There are a number of playback options in the Audio File Editor. Playback of audio files in the Audio File Editor occurs independently of the project playhead position. To hear the audio file in the context of your arrangement, you should use the control bar buttons.
The Mixer’s Preview channel strip is used for monitoring in the Audio File Editor. You can access the Preview channel strip by clicking the All button in the Mixer menu bar. The Preview channel strip is located to the right of the highest-numbered audio channel strip.
Important: Some audio interface hardware can layer direct current (DC) over the audio signal. This results in a vertical shift of the waveform position that can be clearly seen in the Audio File Editor. It can also cause crackling sounds at the start and end of the audio region during playback. Choose Functions > Remove DC Offset to center the waveform around the zero amplitude line.
You can use the following key commands to enhance your playback options:
Play/Stop All: Plays back the whole audio file, regardless of the selected area.
Play/Stop Region: Toggles between playback of the region start and end points—regardless of the selected area.
Play/Stop Region to Anchor and Play/Stop Region from Anchor: Allow you to check the region anchor position by listening to the parts just before and after the anchor.
Control-click the Preview button, then choose an option from the shortcut menu:
Auto-select Channel Strip: Plays the region displayed in the Audio File Editor through the audio channel strip assigned to the region’s source track (shown in the main window).
Preview Channel Strip: Plays back using the Preview channel strip. You can access the Preview channel strip in the Environment’s Mixer layer. It’s located to the right of the highest-numbered audio channel strip.
Click the Preview button (or use the Play/Stop Selection key command, Option-Space bar) to start playback.
Click the Preview button (or use the Play/Stop Selection key command, Option-Space bar) to stop playback.
Double-click the ruler at the point where you want playback to begin. A second double-click stops playback.
Do one of the following:
Click-hold at the point where you want playback to begin. The pointer turns into a Preview icon. Release the mouse button to stop playback.
Double-click at the point where you want playback to begin.
Click-hold the ruler and move the pointer.
Audio playback follows the speed and direction of your pointer. This technique helps you to quickly locate a particular position within an audio file.
Click the Cycle button.
Click the Preview button (or use the Play/Stop Selection key command, Option-Space bar).
You can change the start and end points of the selected area during looped playback, to create a perfect drum loop cycle, for example. When you’re satisfied with the loop, you can make the selected area a new region.