Steinberg Wavelab 6.0 User guide

Operation Manual

Operation Manual by Anders Nordmark

Quality Control: Cristina Bachmann, Heiko Bischoff, Sabine Pfeifer, Claudia Schomburg

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent

a commitment on the part of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. The software described

by this document is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media

except as specifically allowed in the License Agreement. No part of this publication may be

copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior

written permission by Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.

All product and company names are ™ or ® trademarks of their respective owners.

Windows XP is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

Table of Contents

WAVELAB

4 Table of Contents

11 Introduction

12 Welcome!

12 What’s new in WaveLab 6.0?

14 How you can reach us

15 Requirements

16 This is what you need…

16 Computer requirements

18 Sampler requirements

18 About audio cards

19 About the System Information

feature

21 Installing and setting

up

22 Setting up the computer

23 Installation procedure

24 Register your software!

25 Launching WaveLab

25 Program settings

30 Installing a CD/DVD recorder

31 Installing samplers

33 Installation done! Where do I

go next?

33 About the Tracer application

35 Overview

36 Get to know WaveLab

36 The windows and what you

can do with them

43 Find your way around in

WaveLab

45 Basic methods

46 Why you should read this

chapter

46 Getting help

47 Undo and Redo

49 Working with windows

56 Dockable control bars

59 The status bar

60 Speed menus

61 Units of time and level

62 Setting values

65 Presets

67 About non-modal dialogs

68 Using the computer keyboard

69 Editing in the Wave

window

70 About this chapter

70 Creating new empty

documents

71 Opening Waves

76 Window overview and

adjustments

80 Setting the zoom factor

86 Navigating through the file

87 Snapshots

88 Setting the ruler start position

89 Working with a meter based

display

89 Setting the wave cursor

position

91 Selecting

99 Basic editing commands

113 File handling in Wave

windows

127 Editing attributes and getting

information

129 About the Loudness enve-

lope display mode

133 Playback and

recording

134 Playing back

146 Recording

155 Metering

156 Introduction

156 Selecting what to monitor

158 Multi-channel metering

159 The meters

WAVELAB

Table of Contents 5

175 Off-line processing

176 Introduction

176 Applying processing

178 Level Normalizer

178 Gain Change

180 Loudness Normalizer

183 Pan Normalizer

184 Dynamics

189 Level envelope

191 Fade-in and fade-out

192 Crossfade

195 Invert Phase

195 Reverse

195 Eliminate DC Offset

196 Waveform Restorer

196 Time Stretch

201 Pitch Correction

204 Pitch Quantize

205 Pitch Bend

207 Harmonization

208 Hi-fi Chorus

209 EQ

210 Convert sample rate

211 Effect Morphing

215 Support for reNOVAtor™

217 Master Section

218 Introduction

219 The Master Section window

221 About the signal path

222 The Master level pane

225 The Effects pane

231 The Dithering pane

236 Master Section presets

239 Rendering

244 Smart bypass

247 The Monitor window

251 Audio Input

252 Using External effects

255 Spectrum Editor

256 Introduction

256 Basics

260 Defining a region

262 Surgical processing

269 Master Section processing

273 Batch processing

274 Introduction

276 Opening the Batch

Processor

277 Overview of the Window

278 The Input tab – Assembling a

list of files

285 Setting up the processing

tasks to be performed

292 The Output tab – Settings for

created files

299 Scheduling

301 Running and stopping the

batch(es)

301 Using presets for batch

processing

303 Batch file encoding

304 Basic procedure

307 Batch renaming

308 Introduction

308 Setting up which files/clips/

markers to rename

312 Renaming operations

321 About regular expressions

327 Markers

328 Introduction

331 Creating markers

332 About the marker list

333 Marker appearance and visi-

bility

WAVELAB

6 Table of Contents

334 Editing, converting and

naming markers

336 Moving and duplicating

markers

337 Deleting markers

338 Operations involving markers

341 Using Auto Split

342 Introduction

342 The Auto Split dialog

347 Preparing a

Basic Audio CD

348 Creating, opening and saving

Basic Audio CDs

349 About the Basic

Audio CD window

350 Adding files to a Basic

Audio CD

353 Setting the order of the tracks

on the CD

353 Deleting files from Basic

Audio CDs

354 Managing list columns

355 “Unfolding” a track

356 Opening CD tracks for wave

editing

357 About the relation between

the track list and CD markers

358 Working with CD markers

360 Adjusting pauses

360 Naming tracks

360 Other settings

361 Checking the total length of

the CD

361 Playing files in the track list

362 Creating a disc image

363 Exporting audio files from a

track list

364 Preparations done!

365 About the DVD-Audio

format

366 Background information

371 The Audio Montage

372 Introduction

373 The Audio Montage window

378 Assembling the Montage

392 Zooming and navigating

399 Playing back

406 Recording

408 Rearranging clips

433 The Zoom view

436 Editing in the Clips view

441 Managing clips and source

files

445 The volume envelope

457 Using fades and crossfades

in the Montage

469 The pan envelope

470 Transforming clips

474 Adding effects to tracks and

clips

483 Managing effects in the

Plug-ins view

486 The Meta Normalizer

489 Groups

492 Using markers in the Montage

496 Undo/Redo and History

498 File handling in the Audio

Montage

504 Using video tracks

506 Multichannel operation in the

Montage

527 Mixing down – The Render

function

531 Preparing the Audio Montage

for CD/DVD-Audio burning

541 Creating an Audio CD report

WAVELAB

Table of Contents 7

546 Using DVD-A picture and text

tracks

547 Exporting and importing

AES-31 files

549 XML Export/Import of Audio

Montages

551 DVD-Audio projects

552 Creating and opening a

DVD-Audio project

553 Adding Montages to a

DVD-Audio project

554 The DVD-Audio project

window

556 The Main settings dialog

558 Generating DVD menus

566 DVD-Audio text

568 Final preparations

571 Burning an audio CD

572 Introduction

572 Selecting a CD-R unit

573 Testing a basic audio CD

before burning

574 Writing a CD

576 Validating an audio CD after

burning

577 The audio CD format –

Background information

583 Data CD/DVD Projects

584 Introduction

585 Creating a new Data

CD/DVD Project

586 Source window settings

587 Destination window settings

590 The Write dialog for the

Data CD/DVD

593 Importing audio

CD/DVD tracks

594 Importing audio CD tracks

into WaveLab

599 Importing DVD-Audio tracks

into WaveLab

603 Creating labels

604 Introduction

606 Using the Label Editor

614 Defining user variables

616 Printing labels

619 Analysis

620 Global analysis

631 Audio error detection and

correction

637 Audio file comparer

638 3D Frequency Analysis

641 Loudness distribution tool

643 Generating signals

644 Audio Signal Generator

646 DTMF Generator

649 Synchronizing

WaveLab to

external devices

650 Introduction

650 MTC sync

656 Sync to ASIO Positioning

Protocol (APP)

657 Using samplers and

creating loops

658 Introduction

658 Background information

661 Setting up your sampler(s)

663 Transmitting samples

WAVELAB

8 Table of Contents

664 Receiving samples

664 Deleting and getting informa-

tion about samples

665 The Transmit Back feature

665 In case of problems

666 Using WaveLab with

Steinberg HALion

667 Editing sample attributes

669 Basic looping

671 Using the Crossfade Looper

679 Using the Loop Tone

Equalizer

683 Audio Databases

684 What is an Audio Database

and why do I need it?

685 Creating and opening Audio

Databases

685 How Audio Databases are

saved

686 Window overview and

adjustments

687 Adding files to the Audio

Database

693 Customizing the File List

693 Selecting in the File List

694 Finding out where files are

located

694 Opening a file for editing

694 Playing a file

695 Other file operations

699 Working with categories

702 Location operations

703 Filtering the list

704 Finding files

705 Changing the default

categories and keywords

707 Workspaces

708 What are Workspaces?

709 Creating and opening

Workspaces

709 How Workspaces are saved

710 Creating, renaming and

deleting groups

710 File operations

713 Using WaveLab for

backup

714 Background

715 Creating a Backup Plan

723 Performing the backup

725 Opening an archive

728 Other functions

729 Customizing

730 What is customizing?

730 Preferences

731 Folder editing

733 Saving the window layout

734 Styling WaveLab –

Wave windows

739 Styling WaveLab –

Audio Montage windows

744 Working with window layouts

745 Setting default size and posi-

tion for windows

746 Creating a Favorites menu

746 Customizable key/MIDI

commands

753 Organizing plug-in processors

759 Plug-in Processor

Reference

760 About WaveLab plug-ins

768 VST Plug-ins

WAVELAB

Table of Contents 9

791 Sampler Details

792 SDS - Generic Sample Dump

Standard

792 SMDI (Standard SCSI

transfer)

793 Akai S1000/1100 including

PB models

793 Akai S2000/S2800/S3000/

S3200, including all “i”, CD,

and “XL” derivatives etc.

794 Ensoniq, EPS, EPS16+,

ASR-10, ASR-88

794 E-mu Esi-32

795 E-mu EIV, e64 and other

samplers running the EOS

operating system

795 Kurzweil K2000 and K2500

796 Roland S-760

797 Troubleshooting

798 General problems

799 Problems with opening files

800 Problems with saving files

800 Recording problems

801 Playback problems

802 Editing problems

802 Audio database and

workspace problems

803 Troubleshooting and

precautions

803 Sampler communication

problems

804 Problems and solutions

805 Questions and Answers

806 Day to day precautions for

trouble free CD writing

807 Hardware and setup issues

809 Key commands

810 File handling

810 Wave display mode

811 Zooming

811 View

812 Playback and cursor position

813 Selecting

815 Editing and Recording

817 Processing

817 Markers

818 Database

818 Miscellaneous

819 Index

WAVELAB

10 Table of Contents

1

Introduction

WAVELAB

1 – 12 Introduction

Welcome!

Congratulations on your choice of WaveLab! Ever since its early versions

WaveLab has enjoyed a high reputation among professional and semi-

professional users. WaveLab is the audio editor of choice, not only in top-

of-the-line mastering and restoration facilities, but also for any serious en-

gineer or musician.

This new version of WaveLab continues in the tradition of introducing

new powerful and exciting features while maintaining the ease of use and

workflow that makes working with WaveLab so effective. We are quite

confident that version 6.0 will define a new standard in applying psycho-

acoustic tools to professional audio editing and mastering. WaveLab 6.0

will integrate seamlessly into your existing studio environment, and with

your outboard gear.

Steinberg has always shown a strong commitment to protect the invest-

ment of loyal customers. WaveLab 6.0 follows this route by introducing

the Steinberg key to preserve your competitive advantage.

Your Steinberg Team.

What’s new in WaveLab 6.0?

This section lists the main new functions and features added to the 6.0

version of WaveLab:

• The main wave window and the overview can independently be set to display one

of three display modes: Standard waveform display (Wave), the loudness enve-

lope of the sound (Loudness envelope), or as a spectrogram (Spectrum).

• New Spectrum editor offers powerful audio restoration and processing functions.

High quality linear-phase filters allow you to remove unwanted artefacts in the au-

dio with surgical precision. You can also process a selected frequency/time re-

gion separately via the Master Section.

• New Rename function that can automatically update all file references in other

documents such as Audio Montages. Files, clips and markers can also be batch

renamed.

• Marker regions can be rendered as separate audio files.

• Improved file read/write performance.

• No limitation on audio file size.

• DIRAC engine - perhaps the highest quality algorithm for Time stretch/Pitch shift

processing available today.

• Crystal Resampler plug-in, a professional sample rate converter providing excep-

tional transparency and preservation of the frequency content.

WAVELAB

Introduction 1 – 13

• External gear plug-in allows you to process audio via external equipment.

• New Audio input plug-in replaces the Live input feature, with the option to record

the incoming signal.

• Option to save an audio selection as an Audio Montage clip.

• Redesigned graphic user interface in all menus and dialogs.

• Auto Split enhancements includes Split to specific file length and Split according

to a text file (XML support).

• Clip files can be created when using Auto Split.

• The Loudness Normalizer allows you specify the desired loudness of a file to a

given value. A high quality limiter coupled with multi-pass analysis ensures very

accurate results.

• The Pan Normalizer allows you to process the left/right audio channels in a stereo

file to the same loudness.

• The Level envelope processor can control the level of an audio file or selection

using an envelope curve.

• The Pitch Quantize processor can automatically detect and correct the pitch of

an audio file.

• Effect morphing - gradually blend two processed audio ranges with a custom en-

velope for sample accurate effect transitions.

• Global Bypass tool compensates for the loudness difference between pro-

cessed/unprocessed audio.

• New Edit folders dialog manages all default file folders used by WaveLab.

• Define up to 3 temporary file folders to further improve file performance.

• View settings files (extension “.mem”) can store/recall information relating to a spe-

cific audio file such as window/zoom/scroll positions, Master Section preset etc.

• Audio peak files (extension “.gpk”) can now be stored in a separate folder.

• Improved graphic speed for displaying large files. Peak files can also be created

in the background with graphical progress monitoring.

• Updated preference dialogs.

• Advanced “Insert silence” function allows you to insert user specified ambient

background noise instead of silence, with optional cross-faded insertion.

• K-System support for loudness metering.

• New Audio Montage tab can manage all plug-ins used in a Montage in a variety of

ways. Copy and paste plug-ins between clips or tracks, or load and save whole

plug-in chains.

• Batch processing of Audio Montages.

• WaveLab can now be slaved to the ASIO Positioning Protocol, for sample accu-

rate synchronization.

• You can now assign MIDI commands for WaveLab functions.

Best of all, WaveLab is continuously developed and refined, in collabora-

tion with our users – from professional audio engineers to hobbyists. Your

input has helped make this version of WaveLab the most complete, flexi-

ble and user-friendly ever!

WAVELAB

1 – 14 Introduction

How you can reach us

After having installed and launched the program, you will find a number of

useful Steinberg Web links on the Help menu (“Steinberg on the internet”

submenu). These allow you to get online support, check for updates, get

answers to frequently asked questions, etc.

These features require that you have a working Internet connection.

2

Requirements

WAVELAB

2 – 16 Requirements

This is what you need…

To use WaveLab you need the following:

• A PC with Windows XP or 2000 installed and ready.

A free USB port is also required. For more details about the computer requirements, see

below.

• A Multimedia PC compatible, 16-bit (or better) audio card.

By audio card we mean a card capable of recording and playing back audio, using the com-

puter’s hard disk as storage media. See “About audio cards” on page 18.

To take advantage of WaveLab’s more advanced features, you need the

following:

• To utilize WaveLab’s CD burning capabilities, you will need a CD recorder.

Your CD recorder must support the disc-at-once write mode.

• To utilize WaveLab’s DVD-A burning capabilities, you will need a DVD

recorder.

• To utilize WaveLab’s surround and multichannel capabilities, you will need

an audio card with multiple inputs and outputs.

Furthermore, the audio card must have an ASIO driver

.

• DirectX 9 or later must be installed.

Computer requirements

Below, the minimum computer requirements are listed, with recommen-

dations where applicable. The following sections describe each system

component (processor, RAM, etc.) in more detail.

Minimum requirements

• Intel Pentium III/AMD Athlon 800 MHz (Intel Pentium IV/AMD Athlon or AMD

Opteron 2,4GHz).

• Newer dual core CPUs are recommended.

• 256 MB RAM (1GB recommended).

• A monitor and video card with a resolution of 24 bit (32bit recommended).

• 50MB of free hard disk space (10GB recommended).

• Windows XP or 2000 (Windows XP recommended).

• Windows MME compatible audio hardware (ASIO compatible audio hardware

recommended).

• CD or DVD ROM drive for installation (CD/DVD writer recommended).

• USB port.

• DirectX version 9 or later is required for using video and some export functions.

WAVELAB

Requirements 2 – 17

RAM

Since WaveLab is disk based, the amount of RAM does not limit the size

of audio files you can work with. Even with moderate amounts of RAM,

you can have many files open at the same time. However, when more

RAM is available, some processes can be accelerated by WaveLab.

Processing power

The difference between running WaveLab on a faster computer and a

slower one is noticeable in many cases:

• More real-time processing

The faster the computer, the more real-time plug-ins you will be able to use.

• Faster “off-line” processing and analysis tasks

Certain types of processing which make heavy demands on the computer will be com-

pleted more quickly on a faster machine.

• Screen updates

Scrolling, editing and manipulating objects is “snappier” on a faster machine.

Hard disk

Audio files are relatively big. Approximately 10.6 MB of hard disk space is

used up for every minute of 16 bit stereo/44.1 kHz audio recorded. For 24

bit/48 kHz audio or higher, the audio files are of course a lot bigger. There-

fore we recommend that you get the largest hard disk you can afford. The

speed of the hard disk will affect some of the processing operations. This

is mainly noticeable when you work with very long files.

In addition, a fast hard disk is absolutely crucial for CD-R and DVD-R

burning. If the hard disk is slow, your recorder might not be able to write at

its maximum possible speed.

Do not use file compression on hard disks where audio files are stored!

WAVELAB

2 – 18 Requirements

Sampler requirements

To communicate with samplers, you need the following:

• A MIDI interface, or…

• A SCSI card, or…

• Both a MIDI interface and a SCSI card.

Exactly which of the three is most appropriate depends on the capabilities

of your sampler and how you intend to communicate with it. See “About

the various communication methods” on page 658.

SCSI card considerations

WaveLab works with SCSI cards that are 100% Windows compatible.

If you are buying a SCSI card specifically to communicate with the sampler,

we recommend that you get an original Adaptec card. Small deviations in

SCSI implementations can cause transfer problems.

About audio cards

WaveLab works with any Multimedia PC compatible audio card. How-

ever, the audio quality varies dramatically between cards.

For serious work with WaveLab, we recommend that you get a card with

the highest possible specifications.

However, if you use WaveLab to edit files for use with other hardware

(such as a hard disk based recording system using its own audio convert-

ers) any loss in audio quality that you experience when listening to

the

files in WaveLab (due to deficiencies in the audio card) will not

affect the

final audio files in any way.

For professional use (mastering, etc.) we recommend that you get a card

capable of playing back files in 24 bit resolution.

Surround

To use the surround capabilities of WaveLab’s Audio Montage, you need

an ASIO compatible audio card with multiple inputs and outputs. In a sur-

round configuration, each WaveLab channel can be routed to separate

outputs and inputs on the audio card.

WAVELAB

Requirements 2 – 19

About the System Information feature

After having installed and launched WaveLab, you can get a very detailed

report describing your computer system by selecting “System Informa-

tion” on the Help menu. This function analyses your system and lists oper-

ating system specifics; processor(s), memory, hard drives, and much

more. This is especially useful if you need to contact Technical Support,

since this allows you to describe your computer configuration accurately.

WAVELAB

2 – 20 Requirements

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Steinberg Wavelab 6.0 User guide

Steinberg Wavelab 6.0 User guide

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