Summary of Tasks
- Record audio from one or more inputs and store recordings in the computer’s memory as digital audio.
- Edit the start time, stop time, and duration of any sound on the audio timeline.
- Mix multiple sound sources/tracks, combine them at various volume levels and pan from channel to channel to one or more output tracks.
- Apply simple or advanced effects or filters, including compression, expansion, flanging, reverb, audio noise reduction and equalization to change the audio.
- Playback sound (often after being mixed) that can be sent to one or more outputs, such as speakers, additional processors, or a recording medium.
- Conversion between different audio file formats, or between different sound quality levels.
A frequent requirement for any media suite is the ability to take the process of recording or engineering to the next level and edit raw material for use within a given project. Our team use both post-production software, and digital audio editors for many projects due to their plug-in integration, and can quickly assess working strategies to tackle common problems such as white noise, digital clicking, and other extraneous sounds that may creep in to a recording during the engineering stage.
Commonly this service works in tandem with production, or mastering, where tweaks are made to engineered recordings before being exported to Wavelab from sequencing and post-production software such as Steinberg’s Nuendo or Digidesigns Pro Tools.
In Depth
The process is fraught with varied levels of difficulty depending on the project, but it serves as the most experience gaining task. As such, we categorise editing for two distinctive sections: Sequence, and Digital Audio.
Sequence Editing focuses on timing and synchronized alterations. This relates to voice-over, speech and broadcast, or editing sound to video ensuring scenes are synchronised and prepared for use within film or video. We also edit audio for radio, online media or podcasting.
Digital Audio Editing caters for more creative tasks such as sound effects generation, or tweaking a full mixdown before exporting to other formats. Some of the tasks involved with audio editing include cutting, pitch and time correction, effects processing, restoration and EQing.
The Setup
We endeavour to keep audio signals within the digital domain at 32-bit float, however in the case of processing out to analogue hardware we commonly use the RME Fireface as the default recording device for sequencing and post-production software. The Fireface ADI converters allow for good analogue to digital conversion and low noise, ensuring that transferring from one format to another is done in a painless manner.
Quite often the main use of editing software is at the final stages of a mixdown, where sound is exported from Nuendo or Pro Tools, and tweaked using Direct-X and VST plugins within Wavelab. Frequency analysers also help to compare recordings and ensure that EQ ranges are under control.
