Mixing multitrack files and restoring edits

Mix together multiple audio clips and scores to create sophisticated soundtracks for Flash and video. Save to the flexible Adobe Sound format and instantly restore previous edits with snapshots.

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Requirements

To complete the tasks demonstrated in this tutorial, you need the following software and files:

Adobe Soundbooth CS4

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Sample files

lrvid4078_sb.zip (ZIP, 2.8MB)

Prerequisite knowledge

Intermediate knowledge of editing in Soundbooth

Mixing multitrack files and restoring edits

Adobe® Soundbooth™ CS4 makes it easy to combine individual audio clips into a single multitrack file. In this tutorial, you will learn how to combine audio clips, use the snapshot feature, and save files as nondestructive Adobe Sound Document, or asnd, files.

Editing clips in Soundbooth

You can make several basic editing changes in audio clips without using Soundbooth menus or tools. To edit an audio clip:

1. Choose File > New > Multitrack File.
2. Select the audio files you want to combine from your desktop or hard disk.
3. Drag the audio files into an existing track in Soundbooth. Alternatively, drag your clips into the blank area within the Soundbooth Editor panel. Soundbooth automatically generates tracks for those clips.
4. Arrange the clips on the tracks by moving them to the right or left. You can also move clips onto different tracks.

   

   Figure 1: The Soundbooth Editor
5. As you select individual clips, controls appear at the top of the clip. To adjust the fade, move the Fade In/Fade Out handles in the upper right and left corners of the clip.

   

   Figure 2: Editing controls appear when you select a clip
6. To adjust the volume or amplitude of a clip, scrub the underlined dB (Decibel) value in the middle of the control bar. To adjust the pan, scrub the underlined Pan value at the left of the control bar.
7. To trim the beginning of a clip, drag the left border to the right. To trim the end of a clip, drag the right border to the left. Notice that your cursor changes into the Trim icon.
8. For more precise control, double-click a clip. The clip will expand to fill the Editor panel.

   

   Figure 3: Enlarging an audio clip in the Editor panel
9. Click Back to return to the main multitrack view.

Tracking changes with the History panel

You can also track the editing changes you make in Soundbooth by reviewing the History panel. To view the history panel:

1. To view changes made to audio clips, expand the History panel in the lower-left corner of the default Soundbooth workspace.

   

   Figure 4: Viewing the History panel
2. To return an audio clip to a previous state, click that state in the History panel.

Taking snapshots

The History panel remembers everything done to a file, even if you save that file. However, as soon as you close the file, the history of that file disappears. If you are experimenting with different mixes or effects on your project, it’s a good idea to use the Snapshot feature to save previous states in the editing process. To use the Snapshot feature:

1. Click the Snapshots camera icon at the bottom of the History panel. Soundbooth saves save the current state of your project.

   

   Figure 5: Using the snapshot button
2. Choose New Snapshot from the context menu that appears. The New Snapshot dialog box appears. Type a name for your snapshot in the Name field of the dialog box.
3. As you continue to edit clips, take additional snapshots to capture different states in the editing process.
4. When you are ready to close the file, choose File > Save. The Save Multitrack Document dialog box appears. Type a name for the file in the Name field.

   

   Figure 6: Saving an Adobe Sound Document file
5. Save the document as an Adobe Sound Document or asnd file. Doing so will allow you to return to your snapshots.

   Note: Saving files as asnd documents also allows you to share files with other Adobe applications such as Adobe Premiere® Pro, Adobe After Effects®, and Adobe Flash®. Moreover, this file format is lossless and nondestructive, meaning that you will never lose the original sound quality of the file.

6. Click Save and save the file to your desktop.
7. Close the file, and then double-click the file icon on your desktop to reopen the file in Soundbooth. When you reopen the file, the History panel is empty; any editing changes made during your previous session are deleted. However, with Snapshots, you can return to previous versions of your file.
8. To view editing changes made during a previous session, click the Snapshot button. Any snapshots saved with the file appear in the context menu. Select a snapshot to view that stage of the editing process.

   

   Figure 7: Viewing snapshots from previous editing sessions

   Note: When you select a snapshot to view, a message appears warning you that you are about to undo the current history state of the project. A prompt offers to take a snapshot of the current history state.

Where to go from here

• Adobe Soundbooth CS4 Help and Support
• Learn Adobe Soundbooth CS4
• Introducing Soundbooth CS4, by Garrick Chow
• Working with Soundbooth and Flash, by Todd Perkins
• Introducing Adobe Premiere Pro CS4, by Paul Trani
• Lynda.com

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License

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