SpectraLayers Pro  6.0
Selecting spectral data

You can use the tools in the Tools toolbar to select data in the spectral display. For more information, see Selection Tools

Note
Muted channels are also excluded when selecting data. For more information, see The Channels panel

Creating a selection with the Select tool

  1. Click the Select tool , to switch to the Select tool, or click and hold to choose a selection mode.
    • Rectangular Selection : Click and drag to create a rectangular selection. All data in the rectangle is selected.
    • Elliptical Selection : Click and drag to create an elliptical selection. All data in the ellipse is selected.
    • Time Range Selection : Click and drag to create a selection that includes the full frequency range within a time selection.
    • Frequency Range Selection : Click and drag to create a selection that includes the full time range within a frequency selection.
  2. Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
    • Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing selections.
    • Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
    • Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.

    • Hardness: sets the hardness of the selection edge. 0% creates a soft, feathered edge that helps you create blended sounds, and 100% creates a precise selection with sharp edges — perfect for creating precise selections of narrow frequency bands.

      Note
      Hold Shift when using Replace Selection or Remove Selection to add to the current selection.
  3. Click and drag in the spectral display to create a selection.
Note
Hold Shift while dragging with the Time Cursor to create a time selection. Please note that selecting with the Time Cursor selects from the global mix rather than only the selected layer.

Creating a selection with the Lasso tools

  1. Click the Lasso tool to switch to the Lasso tool, or click and hold to choose Lasso Selection or Polygonal Lasso mode.
    • Lasso Selection : Click and drag to draw a free-form lasso around the data you want to select.

    • Polygonal Lasso Selection : Click and drag to draw a straight-line-segment lasso around the data you want to select. Double-click to close the selection path.

      Note
      When using the Polygonal Lasso Selection tool, the Options > Frequency Scale setting determines the shape of the polygon segments: Linear creates straight-line segments, and Mel, Bark, ERB, and MIDI-Logarithmic create curved segments that match the scale.
  2. Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
    • Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing selections.
    • Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
    • Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.

    • Hardness: sets the hardness of the selection edge. 0% creates a soft, feathered edge that helps you create blended sounds, and 100% creates a precise selection with sharp edges — perfect for creating precise selections of narrow frequency bands.

      Note
      Hold Shift when using Replace Selection or Remove Selection to add to the current selection.
  3. Click and drag in the spectral display to create a path around the data you want to select.

Creating a selection with the Selection Brush tool

  1. Click the Selection Brush tool to paint a selection in the spectral display.
  2. Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
    • Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing selections.
    • Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
    • Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.
    • Width: sets the width (in seconds) of the brush tip.
    • Height: sets the height (in Hz) of the brush tip.
    • Hardness: sets the hardness of the selection edge. 0% creates a soft, feathered edge that helps you create blended sounds, and 100% creates a precise selection with sharp edges — perfect for creating precise selections of narrow frequency bands.

    • Pen Pressure: select the Pen Pressure button to use pen pressure to multiply the Hardness value when drawing frequencies on a tablet.

      Note
      Hold Shift when using Replace Selection or Remove Selection to add to the current selection.
  3. Click and drag in the spectral display to paint a selection.

Creating a selection with the Magic Wand Selection tool

  1. Click the Magic Wand Selection tool to paint a selection in the spectral display by intelligently selecting shapes.
  2. Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
    • Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing selections.
    • Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
    • Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.
    • Tolerance: sets the amplitude threshold (in dB) that is used to select frequencies. A higher threshold allows more content to be selected; a lower threshold creates a more focused selection.

    • Maximum Width: sets the maximum width (in seconds) of the selection.

      Note
      Hold Shift when using Replace Selection or Remove Selection to add to the current selection.
  3. Click and drag in the spectral display to paint a selection.

Selecting a frequency

  1. Click the Frequency Selection tool to select a frequency band in the spectral display.
  2. Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
    • Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing selections.
    • Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
    • Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.
    • Tolerance: sets the amplitude threshold (in dB) that is used to select frequencies. A higher threshold allows more content to be selected; a lower threshold creates a more focused selection.
    • Maximum Width: sets the maximum width (in seconds) of the selection. SpectraLayers seeks on each side of the cursor when selecting data: a four-second width means that SpectraLayers will scan two seconds before and after the cursor.
    • Thickness: sets the number of bins (spectral samples) around the peak frequency that will be selected. Low settings work well for selecting clearly defined frequency bands such as hum. Higher settings expand the selection, incorporating more deviations from the baseline frequency.
    • Lock to clicked frequency: locks the tool to the frequency you click for fast selection when dragging. For example, you could click the beginning of the green curve and drag to the right to select the curve without needing to follow the line with your mouse:
      Note
      Hold Shift when using Replace Selection or Remove Selection to add to the current selection.
  3. Click and drag in the spectral display to select a frequency band.

Selecting harmonics

  1. Click the Harmonics Selection tool to select harmonics (a full set of frequencies, with frequency tracking) in the spectral display.
  2. Use the Tool Settings toolbar to control settings for the active tool.
    • Replace Selection : in this mode, new selections clear existing selections.
    • Add to Selection : in this mode, selections are persisted even when you switch selection tools. Add to Selection mode is the fastest way to build complex selections using multiple selection tools.
    • Remove from Selection : in this mode, areas you click are removed from the current selection.
    • Tolerance: sets the amplitude threshold (in dB) that is used to select frequencies. A higher threshold allows more content to be selected; a lower threshold creates a more focused selection.
    • **Maximum Width: sets the maximum width (in seconds) of the selection. SpectraLayers seeks on each side of the cursor when selecting data: a four-second width means that SpectraLayers will scan two seconds before and after the cursor.
    • Thickness: sets the number of bins (spectral samples) around the peak frequency that will be selected. Low settings work well for selecting clearly defined frequency bands such as hum. Higher settings expand the selection, incorporating more deviations from the baseline frequency.

    • Master Rank: set this control to the order of the harmonic that you will hover over when making selections.

      The tool will seek up to the number of harmonic overtones shown in the Count value. Set the Master Rank to a higher number if you need to highlight a higher harmonic during the selection process.

      For example, imagine you’re attempting to isolate a sound in which the fundamental and first three higher harmonics are obscured by other sounds in the program, but you have a clear view of the fourth harmonic. Set the Master Rank control to 4 and hover over the fourth harmonic. The Harmonic Selection Tool will seek down while simultaneously seeking upward to the limit defined by the Count setting.

    • Count: sets the number of harmonics to be targeted for selection.
    • Lock to clicked frequency: locks the tool to the frequency you click for fast selection when dragging.
      Note
      Hold Shift when using Replace Selection or Remove Selection to add to the current selection.
  3. Click and drag in the spectral display to select harmonics.

Selecting all data

Choose Edit > Select All to clear the current selection.

Selecting a region

Double-click a region marker to select the time between the region markers.

For more information, see Editing markers and regions

Clearing a selection

Choose Edit > Deselect to clear the current selection.

Inverting a selection

Choose Edit > Invert Selection to deselect all selected data and select unselected data.

Moving a selection

After creating a selection, you can use the Move tool to move your selection.

Note
You can click the down arrow (or hold Shift) to choose whether you want to constrain movement to the time or frequency axis.
When you move or scale a selection with a group selected, all layers in the group are modified. For more information, see Grouping layers

For more information, see Standard

Scaling a selection

After creating a selection, you can use the Scale tool to scale your selection.

Note
You can click the down arrow (or hold Shift) to choose whether you want to scale by time, frequency, or proportionally.
When you move or scale a selection with a group selected, all layers in the group are modified. For more information, see Grouping layers