Working with Audio in the Timeline

In this article


 

Clips Follow Tempo

Audio tracks can be in one of two track modes: Clips Follow Tempo, or unsynced. 

  • An unsynced track maintains its original playback time, regardless of changes in the tempo of the session. All audio clips on the track, and elements associated with those clips, maintain their original time duration, including start and end points, edits, fades, and automation. 

  • A track in Clips Follow Tempo mode adjusts to the tempo of the session and any session tempo changes. An audio clip that is configured in Sync Clips to Tempo mode will adjust shorter or longer, if the session tempo is adjusted. All audio clips on the track, and elements associated with those clips, scale to the new tempo. Clip start and end points, duration, edits, fades, and automation all scale to the new tempo. When audio files are imported or dragged and dropped onto a track in Clips Follow Tempo mode, clips are analyzed for tempo and automatically conformed to the tempo of the track.

 

Unsynced mode

Clips Follow Tempo mode

Clips start and end on a time value.

Clips start and end on a tick value.

Fade ins start on a time value at the clip start, and end on a tick value relative to the clip start time. Fade outs start on a tick value relative to the clip end, and stop in time at the clip end.

Fades start and end on a tick value relative to the clip start and end.

Automation breakpoints are stored at time values. 

Automation breakpoints are stored at tick values.

When an element is saved on a time value, its position remains fixed in time no matter what happens with the tempo. Tempo changes cause the element to move and change duration visually, though the sound of the element doesn’t change. The time it takes to play events does not change, but the start point and visual duration on the timeline moves relative to the tempo map.

When an element is saved on a tick value its position remains fixed to a position in the tempo map.

 

Switching audio from Clips Follow Tempo to unsynced mode

Changing an audio track from Clips Follow Tempo mode to unsynced mode will not change the duration of the clips on the track. If the clip has been previously time-stretched or time-compressed by a tempo change, the clip will not revert to its original duration. When you change the clip mode from Clips Follow Tempo to unsynced, two markers are added at the start and end of the clip, to mark the exact tick-based start and end of the clip. The clip will still move in time so that the start of the clip stays in the same relative spot, but the duration of the clip will no longer change with tempo changes.

Switching audio from unsynced to Clips Follow Tempo mode

When you change an audio track from unsynced to Clips Follow Tempo mode, the duration of the clips on the track does not immediately change. However, the clips on the track are now "anchored" to the ticks at which they are currently located. Any tempo change to the session or on the timeline that affects a clip will time stretch or time compress the clip. Session tempo changes also affect fades, crossfades, edits, and automation breakpoints on the audio track, and such fades, crossfades, edits, and automation breakpoints are stretched or compressed with tempo changes.

Restoring a time-stretched or compressed clip to its original duration

To restore a clip to its original duration and remove any warping, double-click the top of clip, and in the Clip window, click Reset Warps.

Workflow: Changing the tempo of a song and conforming audio and instrument tracks

The typical situation for this workflow is one where you have recorded some or all of the session tracks, and decide to change the tempo of the session to change the feel, for creative or other reasons.

To change session tempo, you’ll need to configure your session to follow the tempo, and set the Warp algorithm for the different types of tracks. 

Recommended warp algorithms

As a starting point, the following warp algorithms are recommended:

  • LUNA Razor Blade for drum loops and multitrack drum tracks. Razor Blade will maintain the best phase coherence and the most accurate transients and tails for time-stretched or time-compressed drum tracks, though with extreme stretching or compressing, audio artifacts can occur. 

  • LUNA Polyphonic or Polyphonic for polyphonic material, instruments, and vocals.

  • Monophonic for vocals or single-note lines. For example, a bass line or a monosynth without complex overtones might sound better with the Monophonic algorithm than the Polyphonic algorithm.

You can easily change Warp algorithms while material plays to audition different algorithms.

Note: You can apply Warp algorithms to a track and/or individually to audio clips. You can also apply different algorithms to different clips on the same track.

To configure your session to follow tempo

When creating a session, click Clips Follow Session Tempo.

clips-follow-session-tempo-create-session.png

After creating a session, you can change the session globally to follow tempo changes.

Click at the top of BPM in the Control Bar, or click the icon next to BPM, and toggle Clips Follow Tempo under Session Tempo Mode.

clips-follow-tempo-toggle.png

To configure the warp mode for your session

Click at the top of BPM in the Control Bar, or click the icon next to BPM, and choose a warp mode from the Session Warp Mode menu.

session-warp-mode.png

To configure the warp mode for a track 

  1. In the Timeline view, Click Warp on the track settings area.

  2. Choose a warp mode for the track.

track-right-click.png

To configure an audio clip for tempo changes or warping

  1. In the Timeline, double-click the header of the audio clip for which you want to change the Warp algorithm. The Clip window opens.
  2. From the Algorithm pulldown menu, choose the Warp algorithm for the clip.
    clip-warp-algorithm.png

  3. Click Done.

You can now make a global tempo change, or any other type of tempo change, and your audio and Instrument tracks will automatically adjust to the new tempo. See Setting the tempo and making tempo changes for more information.

 


 

Adding audio files and tracks

You can import audio files by using File > Import or Command + I. You can also drag and drop audio files into your session. 

Importing an audio file

When you import an audio file, the file is placed at the playhead. If Sync Clips to Session Tempo is enabled for the track or the session, the clip's tempo is detected, and the clip is aligned to the grid, and stretched or compressed to fit the tempo. 

When you import an audio file into an empty session with Clips Follow Tempo enabled, you are prompted to either keep the session at the current tempo, or adjust the session to the tempo of the audio files.

 import-audio-tempo.png

Choose whether to keep the session at the current tempo, or to use the tempo from the imported audio file.

Importing sessions

You can choose a LUNA session to import with this command. When you import a session with File > Import or Command + I, the most recent version of the session is imported, and you can then choose import options for each track and session settings. To choose other versions when importing a session, use File > Import Session Data or Option + I. See Importing Session Data for more information.

Adjusting tempo after importing a file or files

When you import a file or files and your session or track is in Sync Clips to Tempo mode, the file or files are analyzed for tempo, and LUNA applies a guess as to the file tempo. However, other candidate tempos are available in the Clip controls popover.

The Clip popover lets you choose from other possible tempos identified for the clip, and to conform the clip to the session tempo, or conform the session to the clip’s tempo.

clip-tempo-callouts.png

To adjust clip tempo and conform the clip or session to tempo

  1. Double-click the name of the clip or the empty area next to the pitch control to open the Clip controls.
    open-clip-controls.png

  2. In the Click popover, you can click a tempo in the Tempo Candidates area to set that tempo for the clip. Candidate tempos are listed from green to orange, in order of candidate confidence.

  3. To align the clip to the session tempo (warping the clip to match the session tempo) click Align Clip to Session Tempo. The clip is warped to match the selected candidate tempo to the session’s tempo.

  4. To set the session tempo to the tempo of the clip, click Set Session Tempo to (tempo and meter).

Dragging an audio file into the Tracks browser

You can drag audio files into the tracks browser. Each audio file will be created as a new track. The previous tempo rules apply.

Dragging an audio file onto the Timeline

You can drag audio files directly into the timeline. The previous tempo rules apply; however, audio that you drag to the timeline is placed at the spot where you drop it. If you drop an audio file onto an existing track or tracks, the audio is added on that track or those tracks at the location where you dropped it. If you drop the audio into an empty part of the workspace, the audio is placed at the time location where you dropped it on a new track or tracks.

 


 

Assigning track colors

There are three color hotspots you can click to assign track colors:

  • The colored strip at the bottom of a track in the Mixer
  • The colored strip at the left of a track in the Timeline
  • The colored square to the left of a track name in the Tracks browser

To assign colors:

  1. Click one of these locations to assign a track color. The Color browser opens, with a color wheel and a block of your recently used colors at the bottom of the color wheel. 
  2. On the Color wheel or in the block of used colors, click the color to use. The color is assigned to the track controls and track clips. 
  3. To exit the Color browser click Done or press Esc.  
assign-colors.png

 


 

Comping tracks with Versions

In LUNA, you can comp or create a compilation track from a recorded track to assemble a compilation of audio or MIDI on the same track or another track. The comping workflow in LUNA uses Track Versions. Track Versions are similar to what other applications may refer to as versions, playlists, or lanes.

Two methods for comping are provided here. 

  • Comp to the same track: this method for comping assembles the comp track on the original track, by switching between versions and copying and pasting sections to either an existing track version or a new track version.

  • Comp to a different track: this method for comping requires two tracks. With this method, you can either duplicate the track you are comping from, or you can create a blank track on which to assemble the comped track. 

To prepare for comping:

  • Record a track.
  • If you want to record an entirely new version, open the Versions panel, and click the plus (+) to create a new Version.
  • To record Takes, simply loop record over a selection. A Take is the same as a version, but the name in prepended with a T to indicate it is a Take.
versions-button.png

 qs-versions-takes.png

Comping to a new or existing version on the same track

  1. If you want to create a new Version for the comp track, click the plus (+) in the Version list. Otherwise, you can easily comp to an existing version. 
  2. To easily recognize the comp track and any Versions or Takes, rename the Versions. Double-click each Version, or select the version and click the Pencil tool, and rename relevant Versions. For example, you might rename the comp track “comp,” and give descriptive names to Takes based on their content (louder, softer, aggressive, etc.).

    renamed-versions.png
  3. In the Versions list, select the Version on which you want to comp audio, or press Shift +  or Shift + ↑ to navigate through the list.
  4. Enable Loop playback with Control+L on macOS / Alt+L on Windows, or or the Loop mode button on the transport.
  5. Select the section you want to audition and replace. 
  6. Press Play or the Spacebar. To move through the candidate takes and versions, press press Shift + or Shift + ↑, or click the different takes and versions on the Versions list.
  7. When you find a selection you want to use on the comped track, copy the selection with Command+C (macOS) / Ctrl+C (Windows), return to the main comp track with the Versions list or Shift + / Shift + ↑, and press Command+V (macOS) / Ctrl+V (Windows) to paste it.

Repeat this process for each phrase or selection you want to comp. In this way, you can move through a number of versions and takes, selecting phrases and assembling a final comp track.

Comping to a new track

  1. Create a new audio track and move it directly below or above the track from which you are comping.
  2. To easily recognize any Versions or Takes, rename the Versions. Double-click each Version, or select the version and click the Pencil tool, and rename relevant Versions. For example, you might rename the comp track “comp”, and give descriptive names to Takes based on their content (louder, softer, aggressive, etc.).

    renamed-versions-no-comp.png
  3. Enable Loop playback with Control+L on macOS / Alt+L on Windows, or or the Loop mode button on the transport.

  4. Select the section you want to comp from on the source track.
  5. Press Play or the Spacebar. To move through the candidate Versions, press Shift + or Shift + ↑, or click the Versions on the Versions list.
  6. When you find a selection you want to use on the comped track, copy the selection with Command+C (macOS) / Ctrl+C (Windows).
  7. Click the track name to select the comp track, and press Command+V (macOS) / Ctrl+V (Windows) to paste the selection. Clicking the track name retains the location selection on the target track so the paste occurs in the right location.
    Tip: You can press the semicolon key ( ; ) to move the selection down one track, or the P key to move the selection up one track.

Repeat this process for each phrase or selection you want to comp. In this way, you can move through a number of versions and takes, selecting phrases and assembling a final comped take.

 source-comp-track.png

Tip: When comping from one track to another, you can use Solo Exclusive mode to quickly solo between your comp source and comp target track, without hearing duplicate or conflicting audio. To enable Solo Exclusive mode, toggle the Mix workflow and click the Solo Exclusive mode button. For more information about Workflows, see Using Workflows.

workflows-switch-mix.png

 

solo-exclusive.png


 

Making tempo and time signature changes

You use the Tempo and Signature rulers to specify tempo and time signature, and make tempo and time signature changes.

rulers-tempo-signature.png

Setting the tempo and making tempo changes

When you change the session tempo, elements in the LUNA session that are tempo-based adjust to the new tempo. Instrument tracks are adjusted, and audio clips that are set to Clips Follow Tempo mode are stretched or compressed to fit the new tempo. Audio clips that are unsynced are not stretched or compressed, but LUNA keeps the start of each clip at the same relative point in the Timeline.

Setting a tempo

To set the overall tempo of the session:

  • Click the BPM control. The cursor changes to a double arrow. Drag up or down to adjust the tempo by 1 BPM increments. You can click and drag to change tempo while the session is playing to hear your changes in real time.
    drag-tempo.png
  • To type a new tempo, click to select the BPM in the control bar, type a new tempo, and press Return. 

To set the session tempo by tapping

  1. In Timeline view, double-click the session tempo in the Tempo ruler.

    tempo-in-temnpo-ruler.png
  2. The Edit Tempo popover opens. Tap the Tap button at least four times, then click Apply.
    edit-tempo.png

Tip: You can close the Tempo browser by typing the Esc key.

To set the session tempo by playing

  1. In Timeline view, double-click the session tempo in the Tempo ruler.

    tempo-in-temnpo-ruler.png
    The Edit Tempo popover opens.

    edit-tempo.png

  2. Click Listen, then play through a record or input-enabled track. As you play, LUNA determines the tempo. Once the tempo is determined, click Apply to set the tempo.

edit-tempo-listen.png

 

To add a tempo change

  1. Place the playhead in the timeline where you want to apply the tempo change.

  2. Click on the Tempo ruler control area. 

    tempo-ruler-event-area.png
  3. The Add Tempo popover opens. Type the tempo, tap in a tempo with the Tap button, or click Listen and play in a tempo. When you have specified the tempo, click Apply.

add-tempo.png

The tempo change is added at the playhead location.

 

Extract tempo from a selection or session

  1. Hover over the Tempo ruler, and click Extract, or click the top of the BPM area in the Control Bar and click Extract.
    extract-tempo-menu.png

  2. Select Selection or Entire Session. The tempo is extracted.
  3. To move the downbeat to the correct first beat (if incorrect), drag the downbeat marker (labeled MOVE DOWNBEAT) to the correct position. 

Note: You can more easily drag the downbeat marker to the correct position if SNAP is disabled, or you can use the Command (macOS) or Alt (Windows) modifier when dragging. 

move-downbeat-callouts.png

Extracted tempo overview

tempo-extracted.png

  • The Tempo area shows four possible candidate tempos for the session or selection. Cclick a square to accept that tempo.
  • Colored squares from green to orange indicate confidence in the tempo candidates.
  • Typically, tempos identified are multiples of each other, with possible meter variations. In the example above, 74 BPM, 37 BPM, and 149 BPM are all identified as possible tempo candidates, and 4/4 and 6/8 are identified as possible meter candidates.
  • Tempo markers are placed on the tempo ruler to indicate tempo events and tempo variations recognized by LUNA.

Conforming extracted session tempo

  1. Click a tempo in the Candidates section to accept that tempo.
  2. To set the session tempo to the detected tempo, double-click an audio clip in the session. 
    clip-tempo-callouts.png

  3. To set the session tempo to the current clip tempo, click Set Session Tempo To (tempo and meter).

 

Changing tempo over time

You can draw a tempo change over time.

To draw (automate) a tempo change

  1. Open the tempo lane by clicking > on the Tempo ruler. The tempo lane opens and shows the tempo as a line.

    open-tempo-lane.png
  2. Control+Click to change the cursor to a pencil. With this cursor you can draw tempo events. Tempo events snap to the grid if Snap is enabled.

    tempo-draw-grid.png
  3. To disable snapping while drawing tempo events, press Command+Control (macOS) while you draw tempo events. In Windows, disable Snap to draw tempo events without snapping.


    tempo-draw-no-grid.png

 

 To edit tempo events (automation)

  • Click and drag a tempo event up or down.

click-drag-tempo-event.png

 

  • To edit a range of events, click and drag above or below the tempo line to select a range. Click on a tempo line and drag up or down. 

edit-tempo-event-range.png

 

To delete tempo events

  • Double-click a single tempo event to delete it.

  • To delete a range of tempo events, click and drag above or below the tempo line to select a range. Press the Delete key to delete the range of tempo events.

Setting the time signature and making meter changes

When you change time signature, elements in the LUNA session do not change, but rather, the way they are counted changes. For example, if you add a change from 4 / 4 time to 3 / 4 time, bar lines will move and the click will indicate a three bar measure instead of a four bar measure. However, audio and MIDI will not move, stretch, or expand.

To set the time signature of a session

  1. Hover over the Signature ruler and click the plus (+) symbol. The Time Signature browser opens.

    signature-click-area.png


    time-signature-browser.png
  2. Type the bar at which you want the time signature to start.
  3. Type the number of beats in a bar.
  4. From the Note pull down, choose the note value that represents one beat. For example, choose 4 for a quarter note, or 8 for an eighth note.
  5. Press Return or click Apply. 

The Time Signature is changed on the ruler, at the bar you specify.

To add a time signature change:

  1. Click in the session where you want the time signature change to be located.
  2. Hover over the Signature ruler and click the plus (+) symbol. The Time Signature browser opens. 
  3. Type a bar number where you want the time signature change to start. The nearest preceding bar is automatically populated. 
  4. Type the number of beats in a bar.
  5. From the Note pull down, choose the note value that represents one beat. For example, choose 4 for a quarter note, or 8 for an eighth note.
  6. Press Return or click Apply. 

The Time Signature change is added to the ruler, at the bar specified.

 

Other time signature operations

  • Move a time signature marker on the Signature ruler by clicking the icon and dragging.

click-drag-time-signature.png

 

  • Edit a time signature by double-clicking the time signature marker to open the Time Signature browser. Make your changes and press Return or click Apply.  

  • Delete a time signature marker by selecting the marker in the time signature ruler and pressing Delete.

  • You can have the time signature markers follow your edits when arranging your session. Just be sure to select the Signature ruler along with other elements when you copy, cut, and paste elements in your session. 

deleting-time-signature-marker.png

 


 

Using Markers

Markers are an easy and colorful way to mark locations such as verses, choruses, or any other sections in your session. You can use markers to define locations, and easily navigate between locations in your session. You can resize the marker ruler vertically to easily see section changes.

To add a marker:

  1. Click a location in the session or on a ruler.
  2. Hover over the Markers ruler, and click anywhere on the highlighted bar, or press Enter (if you have a keyboard with a Numeric Keypad).

    markers-ruler-add.png
  3. In the Marker browser, specify the Start location. The location of the playhead is prefilled.
  4. Type a name for the marker.
  5. Choose a marker color.
  6. You can add optional comments in the Comments box.
  7. Press Return or click Apply to save the marker.


marker-dialog-add.png

Tip: To quickly add a marker as recording or playback is occurring, press Enter twice on the numeric keypad. Multiple markers added this way are automatically numbered, and automatically cycle through the marker colors.
 

To edit a marker:

  1. Double-click the name of a marker on the marker ruler. The Marker browser opens.
  2. Edit the options for the marker, and press Return or click Apply.

The marker is updated with the options you set.

Other marker operations

  • To move a marker, click and drag the marker.

marker-moving.png

 

  • To delete a marker, select the marker, and click Delete in the Marker browser.

marker-delete.png

 

  • To move the playhead to a marker, click the marker name. 

  • To make a selection to a marker, place the playhead where you want to start the selection, then hold Shift and click the marker.

  • You can copy, cut and paste markers by selecting on the Markers ruler. Make sure to select the start of the marker to copy or cut the marker.

  • When you edit items on any other ruler, or audio or MIDI clips in the Timeline, you can copy, cut, paste, and delete markers along with those items by including the Markers ruler in your selection, or selecting and editing on the All Tracks ruler. Note that only markers that have their start selected are edited with other items.

  • To move the playhead to the next marker, press Control+Option+’ (macOS) or use the menu command Navigation > Selection > Move to Next Marker.

  • To move the playhead to the previous marker, press Control+Option+L (macOS) or use the menu command Navigation > Selection > Move to Previous Marker.

To resize the Markers ruler

  1. At the right of the Markers ruler, click the > to expand the Markers ruler.

  2. Drag the bottom edge of the Markers ruler to resize the ruler.

markers-ruler-resize.png

 


 

Warping and pitch shifting audio

You can warp a clip to change the tempo of the clip with or without changing the pitch of the clip. You can also warp audio to correct the timing within an audio clip, or to create an effect. 

You warp audio in Warps view. Enter Warps view by clicking View on the Timeline track controls, and choosing Warps from the browser. 

choose-warps.png

 

Warps view shows transient markers that are automatically generated in audio clips on a track. Warps view also allows access to the Warp Trim Editing Tool, with which you can time-stretch or time-compress a clip. You can adjust these warp markers independently or in combination, or you can add manual warp markers.

You can also pitch shift an audio clip with clip controls.

Warp algorithms

Warp algorithms are applied when you stretch or compress clips in Sync Clips to Tempo mode by adjusting session tempo, and when you pitch shift audio using the clip pitch controls. Warp algorithms also affect how LUNA plays back warp trimmed audio, and how audio plays when you make inter-clip adjustments using warp markers. Warp algorithms are applied non-destructively during playback. 

You can audition different warp algorithms by changing the warp algorithm while playing back warped or pitch-shifted material. 

 

Algorithm

Description

Polyphonic

The polyphonic algorithm is the default setting for tempo-based tracks. This algorithm works for most material, including complex musical material (for example, an instrument playing chords), and for multiple instruments, bands, and other complex material. This algorithm can also work for monophonic material and drums, though LUNA Razor Blade will give more accurate results on drums. 

Monophonic

The monophonic algorithm is best suited for use on monophonic material, such as a bass line or a vocal.

Varispeed

The varispeed algorithm changes the pitch of source material as the tempo is changed, lowering pitch as the source is slowed, and raising pitch as the source speeds up. This can be useful for tape transport style effects or creative sound manipulation. 

LUNA Razor Blade

The LUNA Razor Blade algorithm is a UA-designed algorithm that is specifically designed for percussion and drums, and attempts to minimize artifacts and preserve transients during warping. With LUNA Razor Blade, transients retain their original sound so drums don’t lose impact when stretched or compressed. LUNA Razor Blade is also very effective when tempo-shifting or Warp trimming multitrack drums, without introducing phasing or other artifacts.

LUNA Polyphonic

The LUNA Polyphonic algorithm is developed by UA, and provides a more general-use warping algorithm than LUNA Razor Blade. LUNA Polyphonic does not preserve transients as accurately as LUNA Razor Blade, but sounds good on a wider range of transients and pitched instruments. For example, LUNA Polyphonic may sound better on a guitar recording with crisp staccato attack, whereas LUNA Razor Blade may sound better on a snare track.

 

Changing audio pitch or duration

You can easily change the pitch of an audio clip. You can change the duration of an audio clip while retaining rhythm and pitch, or while changing the pitch and rhythm. 

Configuring a track for warping or pitch shifting:

  1. In Timeline view, click View Mode on the track controls, and from the View browser, choose Warps. You can click the buttons to apply the change to All tracks or selected tracks, or press Esc or click the X to exit the View browser.
  2. If you are adjusting tempo and want the track to conform to tempo changes, set the session, track, or clip to Clips Follow Tempo mode.
    Note: You can apply pitch changes to clips, adjust warp markers and Warp Trim clips in Clips Follow Tempo mode or unsynced mode; however audio tracks will only adjust to session tempo changes in Clips Follow Tempo mode.
  3. Click Warp on the track controls, and choose a Warp algorithm from the algorithm drop menu. 

To apply these changes to multiple tracks, select multiple tracks before you make the selections.

settings-for-warping.png

Pitching an audio clip up or down while maintaining track length

To pitch an audio clip up, use the pitch clip controls. You can do this with the Pitch Editing Tool or the clip controls.

Change clip pitch using the Pitch Editing Tool:

  1. Hover over the pitch control in the clip header. The Pitch Editing Tool appears.

  2. Slide the control up or down to raise or lower the pitch. To type an exact value, double-click the pitch control, and type the pitch change value in semitones and cents in the popover, then press Return or click OK.

pitch-smart-tool.png

 

Change clip pitch using the Clip header controls

  1. Double-click the name of the clip or the empty area next to the pitch control to open the Clip controls.
  2. Raise or lower the pitch with the Pitch knob. To type a value, double-click the Pitch knob and type a semitone and cent value, then click Done.
    open-clip-controls.png

Warp Trimming

You can Warp Trim to time-stretch or time-compress a clip. With Warp Trim, you can easily conform an imported loop to a tempo, or stretch a clip to double-time or half-time. You can also warp trim clips for creative effect. 

Note: If you set the Warp Algorithm to Varispeed, Warp Trimming changes the pitch of the clip based on the amount of time stretching or time compression.

Warp Trimming to time-stretch or time-compress a clip in Clips view

  1. With Clips view enabled, hover the cursor at the start or end of a clip, below the vertical center. The Trim Editing Tool appears.
  2. Option+drag (macOS) or Alt+drag (Windows) to Warp Trim. Warp Trim snaps to the grid if Snap is enabled unless you hold the Command (macOS) or Windows (Windows) key while trimming.

warp-trim-clip-view.png

Warp Trimming to time-stretch or time-compress a clip in Warps view

  1. With Warps view enabled, hover the cursor at the start or end of a clip, below the vertical center. The Warp Trim Editing Tool appears.

    smart-tool-warp-trim.png
  2. Click and drag to Warp Trim. Warp Trim snaps to the grid if Snap is enabled unless you hold the Command key while trimming.

Depending on the algorithm, extreme Warp Trims may not play or may have undesirable audio artifacts. For UA-developed algorithms, extreme settings are indicated by the waveforms appearing red as they approach settings that may have undesirable audio artifacts, or may not play.

warp-trim-overcompressed.png

Warping within a clip

Within a clip you can easily move elements back and forth in time with warp markers. LUNA automatically adds indicators to transients in each audio clip, and you can also add arbitrary warp markers. When you add warp markers, you can then move (stretch and compress) audio before and after the warp marker.

There are three ways you can add Warp markers to a clip:

  • Adding a single warp marker on a transient indicator.
  • Adding a Bounded Warp (three Warp markers on three adjacent transient indicators) with the Bounded Warp Editing Tool. A bounded Warp allows you to adjust the center Warp freely, while the Warp markers to the left and right prevent the changes from affecting the rest of the clip.
  • Adding an arbitrary warp marker.

To add and adjust a single warp marker:

  1. Hover the cursor over a transient indicator. The Warp Editing Tool appears.
  2. Click to add a warp marker.
  3. Click and drag to adjust the warp marker. The warp marker snaps to the grid if Snap is enabled. 
  4. To drag without snapping to the grid, press Command while you drag.
single-warp-stretch-compress.png

 

To add and adjust a Bounded Warp marker:

  1. Hover the cursor below the vertical center of the clip, below a transient indicator. The Bounded Warp Editing Tool appears.
  2. Click to add a Bounded Warp. A warp marker appears on the transient you hovered over, and on the transient to the left and right.
  3. Click and drag to adjust the warp marker. The warp marker snaps to the grid if Snap is enabled. 
  4. To drag without snapping to the grid, press Command (macOS) / Ctrl (Windows) while you drag.

bounded-warp-stretch-compress.png 

To add an arbitrary warp marker:

  1. Hover the cursor near the top of the clip, where the transient indicators appear. You can add a warp marker anywhere (your cursor will snap to the grid if Snap is enabled).
  2. Click to add a warp marker.
  3. Click and drag to adjust the warp marker. The warp marker snaps to the grid if Snap is enabled. 
  4. To drag without snapping to the grid, press Command (macOS) / Ctrl (Windows) while you drag.
arbitrary-warp-marker.png

 

To delete warp markers:

There are several ways to delete one or more warp markers.

  • To delete a single warp marker, double-click it, or select the warp marker and press Delete.
  • To delete multiple warp markers, select multiple markers and press Delete. 
  • To delete all markers from a clip, double-click the top of the clip. In the Clip popover that opens, click Reset Warps. Note that this will remove all warp markers and warped audio, and also revert any Warp Trim operations.

To select and move multiple warp markers:

  • Hold Shift, then click in the vertical middle of the clip and drag to select multiple contiguous warp markers. Click one warp marker and drag to adjust all selected markers.

select-contiguous-warp-markers.png 

  •  Hold Shift, and click and drag over only each warp marker you want to select, to select multiple non-contiguous warp markers (tip: disable Snap). Click one warp marker, and drag to adjust all selected markers.

select-non-contiguous-warp-markers.png

Warp editing on multiple tracks

You can warp edit audio on multiple tracks, with a selection, a selection group, or a track group.

When you warp audio on multiple tracks, you can specify tracks that have group editing priority for transient detection (for example, kick and snare tracks in a drum group), so that as you tab through transients in a selection group or track group, transients on the priority tracks are detected, while transients on other tracks are ignored.

See Setting group editing priority to set track priority within groups for transient detection.

 


Quantizing audio

You can quantize single or multiple audio clips and selections to any grid increment. Audio is quantized using detected transients and warp markers, which are added automatically to snap transients that are within the quantize settings to the specified grid.

Quantize warp markers differ from warp markers that you add manually, or manual warp markers:

  • Quantize warp markers are updated, moved, deleted and replaced automatically when you update or change quantize settings.

  • Quantize operations will not move or delete any manual warp markers you have placed.

  • If you edit a quantize warp marker, that marker then becomes a manual warp marker, and further quantize operations do not move or delete it.

Quantizing multiple audio tracks

When multiple audio tracks are quantized (through selection grouping or track groups) warp markers are added to all grouped tracks at every detected quantize point. You can specify tracks that have transient detection and quantizing priority (for example, kick and snare tracks in a drum group) to make sure that quantizing prioritizes those tracks.

priority-group-warps.png

 

How prioritized tracks are quantized

When tracks in a group or selection group are prioritized, and selection grouping or track grouping is enabled, the quantize operation checks those tracks for transients within the range of the quantize grid first, and adds warp markers to all tracks (in a track group or selection group with the prioritized tracks) when it detects such transients on the prioritized tracks. This is useful when editing drums, for example, to prevent a secondary track (for example, a room microphone track) from overriding a snare or kick track, to prevent phasing and timing issues.

How non-prioritized tracks are quantized

When multiple tracks are selected for quantizing, selection grouping or track grouping is enabled, and a transient is detected on a prioritized track, warp markers are added to all selected tracks (in a track group or selection group with the prioritized tracks) at that transient. The quantize operation snaps all warp markers to the grid according to the quantize settings.

When there is no transient on a priority track within a grid value and range, transients on non-prioritized tracks are used to quantize. In that scenario, if a transient is detected within the specified grid value and range, warp markers are added to all tracks based on the non-priority track transient, and snapped to the grid according to the quantize settings.

Setting group editing priority

You can set group editing priority from the track name popover, from the track group settings, or from the Quantize settings view.

Set group editing priority from the track name popover

  1. Double-click on the track name in the mixer or timeline.

  2. Select Prioritize for Group Editing to prioritize the track.

prioritize-track-popover.png

 

Set group editing priority from the track group settings

  1. To edit an existing group, right-click or Control-click on the track group in the Groups list, and click Edit… To make a new track group, select the tracks you want to add to the track group, then select Track > New Track Group from the LUNA menus, or press Command+G (macOS) / Ctrl+G (Windows).

  2. In the grouped tracks list, click the diamond for any tracks you want to prioritize. Tracks that are prioritized have solid diamonds, and non-prioritized tracks have hollow diamonds.

    prioritize-tracks-groups.png

     

  3. Save the group.

Set group editing priority from the quantize settings

  1. Make a selection. You can select a range of audio on one or more tracks, one or more clips, or whole tracks.

  2. In the Priority section under Grouping, select whether to use selection grouping, track groups, or whether grouping is off.

  3. In the tracks list, click the diamond for any tracks you want to prioritize. Tracks that are prioritized have solid diamonds, and non-prioritized tracks have hollow diamonds.

 

prioritize-tracks-groups.png

Quantize priority grouping

The priority grouping setting in the quantize settings determines how multiple tracks are quantized, along with prioritized tracks.

There are three options for quantize priority grouping:

  • Selection: When Selection grouping is selected, All selected tracks are quantized as a selection group. Any prioritized tracks apply to all selected tracks. This option quantizes all material to any prioritized tracks, and then to the most prevalent transients (typically, drums or other constant rhythmic material)

  • Track Groups: When Track Groups grouping is selected, all track groups in the selection are quantized separately. Within each track group, prioritized tracks determine how tracks are quantized. Quantize operations do not interact between track groups. This option preserves phase in groups (for example, drum tracks), while maintaining separation for material of different types.

  • Off: When grouping is Off, all selected tracks are quantized independently. This option works best for material where the tracks have independent rhythmic material that should not be quantized to other tracks.

priority-selection.png

 

priority-track-groups.png

 

priority-off.png

 

Quantize parameters

The following parameters are supported.

Setting

Description

Grid

Quantize audio tracks to the selected Grid setting, from BAR (whole notes) to /64 (64th notes). You can also select Dotted values, Triplet values, or both.

Follow Snap Setting

Quantize audio tracks to the Snap Grid setting.

Swing

Shift every other Grid boundary by the percentage specified, from 0-100. Swing of 0% does not shift audio, while 100% swing shifts 2/3 of the way to the next grid line.

Strength

Set the strength at which the quantize settings are applied. At 50%, tracks are quantized halfway from their position to the grid. At 100%, notes are fully quantized to the grid.

Range

Sets the range at which transients to be quantized are detected. The default setting of 50% detects transients at 50% of the grid value with half to the left and half to the right of the grid line.

For example, if the grid is set to 1/4 note, a setting of a 50% range detects transients within 1/16 note to the left and 1/16 note to the right of the grid line. A setting of 100% range with a 1/4 note grid detects transients 1/8 note to the left and 1/8 note to the right of the grid line.

Auto Apply

Auto Apply to adjust the quantize settings and see and hear the results in near real time. If Auto Apply is not set, you must click Quantize to see and hear the quantization results. When Auto Apply is enabled, clicking a Grid value quantizes audio. To remove quantize warps, click OFF.

Quantize examples

The following examples show the results for different settings when quantizing a selection with multiple drum tracks.

Quantize OFF

In this example, the audio selection is not quantized. Note that Auto Apply is enabled, and OFF is selected as the Grid value.

quantize-example-none.png

 

Quantize quarter notes

In this example, the audio selection is quantized to quarter notes. Note that Auto Apply is enabled, and /4 is selected as the Grid value.

quantize-example-4th.png

 

Quantize eighth notes

In this example, the audio selection is quantized to eighth notes. Note that Auto Apply is enabled, and /8 is selected as the Grid value.

quantize-example-8th.png

 

Quantize sixteenth notes

In this example, the audio selection is quantized to sixteenth notes. Note that Auto Apply is enabled, and /16 is selected as the Grid value.

quantize-example-16th.png

 

To quantize audio tracks:

  1. Make a selection. You can select a range of audio on one or more tracks, one or more clips, or whole tracks. Quantize operations follow your selection group and track group settings.

  2. To see the warp markers and quantize updates in real time, choose Warps view.

    choose-warps.png

     

  3. Press Command+Shift+U (macOS) / Ctrl+Shift+U (Windows) or select Edit > Quantize Settings to open the quantize panel. You can also press the Q in the header of an audio clip, though this will change your selection unless you have enabled a track group.

    audio-quantize.png

     

  4. To preview your Quantize choices in real time, select Auto Apply.

  5. Choose a grid value to which to quantize notes. You can select from bar lines 64th notes, and dotted or triplet modifiers.

  6. To follow the Snap grid setting, click Follow Snap Setting.

  7. To adjust the amount of swing from 0 to 100%, move the Swing slider.

  8. To adjust quantize strength, move the Strength slider from 0 to 100%.

  9. To adjust the quantize detection range, move the Range slider from 0 to 100%.

  10. Under Priority Grouping, select whether to use Selection grouping, Track Group grouping, or no grouping (OFF) to quantize the audio tracks.

  11. Click Quantize to apply your settings.

Note: If Auto Apply is enabled, any setting you change will update in your audio track or tracks.

Tip: To remove any quantization in your selection, click OFF.

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