edition is in Background is activated, the driver
is released when WaveLab Yellowtec Edition is in the background.
11
WaveLab Yellowtec Edition
This chapter describes general concepts that you will use when working with WaveLab
Yellowtec Edition. 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.
Concepts
NOTE
The behavior of your product is also governed by your preference settings.
Startup Dialog
Create
Empty Window
Creates an empty WaveLab Yellowtec Edition window.
Open
Last Files
Opens the files that you last used in WaveLab Yellowtec Edition.
Recent File
Allows you to open a recently used file.
Browse
Allows you to select the files that you want to open.
12
WaveLab Yellowtec Edition Concepts
Shortcuts
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 Yellowtec
Edition.
Shortcuts
In WaveLab Yellowtec Edition, you can control many functions via shortcuts to speed up your
workflow.
Most shortcuts are restricted to a specific editor, which means that you can reuse the same
shortcut combination in different editors. The exception is the Master Section where all
shortcuts are global to the application.
The shortcuts in the View and Navigation sections on the Shortcuts tab are dedicated to
navigating through WaveLab Yellowtec Edition.
RELATED LINKS
Shortcuts Tab on page 13
Shortcuts Tab
This tab allows you to customize your own shortcuts for WaveLab Yellowtec Edition. It shows
a list of the assigned shortcuts for WaveLab Yellowtec Edition commands and menu options.
• To open the Shortcuts tab, select File> Preferences> Shortcuts.
Search pop-up menu
Allows you to select the part of the commands list in which the search is
performed.
Search field
Allows you to search for a command.
13
WaveLab Yellowtec Edition Concepts
Basic Window Handling
Use Wildcards
If this option is activated, the wildcard characters “*” and “?” can be used.
“*” substitutes zero or more characters, and “?” substitutes any character.
For example, if Search Keyboard Shortcut is selected, type “*” to display all
commands that are already associated with a shortcut.
Expand/Collapse
Expands/Collapses the folder tree.
Commands list
Shows all commands and their shortcuts.
Summary
Opens a menu from which you can generate a list of all commands and their
shortcuts, either in HTML or as a print out.
Basic Window Handling
WaveLab Yellowtec Edition follows the basic guidelines for the Windows/Mac OS interface,
which means that Windows/Mac OS standard procedures apply.
Closing Windows
•
To close all file tabs but the selected file tab, right-click a file tab and select Close All
But This.
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 cycle between the files, hold Ctrl/Cmd, and press Tab continuously.
•
To cycle back and forth between the last two active files, press Ctrl/Cmd-Tab. Between
each step you have to release all keys.
•
To cycle 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 Yellowtec Edition
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, tripleclick it.
14
WaveLab Yellowtec Edition Concepts
Selecting Audio
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.
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.
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.
2. Click in the middle of the selection and drag to the left/right.
15
WaveLab Yellowtec Edition Concepts
Sliders
Extending and Reducing the Selection
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
Sliders
There are several options for deleting a selected range.
Audio Editor
The following options can be found on the Yellowtec 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.
Audio Montage Window
The following option can be found on the Edit tab in the Removal section.
Delete Selected Clip
Deletes the selected clip.
At various places in WaveLab Yellowtec Edition, slider controls are available to change
parameters. There are a number of ways to change the value of a slider.
•
Position the mouse over the slider and use the mouse wheel without clicking. Hold
Ctrl/Cmd while using the mouse wheel to scroll faster. This modifier also applies to
the zoom wheels. To move a slider, click and drag it.
•
To move the slider handle to a position, click the slider at any position.
•
To move the slider handle in smaller steps, right-click or click below the handle. Keep
the mouse button pressed to automatically step to the next value.
16
WaveLab Yellowtec Edition Concepts
Renaming Items in Tables
•
To reset the slider to the default value, if available, Ctrl/Cmd-click the slider, or click
using the third mouse button, or double-click the handle.
Renaming Items in Tables
•
To rename an item, double-click it or select it, and press Return, and enter the new
name.
•
To rename the previous/next item, press Up Arrow or Down Arrow. This way you move
the focus on the previous/next item, while staying in the edit mode.
File Browser
The File Browser window allows you to browse files from within WaveLab Yellowtec Edition.
The Auto Play Mode is useful for speeding up the process of auditioning sound files.
The File Browser window provides you with all the standard browsing functions. It features
additional controls to audition audio files and any marker defined regions. You can use it to
open or insert files by dragging them to another location.
You can also choose to only view specific file types.
File Browser Window
In this window, you can browse files and open them in WaveLab Yellowtec Edition.
• To open the File Browser window, select Tool Windows> File Browser.
Back/Forward/Parent Directory
Allows you to navigate through the list and file hierarchy.
Location
This menu lets you select a file location to browse and lists the recently used
locations.
Auto-Play Mode
Automatically starts playback of the selected file.
Play Selected Audio File
Plays the selected audio file.
17
WaveLab Yellowtec Edition Concepts
Peak Files
Search
If this button is activated, you can enter text in the search field.
File format list
Allows you to select which file format to display.
Folder tree
Shows the folders that are available on your computer.
Favorite folders
You can add your favorite folders by dragging them from the folder tree.
File list
Shows the file name, size, type, modification date, and other information about
the file.
Create Folder
Allows you to create a new folder. Right-click in the file list and select Create
Folder.
Peak Files
A peak file (extension .gpk) is automatically created by WaveLab Yellowtec Edition each time
an audio file is modified or opened in WaveLab Yellowtec Edition for the first time. The peak
file contains information about the waveform and determines how it is drawn in the wave
window or the montage window.
Peak files speed up the time it takes to draw the corresponding waveform. By default, the
peak file is saved in the same location as the audio file.
18
Workspace Window
The Workspace window provides an editing and playback environment for each particular file
type. Each environment contains functions that are tailored to the specific purpose of each
file type.
• Audio Editor for viewing and editing audio files.
• Audio Montage window for assembling and editing audio montages.
The Workspace window is highly customizable to match your workflow.
Elements of the Workspace Window
The Workspace window contains the following elements:
• A menu bar
• Tabs to host the files to edit. You can move the content of a tab to another tab, create a
new empty tab, display the file path, and access other functions by right-clicking.
• A set of tool windows. Which tools are available depends on the file type you are
working on. The tool windows can be activated/deactivated individually.
Audio Editor
The Audio Editor provides tools and functions for sample-accurate audio editing.
The Audio Editor includes various metering tools.
The wave window gives you a graphical representation of the audio file and allows you to
view, play back, and edit the file.
RELATED LINKS
Audio File Editing on page 55
Audio Montage
In the Audio Montage, you assemble audio clips into a montage. You can arrange, edit, and
play back clips on both stereo or mono tracks.
You can place any number of clips on an audio track. A clip contains a reference to a source
audio file on your hard disk, as well as start and end positions in the file.
The montage window gives you a graphical representation of clips on tracks. In it you can
view, play back, and edit the tracks and clips.
RELATED LINKS
Audio Montage on page 87
19
Workspace Window
File Tab
File Tab
The File tab is the control center of WaveLab Yellowtec Edition. Here, you can save, open,
render, import, and export files. It also gives you detailed information about your files and
allows you to set up the WaveLab Yellowtec Edition preferences.
Info
New
Open
Save As
Provides information about the active file and allows you to edit the audio
properties of audio files and audio montages.
Allows you to create an audio file or audio montage.
Allows you to open audio files or audio montages.
You can also open files that you have previously copied to the clipboard in the File
Explorer/Mac OS Finder.
Info Tab
Allows you to save the active file or the project. You can specify the name, file
format, and location. You can also save a copy of the active file.
Render
Allows you to render the active file.
Preferences
Allows you to view and change the preferences of WaveLab Yellowtec Edition. You
can set up the preferences for the following parts of WaveLab Yellowtec Edition:
• Global
• VST Audio Connections
• Shortcuts
• Plug-ins
• Audio Files
RELATED LINKS
Info Tab on page 20
Configuring the Software on page 139
The Info tab provides information about the active file and allows you to edit the audio
properties of audio files and audio montages.
• To open the Info tab, select the File tab, and click Info.
Depending on the selected file, different information and options are available.
Name
Displays the name, file extension, and file location of the active file. You can edit
these attributes.
20
Workspace Window
Tool Windows
File Properties
Audio Properties
Meta-Data
Copy to Clipboard
Reveal in File Explorer/Mac OS Finder
Displays the size, date, and file format of the active file.
For audio files, this displays the channels and sample rate of the active file.
For audio montages, this displays the mode, channels, and sample rate of the
active file.
You can edit these attributes.
Displays the meta data of the active file.
Opens a menu from which you can select which information about the active file
you want to copy to the clipboard.
Opens the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder to show the location of the active file.
Delete
Deletes the active file.
Tool Windows
Throughout WaveLab Yellowtec Edition there are various tool windows available that allow
you to view, analyze, and edit the active file.
Generally, the content of a tool window is synchronized with the active file, with the exception
of the audio meters which displays the audio file being played back. Tool windows can
be docked and undocked, and saved in your custom layouts. Some tool windows are only
available for specific file types.
The tool windows can be accessed via the Tool Windows menu.
Opening and Closing Tool Windows
You can close all tool windows that you do not need for your project.
•
To open a tool window, select Tool Windows and select a tool window.
•
To close a docked tool window, right-click the tool window tab and select Hide.
•
To close an undocked tool window, click its X button.
Meter Windows
WaveLab Yellowtec Edition contains a variety of audio meters that you can use for monitoring
and analyzing audio. Meters can be used to monitor audio during playback, rendering,
and recording. Furthermore, you can use them to analyze audio sections when playback is
stopped.
The meter windows can be accessed via the Meters menu.
21
Workspace Window
Slide-Out Windows
Opening and Closing Meter Windows
You can close all meter windows you do not need for your project.
•
To open a meter window, select Meters and select a meter window.
•
To close a docked meter window, right-click the meter window tab and select Hide.
•
To close an undocked meter window, click its X button.
Slide-Out Windows
Slide-out windows are hidden in the frame of the Workspace window. When you hover the
mouse pointer over the window name, the window slides out. It is hidden again, when you
click anywhere else.
Slide-out window tab
Docking and Undocking Tool Windows and Meter Windows
Tool windows and meter windows can be used as docked windows, as floating windows, or
as a slide-out window. You can freely drag around the windows and dock them at various
locations.
•
To undock a tool window or meter window, drag the corresponding tab to another
position.
Now the tool window or meter window is a floating window which can be freely moved.
•
To dock a tool window or meter window, click and hold the caption bar or click the
Options button on the right of the caption bar and select Dock Tab Group Elsewhere.
Yellow symbols indicate locations for docked windows, pink symbols indicate locations
for slide-out windows. Drag the window to one of the locations.
•
To dock a floating tool window or meter window at its last docked position, click the
Options button on the right of the caption bar and select Dock to Last Place Again.
RELATED LINKS
Slide-Out Windows on page 22
Command Bar
The command bar of file windows allows you to create, open, and save files, and undo/redo
changes. You can also use the text field to quickly find and access open files, and to trigger
keywords.
New
Allows you to create an audio file or audio montage.
22
Workspace Window
Status Bar
Open
Save
Save As
Undo
Redo
Navigate Backwards/Navigate Forwards
Allows you to open an audio file or audio montage.
Saves the active file.
Allows you to save the active file. You can specify the name, file format, and
location. You can also save a copy of the active file.
Allows you to undo changes.
Allows you to redo changes that were undone.
In the Audio Editor and Audio Montage window, this allows you to navigate to the
previous/next cursor position, zoom factor, or selection range without undoing/
redoing the edit operation.
Customize Command Bar
Maximize Window
Layout Options
Status Bar
The status bar at the bottom of the screen of the Audio Editor and the Audio Montage
window shows information about the active window using the units specified in the rulers.
The information displayed on the status bar is updated depending on the cursor position and
on the audio selection that you have made.
Allows you to select the buttons that you want to display on the command bar.
Maximizes the window. To restore the window size, click the button again.
Allows you to determine the position of the command bar and transport bar.
Time/Level (dB)
Displays the time of the audio file at the mouse cursor position. In the Audio
Editor, it also displays the level.
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Workspace Window
Status Bar
Audio Information at Edit Cursor
Audio Selection Indicator (Audio Editor)/Audio Range Indicator (Audio Montage)
Displays the time at the position of the edit cursor. This information changes if
you reposition the cursor.
• To define the cursor position, click the Audio Information at Edit Cursor
field to open the Cursor Position dialog.
• To focus the cursor position, right-click the Audio Information at Edit
Cursor field.
In the Audio Editor, this displays the length of the current selection, or the total
length of the audio file if no selection has been made.
In the Audio Montage window, this displays the length of the audio selection if a
clip is selected, or the size of the audio montage.
If you have zoomed in, you can right-click the indicator to display the selected
audio range, the active clip, or the whole file. Left-click the indicator to open the
Audio Range dialog, where you can define or refine a selection.
Zoom Indicator
Displays the current zoom factor.
• To open a pop-up menu, that allows you to make additional zoom settings,
click the indicator.
• To open the Zoom Factor dialog, that allows you to edit the zoom factor,
right-click the indicator.
Audio File Properties/Audio Montage Properties
In the Audio Editor, this displays the bit resolution and the sample rate. It also
indicates whether the audio file is mono or stereo. Click the indicator to open the
Audio Properties dialog.
In the Audio Montage window, this displays the sample rate of the audio
montage. Click the indicator to open the Sample Rate dialog.
Bypass Master Section
If this button is activated, the Master Section is bypassed. If the button is
deactivated, the audio is played through the Master Section.
Background Information
The status bar shows the progress of some background operations, such as
rendering an effect. The operation can be paused or canceled using the provided
buttons.
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Workspace Window
Context Menus
Context Menus
Throughout WaveLab Yellowtec Edition, various context menus are available. These menus
group the commands and/or options that are specific to the active window.
The context menus appear if you right-click specific areas and are useful for speeding up
your workflow.
For example, right-click a file tab to open a context menu with some relevant file options.
Right-clicking the ruler of the waveform window brings up the Time Ruler context menu that
allows you to access a number of options for changing the time ruler display format.
You can find most context menu commands in the tabs, in the file window and in the main
menus, but some commands are only available in context menus. If you search for a function,
right-click the current working window to check if it has a context menu.
Context menu in the montage window
Time Ruler and Level Ruler
In the Audio Editor, you can display a time and a level ruler in the wave window. In the Audio
Montage window, you can display a time ruler in the montage window.
You can also determine which time and level units the rulers show.
Time Ruler
Level Ruler (Audio Editor only)
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Workspace Window
Time Ruler and Level Ruler
Time Ruler and Level Ruler Options
You can specify the time and level (amplitude) formats for each ruler in each wave window
and the time formats for each ruler in the montage window separately by right-clicking the
ruler and selecting a format from the pop-up menu.
Time Ruler Menu
Timecode
Displays frames per second for various SMPTE timecode types and for CD
resolution.
You can specify the timecode type in the Time Format dialog.
Clock
Displays time units.
Samples
Displays positions as number of samples. The number of samples per second
depends on the sample rate of the audio file. For example, at 44.1 kHz, there are
44100 samples per second.
Bars and Beats
Displays bars and beats.
File Size (Audio Editor only)
Displays positions in megabytes. Decimals represent kilobytes.
Show grid (Audio Montage window only)
Displays vertical lines in the montage window, aligned with time ruler marks.
Time Format
Opens the Time Format dialog, that allows you to edit the appearance of the time
ruler formats.
Save Current Settings as Default
If this option is activated, the time ruler uses the current time format in all new
wave windows or montage windows.
RELATED LINKS
Time Format Dialog on page 27
Level Ruler Menu (Audio Editor only)
dB
Sets the level format to decibels.
+-100 %
Sets the level format to percentage.
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Workspace Window
Time Ruler and Level Ruler
Normalized +1/-1
Sets the level format to a ruler gradation corresponding to 32-bit float audio.
16-bit Range
Sets the level format to a ruler gradation corresponding to 16-bit audio.
24-bit Range
Sets the level format to a ruler gradation corresponding to 24-bit audio.
Save Current Settings as Default
If this option is activated, the level ruler uses the current level format in all new
wave windows.
Working With a Meter-Based Display
If your working material is tempo-based, you can select the meter format (bars, beats, and
ticks) for the ruler legend. This makes it easier to find musically related cutting points.
PROCEDURE
1. In the wave window or the montage window, right-click the time ruler, and select Bars
and Beats.
2. Right-click the time ruler, and select Time Format.
3. On the Meter tab, set the Time Signature and Tempo to values that match your audio
file.
4. Set the Ticks per Quarter Note setting to a number that you feel comfortable with.
For example, this can be the same value that is used by your MIDI sequencer.
5. Click OK.
Time Format Dialog
In this dialog, you can customize the time format of the ruler. The time format of the ruler is
also used in various time fields, for example, the status bar and some dialogs.
• To open the Time Format dialog, right-click the ruler in the Audio Editor or Audio
Montage window, and select Time Format.
In the Audio Editor, you can set different time formats for the overview display and the
main display.
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Workspace Window
Managing Tabs
Timecode Tab
On this tab, you can configure the appearance of the Timecode option.
Frames per Second
Show Absolute Frames
Show Quarter Frames
Show Hundredth Frames
Show Units
Lists standard frame rates. From the pop-up menu, select Other to enter a
custom frame rate. You can also choose which frames or units are displayed.
Shows the time format as a number of frames, without other time elements.
Adds the quarter frame number to the time format.
Adds the number of a hundredth of a frame to the time format.
Adds time units to the time format of the ruler.
Clock Tab
On this tab, you can configure the appearance of the Clock option.
Show Units
Adds time units to the time format of the ruler.
Compact
Shows the time without unit indicators.
Meter Tab
On this tab, you can configure the appearance of the Bars and Beats option.
Time Signature
Lets you edit the time signature used to display the time represented as a
musical notation.
Tempo
Lets you edit the tempo used to display the time represented as a musical
notation.
Ticks per Quarter Note
Lets you edit the number of ticks per quarter note. These are used to display
times that are compatible with your sequencer.
Managing Tabs
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Workspace Window
Activating Full Screen Mode
File Tabs
The following options are available when you right-click a file tab.
Add to
Allows you to add the active file to another editor.
Close
Closes the active tab.
Close All But This
Closes all files but the active file.
Close All Audio Files
Closes all audio files.
Info
Displays information about the active file.
Reveal in File Explorer/Mac OS Finder
Opens the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder to show the location of the file.
Copy to Clipboard
Opens a menu, from which you can select which information about the file you
want to copy to the clipboard.
Recent Files
Allows you to open recently used files.
Activating Full Screen Mode
PROCEDURE
• Select Workspace> Full Screen.
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Opening Files
PROCEDURE
1. Select File> Open.
2. Select the file type that you want to open.
3. From the file browser, select the file that you want to open.
4. Click Open.
Project Handling
For example, Audio File.
Opening Files from the Clipboard
You can open files in WaveLab Yellowtec Edition that you have previously copied to the
clipboard in the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder.
PROCEDURE
1. In the File Explorer/Mac OS Finder, copy the files that you want to open to the
clipboard.
2. In WaveLab Yellowtec Edition, select File> Open.
3. Click Open Files from Clipboard.
RESULT
The files open in new file tabs.
Value Editing
At various places in the program, numerical values can be edited by using a combination of
text fields and knobs.
Values are sometimes composed of several elements, for example, 12 mn30 sec 120 ms.
Each value can be edited by using any of the following methods:
•
To change a value, click in a value field and type a new value, or click the small arrows
in the value field.
•
To change the value by one unit at a time, press the Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys.
•
To change the value by several units, press the Page Up and Page Down keys.
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