Live not an audio editor?

nessiecansado · Post by **nessiecansado** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:13 pm

I have read a lot of posts about needing an external audio editor in conjunction with Live. Can anyone clarify what it is that Live cannot do and give examples where you would need an external audio editor?
Can most things not be accomplish in the track editor in Live?
also...is there a consensus on the best audio editor for macs?

thanks!

andydes · Post by **andydes** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:23 pm

As far as I can tell, a destructive audio editor allows you to do many of the same functions as the arrange page (effects, mixing, cutting, pasting etc.) except there's no undo and you can't change the effects once they've been applied. I'm confused too.

Anyone else want to field this question?

pepezabala · Post by **pepezabala** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:49 pm

There is not so many things that you would need an external audio-editor for.

Up until version 6 dithering was the only feature that you couldn't achieve within live.

External audioeditors might be more convenient for some tasks, for example you can cut/delete parts of a file without writing a new file (live always writes new files, even when cropping). When you have large field recordings and want to edit out some stuff it might be handy. Also there are some audio editors that allow you to batch process various files at once.

There are several audio editors available for osx, audacity is a free one that lots of people use.

cavern · Post by **cavern** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 12:53 pm

andydes wrote:As far as I can tell, a destructive audio editor allows you to do many of the same functions as the arrange page (effects, mixing, cutting, pasting etc.) except there's no undo and you can't change the effects once they've been applied. I'm confused too.

Anyone else want to field this question?

You can undo pretty much anything in any program. (EDIT: you can milk anything that has nipples)

Destructive editors like Digital Performer, Pro Tools, Cubase, etc. are better for analyzing and editing waveforms. You can still use plug-ins for these programs. Just think of them as Live with a way more powerful session view and no arrangement view.

beatpoet · Post by **beatpoet** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:19 pm

I use the simple sample editor that comes with AudioFinder, the sample management tool on the Mac. I use it for crossfade looping and what-not. Not free but about 70 euro if I remember correctly, great little program with great integration into OS X.

3dot... · Post by **3dot...** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:34 pm

when youre editing in the arrange you're just editing clips
which represent actual wave files...

it does not change the original wave file...

but you can do 'destructive' editing as well...

Most of my destructive editing is done within live.... let me explain

Well.. Since you can pretty much do everything with audio within live....

Why not just do what you want in the arrange window...

then...

Hit 'Freeze' on the track...

then...

choose 'Flatten'.

Viola...

you've got a NEW edited wave file ... and manged to keep the original older file...
you can always go back...
and there's always ctrl-z....

polyslax · Post by **polyslax** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 2:46 pm

Although you can accomplish many of the same editing tasks in Live 7 as you can in a dedicated editor, I find it much more straight forward to deal with audio waveforms in the latter. From cutting loops and samples out of longer material to converting file types to creating play lists and red book cd output to making fades (in, out & cross). As was mentioned, dithering is another pre-L7 reason. Some other specialized functions will be found in a dedicated editor... normalize RMS comes to mind (don't think that's available in Live yet?).

I use Wave Editor, a Mac-only app.

ciw · Post by **ciw** » Wed Jan 09, 2008 3:10 pm

because the automation is so good, it can do lots of things you might otherwise do with wave editing.

for example, cut out a pop in the signal by turning clip volume down to zero at that point only.

Then resample if you want to save some CPU.

I don't think I've ever used an external editor with live.

3dot... · Post by **3dot...** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 9:38 am

ciw wrote:because the automation is so good, it can do lots of things you might otherwise do with wave editing.

for example, cut out a pop in the signal by turning clip volume down to zero at that point only.

Then resample if you want to save some CPU.

I don't think I've ever used an external editor with live.

EXACTLY !!!

noisetonepause · Post by **noisetonepause** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:35 pm

3dot... wrote:Why not just do what you want in the arrange window... then... Hit 'Freeze' on the track... then... choose 'Flatten'. Viola... you've got a NEW edited wave file ... and manged to keep the original older file... you can always go back...

Why not use Consolidate (cmd+j)?

brightonalex · Post by **brightonalex** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:38 pm

cavern wrote:
andydes wrote:As far as I can tell, a destructive audio editor allows you to do many of the same functions as the arrange page (effects, mixing, cutting, pasting etc.) except there's no undo and you can't change the effects once they've been applied. I'm confused too.

Anyone else want to field this question?
You can undo pretty much anything in any program. (EDIT: you can milk anything that has nipples)

Destructive editors like Digital Performer, Pro Tools, Cubase, etc. are better for analyzing and editing waveforms. You can still use plug-ins for these programs. Just think of them as Live with a way more powerful session view and no arrangement view.

I have nipples, Cavern. Can you milk me?

pepezabala · Post by **pepezabala** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:42 pm

noisetonepause wrote:
3dot... wrote:Why not just do what you want in the arrange window... then... Hit 'Freeze' on the track... then... choose 'Flatten'. Viola... you've got a NEW edited wave file ... and manged to keep the original older file... you can always go back...
Why not use Consolidate (cmd+j)?

Consolidate for editing

Freeze/flatten if you want to apply whatever effect you have on that channel (e.g. compression, reverb, whatever)

rsagevik · Post by **rsagevik** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:47 pm

Apart from batch prosessing and cutting up long field recordings I hardly ever use
anything apart from Live.

wilxon · Post by **wilxon** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:59 pm

polyslax wrote:Although you can accomplish many of the same editing tasks in Live 7 as you can in a dedicated editor, I find it much more straight forward to deal with audio waveforms in the latter. From cutting loops and samples out of longer material to converting file types to creating play lists and red book cd output to making fades (in, out & cross). As was mentioned, dithering is another pre-L7 reason. Some other specialized functions will be found in a dedicated editor... normalize RMS comes to mind (don't think that's available in Live yet?).

I use Wave Editor, a Mac-only app.

+1

I use Soundtrack Pro II, which is definatly the best wave editor for mac - i think its better than Adobe Audition (pc only) and you can use all of the plugins too.

The only problem is that it comes bundled with Logic Studio - so you would need to buy that for around £300,

but then i think that soundtrack pro is probably worth that money on its own. And then you get Logic 8, Mainstage, and a few other apps as well.

algarcia · Post by **algarcia** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:25 am

you can download audacity for free. basic tasks, but it will do the job. i use adobe audition.