Real-Time Preview

In the Edit View, Adobe Audition offers real-time preview for many of its effects. This means that you can monitor the processed signal before applying the effect to the waveform. (Remember: the effect is actually applied to a copy of the waveform, and can be freely undone.) The preview feature updates in real time, meaning that changes you make to effect parameters while in the dialog for that effect become audible immediately, while the audio is playing. Keep in mind, however, that your systems performance affects the preview feature. On slower systems, some effects may tend to break up or skip during preview. In multitrack the preview is not necessary, as effects are used non-destructively. Basically, every effect in the Multitrack View is in preview all the time.

Multitrack

Adobe Auditions multitrack environment enables you to place multiple waveforms, MIDI les, and video soundtracks into different tracks for simultaneous playback and mixdown. No matter which type of audio you use, each sound instance in Adobe Auditions Multitrack View is referred to as a block. The mixing process involves combining the audio of all of the placed blocks into two or more channels for output. Because you can edit, add, and subtract blocks in the multitrack environment, Adobe Audition must constantly watch for changes to the multitrack session, such as a moved or deleted sound le, a volume change, or new material recorded into a track. When something is altered, Adobe Audition must immediately work that change into the mixed output, and it does so through background mixing. Background mixing occurs behind the scenes and is generally very fast. The faster your system especially your CPU and hard drive(s) the faster Adobe Audition can mix in the background. The Mix Gauge at the bottom of the Track Controls in the Multitrack View shows how far along Adobe Audition is in the process of mixing your session. The meter goes from empty to full as it mixes the session, and it turns a bright color when the entire session is fully mixed. You can think of this meter as a ready indicator. However, you need not wait for the meter to reach completion entirely before beginning playback. As stated above, Adobe Audition continuously mixes, and will continue to do so while playing, so you can safely begin playback when the Mix Gauge meter is about halfway up.

Creating Cues and Ranges

To add a specic point in a waveform (say, three seconds from the beginning of the waveform) to the Cue List, left-click on the waveform at the exact place where you wish the cue to be. Then, do one of the following:
Click on the Add button in the Cue List window. Press F8 to add a Basic cue, Shift+F8 to add a Track cue, or Ctrl+F8 to add an Index cue. Right-click on the Wave Display and choose Add to Cue List. Right-click on the Cursor Handle (the triangle at the top and bottom of the Wave Display directly over and under the
play cursor) and choose Insert in Cue List, Insert CD Track Marker, or Insert CD Index Marker. To add a specied range (for instance, all the audio from two seconds to ve seconds, as measured from the rst part of the waveform), just highlight the range in the Wave Display and do one of the following:
play cursor) and choose Insert in Cue List, Insert CD Track Marker, or Insert CD Index Marker. The easiest way to make a range is to highlight a selection in the waveform. Then add a cue, either through the Cue List or by pushing F8 (for a Basic Cue), Shift+F8 (for a Track Cue), or Ctrl+F8 (for an Index Cue).
Cue Handle Context Menu Right-click on a Cue Handle (a Cue-named triangle at the top and bottom of the Wave
Display) to display the Cue Handle context menu.

82 CHAPTER 7

The Cue Handle context menu
The Cue Handle context menu has these commands:
Go To Cue List: Accessing this command displays the Cue List, or if the Cue List is already displayed, makes it the active

window.

Change Cue Type: Use this entry and its submenu to change a Cue from one type to another. A checkmark designates

the current Cue type.

Make Range: If the Cue is already a point cue, this command turns it into a range cue. The Cue Handle is split into
two handles, one yellow and one blue. Drag either or both to set the beginning and ending times of the range. Note: Adobe Audition automatically makes the second point of a cue range the end, even if you move the ranges around.
Make Point: If the Cue is a range cue, this command turns it into a point Cue. The two parts of the range Cue Handles
are merged into a point Cue Handle, with the start time of the range becoming the time for the point Cue.

Feedback Is the percentage of the original signal to feed back into the delay line. If the feedback slider is set too high, denite ringing and true feedback will occur. The audio will get louder and louder
until it clips and becomes distorted. However, sometimes you may want this effect, which is similar to the feedback you hear when a live microphone is set too close to a loudspeaker.
If the feedback percentage is extremely low, then not very much of the original signal will be fed back into the loop.
This results in a very subtle effect.
Allpass Feedback To help prevent the DC component from getting out of hand (the waveform tending upwards or
downwards until it clips), enable the Allpass Feedback option. When turned on, audio from the destination of the delay loop is mixed back into audio from the originating delay offset. Instead of going one way (from the offset back a certain number of milliseconds), it also goes from the destination up to the source a sort of forward feedback, or feedforward. This setting is handy when designing reverb effects.
Low-Cut and High-Cut Filters Audio being fed back into the delay line can also be ltered before going back in. With a
low-cut lter, the low frequencies are reduced (or boosted) depending on the Cutoff and Boost settings. The High-Cut lter can also cut or even boost the high frequencies. This will make each successive echo ltered slightly differently, for interesting effects.
ADOBE AUDITION 137 User Guide
When designing a reverb, it helps to cut some of the high frequencies to simulate absorption of the high frequencies by the surrounding walls.
Cutoff: Frequencies below this setting are affected by the Low-Cut lter. Frequencies above this setting are affected by
the High-Cut lter. Changes in the cutoff value affect the tone of the echoes, as more or less of the frequencies are affected by the lter.
Boost is the amount of ltering to perform. Boost settings are usually negative, which means the audio is being cut or
reduced in the affected frequency range. Lower negative values result in more audio being cut. Positive values result in boosted frequencies. When echoing, frequencies are generally not boosted. However, you can create interesting effects by entering positive values. Boosting a low-cut lter while reducing the feedback setting is identical to reducing a high cut lter and increasing the feedback setting.

High Shelf The slider directly to the right of the graph determines the High Shelf amplitude in dB. To increase or
decrease the highs (treble) at any time, just adjust the slider, or enter a dB level in the box at the bottom of the slider.
High Shelf Cutoff High and low pass lters cut the extreme high- or low-end of the audio spectrum. The high pass (so
named because it allows the high frequencies to pass, while reducing the lows) is often used to reduce low-end rumble, hum, or other unwanted low-frequency sounds. To ne-tune the range of frequencies being boosted or cut, adjust the High Shelf Cutoff slider located directly below the graph, or enter a specic frequency in the box to the right of the slider.
Intermediate Bands You can place up to ve intermediate bands into the EQ circuit. This gives you very ne control over the shape of the equalization curve. Check the box next to a slider to activate the band and its corresponding volume slider. The vertical sliders in the upper right of the Parametric Equalizer window control the amount of boost or cut. You can also enter boost/cut amount (dB) in the entry box below each slider. The horizontal sliders located below the Cutoff sliders control the center frequency at which the boost or cut will occur. A frequency may also be entered in the box to the right of the slider. Width The Q or Width value (depending on the Constant Q/Width setting below) controls the width of the affected frequency band. With lower Q values (or greater Width values), a larger range of frequencies will be affected. If a Q value is very high (above 100), only a very narrow band will be affected, which is ideal for notch lters where only a particular frequency needs to be removed, like a 60-cycle hum.
You should be aware that whenever a very narrow band is boosted, it will tend to ring or resonate at the audio at that frequency. Q values of 1 to 10 are used most often for general equalization.
Constant Width/Constant Q This parameter describes a frequency bands width. This can be a Q value (which is a ratio of width to center frequency) or an absolute width value in Hz. Constant Q is the most common setting, but you may want to use Constant Width if, for example, you want the length of ringing to be a constant, no matter which frequency is being boosted. Master Gain After the EQ settings have been adjusted, the overall volume level might be too loud or too soft. This can

orders can also have high levels of phase distortion.
Transition Bandwidth Some lter types allow the specication of the width of the transition band. (Lower values have
steeper slopes.) If you choose a transition bandwidth, the Order will be lled in automatically, and vice-versa. In lters requiring a range (Band Pass and Band Stop), this serves as the lower frequency transition, while High Width denes the higher frequency transition.
High Width In lters requiring a range (Band Pass and Band Stop), this serves as the higher frequency transition, while
Transition Bandwidth denes the lower frequency transition.
Pass Ripple/Actual Ripple Some high-order lter types give you the ability to choose the maximum allowable amount of ripple. Ripple is the effect of unwanted boosting and cutting of frequencies near the cutoff point. Stop Attn The Stop Band Attenuation control determines how much gain reduction is to be used when removing frequencies. Master Gain After the lter settings have been adjusted, the overall volume level might be too loud or too soft. You can
compensate for this by entering an overall master gain (measured in dB) for both the left and the right channels to be applied to the resulting audio.
Presets Adobe Audition comes with several Scientic Filter presets. More information on presets can be found in the
Preview Press the Preview button to audition the current Scientic Filter setting before you apply it to the waveform. The selection is looped until you press the Stop button. Since Adobe Auditions Previews are dynamic, this gives you the opportunity to make and hear processing adjustments as the selection is continuously played.

Noise Reduction

The effects in the Noise Reduction menu can be used to reduce background noise and general broadband noise without having an adverse effect on the overall quality of the originally-recorded signal.
ADOBE AUDITION 161 User Guide
The Click/Pop Eliminator works by searching for anomalies in the audio data that could be construed as clicks or pops (Detection), and then replacing or repairing the damaged location (Correction). If you want to clean up vinyl recordings before transferring them to CDs or another digital medium, Click/Pop Eliminator is the effect to use. Its more accurate than just cutting out the click, or replacing the data with a straight line. You can correct an entire selection or instantly remove a single click if one is highlighted.
Click/Pop Eliminator dialog
Use a high zoom level to isolate the click. To speed up the repairing of single clicks, congure the F3 key to correct them when they are highlighted by rst choosing the Click/Pop lter and pressing Fill Single Click Now. The F3 key then repeats the last action without bringing up the dialog box. You can also create a quick key in the Favorites menu for lling in single clicks. Use the Spectral View feature with the spectral resolution set to 256 bands and a Window Width of 40% to see the clicks in a waveform. See the Spectral Display area of Options > Settings > Display to adjust these parameters. Clicks will ordinarily be visible as bright vertical bars that go all the way from the top to the bottom of the display.

Note: On sound cards that support sample accurate devices (i.e., synchronized device starting, and all devices keyed off of the same clock) you dont need to check this box. This option allows for some measure of near sample-accurate synchronization across different sound cards, or when using with a single sound card that doesnt use the same clock for playback and recording (such as the Sound Blaster Live! card).
Correct for Start Sync in Recordings If this box is checked, Adobe Audition looks at the exact true time that the record device started and compares that with the time the master playback device started. If different, the recorded blocks position is adjusted so the recording starts in perfect sync with the playback. This option only works with new record tracks, not with recording on top of existing waveforms, or punch-ins.
Note: If you have this option enabled, and you do a loopback test (by connecting the audio Out to the audio In and recording some ticks) and each recording is still a xed amount out of sync, then you can adjust for this by entering this amount (in milliseconds) in the Latency eld of Options > Device Properties for the recording device being used. To compute milliseconds, look at the difference in samples, multiply by 1000 and then divide by the sample rate. For instance, if the recording consistently appears 27 samples ahead of the playback, the latency would be 27 * 1000 / 44100 or 0.61 ms. (The reason for the milliseconds format and not samples is because at various sample rates this latency will be different in terms of samples, but will be the same in terms of milliseconds.) Note: On sound cards that support sample accurate devices (i.e., synchronized device starting, and all devices keyed off of the same clock) you dont need to check this box. This option allows for some measure of near sample-accurate synchronization across different sound cards, or when using with a single sound card that doesnt use the same clock for playback and recording (such as the Sound Blaster Live! card).

228 CHAPTER 12

SMPTE Tab
This is where you adjust Adobe Auditions settings for working with time code.
The SMPTE tab of the Settings dialog Lead Time This sets is the amount of time (measured in milliseconds) that Adobe Audition has to establish sync with the incoming time code. Lower settings (200ms) will result in faster response (when pressing Play), but at the risk of true sync not being established. 500ms to 1000ms should provide plenty of Lead Time to establish lock-up. The default value is 200ms. Stopping Time Stopping Time is the amount of time (measured in milliseconds) Adobe Audition will continue playing

266 CHAPTER 13

To use the Loop Duplicate function to create interesting time delay effects:
1 Start by placing the source waveform into the Multitrack View. 2 Once entered, hold down the Shift key and right-click on the waveform and drag it to make an Image. The Image
should be placed onto a new track (such as below the existing track).
3 Next, shift the Image in time, to the right of the original; small amounts to create phase shifts (small time offset), larger
amounts to create delays (15-50 ms offsets) or echoes (50 ms or greater offsets).
4 Repeat this any number of times, shifting each Image slightly more to the right. You can even create in tempo delays
by changing the Display Time Format to Bars and Beats and use the Snapping function to Snap To Ruler locations, placing the delayed Images at every beat, for example. Try reducing the volume levels slightly for each Image, to soften the echoes (also, the combined waveforms will increase the track's overall level in the mix and could cause clipping). You can also create both Pan and Volume envelopes for each Image for truly dynamic delay effects that change over time.
Convert to Unique Copy This command creates a copy of the selected waveform block. Copying a waveform block in the
multitrack environment (as opposed to creating an Image) will create a separate audio le on disk, identical to the original in size and disk space consumption. Creating a copy of a waveform block has the advantage of allowing for separate editing of each occurrence of the waveform (you can add reverb to the one placed in your intro, while the same sound placed in your verse can be dry). Images have the advantage of not consuming any disk space, and depending on the situation, it may be an advantage to be able to affect all occurrences of a waveform block by editing the original once. (With Images, you can add a Flanger effect to one instance, and all 30 instances, for example would be anged.). To quickly add an effect to a waveform block within the Multitrack View, double-click on it (which will open the waveform in the Edit View window). From there, you can use File > Save As to create a copy of the le that can be transformed using any Effect function. The newly processed le can then be placed into the multitrack environment.
To add multiple effects to an existing waveform non-destructively in Multitrack View:
1 Create a copy of the waveform using Edit > Convert to Unique Copy, or by saving the le under a new name using
Save As in the Edit View.
2 Once a copy of the original le has been made, add any processing or effect you like to it. For effects that have wet/dry
balancing, set them to 100%, or close to 100% wet, so the result is primarily effect. (The original waveform that you copied will provide the dry element.)
3 Insert the processed copy into the multitrack environment, placing it into an adjacent to the original, in a different

Click on this option to display Adobe Auditions Level Meters, which appear near the bottom of both Adobe Auditions Edit View and Multitrack View windows. These meters display both record and playback levels. Note: More information on the Level Meters can be found in the Looking at the Work Area chapter.

Show Load Meter

This option displays Adobe Auditions Load Meter, which runs in a dockable window. The Load Meter shows you how much CPU time is available, which is especially handy if you regularly use real-time effects. When the meter lls up, Adobe Audition has no more available computing power and your system will act erratically.
ADOBE AUDITION 295 User Guide

Show Video Window

If this option is checked, a window used to view video data thats inserted in Adobe Auditions Multitrack View is displayed. It initially appears in the upper left-hand corner of your desktop, and can be resized to t your frame size. Plus, since the Video window is dockable, you can reposition it at one of several places in the Adobe Audition interface.
The Display Time Format menu lets you choose between several time display readouts, including Decimal, Compact Disc, different versions of SMPTE, Samples, Bars and Beats, and Custom time code frame rates. Adobe Audition will then use the format chosen here when referencing time: the Time window, the x-axis (time) ruler, time status boxes, Status Bar, etc. Note: More information on the Display Time Format menu can be found in the View Menu Edit View chapter.
Use this menu to specify to specify which, if any, groups of icons youd like to display on Adobe Auditions Multitrack View toolbar. Checkmark the desired icon group(s) to display. If no items are checked, the toolbar area will disappear until you check at least one icon group. Options are also provided to limit how many rows of toolbar icons Adobe Audition displays at any one time: one row, two rows, or three rows.
Access the items on the Status Bar submenu to turn on Adobe Auditions status bar which runs along the bottom of the Adobe Audition window as well as decide which information elds you wish displayed in the status bar. You can also nd this menu by right-clicking on the status bar. To hide the Status Bar, right-click on it and select the Hide menu option. Or, uncheck Show from the Status Bar submenu item on the View menu. Note: More information on the Status Bar can be found in the Looking at the Work Area chapter.

296 CHAPTER 15

This command brings up the Advanced Session Properties window, a tabbed dialog that lets you adjust several parameters of your multitrack session, as well as store additional session-based information within your session le.
The General tab of the Advanced Session Properties window Session Start Time Offset Here you can enter a time offset, which is the time location that Adobe Audition will wait for

Mute Blocks
This command mutes or unmutes the selected block(s). This command is separate from Track Muting (pressing the Mute button in the Track Console area) which disables all blocks within a track. Muted blocks are ignored during playback and mixdowns, and are displayed as grayed-out.

Lock in Time

Lock In Time locks selected blocks to their current time location in the multitrack session. Locking a block is useful when youve decided upon its position in time, and dont want to accidentally move the block when right-clicking on it. Locked blocks are identied by an overlaid graphic of a circled padlock. While a block which has been locked cant be moved in time (left or right), it may be vertically repositioned, allowing you to move it between tracks. To unlock a block, simply select it and choose Lock in Time to free it for horizontal movement.

Lock for Play Only

This command marks the selected block(s) as play only. Lock for Play Only disables the ability of a block to be recorded into, so while the track it resides in may be record enabled (have the red R button on the Track Console depressed), the marked block will not be recorded over. This is signied by the block not turning red when the track is record-enabled.
The Split command functions similarly to a traditional tape splice; it cuts the block, segmenting it into parts. The cut is performed at the current cursor point, or selection (in this case the selection will be spliced out). Once a block has been split, each segment can be moved, deleted, or slid in time independently of the other segments. Splitting a block is non-destructive, as it does not alter the original le on disk.

Merge/Rejoin Split

Merge/Rejoin Split will recombine a split segment of a block with the original surrounding material, provided that the split segment sits at the same relative location as where it was split from, and in the same track as the original segment(s). The boundaries of the segments are joined together using a 30 millisecond crossfade. The Merge/Rejoin Split command can also be used to rejoin a take created using Punch In to the rest of the waveform. Note: This merge operation is destructive in that it does alter your sound le. For example, when rejoining a Punch In segment, the le is rewritten with the new material.

new data must be generated from known data to ll in areas where values are unknown, such as the nal error correction stage in the playing of CD audio.
Level (or VU) Meters Adobe Auditions Level Meters are found by default along the bottom of the main window, and are used to monitor the volumes of incoming and outgoing signals. The clip indicator to the right of the meters will light up, and remain lit, when levels exceed the maximum of 0dB. Clicking on the clipping indicator at any time will reset it. When displaying stereo audio or in a multitrack session, the top meter represents the left channel, and the bottom, the right.
Limiter Limiters reduce or limit input signals that exceed a specied threshold level so that the output does not
increase in gain beyond that point. In other words, a limiter only allows the dynamic range at its input to increase up to a certain point, which is determined by the threshold setting. Beyond this level, as the input continues to increase in gain, the output level remains relatively constant and does not increase in volume.
Loop With regard to waveform material, a Loop is simply the repeating of a certain range, either indenitely or for a
certain number of repetitions. There are many looping functions in Adobe Audition, such as Loop Duplicate or loop painting in the multitrack environment for looping waveform blocks. If you insert a le that has loop information in its header, just grab the bottom right corner of the block and drag to loop it over time.
Microsoft ADPCM The Microsoft ADPCM format consists of 4-bits-per-channel compressed data, which provides 4:1 compression. Files saved in this format will automatically be expanded to 16 bits when loaded, regardless of their original resolution. For this reason, its best to save to this format from a 16-bit waveform rather than 8-bit, as the quality will be much greater. The le extension is.wav. MIDI MIDI stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, and is a way of communicating performance information
from one piece of software or hardware to another. This performance information can take the simple shape of a note instruction, or it can transmit detailed information on things such as timing or sound patch data. Windows provides a way of transmitting MIDI information internally between programs, plus you can transmit MIDI information into and out of your computer to and from external devices (such as a MIDI Keyboard) through the MIDI Port of a sound card, or other MIDI Interface device.
MIDI Time Code (MTC) MIDI Time Code (MTC) is a method of sending timing information between MIDI-capable devices. For instance, SMPTE, which is an audio signal, can be converted to MTC to sync to and control Adobe Auditions transport from a device such as a VTR or tape deck. MIDI Trigger A MIDI Trigger is simply a shortcut which can be called via a MIDI event (such as a Note On or Pitch

Wheel). MIDI events can be sent from a MIDI keyboard, a sequencer, or any other device capable of issuing a MIDI command.
Millisecond (ms) One thousandth of a second. (There are 1,000 milliseconds in a second.) Miniplug A common name for 1/8-inch plugs and jacks, sometimes known as minijacks. Miniplug jacks are the most common interface for a sound cards analog inputs and outputs. Mixdown Mixdown is the process of combining the output of all enabled tracks (or selected tracks) in Multitrack View
into a new stereo waveform. When doing a Mixdown, track properties such as Volume and Pan are reected in the resulting waveform. Mixdown is generally the nal operation, which is done when youre happy with the way your session sounds. A Mixdown can also be used to create submixes, which are mixes of selected tracks (such as all of the drums). Submixes are useful for cleaning up your workspace.
Mixing Mixing is the process of combining multiple audio sources (or tracks) together for output as a single source.
Output is generally in the form of a stereo pair of channels (a right and a left), though mixes may be directed to more than two channels for output (as in drums to one set of outputs, and everything else to another pair of outputs). These types of mixes are often referred to as submixes.
ADOBE AUDITION 361 User Guide
Mix Gauge The Mix Gauge is found beneath the Track Console in the Multitrack View. Its an indicator of the amount
of background mixing that Adobe Audition has completed. Each time something changes in a session that alters the way it will play back, this bar will empty and ll back up as the mix is re-processed. The further this bar progresses to the right, the more complete the mix of your session. The bar becomes a bright color when fully mixed. You dont need to wait for the Mix Gauge to completely ll up before playing the session.
Mono Mono (derived from Monophonic) means that theres only a single sound source, or the signal came from a single sound source. MPEG A set of audio and video compression schemes created by the Motion Picture Experts Group. MP3 MPEG Layer 3. A subset of the MPEG standard invented by the Fraunhofer institute that has become very popular due to the very high compression ratios (10 to 1 or better) with little audible loss. Adobe Audition has MP3 support built in, so theres no need to purchase an MP3 plug-in. mu-Law mu-Law (or CCITT standard G.711) is an audio compression scheme and international standard in telephony
applications. mu-Law is very similar to A-Law, a variation of mu-Law found in European systems. This encoding format compresses original 16-bit audio down to 8 bits (for a 2:1 compression ratio) with a dynamic range of about 13 bits. Thus, mu-Law encoded waveforms have a higher s/n ratio than 8-bit PCM, but at the price of a bit more distortion than the original 16-bit audio. The quality is higher than you would get with 4-bit ADPCM formats. Encoding and decoding is rather fast and generally widely supported.

Go to Beginning button 23 Go To Cue List 82 Go to End button 23 Graph Controls 21 Graphic Equalizer 150 Graphic Phase Shifter 151 Group Blocks 263, 306 Group By Category 19 Group Color 263, 306 Group Real-Time Effects 19 Group Waveform Normalize 69, 313 H Hard Limiting 110 Help tab 205 High Frequency Absorption Time 140 High Pass 145, 159 Highlight after Paste 216 Hiss Reduction 167 Hold buttons 195 Horizontal Portion Bar 39, 248 Horizontal Ruler 40, 249 Hue 303 I IFF 30 Images, about 240 Independent Channels 191 Index cue 81 Initial Amplification 99 Input Button 245 Input Gain 107 Insert Cue(s) 84 Insert in Multitrack 64 Insert Into Multitrack 17, 42
Insert menu 250 Insert Play List in Multitrack 64 Insert/Delete Time 257, 313 Inserting audio files 242 Interface Options 50 Interpret 32-bit PCM.wav files as 16.8 float 222 Intro Time field 91 Inverse 192 Invert 97 K Key 93, 284 Key for Voiced Loops 296 Key Words field 90 Keyboard Modifiers option 28 Keyboard Shortcuts dialog 351 L L/R Cut (log) 226 L/R Cut Log 297 Lag Time 228 Lead Time 228 Left/Right buttons 201 Level Meters 23 Level Meters, show 85, 294 Limit Continuous Silence to 66 Limit Playback to 229 Linear Energy Plot 221 Linear Fades 99 Linear PCM 34 Live update during recording 215 Load Meter, show 294 Lock button 245, 288, 293 Lock for Play Only 267, 304, 310 Lock in Time 267, 304, 310 Lock Left/Right 63, 99

ADOBE AUDITION 371

Logarithmic Energy Plot 221 Logarithmic Fades 99 Look in 47, 274, 276 Loop 92 Loop Duplicate 265, 308 Loop Info tab 92 Loop Mode 207, 325 Loop Paste 64 Loop Properties 258, 301 Loud 71 Low Pass 143, 145, 159 Lower Hard Drive Reserves 58 M M/S button 286 Make Point 82 Make Range 82 Mark Deletions in Cue List 66 Master Level slider 337 Maximum Recording Time 207 Maximum RMS Power 201 Merge button 83 Merge This Take 302 Merge/Rejoin Split 267, 310 Merging 226 Metronome 284, 327 tab 298 Microsoft ADPCM 33 MIDI Blocks 263 listing active tracks 262 setting tempo 262 transposing key 262 zooming in and out 262 MIDI from File 250, 315 MIDI In tab 232 MIDI Input Devices tab 236 MIDI Out tab 231
MIDI Output Devices tab 235 MIDI Panic Button 325 MIDI tab 253, 287 MIDI Trigger 352 MIDI Trigger Enable 208, 325 Minimum RMS Power 201 Misc tab 96 Mix Down to Empty Track N 305 Mix Down to File 263, 305 Mix Down to Track (Bounce) command 251 Mix Gauge 8, 247 Mix Paste 43, 63 Mixdown(s) 226 saving with video file 263 Mixdown(s), save as 277 Mixers Window, show 284 Mixing tab 296 MMC Read CD 50 Modulate 64, 194 Modulate By 193 Modulation Frequency 193 Monitor Record Level(s) 24, 208, 325 Mouse Wheel 215 MPmp3Pro 34 MRU List 59, 280 mu-Law 34 Multichannel Encoder requirements 329 Multichannel Encoder, elements of 329 Multitap Delay 135 Multitrack about 8 button 352 Latency 231

6 Using Noise Reduction Filters
You can add new life to old or low quality audio recordings using Adobe Auditions enhancement and restoration effects. Distracting hiss or background noise can easily be removed with the Noise Reduction effect. Pops, clicks and crackles can be identied and removed using Auditions Spectral View.

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114 LESSON 6

Using Noise Reduction Filters
In this lesson, youll learn how to do the following:
Navigate through Auditions Effects tab. Apply effects to loops. Save effects settings. Create and save a noise reduction prole. Remove pops, crackles and hiss from a recording. Use Parametric and Graphic Equalizers.

Getting started

In this lesson, you will be utilizing Adobe Auditions built-in effects to improve the overall quality of a waveform. Because many recordings do not take place in a sound booth or professional recording studio, noise is typically recorded along with the focus of your recording. Noise can be described as underlying frequencies, usually at lower amplitudes, which are picked up by the microphone during the recording session. Street noise, crowd noise, and the buzz of nearby electronic devicessuch as a fan, are all examples of noise which can be recorded unintentionally. Noise and imperfections in a recording may also be related to the recording source. Creating a digital loop from an analog source, such as a record player, may result in crackles or pops throughout the recording, due to scratches or imperfections in the vinyl record itself. In this lesson you will use some of the tools available in Adobe Audition for repairing or removing audio imperfections. 1 Start Adobe Audition and click on the Multitrack View tab, if not already selected.
2 Choose File > Open Session, and open the 06_Start.ses le in the AA_06 folder, which is located in the AA_CIB folder on your hard disk. Note: If you have not already copied the resource les for this lesson onto your hard disk from the AA_06 folder on the Adobe Audition 1.5 Classroom in a Book CD, do so now. See Copying the Classroom in a Book les on page 2. 3 Choose File > Save Session As, and name the le 06_Recording.ses, and save it in the AA_06 folder.

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ADOBE AUDITION 1.Classroom in a Book
4 To review the nished session le, choose File > Open Session, and open the 06_end.ses le in the AA_06 folder, which is located within the AA_CIB folder on your hard disk. Play the session le by either clicking on the Play button ( ) in the Transport Controls toolbar, or pressing the spacebar on your keyboard.
5 When you are ready to start working on the lesson, close the 06_end.ses le by choosing File > Close Session and Its Media. 6 Select File > Open Session to reopen the 06_Recording.ses le you created in the previous steps.

Tools to clean up sound

The lesson les in this chapter are modeled after an amateur radio commercial demo. The Voice Over track recording was created using a lowquality microphone in a non-studio environment. The Guitar track is a sampled loop recorded from an old heavily used vinyl record. As you play this session le, note all the residual noise which is evident throughout the session. Listen to each track individually by clicking on the Solo button ( ), then pressing the spacebar on the keyboard to play.

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116 LESSON 6
Notice that the Voice Over track has a substantial amount of noise in the background of the recording. The Guitar track contains hiss, pops and clicks throughout the loop as a result of the wear in the vinyl record. Audition offers several effects which can be utilized to repair these imperfections. These tools are available in the Edit View. Any change made to these les within the Edit View are destructive and will require that the changes be saved. You can also save the le using a new le name by choosing the File > Save As command.
Creating a noise reduction prole
Using Auditions Noise Reduction Prole feature you will isolate the background noise from the Voice Over sample. You will use this noise reduction prole as a ltering effect throughout the entire recording. 1 Double-click into the VoiceOver_Take1.cel loop located in the multitrack in the Voice Over track. This opens the le in the Edit View. 2 Press the Home key and then click the Zoom to Selection button ( ) once to zoom in slightly. When you previewed the le you may have noticed a slight pause before the subject begins speaking. The le contains approximately 1 second of background noise during this pause. Isolate the rst second of this waveform by clicking and dragging in the Edit View display window. Your selection should end prior to any signicant change in the waveform.

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3 Click on the Effects Tab in the Organizer window. Select the plus sign ( ) positioned to the left of the Noise Reduction effect. The effect expands, revealing options.
4 Double-click on the Capture Noise Reduction Prole option from the Organizer window. If an Alert window opens, informing you that a prole is being created from the current selection, click OK. A window appears illustrating Auditions progress in creating the prole, and then the window closes after the prole is created. 5 Click anywhere in the waveform to clear the current selection and then press the Home key to place the current-time indicator at the beginning. Double-click the Noise Reduction effect in the Organizer window. The Noise Reduction effect window is displayed.

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6 In the Noise Reduction effect window, click the Select Entire File button to select the entire recording, then select the Preview button to listen to the le as you make changes. Allow the le to continue to play.
7 As you move the Noise Reduction Slider left to right, make note of its effect on the le. Move the slider to the 75% position or click into the input area and enter 75 as the value. Allow the le to continue to play.

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8 Click the Spectral Decay Rate eld at the bottom of the window and enter 25 as the value. Click the Bypass option to hear the original le. Click Bypass again to restore the effect. The background noise is much less prominent.
9 Click OK to close the Noise Reduction window and apply the changes to the entire waveform. Choose File > Save As to save the revised Voice Over_Take1 le. In the Save As window, enter the name VoiceOver.cel and then click the Save button. Click Yes to overwrite the original le with the same name. To reduce noise added by a sound card during recording, start the recording with one second of silence. After recording is complete, use that silence as the Noise Reduction Prole. You can then remove the identiable noise from the nished recording. In some cases, this process can increase dynamic range by a full 10 dB. 10 Press the F12 key to switch to the Multitrack View, and then play the session le using the spacebar on your keyboard or use the Play button in the Transport Controls. 11 Save your session by selecting File > Save Session.

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120 LESSON 6

Removing pops, crackles, and hiss
Pops and clicks are artifacts which can be unintentionally recorded from an outside source. They may also be the result of an audio le having been cut and looped. The GuitarRiff_from_Vinyl loop, which is part of the Guitar track, contains several clicks which you will remove using Auditions Pop/Click Eliminator effects. 1 Click the Files tab to display the Organizer window. Double-click on the GuitarRiff_from_Vinyl.cel le in the Organizer window to open this le in the Edit View. 2 Preview the le by pressing the spacebar, making note of the audible pops and clicks and their connection to the large spikes in the waveform.

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3 Click onto the Effects tab in the Organizer window. Within the Effects Tab, click the plus sign ( ) for Noise Reduction to reveal the Noise Reduction effects, if necessary. Double-click the Click/Pop Eliminator effect, opening the Click/Pop Eliminator window.
4 Select the Old RecordQuiet Audio option from the Preset portion of the window, then click the Find Threshold Levels Only button. This creates a threshold for minimum, average and maximum decibels (dB).

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5 For each threshold value, input a new Reject value of 15, causing Audition to isolate more clicks.
6 Save your options as a preset by clicking on the Add button in the upper right corner of the Click/Pop Eliminator window. Enter Old_Vinyl as the name for the preset and then click the OK button.
7 In the Click/Pop Eliminator window, click the OK button to initiate the changes to the GuitarRiff_from_Vinyl le. 8 Play the modied le by pressing the Play button in Transport Controls or use the spacebar on your keyboard. 9 Select File > Save As. If necessary, navigate to the AA_06 folder on your hard disk. Name the le GuitarRiff.cel and then click the Save button. Click Yes to overwrite the original le with the same name.

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Using the Auto Click/Pop Eliminator effect If you need to quickly remove crackle and static from vinyl recordings, rst try the Auto Click/Pop Eliminator effect. You can easily select and correct a large area of audio, or a single click or pop. This effect provides the same processing quality as the Click/Pop Eliminator effect, but it offers simplied controls and a helpful preview.

At this point the guitar sample has been modied signicantly. You should notice dramatic improvements in the overall quality of the recording. Using some more specic effects tools, you will now isolate and eliminate the hiss which remains. You will also remove the remaining pop located midway through the loop. 10 From the Effects options in the Organizer Window, double-click the Hiss Reduction effect. The Hiss Reduction window opens.
11 In the Presets portion of the window, select the High Hiss Reduction setting, then click on the Preview button to hear your changes. Allow the le to continue to play. 12 Drag the Noise Floor Adjust slider toward the right until a setting of approximately 10dB is achieved.

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You can also manually enter values by clicking into the input box and entering the value from your keyboard.
13 Click the OK button to conrm your changes, and then choose File > Save to save the revisions to the GuitarRiff_from_Vinyl le. 14 Select View > Spectral View, to display the spectral analyzer. Spectral View displays a waveform by its frequency components.
In the Spectral View, the x-axis (horizontal) represents time and the y-axis (vertical) measures frequency. This view lets you analyze audio data to see which frequencies are most prevalent. The greater a signals amplitude component within a specic frequency range, the brighter the displayed color. Colors range from dark blue, indicating that the frequencies are very low in amplitude, to bright yellow, indicating that the frequencies are high in amplitude.

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15 Press the spacebar on your keyboard to play the le. Notice that the pop correlates to the large spike indicated in the spectral view at around beat 2:4 of the waveform. 16 In the timeline, right-click and then drag to zoom into the area of the pop. Select the pop in the Spectral View window by left-clicking and dragging, to make the selection. Note: If you zoomed into an incorrect view, you can click the Zoom Out Full Both Axis button to expand the view. You can also right-click in the timeline and choose Zooming > Zoom Full.
To select noise in a specic frequency range, use the Marquee Selection tool ( ). 17 Double-click the Click/Pop Eliminator effect in the Organizer window. The Click/ Pop Eliminator window opens. 18 In the Click/Pop Eliminator window, select the Old-Vinyl Preset you previously saved. This is located in the Presets portion of the window. Keep the Click/Pop Eliminator window open.

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19 Select the Fill Single Click Now button. This repairs an individual click. Press OK to conrm your changes and close the Click/Pop Eliminator window.
Repairing single clicks The Favorites tab in the Organizer window contains several effect presets. The Repair Transient preset is an effective tool for repairing single clicks or pops in an waveform. In the Edit View, make your selection, then select the Favorites tab in the Organizer window. Double-click on the Repair Transient option and Audition will repair the single instance in the waveform.

To toggle back to the waveform view, click on the Waveform/Spectral View toggle button ( ) located in the toolbar. The zoom magnication is shared between these two views. Use the Zoom tools to change the magnication level. 20 Choose File > Save to save your changes.
Using Parametric and Graphic Equalizer to change sound quality
The Parametric Equalizer provides maximum control over tonal equalization. Unlike the Graphic Equalizer, which provides a xed number of frequencies and Q bandwidths, the Parametric Equalizer gives you complete control over frequency, Q, and gain settings. For example, you can simultaneously reduce a small range of frequencies centered around 1,000 Hz, boost a broad low-frequency shelf centered around 80 Hz, and insert a 60 Hz notch lter. The Graphic Equalizer allows for modication of specic frequencies. By isolating typical frequencies produced by the human voice, the recorded VoiceOver.cel le can be improved using Adobe Audition. 1 In the Organizer window, click to select the Files tab. Double-click the VoiceOver.cel le, opening the le in the Edit View.

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2 Click on the Effects tab of the Organizer window and, if the waveform is not selected, choose Edit > Select Entire Wave.
3 In the Effects window click the plus sign ( ) to the left of Filters. Double-click the Graphic Equalizer option, and the Graphic Equalizer window is displayed. 4 In the Graphic Equalizer window activate the Bypass option by clicking the check box. Select the Preview button to play your le.

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5 Click the Stop button to stop the playback of the le. Click the Bypass checkbox to deselect this option. By default, the Graphic Equalizer automatically selects a preset. Choose the Bypass option and the preset is ignored, so you hear the original le. 6 In the Presets portion of the window, select the Sloping Low End Boost option. It may be necessary to scroll down through the list of presets to locate this option. Click the Preview button to play the le with the graphic equalization effects applied. At this point you should notice an increase in the lower frequencies of the voice, resulting in a broader, fuller sound. Click the Stop button, then click OK.

Select File > Save to save your changes to the VoiceOver.cel le.
8 Click on the Multitrack View button ( ) to view your session. Preview your le by clicking on the Play to End of File button ( ) or pressing the spacebar. When you have nished listening to your le select File > Save Session. Preview buttons in Effects windows change to Stop buttons during playback of.wav les. You may also utilize the spacebar to toggle playback of les if the Preview button is active.

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Review questions

1 What are some typical causes of noise and artifacts in sound les? 2 How can you set up a recording to later eliminate any existing background noise from the session? What are the major differences between Graphic and Parametric Equalizer effects? Can equalization effects be used in both Edit and Multitrack Views in Audition?

Review answers

1 Electronic equipment, poor recording source, or improper loop creation are some typical examples. 2 Allow for at least one second of silence at the very start of your recording. You can use this to build a Noise Reduction Prole which can be used later for the entire waveform. 3 Graphic Equalizers provide a xed number of frequencies and bandwidths, whereas a Parametric Equalizer allows for control of gain, Q, and frequency. 4 Not all equalization effects are available in both the Edit and Multitrack views. When using an equalization effect in Edit View, it is considered destructive editing, as the waveform is physically altered from its original state. Introducing an effect in Multitrack View maintains the settings of the effects as being a process of the multitrack session, separating them from the waveform itself.

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On your own
The graphic nature of the FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) Filter effect makes it easy to draw curves or notches that reject or boost specic frequencies. This effect can produce broad band-pass lters such as high- and low-pass lters (to maintain high and low frequencies, respectively), narrow band-pass lters (to simulate the sound of a telephone call), or notch lters (to eliminate very narrow frequency bands). In order to round out the session le in a nal step, an FFT Filter allows for the limiting of higher frequencies over an entire wave le. Reducing these frequencies helps to push the le farther into the background of our session le, leaving the Voice Over track as the main focus. Note: The noise level of the FFT Filter effect is lower than that of 16-bit samples, so it introduces no noise when processing audio at 16-bit resolution or lower. 1 In the Files tab of the Organizer window, double-click the GuitarRiff.cel le, opening it in Edit View. 2 Click to select the Effects tab in the Organizer window. 3 Select the FFT Filter option from the Filters menu in the Organizer Window by double-clicking. 4 In the Presets portion of the window, scroll down and select The Club Downstairs preset. Click OK. Preview the le by pressing the spacebar or clicking the Play button. Save the le by choosing File > Save.