Apple Final Cut Express HD - Manual (Page 427)

Chapter 31 Audio Editing Basics 427
VI
Using Waveform Displays to Help You Edit Audio
As you work in Final Cut Express HD, waveform displays can be very useful for
navigating through parts of your audio and seeing at a glance how the levels in a track
indicate things like the words and pauses in dialogue and the beats in a piece of music.
Waveforms are displayed in the audio tabs of the Viewer.
You can also view waveforms in the Timeline, but you need to explicitly turn them on
(see “
Displaying Waveforms in the Timeline ” on page 438).
Viewing waveforms should not take precedence over listening to audio tracks during
playback. When you’re making editorial decisions, the waveform display is no substitute
for your own ear.
For example, even though a particular frame of a waveform may look like a good place
to cut into a drumbeat or a spoken word, the only way you’ll know for sure is to play
through the clip and listen carefully. Setting your edit points even a few frames too
early or too late can make a big difference, and it’s time-consuming to zoom in and out
of a waveform display repeatedly to see a high level of detail.
Waveforms for a stereo
pair of audio items