Creating a Soundtrack in Adobe Audition CS6 Chapter 3 Creating a Soundtrack in Adobe Audition CS6

Exploring Audition Adobe Audition, like Premiere Pro and After Effects, includes a number of preformatted, customizable workspaces that optimize the arrangement of panels for particular tasks. When you select one of the preformatted workspaces, the current workspace is adjusted accordingly.

Exploring Audition The Default workspace is designed to optimize audio editing by providing a large view of the Editor panel. The workspace can be changed by selecting a default workspace or by rearranging the panels to your individual preference.

Exploring Audition Editor panel Workspace drop-down menu Tools panel Files panel Media Browser Default workspace

Exploring Audition Audition is designed for the non-musical professional to edit and create musical scores. However, an understanding of some fundamental digital audio concepts will help you as you work with Audition.

Exploring Audition Sound is created by a vibration in the air created by an object that causes the air pressure to change. This vibration eventually reaches the eardrum causing it to vibrate, which is then interpreted as sound.

Exploring Audition Sound is represented in a waveform, which is a line that visually depicts the variations in the waves being created by the air pressure, much like the way wind creates waves in water.

A sample waveform on the Editor panel Exploring Audition A sample waveform on the Editor panel

Exploring Audition The line at its high point, caused by higher pressure, is called its crest. Lower pressure is represented at the line’s lowest point and is called its trough. When there is no air pressure, the sound wave is at zero, which is indicated by the red zero line.

Exploring Audition Amplitude is the change in pressure from crest to trough. High-amplitude waveforms are loud and lowamplitude waveforms are quiet.

Audio file in the Files panel Exploring Audition Waveform button Editor panel Files panel Waveform Editor Audio file in the Files panel Waveform Editor view

Exploring Audition The number of cycles per second, measured in hertz, is called frequency. A wavelength is the distance in inches or centimeters measured between any two points, at the same height on the waveform.

Exploring Audition The Files panel organizes the references to all of the files used in a session and also lists the multitrack sessions.

Exploring Audition You can use Audition to import audio files or to record audio. A variety of audio and video file formats are supported, including: Mp3 WAV AVI MPEG

Exploring Audition References to audio files Session file Files panel displaying references

Exploring Audition Audition has two different editors that can be used when working with audio files: The Waveform Editor The Multitrack Editor

Exploring Audition The Waveform Editor: is used to edit individual files. uses a destructive method of editing. Destructive editing means that any changes that are made are permanent and cannot be undone. A destructive edit is not applied until you save the file.

Exploring Audition Waveform Editor

Exploring Audition The Multitrack Editor: is used to mix multiple audio files and can be used to integrate them with video. Uses a nondestructive method. Nondestructive editing means that the audio file is not changed permanently and can be undone. Nondestructive editing requires more processing power but provides greater flexibility.

Exploring Audition Multitrack Editor

Working with Multitrack Sessions Audition allows you to combine audio files and mix settings to create soundtracks for videos that you can then import into Premiere Pro or After Effects. A multitrack session is a file that contains references to source files and mix settings of multiple tracks, keeping the file relatively small. The extension for an Audition document is .sesx.

Working with Multitrack Sessions Multitrack sessions support importing video files to use as references while mixing a soundtrack, allowing you to synchronize your music. A multitrack session can be created before or after you import your movie file.

Working with Multitrack Sessions Multitracks appear on the Multitrack Editor panel, and you can quickly switch between audio files by selecting the drop-down menu on the Editor panel.

Working with Multitrack Sessions Editor panel drop-down menu Open files Click track name to rename Switching between audio files

Working with Multitrack Sessions Tracks can be renamed by clicking the current name and typing a new name. If you have several audio tracks, it is helpful to assign them descriptive names so that you can easily keep track of where each sound effect or audio clip is located.

Working with Multitrack Sessions Audio files on the Files panel can be placed on an audio track by dragging them to the Multitrack Editor panel. An audio file that has been placed on a track is known as a clip. Adjusting the length or duration of an audio clip is as simple as clicking and dragging.

Working with Multitrack Sessions Cursor at the end of clip Trimming a clip

Working with Multitrack Sessions The placement of a clip on a track can also be adjusted by clicking and dragging the clip with the Move tool. It is a good idea to place clips on separate tracks so that you can overlap them to eliminate the cut from one audio clip to the next.

Working with Multitrack Sessions You can also add keyframes for the volume level allowing you to create and fade from one audio clip to the next.

Working with Multitrack Sessions Zoom navigator Keyframe Volume level Overlapped clip Creating a fade on an audio clip

Working with Multitrack Sessions You can create a fade in or a fade out effect between audio clips by right-clicking the fade icon. You can then adjust the length of the fade by dragging the fade icon. You can adjust the amount of fade by dragging up or down to create a curve.

Working with Multitrack Sessions Fade out added to this clip Fade in icon Using the fade in effect

Working with Multitrack Sessions When working in the Multitrack Editor, each clip and track has its own Effects Rack panel. Effects are nondestructive in the Multitrack Editor and can be changed at any time. The Effects Rack panel allows you to apply up to 16 different effects to each track or clip.

Working with Multitrack Sessions Clip Effects button Track Effects button Number of effects that can be applies Effects Power button Effects Rack panel in Multitrack Editor View

Working with Multitrack Sessions While you are performing edits on a soundtrack and syncing it to video, you should keep it in the Audition SESX file format. The SESX format allows you to add effects and to adjust fades.

Working with Multitrack Sessions You can also import a file in the SESX format directly into Premiere Pro and After Effects and access the file from those applications for editing. The Save As dialog box allows you to rename a multitrack session and change the location where it is saved.

Working with Multitrack Sessions Click the Browse button to change where the file is saved Save As dialog box

Working with Multitrack Sessions When you are done editing your file and ready to save it for playback or for use on other devices, you need to do what is called a mix down, which is a process that combines all of your audio tracks and outputs them together. This is accomplished using the Export Multitrack Mixdown command.

Working with Multitrack Sessions Format menu Export Multitrack Mixdown dialog box

Working with Multitrack Sessions As part of this process, you need to choose an audio file format to save in. The MP3 file format is one of the most widely used file formats for portable media players and web-based audio. has a highly compressed file size to make downloads faster, but also results in poorer quality.

Working with Multitrack Sessions MP3 file MP3 file in the Files panel

Working with Multitrack Sessions Use the MP3 file format when saving for the Web or for portable media players. Windows Waveform, or WAV, is the standard, uncompressed audio format for the Windows operating system.

Working with Multitrack Sessions Audio Interchange File Format, or AIF, is the standard, uncompressed audio file format for Mac OS. You should use these file formats when you plan to share your files with other applications or burn them to discs.

Cleaning Up Audio Files Audition can be used to clean up and restore audio files. For example, crackling noises from old vinyl records or microphone recordings can be removed with the Automatic Click Remover effect.

Cleaning Up Audio Files Background noise such as wind or humming can be removed with the Adaptive Noise effect. These effects can be used in either the Waveform Editor or the Multitrack Editor.

Cleaning Up Audio Files If you want to correct multiple problems or identify the noise you want removed, the Noise Reduction effect can be used. Using the Noise Reduction effect can significantly reduce any unwanted noise that is constant throughout the waveform.

Cleaning Up Audio Files The Noise Reduction effect is only available in the Waveform Editor and is therefore a destructive edit.

Cleaning Up Audio Files By default, the Waveform Editor displays an audio file as a waveform showing amplitude changes. The Waveform Editor can also display an audio file as a Spectral Frequency display, or spectral display. In this display, the x-axis measures time and the y-axis measures frequency.

Cleaning Up Audio Files Editor panel Waveform display Spectral Frequency display Spectral Frequency display

Cleaning Up Audio Files You can use the spectral display to identify and select noise. Bright vertical bars that extend from the top to the bottom are usually clicks and crackles. Light red clouds that extend across the top of the display are usually hissing noises.

Cleaning Up Audio Files Identifying noises in the Spectral Frequency display Crackling noise No crackling noise

Cleaning Up Audio Files The Noise Reduction command can be used to remove noises like hisses and hums that remain constant in the background.

Cleaning Up Audio Files Spectral Frequency display of repaired audio file Removed crackling noise

Cleaning Up Audio Files Before you can apply the Noise Reduction command, you need to identify the noise. A noise can be selected with the Rectangular Marquee tool in the spectral display to generate a sample of the noise you wish to remove. The Capture Noise Print command creates a noise print, which is a sample of the artifact you want to remove from the audio file.

Cleaning Up Audio Files Selecting a noise Creating a noise print

Cleaning Up Audio Files The Noise Reduction setting in the Effect –Noise Reduction dialog box sets the amplitude of the noise floor. The noise floor is the level of amplitude representing the near-constant background noise that you have identified and are trying to remove.

Cleaning Up Audio Files Highest amplitude of detected noise Amplitude below which noise reduction occurs Lowest amplitude of detected noise Control curve sets amount of noise reduction in frequency range Analyzing a noise print