Need a vertical with focus on range from 0 to 10 dB

Feedback and Discussion Forum Adding Features
1

Mayby I am a bit conservative but I really do like the way the waveform are displayed in Cool Edit/audition and many other programs so much, that its like to deal with a handicap editing sound in Audacity

I have attached a screenshot. Where the supreme is the way I think presents the sound best. The bottom is the same audio file with shown in audicity as well-known
Waveform Forskelle Audacity.jpg
it could be great to have the ability to set the vertical view it that way :slight_smile:

2

I agree that it would be nice to have an option to show “dB” in the normal “linear” track view, but how often do you actually need to see the dB scale?

Given that it is easy to see in the default “linear” track view when a waveform is “about half the track height” (- 6 dB), or “about 3/4 track height” (-3 dB), and during playback there is a meter that shows dB, do you really need to see a dB scale all the time?

I have added your “vote” for an option to display a dB scale on the normal linear track view.

3

Quite often… Not to say always

However, it is important for me to recognize that I am not a pro sound engineer. So maybe I don’t quite know what I’m talking about. Then don’t hesitate to correct me in that case (I would like to learn).
So, while I may be revealing my amateurism by the following, let me anyway review , why I think it would be good to implement “linear dB track view” by walking through one concrete case (by many).

Linear dB track view.jpg
Linear dB track view.jpg1414Ă—490 246 KB

This waveform represents a OK dynamic recording. However, it would sound very low compared to other audio files. Therefore, I would like to “compress the dynamics” slightly. With “linear dB Track view” it is very easy to form an overview. I can see that I have a 5 - 7 wave peak that peaks around 0 to - 2 dB. On the other hand, there are many at the -3 dB line . For that I want to cut (limit) all the wave peaks at the -2 dB line (threshold) and then normalize to 0 dB.
(maybe that could have been done smarter with the Compressor effect - one day I will figure it out - but that is not the case here)

In audacity, as you know, there are several ways to represent the audio file. But no-one really does it for me
It’s hard to see where to cut (at which dB line?) at standard linear view (scale from -1 to 1)

Linear standard track view.jpg
Linear standard track view.jpg1668Ă—471 203 KB

Also, it is almost the same at the logarithmic dB scale view.
Logaritmic dB track view.jpg
Logaritmic dB track view.jpg1659Ă—475 187 KB

Conversely, the same is true if you want to spot by yourself a very dynamic compressed (loadness war) audio file which you may therefore want to mute a little

4

I agree that in this case, a dB scale would be more convenient. I have already logged your “vote” for this feature. Now all we need is someone to implement it :wink:

5

how often do you actually need to see the dB scale?

Every time we have to explain to someone that the meters and waveforms are measuring the same thing two different ways, one of which nobody else uses.

Koz

6

Mayby because it’s not linear :wink:
Notice that lot of the effects are using the dB as a measurement unit - so its a good idea to show the waveforms in dB, but Linear (okay I’ll stop now)

Ps who do you have to implement it and can they do it over the week? :wink:

7

You?

8

:wink: I wish I could help. Unfortunately, this is not something that is contained in my skills

9

And therein lies the problem - too much to do, and too few people to do it. Nevertheless, it is at least on the “to do” list. :wink: