Xara Audio Cleaning Lab Deluxe - 17.0 User Guide

2 Copyright

Copyright

This documentation is protected by law. All rights, especially the right of
duplication, circulation, and translation, are reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in the form of copies, microfilms
or other processes, or transmitted into a language used for machines,
especially data processing machines, without the express written consent of
the publisher.

All copyrights reserved.

All other product names are trademarks of the corresponding manufacturers.
Errors in and changes to the contents as well as program modifications
reserved.

MAGIX and Cleaning Lab are registered trademarks of MAGIX AG.

VST is a registered trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.

MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab uses patent-pending technology.

Other mentioned product names may be registered trademarks of the
respective manufacturer.

MAGIX licensing conditions are included in the installation and also at
www.magix.com under EULA

Copyright © MAGIX AG, 2000-2011. All rights reserved.

Legal notice: Copyrights and laws against exploitation of accomplishments of
artists and publishers shall be observed.

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Preface 3

Preface

Congratulations! You now own a high-performance digital audio lab, which is
perfect for cleaning your records, tapes, CD tracks, MP3 collections, audio or
video files, enhancing the sound, combining your media in any order, and
burning or exporting everything in optimum quality directly onto CD or DVD.

The volume and sound on each track can be perfectly synced and equalized.
Various audio formats can be combined, simultaneously edited, and burned.
The method is especially easy and clear, since automatic settings, assistants
and step-by-step instructions make sure that the process goes smoothly and
easily. Neither previous experience using the software nor long processing time
are necessary.

The print manual provides an introduction and tutorial that explains all the most
important features with step-by-step instructions.

In addition, an electronic manual is supplied in PDF, which systematically
explains all of the program's components one after the other. You can also use
the program's help file by pressing "F1". If you prefer to discover the many
possibilities of the program by yourself, then use the PDF manual and help file
simply as a reference. An alphabetical index is included for this purpose.

Have fun with MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE.

The MAGIX team.

Please note: This document describes the functionality of the full version of
your SE version. Please note that not all functions listed in this document are
available in your version.

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4 Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Copyright 2
Preface 3
Before you start 10

Package contents 10
System requirements 10
Installation 10

Support 12
Serial number 14
More about MAGIX 15

MAGIX Online World 15
magix.info 15

Introduction 16

What is MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE? 16
What’s new in MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE? 16
Features 17

Tutorial 18

Program start 19
Load and play audio files 20
Cleaning 21
Mastering 23
Object effects 24
Spectral Cleaning 24
Cut out undesired passages 26
Retouch short distortions such as cracks 28
Export 31

Overview of the program interface 32
Track window and constant control elements 34

Upper buttons 34
MAGIX News Center 35
The master track 35
Mouse mode 39
Transport control 42
Analyzer 44

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Table of Contents 5

Info Box 45

Zoom 45
Zoom settings 46
Volume controller/auto button 47
Status line 48

Import 50

Audio files 50
Record 50
CDs 59

Editing in the track view 63

What is an object? 63
Project 64
Adjust object volume 64
Fading objects in and out 64
Duplicate objects 65
Reducing and increasing the length of objects 65
Deleting and moving objects 66
Cut objects 66
Join and mix objects 66
Fading objects 67
Change song order 67
Automatic insertion of pauses between objects 68
Several songs in a single long object 68
Object FX 68
Draw volume curve 69
Quick zoom 69
Set track markers 70
Automatic track recognition 70
Check and move track markers 72

Cleaning 73

Choose preset 73
Using the effect modules 73
Cleaning Wizard 74
Step by step 75
Object FX page 75
Declicker/Decrackler 78
Declipper 79
Dehisser 80
DeNoiser 81
Artefacts 84
Remove DC offset 85
Spectral Cleaning 85
Tempo/Resampling 89

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6 Table of Contents

Mastering 91

Choose preset 91
Using the effect modules 91
Step by step 92
Object FX window 92
Vitalizer 92
Equalizer 93
Brilliance Enhancer 96
Sound Cloner 96
MultiMax 99
Compressor 100
Plug-ins 101
Tape simulation (plug-in) 102
De-Esser (Plug-in) 103
Energizer (plug-in) 105
am-track SE (plug-in) 107

Sound Effects 107

Surround Mode 107
Acoustics simulator 110
Resampling/Timestretching 111
Reverb/Echo (object FX only) 114
Chorus (Plug-In) 117
Distortion 118
Voice over 119

Export 121

MP3 files 121
Audio CD 123
Export audio 128
Create audio DVD 130
Data disc 130

Batch conversion 131

Source files 132
Effects 133
Target format 134
Destination files 135

File Menu 135

New Project 135
Load project 135
Save Project 135
Save project as 136
Burn project backup onto CD/DVD / Burn data CD/DVD 136

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Table of Contents 7

Load audio file 136

Load audio CD 137
Import DVD audio 138
Record 138
Export audio 138
Batch conversion 138
Load video sound 138
Export video sound 139
Delete old projects 140
Exit 140

Edit Menu 140

Undo 141
Redo 141
Undo Lists 141
Set marker 141
Split 141
Remove object beginning 141
Remove object end 142
Cut 142
Copy 142
Paste 142
Delete 142
Remove pauses 143
Voice-Over 143
Surround Editor 143
Create Surround Transitions 144
Object FX Editor 144
Load/save real-time effects 144
Apply all realtime effects 144

Effects menu 145

Normalize object volume 145
Adjust volume 147
Isolate Stereo Channels 147
Switch channels 148
Invert phase 148
Backwards 148
Plug-ins 148

CD/DVD menu 149

Set track marker 149
Set Pause marker 149
Set track markers automatically 149
Set track marker to object edges 150
Split objects at marker positions 150

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8 Table of Contents

Set auto pause length 150

Delete marker 150
Delete all markers 150
Delete CD track 150
Create CD... 151
Show CD-R drive information 151
Show CD-R disc information 151
Create audio DVD 151
CD track list/ID3 editor 152
MAGIX Xtreme Print Center 153
Get CD track information (freedb) 153
CD info options 153
Open CD track list online 154
Audio ID 155

Options menu 156

Move mouse mode 156
Cut Mouse mode 156
Zoom mode 157
Delete Mouse mode 157
Resampling/Timestretch mouse mode 157
Draw volume curve mouse mode 158
2 tracks 158
Stereo display 158
Surround Mode 159
Activate Volume Curves 159
Play parameter 159
Analyzer window 160
Video window 160
Units of measurement 161
Mouse Grid Active 161
Auto crossfade mode active 161
Display values scale 161
Options for automatic track marker recognition 162
Path settings 163
Show start selection 163

Tasks menu 164
Online menu 164

Catooh – the Online Content Library 164
MAGIX Online Album 164
magix.info 165
More online services 166
Screen transfer - MAGIX Screenshare 167
Online login details 169

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Table of Contents 9

Help menu 169

Help 169
Display tips 169
Show tutorial videos 169
System information 170
About MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE 170
Register online 170
Update check 170
Restore original program settings 170
Activate MP3/AAC encoder 171

Keyboard layout and mouse-wheel support 175

Keyboard layout 175
Mouse-wheel support 176

Index 177

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10 Table of Contents

Before you start

Package contents

Program CD

The MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE installation manager is included on this CD.

Printed manual

The print manual contains all necessary information for a quick start with the
program. It includes installation hints, a quick introduction (tutorial), and an
overview of the functionality of the program with useful hints & tips.

Hint: The complete documentation is included in the MAGIX Audio Cleaning
Lab SE folder as a PDF file. You can read it on your screen or print it. You will
need the "Adobe Acrobat Reader" application, and you can download it for
free from the Internet if it is not yet installed on your PC.

System requirements

Operating system:

For Microsoft® Windows® XP | Vista® | 7

Computer:

 1 GHz processor or higher
 512 MB RAM
 500 MB free hard disk space
 graphics card: resolution 1024 x 768
 16-bit sound card
 CD-ROM drive

Optional:

 Burn CDs/DVDs with CD/DVD±R(W) recorder

Installation

Step 1: Insert the program disc into the drive. The installation program starts

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up automatically. If the disc doesn't run automatically,

 open Windows Explorer and click the letter of the CD-ROM drive
 or double-click on "Start.exe" to start the installer.

Step 2: To begin the installation of MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE, click on
"Install". The MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE installation program will appear.

Hint: During installation, you will be asked (in case there are multiple users on
your computer) if you would like to set up for the administrator. The option
"Administrator only" restricts use of the program to the specified administrator.
The "All users" option allows all users of the computer to use the program.

Simply follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation process,
and then click "Continue". All files are now copied onto the hard drive.

Step 3: Once the installation is complete, confirm the message by pressing
"Finish". Now you can start the program at any time from the Windows "Start"
menu.

Uninstalling the program

Table of Contents 11

If you would like to uninstall MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE, you can do so via
the control panel under "Software". Or go to "Programs > MAGIX > MAGIX
Audio Cleaning Lab SE > Service and Support > Uninstall MAGIX Audio
Cleaning Lab SE".

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12 Support

Support

Dear MAGIX customer,

Our aim is to provide convenient, fast and solution-focused support at all
times. To this end, we offer a wide range of services:

 Unlimited web support:

As a registered MAGIX customer, you have unlimited access to web support
offered via the convenient MAGIX service portal on http://support.magix.net,
including an intelligent help assistant, high-quality FAQs, patches and user
reports that are constantly updated.
The only requirement for use is product registration on www.magix.com

 The online community - on-the-spot support and a platform for exchange:

MAGIX customers have free and unlimited access to the online community at
www.magix.info, which includes approx. 100,000 members and offers the
opportunity to ask members questions concerning MAGIX products as well as
use the search function to search for specific topics or answers. In addition to
questions & answers, the knowledge pool includes a glossary, video tutorials
and a discussion forum. The multiple experts, found round-the-clock on
www.magix.info guarantee quick answers, which sometimes come within
minutes of a question being posted.

 Email support for MAGIX products:

8 (eight) weeks of free email customer service (starting from the purchase
date) is automatically included with the purchase of any new MAGIX product.
MAGIX guarantees fast processing of your request and an immediate reply.
Premium email support:
If you experience problems after the 8 weeks of free email support have
expired, you can purchase a Premium email support ticket in the MAGIX Shop
for USD 12.99 | CAD 13.99 | GBP 9.99 | AUD 18.99 | ZAR 120.00 | EUR

12.99 | SEK 119.00 | NOK 99.00 | DKK 99.00. This ticket applies to a
specific problem and is valid until it is solved; it is therefore not restricted to
one email.
Reporting evident program errors is exempt from this regulation.

Please note: To be able to use the Premium email support and free product
email support via the Internet, you have to register your MAGIX product using
the serial number provided. This can be found on the CD case of your
installation CD or on the inside of the DVD box.

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 Additional telephone service:

Besides the large number of free customer service offers, we also offer a
fee-based telephone customer service.

Here you can find a summary of our technical support telephone numbers:
http://support.magix.net/

Mail (Europe): MAGIX Development Support, P.O. Box 20 09 14, 01194
Dresden, Germany

Mail (North America): MAGIX Customer Service, 1105 Terminal Way #302,
Reno, NV 89502, USA

Please have the following information at hand:

 Program version
 Configuration details (operating system, processor, memory, hard drive, etc.),

sound card configuration (type, driver)

 Information regarding other audio software installed

MAGIX Sales Department

You can reach the MAGIX Sales Department workdays for help with the
following questions and problems:

Support 13

 Orders
 Product consulting (pre-purchase)
 Upgrade requests
 Returns

Europe

Monday - Friday, 09:00-16:00 GMT

U.K.: 0203 3189218
Denmark: 699 18149
Sweden: 0852500858
Finland: 09 31581630
Norway: 0210 30665

North America

9 am to 4 pm EST Mon-Fri
Phone: [phone]

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14 Serial number

Serial number

A serial number is included with each product, and although it is not required
for the installation of the software, it does enable access to additional bonus
services. Please store this number in a safe place.

What can a serial number do?

A serial number ensures that your copy of MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE is
clearly assigned to you and only you, and it makes improved and more
targeted customer service possible. Abuse of the software can be prevented
with a serial number, since it ensures that the optimum price/performance ratio
continues to be offered by MAGIX.

Where can the serial number be found?

The serial number can be found on the reverse side of your CD/DVD case. If
your product, for example, is packed in a DVD box, then you'll find the serial
number on the inside.

For versions that have been especially optimized for the Internet (download
versions), you'll receive your serial number for activating the software directly
after purchasing the product via email.

When will you need the serial number?

The serial number is required when you start or register MAGIX Audio Cleaning
Lab SE for the first time.

Note: We explicitly recommend registering your product, since only then are
you entitled to get program updates and contact MAGIX Support. Entering the
serial number is also required for activating codecs.

www.magix.com

More about MAGIX 15

More about MAGIX

MAGIX Online World

Well-connected: Products and services online from MAGIX

Discover the possibilities offered by the MAGIX Online World. Every MAGIX
product offers a direct and easy-to-use gateway to the world of online
multimedia:

 Present your photos, videos, and music

directly in your Online Album or in worldwide
Internet communities.

 Find professional templates & content for enhancing your personal projects.
 Design your own personalized website using professional Flash

photos, videos, music & impressive animations.

 Order brilliant photo prints to be sent directly to your doorstep. It's quick,

easy, and well-priced.

Experience these and many more online services on www.magix.com

®

design with

magix.info

Help and get help - Directly from within the program, you'll be able to access

magix.info, the new MAGIX Knowledge Database (view page 165). You'll find
answers to all the
multimedia in general. Couldn't find an answer to your particular question? No
problem – just ask the question yourself!

You can access magix.info online at http://www.magix.info

most frequently asked questions about MAGIX products and

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16 Introduction

Introduction

What is MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE?

MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE is a gentle but powerful cleaner for all kinds of
acoustic material including records, tapes, CD tracks, recorded speech, video
sound, and MP3s. Digital cleaning features remove everything from light
cloudiness to the worst sound abominations on noise-filled tapes, scratched
records, and on MP3s that have been compressed to death. A fine polish of
the sound brings new life to every song and the burning function encapsulates
your sensitive sound material on audio or data CD, protecting it from any
further damage.

Individual tracks, even individual passages within a track can be given their
own effect settings. In addition, the entire sound can be cleaned up, refreshed
and – especially important for compilations – the volume can be balanced.

MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE is fast, easy-to-use and very gentle: Nearly all
effects are calculated in realtime during playback without damaging the
recorded material in the least. The original recordings and songs remain
untouched on the hard drive. You can therefore experiment to your heart's
content without having to worry about causing any lasting damage to your
audio material.

What’s new in MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE?

Intelligent start dialog

Within the new start dialog, you can choose typical tasks and start to work on
them directly. The most intelligent thing about this is that after choosing the
tasks, all recording presets, assistants and effect dialogs of MAGIX Audio
Cleaning Lab SE are already tuned to the tasks. Following tasks are available:
Restore vinyl sound, clean tapes, optimize voice or audio books and edit digital
files.

Direct spectral cleaning

Spectral Cleaning: Spectral cleaning detects and removes specific noises such
as coughs and cracklings based on a colorful display of the frequency
spectrum. With the new version you are also able to filter out the frequencies
directly from the track with the eraser tool.

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Introduction 17

Improved overview on the overview track

Separated objects on the main track normally represent different songs. They
are presented in different color shadings. Especially in longer projects, it helps
the user to locate the transitions between the objects and songs much faster
and simplifies navigation during the project.

Features

Import

You can either import existing audio files in many conventional formats into
MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE, or simply use MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE to
record your own music. No matter whether cassette, tape reel, LP, or via
streaming Internet, with only a few clicks, you can digitize your music and edit
it further with MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE.

Cleaning

The heart of MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE is its ability to remove unpleasant
noise in music and enrich the overall sound. To do this, there are numerous
professional tools available like the "DeClicker", "DeCrackler", "DeClipper",
"DeNoiser" (including DeRumbler preset), "DeHisser", and "spectral cleaning".
You can also add a number of sound effects to your music. Resampling and
timestretching help adjust the speed and pitch of pieces so that they match,
and reverb/echo adds professional reverb to your music. The possibilities are
nearly endless, as you will see. For more detailed information about the tools,
please read MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE's help file.

Mastering

So that your recordings sound optimal, a selection of mastering tools are
available to you once you have cleaned up the audio material. Try them out
yourself to see which settings are the best, or let MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab
SE do the work for you by searching for the best settings automatically. For
more detailed information about the tools, please read MAGIX Audio Cleaning
Lab SE's help file.

Export

Of course, you can also export your recordings. There is a wide range of
formats available which enable you to enjoy your recordings anywhere you like.

Supported formats

Import:

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18 Tutorial

Audio: WAV, MP3, WMA, AIFF, AAC, OGG Vorbis, M3U, CUE, CD-A, FLAC
Video sound import: AVI, WMV, MXV, MOV, DV-AVI, MPEG-2

Export:
Audio: WAV, MP3², MP3 Surround

2

, AAC3, WMA, AIFF, OGG Vorbis, CD-A,

1

FLAC, MP3 DVD, Data DVD, DVD Audio,
Video sound export: AVI

1)

Activate MPEG 2 decoder (fee-based)

2)

Activate MP3 encoder for free

3

) Activate AAC encoder (fee-based)

Tutorial

In this chapter, we introduce all the most important features of MAGIX Audio
Cleaning Lab SE. You don't need any special experience; just some time for
recordings and hard drive space.

With MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE you can load audio material from a
number of different sources into projects in order to clean it up, edit it, export it
as an audio file/CD or burn it to disc using just some of the special functions
that come in the package.

First of all, you'll need suitable audio material. You can load your records or
tapes, or even, for example, audio files from the Internet as MP3s.

Analog material like records or tapes have to be digitized first so that it can be
processed by the computer. The recording function in MAGIX Audio Cleaning
Lab SE can be used for this purpose. It's used to record analog material via
the computer's sound card.

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Tutorial 19

Program start

After starting the program, a selection dialog including several tasks will
appear.

Choose from:

 Restore vinyl sound: for LPs.
 Clean tape sound: for tapes.
 Optimize voice and audio book recordings: for speech.
 Edit digital files: for MP3 files, web radio recordings and many more.

For all these options you will require relevant material. In the following we
assume that you already possess digitized material which you would like to
free from any bothersome noise.

Note: If you wish to digitize an LP, you should use a USB phono pre-amp in
order to connect your record player to your PC. By doing so, you ensure best
sound quality all the way through. You can find a suitable USB phono pre-amp
in our MAGIX Online Shop at www.magix.com.

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20 Tutorial

Load and play audio files

After choosing a suitable task, MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE will show up with
an empty project window. You are in the "Import" section, which is
recognizable by the lit button below the project window.

The workflow in this section is very easy:

 You can load your audio files, e.g. in MP3 format by clicking the "Audio files"

button.

 You can record LPs or tapes via the "Record" button.
 You can import audio CDs via the "CDs" button.

After import, a waveform display of the audio track appears in the main
window.

The waveform display gives you an idea of the audio track's progression. You
can even detect noises. Crackling for instance creates a clearly visible peak in
the waveform.

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Below to the right, you will find the transport controls for playback, stop and
winding. You will be familiar with these functions from other playback devices.

Use the mouse for quicker navigation: If you click into the waveform display
with the mouse, the playback marker will be moved exactly to this position.
You can start and stop the track by pressing the spacebar of your keyboard.

Tutorial 21

Cleaning

There are many types of noises. Let's start with the easiest ones: constant
humming or irritating hissing. This kind of noise is usually caused by tape
recorders, record players or microphones and are audible throughout the
complete track. Find out how to get rid of these irritating distortions:

 Switch to the "Cleaning" section.

Most of the elements that are displayed here are identical to the ones in the
"Import" section, but the function area in the lower left hand corner has
changed decisively. Six different functions for removing audio disturbances are
available here, which are adjusted differently depending on your selection in

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22 Tutorial

the start dialog. The modules are "DeClicker", "DeCrackler", "DeClipper",
"DeNoiser", "DeHisser" and "Spectral Cleaning". If you click on one of these
modules, you will find explanations regarding purpose and workflow of the
individual module on the info monitor located in the bottom right-hand corner.

The slider lets you regulate the
strength of all of the "cleaning"
effects (except for Spectral Cleaning,
which we will deal with later).

If you are not satisfied with the
presets of the start dialog, you can
choose further presets using the
arrow menu.

To get an idea of how the selected
effect affects your audio material,
you can turn it on and off by clicking
on the symbol in the left-hand
corner.

Click on the symbol in the bottom
right- hand corner to open a user
interface where you can set all of the
available parameters for the effect.

In a way, this symbol represents the effect's engine hood. The interface
located behind it was designed to simulate professional audio editing devices.

Depending on the effect device, you can specify very effective audio editing

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settings here. To do so, it's necessary to know a bit about audio editing
though. Usually, however, you will not need these special functions, but they
can be useful in complex cases. If you need them or if you're interested, please
read the complete documentation (either the PDF manual or the program's
help file).

Tutorial 23

Mastering

"Mastering", the second effects area aims at optimizing the audio material.

 Click on the "Mastering" button.

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24 Tutorial

You will find the following effects modules here: "StereoFX", "Equalizer",
"Brilliance", "Sound Cloner", "Dynamics", "Multimax", "Energizer" and
"Chorus".

The functionality of the optimization effects is the same in principle: Adjust the
strength of the effect via the slider, switch the effect on and off to compare the
original with the edited audio material and access the actual operation console
by clicking on the symbol in the bottom right-hand corner.

Object effects

If you combine the audio material from various sources, it's normally not
sensible to apply cleaning and mastering effects to all objects in the same way.
Tape recordings typically have other audio disturbances than LP recordings.
Therefore, there are two different ways you can use the effects: Master effects
and object effects.

The master effects are set centrally in the cleaning section. The settings made
here are applied to the entire sound, i.e. for all objects in the master track.

Each object can also have its own individual effect
settings. Click on "Object FX" on the object itself
in the master track.
The "Object FX" screen (object editor) opens in a
new dialog and displays additional effect devices.
These effects can be set separately for every
object in the master track.

The “Object FX” dialog also contains an echo/reverb device for adding
Surround Sound to individual objects, and in addition to the multi-band
compressor (“MultiMax”), a “simple” compressor is also included (“Dynamics”).

Spectral Cleaning

Up until now, the workflow was extremely easy: Load your material, adjust your
effects – finished. Now let's take a look at an application that requires a bit
more preparation, but can also solve complicated problems. This includes
filtering out individual audio disturbances.

Spectral Cleaning in the "Remove" section can be useful for editing live
recordings, where a single cough in the audience threatens to ruin an

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otherwise beautiful pianissimo effect. It can also be used to remove short
distortions such as coughing, passing cars, a whistle, crackling or short drop
outs.

Spectral Cleaning can be applied directly onto the track per mouse click. Here,
however, we will explain the functionality within the effect module, which offers
more possibilities.

Here's how it works: The clearly audible noise has a different acoustic
signature than the rest of the material, otherwise it would not be clearly
audible. Based on this signature, the noise can be identified and filtered. After
it has been identified, the audio material's frequency spectrum is analyzed
before and after the disturbance. Based on this "acoustic environment",
frequencies are calculated that can be used to fill the gap that was created
after filtering out the disruptive signature. Ideally, a simulation of the "normal"
background acoustics replaces the cough, almost as if it was removed
magically.

Here's how it works:

 First, set the play cursor roughly to the position of the distortion.
 Open the Spectral Cleaning Editor.

Tutorial 25

 Try to select the distortion using the selection tool in the editor.

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26 Tutorial

 Once you've selected the distortion, click on "Play". The algorithm becomes

active immediately: The selected area is filtered out and replaced with
frequency material from the surrounding "acoustic environment".

 Can you hear an improvement? If not, change the selection. The selection

should be as small as possible. Localize the audio disturbance by trial and
error.

 Once you are satisfied with the result, click on "Calculate". Up until now, you

merely experimented, but now the settings will be applied.

Tips: For information on the individual buttons in the editor, please read the
entire documentation (available as PDF manual or program help file). You can
also access a tutorial video that explains the workflow directly from within the
Spectral Cleaning Editor.

The Spectral Cleaning Editor might seem a bit complicated, but it's a very
effective tool that previously was reserved for pros. Therefore, it's worth
investing some time to familiarize yourself with this tool.

Cut out undesired passages

Now let's take a look at some special kinds of audio disturbances. A typical
example would be the noise of a microphone knocked against something by
mistake or even any kind of crackling, crashing, rustling, which can't be
removed satisfactorily with Spectral Cleaning, because it's too irregular.

These kinds of noises as well as longer undesired passages can be cut out
using the scissors tool in the left-hand corner of the track window.

 Select the scissor mouse mode.

The mouse pointer turns into a pair of scissors. If you move it
across the track, the playback marker moves with it.

 Play the audio track and search for the section that you want to

cut out.

 Click before and after the section to cut at these points.

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This way, three separate objects are created on the track.

 Switch back to standard mode, select the object in the middle and delete it by

pressing the "Delete" key.

A gap is created in the audio track. The problem is that where the disturbance
used to be there is now absolute silence, which is irritating, too. It's not
enough to simply cut out the audio disturbance, you have to add another
sound into the gap, even if it's only a quiet hissing that is audible throughout
the rest of the material, i.e. the room sound. Therefore, fill the gap with quiet
material that features only hissing, for example.

Tutorial 27

 Search for a suitable passage in a different section of the audio track that is

roughly as long as the gap. Cut the audio track before and after the passage.

 Switch back to standard mode and select the passage. Copy it to the

clipboard (Ctrl + C or "Edit > Copy").

 Set the position line to the beginning of the gap and insert the passage (Ctrl +

V or "Edit > Insert").

 Move the bottom right handle on the inserted object to adjust its length to the

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28 Tutorial

gap (It will latch into the cut edges).

That way, the distortion is "patched". All of the cuts can be fine tuned
retroactively using the object handles to avoid crackling at the transitions.

 There are handles at the top left and right hand corners, which allow you to

create fade ins and outs.

 The handle at the top center is for adjusting the volume. If you pull it

downwards, the volume of the object is reduced.

 The handles at the bottom left and right corners adjust the object's borders.

You can fine tune your cuts by extending or contracting the object.

Retouch short distortions such as cracks

Let's take a look at a quick and elegant way of retouching short distortions
such as cracks and clicks using a pen tool.

Note: You can't undo editing that you did with the "Draw wave shape" tool (no
"Undo" function). After selecting the pen tool, you can decide whether, for
safety purposes, you want to edit in a copy of the file or directly in the original
material.

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 Search for a section in the material where you hear crackling and set the play

cursor to that position.

 Zoom into that section so that you can see the details of the waveform

display. You can use the zoom button at the bottom right of the track window.

 Take a close look. Can you see the crack? Look for a "mountain" that is flat on

top or exceeds its surroundings.

Tutorial 29

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30 Tutorial

 Select the "Draw wave shape" mode.

The mouse pointer turns into a pen that you can use to draw
directly into the waveform. If you click, the zoom level increases
automatically and you can draw.

It's about trying to turn the flat form a bit more into a peak and
moving it slightly towards the bottom.

This way, for example:

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The critical section should then look like this at the end:

If you play back the material now, the cracks have disappeared.

Tutorial 31

Export

After you have "cleaned up" the material, you can export your material: either
song by song as MP3 or WAV file or all songs of the track as audio CD, DVD,
or data disc.

Switch to the "Export" workspace: Only the functions in the bottom left-hand
corner of the screen are changed.

If you haven't split each song on the track into a separate object, you will
require track markers to specify the beginning of every new piece. With the
help of the track marker assistant, you can control and change all track
beginnings. If you need any help with burning CDs, use the CD assistant.

To save the project click on the floppy disk icon.

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32 Overview of the program interface

Overview of the program interface

Import: Add new audio material here such as audio files from your hard

disk, LPs or tapes via the record function, as well as songs from an audio
CD.
Cleaning: You can remove audio disturbances in the track via the
"Cleaning" screen.

Mastering: Use the "Mastering" screen to optimize the audio material in
the track.

Export: Export audio material as an audio file and burn it directly onto CD
or DVD via the "Export" screen.
Mouse modes: Select a suitable tool here: Arrow (Move mouse mode),
Scissors (Cut mouse mode), "X" (Delete mouse mode), Clock
(Resampling mouse mode), Pen 1 (Draw volume curve mode) or Pen 2
(Draw wave shape) and Pen 3 (Draw spectral cleaning shape).
Menu bar: Here you'll find all functions of MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE.

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Overview track: View the complete project. The area which is currently

Overview of the program interface 33

being edited by the user is highlighted.

Track: Make detailed changes to the audio material here.

Object FX: Access the object effects for the selected song in the track

here.

Transport control: Controls playback of the track.

Effects section: Here you can access the individual cleaning and

mastering effects.

Info Box/Analyzer: Switch between information on the currently selected
function and the visualization screen here. The visualization screen
displays the output signal graphically. You can choose between the
following display options: peak meter, oscilloscope, phase correlator,
spectroscope, and spectrogram.
Master volume: Set the total volume of the track here. The limiter hinders
overmodulation, and the auto function enables the volume to be
automatically optimized.

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34 Track window and constant control elements

Track window and constant control elements

This chapter describes the display and control elements which are available to
you independently from the selected section in MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE

Upper buttons

The buttons located above the track display provide quick access to the most
important program functions.

Using this option you can set up a new MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE
project (view page 63).

Key:

Using this option you can load previously saved projects (view page

63).

Key:

This button provides access to the most important save functions: You
can either save -project (view page 63) or export the project as a wave
or MP3

In the project you can undo the last changes you made. This way, it's
no problem if you want to try out critical operations. If you don't like the
result, you can always revert to the previous state using "Undo".

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Z

Redo "undoes" a previous Undo command.

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+Y

Set a track marker at the actual playback position.

Opens a menu with different functions to set track markers
automatically. Additional information can be found via the CD/DVD
menu (view page 149).
Opens a menu with different functions to automatically recognize track
names. By doing so the online database freedb (view page 153) and
mufin Audio

file.

E

O

ID (view page 155) functions are used.

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Track window and constant control elements 35

MAGIX News Center

The MAGIX News Center features links to current online tutorials and tips &
tricks on the software application examples. The "News" is indicated by color
according to content:

 Green indicates practical tips & tricks for the software
 Yellow reports the availability of new patches and updates
 Red for special offers, contests and questionnaires

If no new messages are present, the button will appear gray. When the MAGIX
News Center is clicked, all of the available information will be displayed. Click
the messages to reach the corresponding website.

The master track

Audio material display

All of a project's audio material is displayed in the master track of the track
window as a waveform. The waveform corresponds with the acoustic
properties of the material. This means that there isn't anything to listen to at
places where there isn't anything visually; higher waves mean high
volumes. The tracks waveform display forms the most important basis for
locating specific passages.

The display is compressed, meaning that the waveform is displayed as a ratio
of loud passages to quiet passages. This ensures correct display for quieter
sections at the beginning or end of a song.

Position line

During playback a thin line will move horizontally from the left to the right over
the master track. This is the position line, which indicate, which part of the
wave form is currently reproduced.

The last starting point of the playback is indicated by a small triangle in the
master track. The position line will jump back to that position, once playback
has finished.

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36 Track window and constant control elements

Timeline

The timeline is located above the track. It shows the time position in the
project. The measurement units can be selected from the "Options" menu. You
can choose from: samples, milliseconds, hours/minutes/seconds, and CD
frames.

The markers are also displayed in the timeline. They can be accessed, moved
or deleted with the mouse.

Navigation

The task of the transport controls is to help you navigate through the audio
material in the master track. Here you can find functions that you will already
now from your old tape recorder. You can get more information in the chapter
Transport controls (view page 42).

The simple
click on the time ruler will set the starting point for the playback (even if
playback is already running!) The space bar starts and stops playback.

st solution, however, is to navigate directly in the track: a mouse

Overview track

The overview track lets you select the project section which is displayed in the
track display (displayed in blue).

The tracks window now includes an additional overview track with a reduced
display of the complete project. Now you can work at a certain position or on a
certain song and keep an overview of the complete project and quickly
navigate to areas that need work. In the overview track, you can also select the
song or position in the material to be depicted in the track window.

Move the section to the part of the project simply by clicking in the overview
track; the zoom level remains the same. Define a new range in the overview
track by clicking and dragging. Vertical yellow lines indicate the markers in the
overview track.

Use the "Overview mode" entry in the "Options" menu to show/hide the
overview track.

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Track window and constant control elements 37

2 tracks

Use the "2 tracks" button to create a second stereo track, for example, if
you want to create transitions between two songs or to "park" a song on
the additional track for the meantime.

An additional track provides a better overview when there are multiple objects
in play. All objects can be moved randomly between the tracks. If moved
between tracks while holding the "Shift" key, the horizontal position will be
retained, i.e. only the track is changed. On the lower "shunting" track you can
move the objects without moving the subsequent ones as well. Materials which
are placed over one another will be played back simultaneously and burned
on CD. If this is desired, then the volume level at this position should be
monitored, since objects which are playing back simultaneously add to the
overall volume.

Stereo

If the stereo button is activated, the waveform display of the audio
material for both stereo channels will be displayed separately.

This view is useful to visually monitor processing of the material in the stereo
panorama, or to locate precise crossover points during editing operations.

Surround

Opens the Surround editor.

Read more on this topic in the "Additional sound effects (view page 107)"
chapter!

Volume curve

You can activate a volume curve (view page 69) with the Volume c
button.

urve

Spectral display

In addition to the waveform display, this button allows a spectral display
of the audio material to be shown as well.

Spectral display equates the X axis (horizontal) to the time dimension. In
contrast to the waveform display, whereby the height of the waveform only

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38 Track window and constant control elements

indicates the total level of the signal, the spectral display shows the level of
each of the audio signal's individual frequencies. The actual level of each
frequency is indicated by the color of the points in the spectrogram image.

Different color palettes can be selected in the menu "Options -> Spectral
waveform display". "Display values scale" in the same menu ("#" key) shows an
object's frequency scale.

Spectral cleaning is significantly more processor-heavy than the normal
waveform display, so redrawing after a section changes is always slightly
delayed. This delay is increased the further the zoom is extended, since MAGIX
Audio Cleaning Lab SE needs to include more and more data for calculation of
the display. For this reason, spectral display is only available from a certain
zoom level.

Spectral display of the audio enables specific disturbances in the audio to be
detected. Clicking can be recognized by vertical lines across the entire
frequency spectrum; continuous disturbing sounds can be detected by
horizontal lines.

More detailed explanations can be referenced in the section "Spectral cleaning
(view page 85)".

This display a
instrumental changes can be clearly seen in the spectrum. On the other hand,
the waveform display will not indicate changes if the volume level does not
fluctuate.

lso makes it easier to find sections in a song quickly, since

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Track window and constant control elements 39

Mouse mode

"Mouse modes" are your tools when working in the track window of
MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE. Depending on which mode you choose,
the mouse pointer will look differently and have a different function in
the track window.

The following modes are available: scissors (for cutting), magnifying
glass (for zooming), eraser (for deleting), arrow pointer (for standard
operations), a clock (for changing playback speed) and two pens (for

drawing a volume curve or a waveform).

Move mouse mode

The shift mode is preset. It allows you to handle all-important tasks:

Select objects in the track window with a left-click. Selected objects can be
moved or deleted in move mode. All subsequent objects are also moved so
that no unwanted gaps develop later in the track. The object can be removed
from the track with the Del key. All subsequent objects are moved so that no
gaps occur.

In move mode you can use the 5 handles to fade or shorten all objects or to
change the master volume.

Right-clicking on an object opens the so-called context menu from which you
can select important editing options for the object.

Keyboard shortcut: V

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40 Track window and constant control elements

Cut Mouse mode

This creates two separate objects that can be edited separately.

Moving the mouse over the wave form depiction of the audio material you
move the Position Bar along with the mouse pointer. So you can control
exactly the point where you want to cut. The perform precision editing we
recommend zooming the wave shape display before using the cut mode.

Like in move mode, right-clicking on an object opens the so-called context
menu from which you can select important editing options for the object.

This mode is suitable for dividing a recording into different parts in order to
apply object effects to each of the passages.

Key: H

The cutting mode converts the mouse pointer into scissors. Every
object can be cut on the mouse position.

Delete Mouse mode

The "Delete Objects" mode turns the mouse pointer into an eraser. In this
mode you can delete objects from the project.

Following projects are drifted automatically with the Track Markers in the
position of the deleted object.

In Move mode you can also mark an object and press the Del key on the
keyboard to delete it.

Keyboard shortcut: O

Resampling/Timestretch mouse mode

This mode lets you change the playback speed of objects with the
mouse so that they are better aligned.

You can use this mouse mode by stretching or squashing the object at the rear
object handle below. The mouse cursor turns into a clock.

Resampling mode (preset) can be used to change speed and pitch just like on
a tape, i.e. speed and pitch are changed together as one. If an object is

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compressed with the mouse, the speed and pitch increase just like a tape
when it is played faster.

In the timestretch mode, the pitch remains unchanged, if the object length and
with it the speed are changed.

You can switch modes by opening the Object FX page (view page 68) of an
object, switc
from the tempo/resampling effects presets list.

Track window and constant control elements 41

hing to the cleaning effects, and then selecting timestretching

Draw volume curve mouse mode

With the Draw volume curve mode you can "draw" any volume curve
using the mouse.

This way, you can create irregular volume progressions quickly.

To delete volume curve points, double-click on the corresponding point or click
on a point in the erase object mode (view page 40). You can delete multiple

by holding the Shift key and clicking the first and last points so that all

points
points in between are selected.

Selected volume points have a blue frame. You can now delete the points with
the Delete key.

Wave drawing mode

Repair short distortions such as crackling directly in the wave form of the
audio file by using the Wave drawing mode. Such distortions usually only
last a few sample values, so you can use the mouse and try to draw
along the original waveform without the distortion.

There is an automatic zoom function in the wave form display when you switch
into the Wave drawing mode, so sample values become visible.

Warning: Unlike other editing of the master track which only affects the project,
this mode lets you work directly with the Wave audio file, i.e. on the recorded
raw material, which is changed directly and permanently. Create a backup
copy to undo changes. Back up copies are created automatically when
working with MP3 and other compressed formats, since such files have to be
converted into the Wave format for this function.

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42 Track window and constant control elements

Spectral edit mouse mode

You can remove individual noises within the sound spectrum of the
audio material with the help of the spectral edit mouse mode.

In that case, it is a simplified version of Spectral Cleaning (view page 85) that is
integrated in

The view of the master track changes to Spectral display (view page 37) and
you can create an area around the noise
adjustable afterwards by simply stretching the handles at the frame.

You can hear the impact of the effect straight after playing the corresponding
passage. Two buttons are located at the frame of the disturbances. By clicking
"OK" the editing will be calculated into the audio material instantly. A copy of
your original material has been automatically saved beforehand so you can
undo any editing (Strg + Z).

to the master track.

with your mouse. Its size is still

By clicking "Cancel" you delete the frame and end the filtering process.

Transport control

Use the transport control to control the playback position in the project. The
position line, which indicates the current playback position, is a thin vertical line
located in the track window.

Quickly move the position line within the project by using the position slider.

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Use the transport control to start and stop playback, move forward and
backward within the project and set the position line back to the very
beginning.

Track window and constant control elements 43

The time display indicates the current playback position (using
the measurement unit selected via Options > Measurement units
(view page 161))

Loop: Clicking on the loop button starts playback an endless loop.
This function is useful if you wish to monitor transitions or effect
settings in critical sections and therefore want to listen to certain
ranges or objects repeatedly. You can extend or shorten the loop
range in the Timeline by using the mouse or by entering changes

numerically in the "Playback parameters" window (options menu).

Return to start: Resets the position line to the start of the project (also
works during playback).

Rewind/Fast-forward: Rewind/fast-forward first starts slowly, then
quickly speeds up if you continue to hold the rewind or FF button. This
corresponds to the functionality of a tape recorder which also takes
some time to gain speed.

Alt + Click on this button lets you jump to the next or previous marker.

Stop: Stops playback, the position line jumps back to the starting

position.

Play: Starts playback, clicking again stops playback at the current
position.

Recording: Opens the record dialog where you can set the recording
format, level etc. The actual recording is started in the record dialog.

Control functions of the keyboard and mouse:

 The space bar starts or stops playback.
 A simple mouse-click in the timeline above the track moves the position line to

the corresponding position (also works during playback).

 The Pos 1 key moves the position bar back to the start of the project.
 Use the position slider to quickly move the playback cursor within the project.

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44 Track window and constant control elements

 Other special keyboard commands are available to jump between markers

and object borders quickly, see Zoom commands (view page 46).

Analyzer

Audio material being played is graphically illustrated in the visualizer. You can
choose between the following display options: Peak Meter, Oscilloscope,
Phase Correlation, Spectroscope and Spectrogram.

The visualizer can be modified to your taste. Click "setup" and in the context
menu, choose from a number of options, including the update speed, color,
etc.

Setup

Value range/display: You can adjust the minimum and maximum values for the

display of the visualization in all modes. The numeric peakmeter display is
activated and deactivated via the Peakmeter value menu item. The option
"Non-linear dB scale stretches the range of interest slightly below 0dB. An
additional RMS value display (visible as a small white bar in the peakmeter) can
be activated and deactivated via the RMS menu item.

Speed: Here you can define the speeds of all visualization modes. However,
you can also customize the speeds. The measurement units for a drop are
specified in 10 dB (ms/dB).

Peak hold: Here you can enter a time value for holding and dropping of the
peak levels. You can also enter these time values manually in "ms".

Frequency bands: Here you can enter the number of frequency bands
displayed in the spectroscope. Warning: Higher band numbers means a higher
CPU load and thus reduced PC performance or portable visualization display.

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Track window and constant control elements 45

Info Box

The Info Box offers fast and immediate help when
working with MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE.

Please click on an effect to receive information on
purpose of use, functionality, correct handling and
possible sources of error.

With the help of sound examples, you can listen to
the result of the effect. "Before" plays the effect
previously to the application and "After" the result
with the applied effect.

Clicking on an object displays the applied Object effects (view page 75), if
available. The Info Box also offers u

seful tips for other program areas.

Zoom

The waveform display allows you to recognize certain parts of the material from
the shape. For many tasks it is quite useful to enlarge the waveform display.
For detailed editing, e.g. editing with the scissor tool, there are several zoom
options:

Quick zoom: For quick zooming it is sufficient to click with the mouse in the
timeline, keep the mouse button pressed down and move it up or down. This
way, you can quickly zoom the cursor in and out at any position without
releasing the mouse.

The +/- zoom button at the bottom right corner of the track

This enlarges the central area of the track window. Clicking on the adjacent
triangle opens the zoom menu. Here you can open different zoom and
navigation commands (view page 46).

By selecting
determine th
above the track window and displays the entire project irrespective of the
selected zoom level.

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window zoom in/out the display.

an area in the overview track (view page 36), you can also
e visible section of the project. The overview track is located

46 Track window and constant control elements

You can click on this symbol or the "a" key to quickly restore the fullscreen
view of the project.

Moving the scroll bar forward and backward allows you to quickly navigate
through the project. Dragging the scroll bar ends adjusts the size, which also
zooms in and out of the project.

Zoom settings

Command Keyboard

shortcut

Play/Position marker

Marker left Alt + right

Marker right Alt + left

Object border left Shift + Alt + right

Object edge right Shift + Alt + left

Zoom ranges

Description

Commands for quickly editing
the playback position

The play marker can be moved
quickly between the markers.

The play marker can be quickly
moved from object edge
(object start and end) to object
edge.

Show all A The entire project is visible.

Zoom 1s 1

Zoom 10 s 0
Zoom 60 s 6

The visible section of the
project is quickly set to the
selected value.

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Track window and constant control elements 47

Zoom 4 min 4
Zoom 10 min Shift + 0

Vertical zoom

Vertically zooms in and out of
the wave shape. This is useful

Zoom into waveform Ctrl + Cursor

down

for locating the crossover point
(for precise sample editing).

Zoom out of waveform Ctrl + Cursor up

Volume controller/auto button

This controller sets the playback level of the track. Before exporting, the
project should be set as loud as possible in order to receive an optimally
calibrated recording level. The "Auto" button below the volume control is for
automatically optimizing the volume (normalizing).

In order to set the volume of the project as high as possible, place the position
line just before the loudest part of the project and start playback (the loudest
position can be found by locating the highest peak of the wave shape display).

After you have played the loudest part, click on the "Auto" button below the
master volume control. MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE automatically adjusts
the volume so that the loudest part of the range that was just played is exactly
0 dB, i.e. the maximum volume.

Note: The volume controller adjusts the volume of the project, i.e. the volume
that is finally used for exporting. If you want to set the level lower here (e.g.
because you are talking to someone), the project will also be exported quieter.
It is better to adjust the monitor volume with the sound card mixer or directly
on your stereo system (e.g. monitor speakers) and to leave the volume control
at the position recommended by the "Auto" button.

To adjust the monitor volume in the sound card mixer, you can click on the
loudspeaker symbol in the tray (at the right bottom corner of the screen).
However, you can also adjust it directly in the "Playback parameters" (view
page 159) dialog.

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48 Track window and constant control elements

LED Display

The LED display is a peakmeter and shows you the maximum peaks during the
playback of the audio material on the track. In the stereo tracks, the left
LED-chain will indicate the level of the left channel and the right LED-chain the
level of the right channel. Both chains will show the same values while working
with mono tracks.

Bypass FX

Switch all effects on or off with this button to directly compare the original with
the processed audio.

Limiter

The limiter can be switched on to reduce clipping. This device works
sound-neutrally and provides a final guard against extreme levels.

Status line

On the lower edge you will see a display of the remaining capacity (depending
on the storage medium selected for export), and the current system resources.

Used space indicator:

The storage medium display compares the allocation of the master track to the
capacity of a defined output medium, for example, of an audio CD or of a data
DVD.

By clicking on this symbol you can adjust the
storage medium display of different output media
such as CDs, audio/video or data DVDs (MP3s).

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Track window and constant control elements 49

System display

The system resources are very important while writing a CD in real time. Once
the process has been started, it cannot be interrupted. When writing "on the
fly", the computer has to calculate the playback including all real time functions
and write them on the CD at the same time. If the system is not fast enough,
the process will be aborted and the CD will be useless.

The system display of the MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab 11 helps you to prevent
such problems when writing a CD.

If your system is overcharged, activate the "Create an Image file" option in the
"Make CD" dialogue. This will create a stereo file, which will be the source for
the writing process. This file includes all effects and object settings, as well as
the tracks and track markers, so that the system doesn't need to calculate
them again while writing various copies (see Write CD parameters (view page

123)).

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50 Import

Import

Audio files

Select any folder containing audio files. Every file listed can be previewed and
loaded into MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE. The selected file is attached to the
last object following a pause of 2 seconds.

You can also load several files simultaneously. Just as in Windows Explorer,
you can extend your selection with "Ctrl" + click, or select a series of files with
"Shift" + click.

MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE can import audio files in
the formats WAVE, QuickTime (*.aif), Ogg Vorbis (*.ogg),
MP3, WMA, FLAC, and AVI (soundtrack only).
To do this, click the corresponding button "Audio files" in
the import section and the "Load audio file" dialog will
open.

The pause inserted between the files (2 seconds by default) can be changed in
the CD/DVD menu with Automatic pause settings (view page 150). If you have
tracks which
then you should change this value to "0".

Keyboard shortcut: W

blend over one another and which are distributed on several files

Record

The "Record" button opens the audio record dialog.

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Import 51

Basic knowledge about recording with the PC

The record function converts analog audio signals – records, tapes, sounds,
speech – into digital data, which can be saved on the PC and edited with
MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE.

The device which is used to digitalize the audio signals is already built into
most sound cards and aptly called an analog-digital converter, often
abbreviated with A-to-D, ATD or A/D. In order to record sounds, the A/D
converter takes samples of the sound to be digitalized at fixed intervals by
measuring the voltage level of the signal. The frequency of the sampling is
called the sample rate and naturally lies within the kHz frequency range;
several thousand times per second. The higher the sample rate, the more
samples are recorded by the A/D converter, thus making the sound conversion
closer to the original.

The precision with which the A/D converter measures the voltage level of the
analog signal is determined by the sample resolution. The same principle
applies here: The finer the resolution, the better and more natural the digital
conversion.

Audio recordings in CD quality are recorded with a sample rate of 44.1 kHz
and a resolution of 16 bits.

Connecting the source for recording

First of all, the source of the audio material must be connected to the sound
card input. Again, there are several possibilities which primarily depend on the
type of equipment you have.

If you are recording from a microphone, then please connect the microphone
to the microphone jack on your sound card (usually red).

If you want to record material from a stereo system, then you can use the
line-out or AUX out jacks on the back of your amplifier or tape deck. This
involves connecting them to the sound card input (usually red).

If your amplifier has no separate output (other than for the speakers), then you
can use the connection intended for headphones for your recordings. In most
cases, you will need a cable with two mini-stereo jacks. This type of
connection has the advantage of being able to set the headphone input signal
level with a separate volume. As headphone connections generally are not the
best, it is advised that you use the line outputs if possible.

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52 Import

When recording cassettes from a tape deck, you can connect the tape deck's
line out directly to the sound card input.

When recording from vinyl records, you should not connect the record player's
output directly with the sound card because the phono signal needs to be
pre-amplified. A more suitable method would be to use the headphone
connection or an external pre-amp.

Record dialog

The "Record" button in MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE opens the record
dialog. However, the recording source must be connected to the input of the
sound card with a suitable cable first. For more information, please read the
"Recording basics" (view page 51) chapter.

Audio input: Opens the input and level automation (view page 55) for
automatic

Recording level: Displays whether the level of the signal you want to digitize is
correct. To set the level, play the loudest part of the material you want to
record and monitor the display. Like with analog recordings, the sound of
digital recordings has to be optimized as well. Too low level settings will have
adverse effects on sound quality, distortions lead to unpleasant "clippings".

Recording: This button starts the actual recording. During recording, recording
time and remaining space on your hard disk are indicated. Monitor the
recording level on the LED display. If the display reaches the upper LEDs, there
was a distortion at some point. In this case, you should definitely check the
recording for clippings and, if necessary, repeat the recording using a lower
recording level. At the end of the recording you will be asked if you want to use
the recording. The newly-recorded material will be placed at the current
position of the playback marker in the arrangement.

selection of the correct input signal and level.

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Recording pause: Pauses the recording. Click the button again to resume.

Stop: This button ends recording. The recorded material is then inserted into

the upper track as an object. If objects are already in the track, the recording is
attached to the last object after a pause of 2 seconds.

Advanced…: Opens the Advanced view of the record dialog (view page 53)
with access

Help: Opens the program's help file for the record dialog.

Close: Closes the record dialog.

Keyboard shortcut: R

to additional settings options.

Import 53

Advanced settings in the record dialog

Automatic recording stop: If this button is activated, recording will cease

automatically after approx. 16 seconds of silence. This way you won't have to
worry about stopping the recording once the source you're recording from, an
LP, for instance, has reached the end.

Automatic CD track recognition: If this feature is activated, then track markers
are automatically placed at the end of the pauses after a track. In order for

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54 Import

pause recognition to function seamlessly, you will have to set the proper
source in the selection box (LP, cassette, CD, or Internet). You can specify the
detection parameters even further in the Options menu via >Automatic track
marker recognition options (view page 161).

Save autom

individual track that is recognized will be saved as an individual file.

Set CD track marker/marker: Even during recording, you can set CD track
markers or simple markers by clicking the corresponding button in the
recording dialog.

Start new file: If you want to record for very long sessions or from multiple
sources one after the other, then the recording file can become extremely
large. This button will create a new sequentially numbered file.

Recording format: Set the sample rate and bit resolution (deluxe version only)
of the recorded audio file, and also whether the recording should take place in
stereo or mono.

24-bit recordings requires a high-quality audio card with 20 or 24-bit
conversion, plus a 24-bit capable MME driver. Audio cards with SPDIF digital
interfaces can also record audio material in 24-bit quality.

You can also record directly in compressed formats such as MP3 or OGG
Vorbis. Select the format you want to use from the list box, and use "Format
options" to specify details such as the bit rate and compression method.

Audio input: The button "Sound card settings" opens a dialog with special
settings (view page 58) for whatever sound card is present. The name of the
selected
ones with several inputs), you can select one from the menu.

atically in individual files: If this feature is active, then every

sound card is also displayed. If you are using several sound cards (or

Timer: Enter a specific time to start the recording, plus the recording length.
The recording won't begin immediately after pressing the "Record" button, but
rather at the specified time. This way, time-delayed recordings (for example, at
night or when you're out) are now possible. Of course, the system clock has to
be set correctly. If "Recording length" is active, then the recording will end
automatically after the indicated period.

File name/file path: The name of the audio file to be created and the preset
directory path are displayed at the bottom of the recording window. Both can
be changed by clicking the folder button.

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Shut down computer automatically after recording: If you are working with
timer recordings, you might as well have the computer shut down
automatically after the recording has been completed.

Basic...: Basic version of the record dialog.

Import 55

Input and level automation

Every sound card has a least two inputs (microphone and line), as well as
various "internal" inputs for the CD drive or the signal from another program,
for example, Internet radio. With input and level automation you can
automatically select the correct input for your recording without having to
search and adjust the input level in order to avoid distortions.

To do so, click on "Audio input" in the record dialog. If you had already
connected your source and begun playback, the correct input will be
determined immediately. Otherwise do this now and click on "Search channel
again".

If this didn't work, use the "Windows mixer" button to open the Windows Mixer
and select the channel manually.

Adjusting the recording level is essential when recording digitally via sound
cards in order to achieve optimum sound quality. If the adjustment is set too
high, distortion occurs and the incoming signal must be reduced. If you reduce
input sensitivity, the resolution at which the analog signal is digitized is also
reduced. The level controllers of your sound card should generally be set as
high as possible in order to achieve optimum results. Yardstick for an optimal
level is the loudest part of the material. The loudest part should be adjusted to
the maximum. You can now adjust the recording level with the help of the LED
display in the record dialog.

You can adjust the level of the source manually using the "Volume" controller.
If you activated "Automatic level adjustment", the level controller will
automatically be set to the correct value.

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56 Import

Monitor while recording

Do you want to listen to your digitizer while you are recording? It may not work
from the start for the following reason:

Most sound cards, including the ones integrated in a PC ("onboard sound")
offer help for the Windows sound card mixer. You can change the different
input and output levels of the sound card or choose a digitizer.

You will also find a signal route within the mixer. This route passes an input
signal through to the output of the sound card. The corresponding volume
controls within the mixer are called line -In, microphone or stereo mix.

The functions, as well as the descriptions of the input and output controller
within the Windows mixer, may differ depending on the sound card and sound
card driver. Windows mixer is only a standardized "interface" for the sound
card driver.

Regardless of MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE, Windows and the sound card
driver enable you to listen while you record.

Recording: Sound card with Windows mixer support

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Many sound cards or audio devices, such as USB record players offer either
an incomplete or no mixing support at all. In that case, you don't have the
option of monitoring while recording. If you go to "sound cards properties (view
page 58)" within the advanced recording dialog you will find the option "Listen
to the sound during
Lab SE will conduct the input signal to the output.

Recording: sound card without Windows mixing support

the recording". If you activate this, MAGIX Audio Cleaning

Import 57

24 bit audio support

Audio files in MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE can not only be recorded in 16 bit
quality, but also in far superior 24 bit resolution. Simply select the "24 bit"
option under "Resolution". 24 bit recordings require a high quality audiocard
with 20 or 24 bit converters, as well as a 24 bit-compatible NME drive. 24 bit
audio material can also be transmitted via audiocards with SPDIF digital
interfaces.

We have had positive experiences with the 24 bit audiocards produced by
Marian, RME, SEKD and Terratec.

The high resolution audio files are stored and edited in the 32 bit "floating
point" file format by MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE. This ensures the full 24 bit
quality independent of the gauge. The dynamics may increase to over 140 dB,
while the recording’s jamming transmission sinks, according to the type of
audiocard, to 110 dB and more. Thanks to floating point processing, there is
no need to worry about internal editing being distorted. Floating point
processing only starts to distort at around 1,500 dB above zero – in contrast
to a 16 bit signal that distorts immediately once the zero dB line has been
traversed.

Even in cases whereby audio material is intended for burning onto a 16 bit CD,
it is worth selecting 24 bit recording because all effects calculations are made
in a higher quality and therefore no "rounding" mistakes can be detected in the
audible 16 bit range.

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58 Import

24 bit recordings (via storage as 32 bit float files) take up twice as much
storage space on the harddisk as 16 bit recordings. But with current harddisk
storage capacities, it works out as a good compromise when one considers
the increase in quality.

High resolution audio files can be imported and exported as 24 bit WAV files,
enabling trouble-free file exchange with other high quality audio systems, such
as MAGIX Samplitude.

Digital transfer

With the recording function, digital audio data can be transferred to the hard
drive through a digital interface (e.g. S/PDIF or ADAT).

ADAT or DAT recorders normally produce data with a sampling rate of 48 kHz.
For a CD project with 44.1 kHz you must convert the sampling rate. This is
carried out in real time by MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE. The digital signal is
read at 48 kHz, but is automatically converted and inserted into the project as
an audio file at 44.1 kHz.

For this to occur correctly, you must first set the sample rate of the incoming
signal in the recording dialog. Click on the "Dev." button in the recording
dialog. In the following dialog (sound card characteristics), set the audio
recording formats supported by the sound card.

Now, connect the digital output of your recorder to the digital input of your
sound card, and now start recording!

Record properties

This dialog provides you with information regarding the currently selected
sound card. Supported audio formats of the sound card and the sound card
driver's information is also displayed.

Driver system: Here you can switch between driver types (MME and WDM).

Note: Adjust this setting only if you have problems with audio playback or
recording.

Special: Some sound cards or audio devices (for example, USB turntables) do
not offer mixer support. With the "Monitor input signal" option you can listen to
the sound during recording (monitoring).

"Filter DC offset" allows you to remove the DC offset section (view page 85) of
the input

signal, even during recording.

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Import 59

CDs

With CDsyou can import music from a CD into the
program.

Import CD

You can import entire Audio CDs or individual CD tracks into the project.
Unlike data CDs, audio CDs require special treatment while importing
("grabbing" or "ripping"). The data is imported digitally, thus eliminating loss in
sound quality.

To import audio tracks you should proceed as follows:

1. Insert an audio CD into the drive and click on "Import CD". A dialog with a

list of the CD tracks will open. If you have more than one drive, you may
have to first select the drive containing the CD. You can do this in CD drive
options.

2. Select the desired tracks (multiple selection by Ctrl + mouse-click).

3. Click on "Copy selected track(s)."

4. The "Import project" dialog will now appear. Here you can enter the file

name and select the target directory.

5. The audio material is then copied from the drive onto the hard disk. A

progress bar is displayed.

Once ripping is complete, the dialogs will be closed and the tracks are inserted
into the project as individual objects.

Keyboard shortcut: D

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60 Import

The track list dialog

Copy selected track(s): This button starts audio copy. A new object is created

for every track in the arrangement and the corresponding track marker is
created.

Transport control: This lets you start and stop
playback just like on a real CD player and skip
forward and backward in the playlist.

Details on the total length and the memory capacity of the selected track are
displayed below.

Select all tracks: All tracks are selected, for instance, to copy the entire CD.
Several subsequent tracks can also be selected by holding the "Shift" key and
left-clicking; "Ctrl + mouse-click" selects several tracks.

Get CD Info (freedb): Request title information from the freedb Online CD
database (view page 153)

right selection box you can select the read speed, and in the left one you

In the
can select the export mode (see Configuring the CD-ROM (view page 62)).

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CD drive options: Here you can change the settings and select the drive for
importing the CD if you have installed several CD drives (see also CD-ROM
drive dialog).

Write text file: Title list including the exact names and times can be exported
as a text file for archiving purposes.

Import 61

Dialog: Load audio file

The "Import project" dialog appears after you have selected the option "Copy
selected tracks". Here you can specify name and target address of the audio
files. The audio files are subsequently numbered depending on their names
(name -> name_1.wav, name_1.wav...).

Audio tracks (CDA files) are imported as WAV files by default. However, they
can already be converted into MP3s during import. To do this, select the
corresponding audio format in "file type" of the dialog "Import project" and
then make the corresponding "format settings" (for more info on the audio
formats please also read "Loading audio").

Copy-protected audio CDs

According to the copyright act it is forbidden to copy a CD with copy
protection, but the owner of a CD may create a backup copy. The problem
with copy-protected CDs is that they cannot be imported using conventional
PC drives. In order to create a backup of such a copy-protected CD you have
to play it on an audio CD player and record it as a regular analog recording via
the sound card.

Drive list dialog

You can select and configure the disc drive if you have more than one drive.

Configuration: This button opens the configuration dialog (view page

62)where you can make various special settings, SCSI

Reset: Restores the default settings of the drive.

Add drive: Creates a new drive letter in the list which still requires special

settings.

Delete: Deletes the selected drive.

Save setup: Saves the current drive list and all configuration data in a *.cfg file.

Load setup: Loads the current drive list and all configuration data from a *.cfg

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IDs, etc.

62 Import

file.

The CD-ROM configuration dialog

Drive name: Lets you edit the name of the drive in the list. This is useful if you

create more than one entry accessing the same physical drive.

Host adapter number: Lets you specify the number of your SCSI adapter ­normally "0".

SCSI-ID: Lets you set the ID of your CD-ROM drive. Be sure to set the correct
ID; there is no error checking!

SCSI-LUN: Select the SCSI-LUN parameter, normally "0".

Alias: Lets you select the manufacturer type of your CD-ROM drive.

Normal copy mode: Copies the audio data without any software correction.

Sector synchronization copy mode: Copies the audio data using a correction

algorithm. This is especially useful, since many CD drives have problems
finding an exact position again and gaps can occur.

Burst copy mode: Optimizes the speed of the copy process; no software
corrections made.

Sectors per cycle: Defines the number of audio sectors that should be read
from the audio CD in a read cycle. The higher the number of sectors, the faster
the copying process. Many SCSI systems have problems with more than 27
sectors.

Sync sectors: Sets the number of audio sectors that will be used for software
correction. A higher number results in a better synchronization but also in a
slower copying process.

Copy-protected Audio CDs

It is forbidden to copy an Audio CD, whether it is with or without copy
protection. Each owner of a CD may however produce a backup copy of
copy-protected CDs. The problem is that one cannot create a copy from
copy-protected CDs since the CD cannot be read in with a conventional PC
disc drive. In order to create a backup copy of a copy-protected CD, you must
play it in an Audio CD Player and record it as a "normal" analog recording via
the soundcard.

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Editing in the track view 63

Editing in the track view

What is an object?

Objects provide you with a wave form-interpretation of your audio material. The
starting point of each object is related to one single point in the audio file. The
length of the object determines the length of the excerpt from the audio
recording. So, an object does not represent the audio material itself, it is just a
replay command. While editing objects you just define additional commands
which will be executed in real time each time you listen to the object. For this
reason, the original audio material never gets altered and nevertheless your
personalized settings are permanently saved. This kind of data treatment is
known as "non destructive-editing".

As objects are merely replay commands and they only indicate which audio
material has to be played, you can move them to any desired position within
the track window or even delete them without changing the content of your
audio file.

Objects are important for differentiated sound editing of single tracks or loops.

Objects are subdivisions of your audio material which can be edited separately.
Tracks are in contrast simple markers for an audio CD.

Objects can be cut into an arbitrary number of smaller objects, and they can
be moved to the master track or even deleted.

Should you move or delete an object in the track, all objects that appear after
the deleted object will move up one position including their track markers, so
that the pause between the songs will be preserved.

You do not have to move the objects themselves to change the sequence of
the songs. As the following objects will all move up one position, this would
only be possible using a second track. It is much easier to move the
corresponding track markers in front of or behind another track marker. Doing
this will regroup the corresponding objects. The most comfortable solution is
to use the arrow keys in the CD track list.

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64 Editing in the track view

Project

The project (*.vip file) contains all data MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE uses. It
does not contain audio data but only the names of the imported and recorded
audio data and the saved locations on the hard drive, all edits, reductions and
most effects processing. Furthermore, the object display on the tracks is
referred to as a project.

Adjust object volume

The handle at the top center can be used to adjust the volume of the objects.
This handle is particularly important for synchronizing the volume of songs
originating from different sources. The volume of audio CDs may also differ.

Fading objects in and out

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At the top corners of every object there are two fade handles that can be
adjusted to fade an object in or out. It is particularly useful to use the fade
handles when you have cut passages out of a recording to avoid hard
transitions or crackling.

Editing in the track view 65

Duplicate objects

Objects may be duplicated very easily. Click on the object to be copied with
the mouse while holding down the "Ctrl" key. This generates a copy, which you
can immediately drag to the desired position or cut separately.

Reducing and increasing the length of objects

All objects can be shortened by moving the mouse to the right corner of the
object until the mouse pointer turns into a double arrow symbol. You can now
reduce the size of the object. This way the songs or recordings are shortened
without having to be edited.

Drag the handle to the right to make the object longer again. If you can't move
the object borders further, it means that no audio material is available.

If a few seconds silence were accidentally recorded at the beginning, you can
easily remove them by moving the left handle. If too much audio material was
removed, you can restore it by moving the object border back in the other
direction.

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66 Editing in the track view

Deleting and moving objects

Every object can be removed from the the track with the "Eraser" tool (or the
Del key). No gap will be created in the project, i.e. the subsequent objects are
moved.

All subsequent objects will be moved along in unison automatically so that no
gaps appear.

Cut objects

Use the commands "Remove object beginning" or "Remove object end" (keys
D and U) in the "Edit" menu to remove superfluous beginnings and ends of a
recording.

To do so, set the object's position line to the beginning of the part of the
object you want to keep (i.a. the music) and press D. Now, set the position
line to the end and press U.

Alternatively, you can use the scissors mouse mode. Use it to click on the
parts of the wave shape where you want to split the recording. No longer
required objects can now be removed from the track with the Delete tool or
Del key.

If you cut objects, a short fade is created automatically at the cut position to
prevent crackling.

If you separate the material into small objects, you can rearrange the order
entirely. For such arrangements we recommend using the second track (view
page 158), which can be used for shifting the objects.

To find the
view of the wave shape display. The magnifying glass is an ideal tool for such
purposes. Left-click into the wave shape display with the magnifying glass tool
to enlarge it, right-click to reduce the size again.

best parts for object cuts, we recommend working with an enlarged

Join and mix objects

When you push an object from the right over the object to its left, it will cover it
like one sheet of paper covers another (completely or just in part). The invisible
part of an object will not be played.

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The program automatically inserts a crossfade between the two joined objects
if the fader-handle of the second object is dragged a bit to the right. This is
another method to remove clicks.

A fade in a selected objected is represented by a Crossfade symbol.

The shape of the crossfade curve can be changed by clicking on this symbol.
You can also apply the Surround Transitions here.

You can make the invisible part of the second object visible (and audible) again
just by moving the second object to the right.

You can do the same using the second track. Passages that are overlapping
on two tracks will be played as overlapping. Now you can search for your ideal
mix using the volume and the length handle, cutting your object and moving it.

Editing in the track view 67

Fading objects

With every cut the two objects that are created are slightly crossfaded in order
to avoid crackling. This is called Auto crossfade. A crossfade is also added if
two objects in a track are moved into each other or overlap each other.

A crossfade symbol is added to each crossfade. By clicking on the
symbol, you can change the curve of the transition.

The top handle of the right object allows you to regulate the fading in and out
of both objects.

The bottom handle controls the length of the two objects. If you move them,
one of them is extended whereas the other is shortened. The length of both
objects together remains the same.

Change song order

You do not have to move the objects themselves to change the sequence of
the songs. As the following objects will all move up one position, this would

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68 Editing in the track view

only be possible using a second track. It is much easier to move the
corresponding track markers in front of or behind another track marker. Doing
this will regroup the corresponding objects. The most comfortable solution is
to use the arrow keys in the CD track list (view page 152).

Automatic insertion of pauses between objects

When importing individual songs (or other audio material) one after the other,
they will be presented in the track as a sequence of objects. The program
automatically introduces a 2 second break (space) between each of the
objects.

You can change the default pause lenght in the "CD" menu > "Set automatic
pause length"

Several songs in a single long object

When you record an LP for example, one complete side of the LP will appear
as one single object in your track window. If you want to split such an object
into individual song-objects, you will have to search for the transitions in the
waveform presentation and cut them "by hand".

In most cases however, it is not necessary to create an individual object for
each song. Placing track markers at the beginning of the songs is normally
sufficient.

Object FX

All FX can be used on all objects independently from the other objects. Cut the
object into several smaller objects and edit them individually in the Object FX
mode.

Highlight the "Object FX" button of the object by clicking on it.

If you want to return to the normal "Master FX" mode you can do this by simply
clicking on the close button ("x") in the upper right corner of the Object FX
dialog.

Read more on Object FX in the chapter "Cleaning FX (view page 75)"!

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Editing in the track view 69

Draw volume curve

Use the Volume curve button to activate a volume curve.

You can use it to add volume curves to your audio material, for instance, for
compensating volume fluctuations or increasing the volume of quiet passages.

Volume changes are immediately visible in the waveform display so that it is
very easy to visually align the volume of different passages.

There are two ways to edit these volume curves:

A "handle" is created by clicking on the curve (in standard mode). You can
then move it with the mouse and create volume progressions. This method
should preferably be used if gradual volume changes over longer passages are
needed.

Additionally, you can use the Volume curve mouse mode (view page

41). This allows you to "draw" any
lets you create irregular volume progressions quickly.

Tip: The Voice over effect (view page 119) creates volume curves for automatic
fading in/out based on the audio material in the second track.

volume curve using the mouse and

Quick zoom

For many tasks it is quite useful to enlarge the wave shape display.

For quickly zooming it is sufficient to click in the timeline, keep the mouse
button pressed and move it up or down. This way you can quickly zoom the

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70 Editing in the track view

cursor in and out at any position without releasing the mouse.

Set track markers

In many occasions you will not load single songs, one after the other, into a
project, but a certain number of them at the same time, for example while
recording one side of an LP.

If you want to record this LP on a CD, you should first set track markers at the
beginning of each song. The track markers can already be set while recording
in the Record dialogue – "by hand" or automatically by the automatic CD Track
detector (see below). It is however also possible to set, move and delete the
track markers afterwards by using the 1click-Burn-Automation (view page

125).

It is fur
Place the position line on the beginning of a new song and press the m key (or
select the option "set track marker" in the CD menu). The new track marker
appears just above the position line on the time ruler.

thermore possible to set the track markers directly in the master track.

Automatic track recognition

There are multiple options for automatically separating the material into CD
tracks:

1. during recording in the Record dialog (view page 53)

a the option "Automatically set track markers" (view page 149) (CD menu)

2. vi

ith the help of the burning wizard

3. w

MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE searches for positions where new songs start,
i.e. the end of a pause. Pauses are normally 0.5 - 3 seconds long.

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However, normally a pause isn't completely
silent, but might include noises from the record
or hissing from the cassette. For this reason,
MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE only detects
pauses if the recording falls below a certain level
(threshold) for a specified period of time.

The higher this level, the more often a pause will
be detected, but this can lead to incorrect
detection of pauses at quiet sections in songs.
However, if this level is set too low, pauses which
feature a lot of noise like hissing or crackling may
not be detected.

The pause section with marked level, and pause length

The second step checks to make sure the interval between the pauses is long
enough. For example, it is very improbable that a recording of the top ten will
contain pauses a minute long. If this sort of thing is detected, then marking for
the second pause is removed.

Editing in the track view 71

Incorrectly detected pause which was removed automatically because the
interval to the previous pause was too short

The third step examines the start and end of the audio material more precisely:
Records always feature a loud bump when the needle is placed on the record
and another one when it is removed from the record at the end of the
recording. MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE attempts to recognize these noises
and to exclude them, i.e. object edges are automatically moved inwards to
match the start and end of the actual music.

There are sensible presets for thresholds and times in the track marker

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72 Editing in the track view

automation which depend on the selected recording source (records,
cassettes, CDs/DVDs, Internet, etc.). If these don't work properly, you can
change them in the Track marker recognition options (view page 161) dialog
("Options"

menu).

Sometimes it is helpful to place the first one or two markers manually and to
separate the objects using the "T" key, especially if the volume levels are very
different. MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE will examine the objects individually.

Of course, MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE can't recognize the correct track
markers in every case (e.g. during live recordings or with classical music). If
you've tried using a number of different settings and still aren't satisfied with
the results, then you should set the track markers manually.

Setting a track marker manually in MAGIX Audio
Cleaning Lab SE

You can change the presets for the automatic
track recognition in the options menu.

Check and move track markers

Before writing your audio material on the new CD, you should check if all track
markers are located on the correct places. The Track Wizard ("1 Click Track
Creation and Burn") offers you an easy to read list, which includes all track
markers that can be selected, moved or deleted individually.

Move the position line from marker to marker pressing the Alt- and the cursor
key (arrow keys of the numeric key pad) in order to select the track markers
directly in the track window, and replay the material from that starting point on.
If the marker should be unnecessary or placed at the wrong position, just click
on it and delete it or move it by holding the mouse button.

If a track marker is dragged in front of or behind another track marker, the
corresponding objects will change their position in the track. This allows you to
quickly change the sequence of the songs. This is even more easily done if you
use the arrow keys in the CD track list (view page 152).

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Cleaning 73

Cleaning

Most cleaning functions are activated via the Cleaning FX section – either as
master effects on the main screen or as object-related effects on a separate
"Object FX" page (not available in the MAGIX Music Editor).

All effects in the "Cleaning" section occur in real-time. You can switch them on
and off during playback and change their parameters, so that the result of the
change can be heard immediately.

Additional cleaning functions can be found in the "Edit" menu.

Choose preset

A mouse click on "Select presets" opens the "Cleaning effects" menu. Here (or
via the "Editing" menu) you can save and load your favourite effect settings as
"Cleaning effects settings" for your projects or objects.

With the "Open cleaning FX rack" command you can display the settings
dialog for all of the cleaning effects as a large effects rack.

Different presets (for example, "Restore a poor quality record") are supplied
with the product and can be tried out right away.

Cleaning FX presets can also be applied on the "Object FX" page for individual
objects, as well as for the entire sound via master FX (main screen).

Using the effect modules

On/Off: Individual effects modules can be turned off and on via the buttons to

the left.

Slider: Each function has a slider that controls the intensity of the cleaning
effects.

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74 Cleaning

The effects of the "Cleaning" section include a selection of useful presets
which can be chosen from a flip menu. Click on the arrow... In most cases it is
sufficient to select a preset here in order to achieve good results.

Info field: Instead of the analyzer, you can use a help field to explain
how the selected effect should be used.

Edit button: The meticulous can add special settings to the cleaning effects.
For this the "Effect device" is opened via the button on the right of the module.
Now the cleaning effects can be edited.

All effects devices can be activated and deactivated via the "On/Off" button.
With "OK" you can apply the settings, "Cancel" closes the effects device
without applying the settings. "Reset" returns the settings to their defaults.

Cleaning Wizard

This automatically analyses the audio material, selects the appropriate effects
and applies settings. In the wizard dialog, you can choose whether audio
objects should be analyzed individually (recommended for audio material from
different sources or media) or whether all objects should be analyzed together
(recommended, for example, for a vinyl recording with the same background
noise disturbances).

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Cleaning 75

Step by step

The results of the individual effects introduced are by means of example
recordings, and then applied to the material in the track window. The cleaning
assistant suggests the following series of effects:

1. DeHisser for analog tape hissing (white noise)

2. DeNoiser for uniform audio disturbances (humming)

3. DeClicker for popping sounds (scratched records)

4. DeCrackler for background crackling

Presets can be selected from the effects available and the output material
(original) and the result of the effect (as well as the removed audio section, i.e
the "difference") can be monitored for comparison.

The settings dialog for each effect can be opened via this button.

Object FX page

Open the Object FX page using the "Object FX" button
located directly on the objects in the track window.
While the effects of the program interface are applied to
all objects in the master track, the settings of the Object
FX page are only applied to the individual object.

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76 Cleaning

Just like on the main interface, you can switch between cleaning and
mastering effects. All other controls, such as presets and step-by-step
settings are available on the Object FX page as well.

All effects, except for Spectral Cleaning, are also available as object
effects. In addition, you'll also find Reverb/Echo (view page 114) and
Resampling

Object name with Forwards/backwards buttons: Use them to jump from
object to object in the master track. The settings of the Object FX page
are automatically adjusted to the settings of the selected objects. When
moving from one object to the next, the Object FX button of the
corresponding object in the master track flickers for a short while to
indicate that the Object FX page now applies to a different object.

(view page 89).

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Cleaning 77

Object play status indicates that the activated object is being played. If

you start playback by clicking on this button, the playback marker will
automatically be set to the beginning of the activated object. This
guarantees that you hear your Object FX as well (since your are only
editing the selected object).

Adjust the level of the object here (the middle object handle). The auto
button located at the level controller of the object performs a
Normalization (view page 145) to 0dB.

In general the following applies: If in doubt, the blinking Object FX
button in the master track always indicates which object the
current settings apply to!

If the Object FX page is not opened, a red Object FX button
indicates the active object effects.

If you click on the object, the info
box (view page 45) displays
which object

effects are active.

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78 Cleaning

Declicker/Decrackler

The Declicker efficiently eliminates any crackling and clicking sounds, as they
are typical in scratched LPs.

This function can be very efficiently used in the "Object FX" mode, if the
clicking sounds are not present on a whole, but just in some isolated areas.

First, you will have to find the damaged areas using the track window. Once
you've found a damaged area, make a cut in front of it and after it, using the
scissors-tool, so that you obtain an independent object.

Activate the "Object FX" button of the small object, so that the Declicker will
only be applied on the area with the clicking sound.

Marker Declicker

Alongside normal crackling on a vinyl recording, there can be some more
noticeable ones on a record which is scratched. If the DeClicker is set highly
for those sections which are particularly distorted, then it can seem that
several components of the desired signal will be treated by the DeClicker if
they exhibit similar characteristics of the distortions.

To avoid this we recommend setting the DeClicker at a lower setting and
removing the sharper pops/clicks with the help of the "Marker DeClicker".
These sections can be set using a click marker (Set click marker). The special
"Marker DeClicker" affects the audio material (when activated) at these
positions, and the normal DeClicker can be used for the remaining material.

"Search clicks" allows you to search the entire project for especially strong
clicks and have them marked automatically. With the "Sensitivity" controller
you can set the sensitivity of the search, i.e. the higher the level the more clicks
will be found (according to intensity).

Especially strong clicks and audio disturbances can be removed with Spectral
cleaning (view page 85) (deluxe version only!)

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Cleaning 79

Decrackler

The Decrackler has been especially designed to smoothly eliminate the
"cracklecarpet" on old LPs. Stronger, isolated clicking sounds are better be
eliminated using the Declicker.

If you think that "crackling" and "clicking" sounds are all the same, listen to the
examples included in the Cleaning Wizard (view page 74).

ved: With this Button the playback is switched into a mode, where you

Remo

can hear the removed clicks and crackles. So you can test, if the
Declicker/Decrackler removes only unwanted noise or parts of the original
audio are removed yet

Declipper

Should the input level of an audio recording be too high, overmodulation may
result at the louder parts (the signal peaks). This digital distortion can also be
called "clipping": At the overmodulated area, the values that are too high are
simply cut off and the typical, quite unpleasant sounding crackling and
distortions are heard.

MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE includes a special function for the elimination of
these digital clippings and analogue distortion.

The clippings are detected and eliminated, based on the material of the
selected object. Lastly, the entire volume of the material can be reduced so
that the interpolated parts can be played back without overmodulation.

The declipping-algorithm is especially useful in material, where the excessive
recording level has caused distorted piano or chorus voices. Affected
drumbeats however will normally not improve after the use of this function.

CLIP LEVEL: Here you can tell the algorithm from which level on the algorithm
has to consider the sample as blasted and therefore corrects it. This is an
important point, as the different sound cards have different clipping
characteristics.

Choosing -6dB, for example, will cause that all samples that exceed half of the

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80 Cleaning

maximum value will be considered blasted and therefore will be calculated
again.

With GET CLIP LEVEL the CLIP LEVEL can be gaged automatically.

The interpolated signal peaks adjust the whole level, which must be balanced
out with the GAIN fader so as to avoid new overmodulation. When doing so,
you should observe the peak meter to the right of the dialog.

The option "LIMITER" switches on a limiter which reliably avoids
overmodulation.

With the INVERSE button you can control whether or not undistorted parts of
the wanted signal are interpreted as clippings and are filtered out
unnecessarily.

Dehisser

The Dehisser was especially designed to eliminate the band noise, which is all
so typical for analogue tape recordings, micro-preamps or AD-transducers.

Noise Level: Here you will have to determine as exactly as possible the noise
level at which the Dehisser starts to work. If you choose a level that is not high
enough, the band noise will not be completely eliminated. In such a case you
will notice tweeting sounds (the so called "melodic band noise"). An excessive
value will result in a dull sound as part of the band noise and part of the
original audio signal recording will be eliminated by the Dehisser as well (for
example: air intake sounds of brass instruments) (see Artifacts (view page 84))

the noise level on your recording is low, you should experience no problems

If
while adjusting it.

Adaptive: The value for the noise level parameter is set automatically by
determining the hiss contained in the signal. If the noise level value is changed,
its effect is then relative, i.e. the resulting value is determined from the
automation as well as the noise level fader settings.

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One advantage is that you no longer have to set the noise level value manually
and that this value can also be adjusted later if the noise share fluctuates, for
example, if you use music tracks with differing hiss levels within one project.

If the noise level is constant, a better result may be obtained manually
(Adaptive off). However, the noise level value must then be set precisely.

Audio type: Lets you set the audio material that is to be edited; the algorithm
is adjusted accordingly.

Noise Reduction: this option allows you to adjust the damping of the band
noise in decibel units. In many occasions it is the best solution, not to eliminate
the noise completely, but to damp it only -3 - -6 dB, hence maintaining the
natural sound of the original material.

Quality: The processing quality can be set in two stages. You can use this to
precisely adjust the values in the dialog for standard quality adjustment without
skipping playback, and can then select a higher quality for final burning.

Removed: This option allows you to listen to the music that would be filtered
away by the Dehisser.

Cleaning 81

DeNoiser

The DeNoiser removes persistent background noise like computer humming,
hissing, noises from sound cards, disturbance from ground wires, interference
from audio-equipment with high-impedance outputs (e.g. turntables), or other
device noises. Subsonic noise or rumbling can be removed effectively from LPs
with the rumble filter.

The DeNoiser requires a short section from your music which contains a
sample of the audio distortion, usually from the start or end of the recording.

When the DeNoiser is activated in the project for the first time, a sample of the
distortion will be searched for immediately after the playback marker. The
automatically detected noise sample enables good results to be achieved even
without opening the DeNoiser dialog.

For more specific results, open the dialog with the "Edit" button.

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82 Cleaning

Noise sample

Noise sample: If the automatic noise sample settings were not suitable for

finding noisy material, then a noise sample can be selected from the list. There
are several typical distortions available, e.g. camera noises or power mains
humming.

An even more specific option is to create a noise sample yourself.

Create noise sample

Length: The length can be set in ms if the "auto" button is switched off,

otherwise the length of the noise sample will be determined automatically.

Pick! Generates a noise sample. A short noise sample is taken from the
selected play range. The playback marker can be moved with the transport
control when the dialog is open to search for a suitable position. If the
playback position is between two objects, it's not possible to generate a noise
sample. Play allows the noise sample to be previewed for testing purposes.

Wizard: This opens a wizard that helps to create the noise sample. The wizard
mainly consists of a search function which helps you find the suitable noise
sample in the audio material. Various distortion types can be selected.

Save: The noise sample created can be saved in the noise sample folder. It is
then available as a new noise sample in the noise sample preset list for any
other project.

Audio type: Set the type of edited audio material here, and the algorithm will
be customized accordingly.

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Spectral view

"Spectral view" shows the spectrum of the noise sample by default. It can be
switched to spectrogram view by pressing the corresponding button on the
right-hand side. In this case, the played audio material is shown as a
spectrogram. The spectral sections removed with by the DeNoiser are
displayed in red.

Mode

Anti-noise: In this mode, the DeNoiser works in an optimized mode to remove

particularly "noisy" distortions.

Anti-hum: In this mode, the DeNoiser works in an optimized mode to remove
tonal disturbances. This includes feedback from power cables, power
humming, PC fans, video cameras, or ventilation noises.

If the option "Max. damp tonal noise" is active, then this type of distortion will
be completely removed. The "Reduction" controller affects all possible existing
disturbances. This is a sensible step, since tonal disturbances are much more
annoying than other noise – a small amount of "extra" noise in the recording
may be allowed in order to avoid a greater loss of highs throughout the desired
signal.

Cleaning 83

This option can be found in "Hum" mode under the "Noise level" controller in
place of the "Adaptive" parameter (not available in "Hum" mode).

Processing section

Quality: The quality of the calculation can be set in two stages. You can set

the values in the standard quality setting precisely without influencing the
playback in any way and select high quality for burning once the material is
ready.

Noise level: The threshold of the noise reduction function should be set as
precisely as possible. Values that are too low will exhibit too low a distortion
dampening level and result in artifacts like noise or "twittering" (see below).
High settings produce dull results – useful signals that sound similar to hissing
noises are also filtered away. Take your time to find the best setting for the
individual case. If the "Adaptive" option is activated, the setting is relative, i.e.
in addition to automation.

Reduction: This sets the balance between the original signal and the signal
with the applied noise reduction.

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84 Cleaning

It's often better to reduce interference signals by 3 to 6 dB rather than as
much as is possible to keep the sound "natural". For buzzing, it’s best to apply
complete removal.

Adaptive: The value for the "Noise level" parameter is set automatically by
setting the level of the hiss present in the signal. The advantage of this is that if
a distortion is not constant, the noise level always adapts to the current
distortion. If the noise sample is not calculated from the signal that is to be
edited, but rather uses a preset to do so, the difference between the strength
of the distortion in the audio material and in the noise sample will be equalized
automatically. If the noise sample has been calculated from the signal being
edited and the distortion is constant, then the "Adaptive" setting should not be
used.

Removed noise: The part of music that was filtered out by the DeNoiser can
be previewed for testing purposes.

DeRumble: Here you can activate a special filter for deep-frequency rumbling
noises. Examples of such distortions are mechanical noises from old record
players, wind, and subsonic noises in microphone recordings.

Preset: All the DeNoiser's settings, i.e. the noise sample applied and the
settings of the processing section can be saved as a preset for later use.

Artefacts

With incorrect settings, the DeNoiser and the DeHisser may leave behind a
metallic chirping or twittering sound, the so-called artefact noise. The cause of
this is the incomplete removal of the distortion. The ear is quite sensitive to this
sound because of its synthetic character. This problem, in practice, only
occurs in especially difficult cases.

To achieve the best possible results you should pay attention to the following
hints:

 First, select a preset from the selection menu. In most cases the result is

satisfactory.

 Be careful when "denoising" the effect: Less is more! The distortion sound

should no longer be audible, otherwise artefacts may be brought about.

We recommend removing any DC offset that may exist from the material
before using it ("Effects" menu > Cleaning > "Remove DC offset" (view page

85)).

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Cleaning 85

Remove DC offset

This function can only be opened via the "effects" menu and can thus only be
applied to selected objects. This can be useful if your sound card overlays your
sample with a constant DC offset during recording, which leads to crackling
during playback or editing. (This is basically always the case with recordings
that use the integrated sound card of your PC).

Options: Here you can enter a minimum DC offset threshold, which indicates
where DC offset removal will kick in. You can also edit stereo channels
together to reduce computing time.

Spectral Cleaning

MAGIX Spectral Cleaning removes background noise (such as coughing,
whistling or clapping) from a recording without audibly influencing the signal.

The music is displayed in the Spectral Cleaning Editor by means of a
spectrogram (sometimes also referred to as a sonogram). This displays the
frequency elements with regard to time (see illustration). The frequency level is
then visualized by a color code or by its brightness, respectively.

Audible background noises are usually louder than the signal and are generally
restricted to a certain frequency spectrum. They are therefore highlighted in

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86 Cleaning

the spectrogram in color and can be easily encircled and removed with the
mouse.

Tone Tone with noise

In MAGIX Spectral Cleaning Editor you can now simply mark and "remove" all
noises with the mouse. Lost elements of the original frequency spectrum are
then added from the signal surrounding the noise in order to avoid audible
gaps.

For example, you can recognize the held
tone from a pattern consisting of
horizontal lines that correspond with the
harmonics of the sound (see illustration
on the left). A pulsed noise is
characterized by a vertical line. The right
illustration displays a tone overlapping a
short noise.

MAGIX Spectral Cleaning is ideal for all short but clear sounds in the music,
such as clicking, coughing and even short drop-outs, but NOT for permanent
disturbances such as hiss or noise. In such a case please use the DeHisser or
DeNoiser.

Operation

Select the object and set the play cursor roughly to the position of the
distortion. Then open the Spectral Cleaning Editor by clicking on the button or
via the "Edit" menu -> "Spectral Cleaning".

To remove a distortion, you have to mark it as one. The selection tool
can be used for this.

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You can select as many distortions in the editor window as you want and
remove them all in one go.

There are three small buttons visible at the position of your selection.

Delete: Removes the selection.

View original: Normally the result of the noise removal is depicted

in the selection. If you click on this button however, you will see
the original signal which contains the noise.
Bypass: Normally the result of the noise removal is played back
in the Spectral Cleaning Editor. If you click on this button, it will
play the original signal.

If you wish to perfect the result, set the play cursor in front of the selected
distortions and listen carefully to the whole track (see playback section). If
necessary, change the distortion selection. As a rule of thumb, as short a
section as possible should be selected.

Sometimes it's necessary to modify the effects parameters (see Controls, Edit
selection). If you are happy with the result, then press "Calculate".

Cleaning 87

The result of Spectral Cleaning is saved in the original audio file and the editor
is then closed.

Controls

Toolbar

You can assign various tools to the toolbar using the left and right mouse
buttons. The selected tools are marked in blue if selected with the left mouse
button, in red for the right mouse button.

Selection tool: Use this tool to modify selections.

Drawing tool: Use this tool to select distortions or to modify the

selection.

Double-clicking on the selection applies it to the entire frequency range.

Left mouse
button (click):

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Navigation tool: You can move the displayed range by
holding down the mouse button and moving the mouse.

Zoom tool:

Zoom in

88 Cleaning

Left mouse
button (click
and drag):
Right mouse
button (click):

Edit selection
With this setting you can specify how you wish to remove the distortion. All
selected distortions can be edited in the same way. If you wish to use various
editing methods in an audio file, you will have to do it in various procedures.

The following methods are available to you:

1. Transition: This method attempts to replace the distortion with the help of

the bordering parts of the music selection.

2. Transitions (hard): Behave like a transition, but has a more powerful effect.

This way stronger distortions can be better suppressed. The distortion,
however, must be highlighted more clearly.

3. Gap: This mode should be used for very short drop-outs.

4. Dampening: This only makes the selected distortion quieter, surrounding

audio material is not faded in. For this reason, ambient noises, unpleasant
silences and even drop-outs may occur. Only use this mode if a distortion is
present in a very narrow frequency range or if the surrounding noises are
very quiet.

5. Fading in: Corresponds to dampening, only the music is faded back in

towards the end of the marked selection (music becomes louder). This can
be a useful mode, if, for example, an impulse-type disturbance is present at
the beginning of the piece.

6. Fading out: Like fade-ins, but in reverse, i.e. this mode is useful for

distortions at the end of a track.

Creates a zoom field

Zoom out

Strength: Use this setting to meter your changes. A fader which is turned up all
the way corresponds to a 100% change.

Left / Right channel: Shows and calculates each channel. If the distortion is
only audible on one side simply switch off the other channel.

View
In the "View" menu you can select from various view schemes. The schemes
contain various color scales, but also contain varying time and frequency
intervals.

Show grid: Displays a time and frequency grid.

Click marker

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Click markers help identify especially persistent distortions. They can be
created automatically using the Marker DeClicker (see Marker DeClicker (view
page 78) in the DeClicker chapter) or with

With the "Next click marker" or "Previous click marker" buttons
you can quickly move from one click marker to the next.

Use the "Apply to all" button to set the marking of the distortion on the current
click marker to all click markers, i.e. the size as well as the position of the
marker borders in relation to the click marker and in the spectrum.

If spectral cleaning is used in conjunction with the "Calculate" button, all click
markers affected will be transformed into normal markers.

the "Set click marker" button.

Cleaning 89

Playback

Stop: Stops playback.

Play: Starts playback from the play position.

Play Loop: Repeats playback within a short range.

Play Inverse: Plays the signal difference, i.e. the removed sound elements.

Calculate: Performs the calculation and closes the dialog.

Abort: Aborts the editing.

Help: Opens the help window.

Tutorial Video: The tutorial video briefly explains the possibilities of Spectral

Cleaning.

Tempo/Resampling

This effect is only available as an object effect (view page 75).

The fader lets you change the playback speed of objects so that they are
better aligned. The effect can be applied in two ways, either as resampling or
as timestretching. You can change the mode in the preset list at the very
bottom.

 Resampling mode can be used to change speed and pitch just like on a

cassette. Use this mode to adjust LP recordings made at the incorrect speed.

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90 Cleaning

 Timestretching mode applies a high-quality timestretching algorithm (universal

HQ) to keep the pitch constant in spite of speed changes. Use this mode to
adjust the tempo of different tracks to match each other without influencing
the pitch, e.g. for a DJ mix.

The effect is also available as a mouse mode (view page 40) for changing the
tempo across a

larger range of values.

Resampling for incorrect record speeds

If you want to record a record that was recorded at 78 rpm, then you normally
have a problem: These older shellac LPs aren't able to be played back by most
turntables. With the help of this resampling technology, it's possible to
playback the record at the incorrect speed, record it, and then correct the
speed with a single click.

Different presets have been provided for this. The first number indicates the
speed at which the record was played back, and the second shows the speed
that it should be played at. For example, if an older 78 rpm shellac record was
played at 33 rpms, then you would use the "33/78" preset.

A second group of presets are for adjusting wave files with different sampling
rates to the project. These are selected automatically when this sort of wave
file is loaded into the project. The first number here is also the sample rate of
the project (for playback, normally 44.1 kHz or CDs), and the second is the
wave file (the target playback rate).

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Mastering 91

Mastering

The mastering functions are activated via the Mastering section – either as
mastering effects on the main screen or as object-related effects on a separate
Object FX page (not available in the MAGIX Music Editor).

All of the mastering effects function in real time. This means that you can
switch them on and off during playback and change their parameters so that
the result of the adjustment can be heard immediately.

Choose preset

A mouse click on "Select presets" opens the "Master effects" menu. Here (or
via the "Editing" menu) you can save and load your favorite effect settings as
"Mastering effects settings" for your projects or objects.

With the "Open mastering FX rack" command you can display the settings
dialog for all of the mastering effects as a large effects rack.

Different presets (for example, to restore a poor quality tape recording) are
supplied with the product and can be tried out right away.

Mastering FX presets can also be applied to the "Object FX" page for individual
objects, as well as for the entire sound via master FX (main screen). Since the
available object effects are different from the master effects, many settings
may be ignored. For example: The echo/reverb settings will be ignored if the
preset is loaded as a master effect (the master section does not include an
echo/reverb device).

Using the effect modules

Please read the section Using the effect modules (view page 73) in the
Cleaning effects (view page 73) chapter.

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92 Mastering

Step by step

The Mastering Assistant applies several mastering effects in a sensible
sequence. All effects will now be introduced by means of a suitable recording
example and then applied.

It is recommended that these effects are used in the following sequence:

1. Stereo processor

2. Graphic equalizer

3. Brilliance enhancer

4. MultiMax

Using the mastering assistant is the same as using the Step-by-step (view
page 75) cleaning assistant.

Object FX window

Read the section "Object FX window (view page 75)" in chapter "Cleaning FX
(view page 73)"!

Vitalizer

The Vitalizer enables the justification of the audio material in the stereo
panorama to be adjusted. If stereo recordings sound unfocused and
undifferentiated, an extension of the stereo base-width often provides
increased transparency.

Use the maximize function to move the echo and improve the stereo picture,
for example, into the foreground.

Volume controller: Adjusts the volume of every single channel to adjust the
complete panorama. The reduction of left and right levels is displayed under
the control buttons in dB.

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Pan-direction: Use this controller to move the sound source from the middle
into stereo panorama. The signals at the outer edges of the sound picture
remain unchanged.

Multiband: This option switches from "Stereo FX" to "Multiband" mode. Stereo
editing only applies to the middle frequency; the bass and highs remain
unchanged.

Bandwidth/maximize sensor field: Adjusts the base width between mono
(extreme left), unchanged base width (normal stereo), and maximum base
width (wide, extreme right). Raising the base width (values over 100) diminishes
mono compatibility. Recordings edited this way may sound slightly hollow
when listened to in mono.

Maximize strengthens the spatial component of the recording, which also
increases the stereo transparency without influencing the mono compatibility.

Stereo meter (correlation gauge): This provides a graphical display of the
phase relation of the audio signal. Use this to review the orientation of the
signal in the stereo balance and the effect of the stereo enhancer. To maintain
mono-compatibility, the "cloud" shown should always be higher than it is wide.

Mastering 93

Equalizer

The Equalizer consists of two modules, the Parametric 4-band Equalizer and
the 10-band Graphic Equalizer.

Parametric Equalizer

The parametric equalizer consists of four filter bands for adjusting the overall
sound of the music track. Each band is a filter with a typical "bell shape".
Within a certain frequency range and around an adjustable middle frequency,
you can increase or reduce the signal level gain. The width of this frequency
range is called bandwidth. The bandwidth is defined by the Q value. The higher
the Q value, the narrower and steeper the filter curve.

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94 Mastering

You can influence the basic sound of the mix by increasing and decreasing the
broadband to give it more "depth" (lower center = 200-600 Hz) or more "air"
(highs = 10Khz). You can also decrease the narrow bandwidth (high Q value) in
the frequency response, e.g. to remove disruptive frequencies.

The blue bullets 1-4 symbolize the four wave bands. You can move them
around with the mouse until you find your desired frequency response.

Graphic: The resulting frequency path of the
equalizer is displayed in the graphic. The
frequency is spread out horizontally, the increase
or decrease of the respective frequency, vertically.

Peak meter: The peak meter gives you control over the output level of the
equalizer. The adjacent master gain controller can be used to balance the level
with the EQ.

Edit: The "Edit" button opens the fine tuning for the four bands:

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Parameter selection: With the buttons on the right you can select the
parameter that can be adjusted with four faders of each band. Furthermore,
there are number keys to enter every parameter of the bands.

Gain dB: These controllers allow you to raise or lower the filter. Setting the
controller to 0 deactivates the filter and doesn’t use CPU power.

Freq. Hz: The center frequency of the individual filters can be set between 10
Hz and 24 kHz with the frequency controllers. Freely choosing the frequency
enables multiple filters to be set to the same frequency in order to have a
greater effect.

Q (bandwidth): Set the bandwidth of the individual filters between 10 Hz and
10 kHz.

There is still a peculiarity among bands 1 and 4; The filter curve for these
bands can be changed from a normal "peaking" EQ filter (

) (this is the basic setting) and high (band 1) or high-cut (band 4) .

(
When using the "shelving" filter, a soft increase or decrease in all frequencies
happens above or below the filter frequency, and the Q parameter does not
have a function here. With a low-cut or high-cut filter, all frequencies below
(low-cut) or above (high-cut) the set frequency are filtered out.

Mastering 95

) to "shelving"

Graphic Equalizer

The 10-track equalizer divides the frequency spectrum into 10 areas (tracks)
and supplies them with separated volume controls, which allows you to
achieve many impressive effects, from the simple rising of the bass, to total
sound transformation. If you raise the low frequencies too much throughout the
whole level, it can cause distortions. In this case, lower the master volume
using the master volume control on the main screen.

Thumb Controls: All of the 10 frequency areas can be raised or decreased
separately by the 10 volume controls.

Link Bands: Using this switch you can match the frequency areas in a flexible
way to avoid the overemphasizing of single frequency areas that sound
artificial.
A/B: If you have selected a preset for the effect and later you change it

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manually, you can compare the original-preset-sound with the new
adjustments using the A/B-switch.

Reset: Reset inserts the sound effect into the neutral starting position where
no processing power is used and where no effect is calculated in the sound.

Touch-screen (right EQ-Section): This is the "sensor-field" of the EQ: Use your
mouse to draw a curve that will be transferred immediately into the
corresponding EQ control adjustment.

Brilliance Enhancer

The Brilliance Enhancer is a high-end audio tool with which, for example,
losses in high frequencies, which occur with MP3 compression or while
recording older records, can be regained.

In contrast to the equalizer, which only works on the currently available
frequency, the brilliance enhancer calculates new harmonics and noticeably
revitalizes the sound from residual material

Soft: Activating this option depends upon your own perception of sound. If you
would like to produce a more lurid sound (such as grunge) you should
deactivate the "soft" option. This option does, however, reduce eventual
distortion.

High Quality: This option improves the results of the effects while demanding
more of your computer’s performance. As with the "soft" option, your own
notion of sound should come into play when choosing this option.

Sound Cloner

With the "sound cloner" you can determine the sound characteristic of a song
and transfer it to your other recordings. This way you can, for example, create
a Pat Metheny song in the style of Madonna. Load a track you really like, set
the song's playback position and press the "Get sound" button in the sound
cloner. The sound's characteristics are now calculated. As a preset sound
clone, it is now immediately available to you and can also be stored via "Save"
for later use.
By loading the "clone" from the preset menu, you can use it on the sound

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material. With the slide control, you can regulate the intensity of the sound
transmission.

The sound cloner is a kind of automatic 1024 band equalizer. Its filter curve
(compare the touch screen in the "normal" EQ) is a result of the mean of the
cloned sound and output sound. When loading the preset, the sound cloner
uses the audio material beneath the playback marker as the basis for filter
settings which then apply to all objects in the master, but are actually only
intended for this object. So if your output material on the track comes from
various sound sources, the sound cloner should definitely be used as an object
effect.

The "Settings" menu of the sound cloner also contains a few useful filter
settings besides its "clone" presets. These are independent of the source
material and can be used as a master effect.

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Sound cloner - FFT filter

Use Edit to open the dialog which contains the fine-tuning settings for the
sound cloner's FFT filter.

A red line can be drawn in the graphic field using the mouse. The left side of
the graphic is for the lower frequencies of the sound, the right for the higher. A
"mountain" in the left part of the graphic creates a large increase in bass, and a

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similar figure in the right increases the highs.

Freehand: With the pencil you can draw "freehand". Draw or rotate a straight
line by pressing and holding the "Shift" key.

Draw quantization: This activates a quantization function to draw straight lines
and angled figures. The farther away from the curve you are, the wider the
bulge in the range. This effect can be increased with the "Ctrl" key.

Reshape tool: This drawing tool lets you bend existing curves. Deformed
curves can be achieved by pressing the mouse button repeatedly.

Navigation tool: Drag the display area.

Zoom tool: With the left mouse button you can zoom into the selection; zoom

back out with the right. Keep the left mouse button depressed to feed along
the zoom area.

Reset: The "Reset" button quickly allows you to replace the filter curve with
that present in the output state.

Preset: Access the presets for definite applications here.

Strength: The "Strength" slider allows you to enhance or diminish the intensity

of curvatures. The result is a stronger or weaker modulation.

Vol:The "Volume" controller controls the volume of the material.

Sound cloner: With the sound cloner you can determine the sound

characteristic of a song and transfer it to your other recordings. This way you
can, for example, create a Pat Metheny song in the style of Madonna. Load a
track you really like, set the song's playback position and press the "Learn"
button´.

Scale options: Accesses a settings dialog with the following options available:

Freq: This switch lets you choose between a logarithmic ("log") or a linear ("lin")

frequency scale. The logarithmic display corresponds to the human perception
of volume. Like on a keyboard of a key instrument, the (graphic) spacing of the
intervals, i.e. halftones, is uniform across the entire range.

Freq.log: The upper labeling of the graphic can be switched between output in
"Hz" or "Notes". Note output is only possible via logarithmic frequency display
("log").

Value display: Here you can set a logarithmic or linear display as well as an

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enlargement of the filter curve.

Value range: Here you can set the displayed value range in dB.

Curve display: Here you can switch between a bar and a curved display.

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MultiMax

MultiMax is a compressor with three independent frequency bands. The
dynamics are edited separately for each band.

The advantage of a multi-band compressor in comparison to a "normal"
compressor is that the "pumping" tendency and other disturbing side effects
are dramatically reduced while editing dynamics. For instance, it can prevent a
bass top peak from "dragging down" the entire signal.

Multi-band technology also lets you specifically edit individual frequency
ranges.

Link bands: When this button is activated and one fader is adjusted all faders
are changed in the same ratio. The type of dynamic editing is not influenced.
Limiter: MultiMax includes a limiter that prevents clipping by automatically
lowering the level. Quiet parts remain unaffected.
High quality: When the "High quality" setting is activated, an even more
precise algorithm is used, but it also requires more processing power. We
recommend that you switch on this setting before you export the project.
Setting the frequency bands: The settings of the frequency bands are
changed directly in the graphic. Simply click on the separator lines and move
them.
Bass/Mid/High: These knobs control the level of compression for each
frequency band.

Presets: In MultiMax you can use the presets to open two more special
functions.

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 Cassette NR-B decoder: MAGIX Audio Cleaning Lab SE simulates decoding

of Dolby B + C noise suppression if no Dolby player is available. Casettes
recorded with Dolby B or C sound more muffled and slurry if played back
without corresponding Dolby.

 DeEsser: These special presets are for removing overstressed hiss sounds

from speech recordings.

Compressor

The compressor is an automated dynamic volume control. It limits overall
dynamics, maintains the volume of loud passages so they stay loud, and
increases the volume of low passages. A compressor can be put to good use
for bass recordings and vocals, but also as a master effect in the mixer for
subsequent editing of the overall sound.

Processing is carried out using a "look-ahead" method, similar to high-quality
studio appliances. There are no peak overmodulations or other artifacts, as the
algorithm can never be 'surprised' by sudden level peaks.

Ratio: This parameter controls the amount of compression.

Threshold: Set the volume threshold, below and above which compression is

applied.

Attack: Sets the algorithm's reaction speed to increasing sound levels. Short
attack times can create an undesirable "pumping" sound, as the volume is
quickly reduced or increased correspondingly.

Release: Sets the algorithm's reaction speed to falling sound levels.

Special presets

In the compressor you can use the presets to open further special functions.

Dynamic expander: Too high a compression rate will result in audible noise
(usually defined as a pumping sound). Radio recordings in particular are
recorded with very high compression rates to increase the perceived volume.
Unfortunately, compression reduces the dynamics (interval between the
quietest and loudest part). The expander enhances the dynamics of the
recording.

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