Editing Audio in the Sample Editor

You can use the Arrange area or the Sample Editor to make incredibly fine adjustments to audio files. In this chapter you will see why the Sample Editor is the ideal tool for removing pops and clicks in audio material, setting accurate crossover points for looped playback, correcting phase cancelation errors, and much more.

You will also take a look at transient markers, which denote significant points—or transients—in an audio file. The audio on a track is analyzed for transients the first time you enable that track for Flex Time editing. Any detected transients in the file are marked with transient markers.

Finally, you will learn about some audio processing tools—collectively known as the Digital Factory—that are unique to the Sample Editor. These include time stretching and pitch shifting, audio quantization, and extraction of pitch and rhythmic information from audio—which can be applied to other audio or MIDI parts.

Important: Most edits and functions performed in the Sample Editor are destructive. This means the actual data of audio files is changed. Although you can undo edits and processing commands, you should get into the habit of working on copies of your audio files, rather than the originals. It’s better to be safe than sorry.