input file : active soundfile
output file : active soundfile
processing mode : local
If problems with signal discontinuity can be handled properly, local muting may be a fast and efficient way of eradicating disturbances. The simplest way of avoiding clicks due to local muting is by positioning both block edges at signal zero-crossings. Smart mute is a tool which automatically searches for signal zero-crossings and adjusts the left/right boundaries of a selected block accordingly. If, despite adjusting the block edges the results are not satisfactory you can enforce smooth signal transitions at both sides of the block by local fading.
To use Smart mute proceed as follows:
1. Select a block containing this part of a signal you would like to mute. Do not care of positions of block edges at this stage - you can mark blocks on condensed signal plots if so convenient.
2. Evoke the Smart mute dialog by choosing the Smart mute command from the Toolbox menu.
3. Adjust the left and/or right block edges, by moving them to the nearest zero crossings situated to the left or right
of the current position (the search is limited to 500 ms on the left and right side of each block edge). Apply local fading, if necessary, by selecting a non-zero fade time.
4. Press the Preview button to evaluate the results. The audio file remains unmodified at this stage of processing - the actual signal samples are replaced with zeros during the playback only (virtual muting). Use the Preferences dialog, available from the Options menu, to change the local audition time, if necessary.
5. If the results are satisfactory press the Process button, otherwise return to Step 3 above and try to differently position block edges. Please note that, for long recordings, cutting may be a very time consuming operation as it involves rewriting the entire audio file.
Local muting of stereo signals can be a bit tricky. Due to the offset differences between stereo channels it is usually impossible to find ‘double’ zero-crossings, i.e. the points at which both signals change their signs simultaneously. For this reason if a disturbance is present in both audio tracks, try to mute it in each channel separately (use the Left and Right radio buttons to switch between stereo channels). If you select both channels at once by clicking the Both radio button, the Adjust block function will be disabled, i.e. you will be able to use the local fading only.
At any time you can reduce the size of the Smart mute dialog by pressing the MINIMIZE
button, situated in its upper right corner. The reduced size dialog contains the search forward/backward, preview and close buttons only. Use the MAXIMIZE
button to switch back to the full size dialog.
NOTICE
You can leave the Smart mute dialog, without closing it, to activate another soundfile (by clicking on it), to select an entirely new block or to move the boundaries of an existing block (by dragging them to a new position).