Basic editing - easiest way?

[Shortlass]

Say I'm recording an audiobook (because I am!) and I have a mistake I want to edit out. Normally, I find the in-point of the edit and click a keyboard shortcut, the same with the out-point, hit Ctrl+x and, hey presto, one great edit!

Not on Adobe Audition, it seems. You have to click and drag. The last time I edited a project by selecting sections to delete by clicking and dragging, the RSI pain up my arm lasted for a week afterwards. Mac trackpad, regular mouse and "ergonomic" mouse: makes no difference.

Also in my edit, I might decide that a pause is too short between paragraphs and I want to copy and paste a longer pause from elsewhere. Not in Audition! I select the short pause, paste in the longer pause, and because the gap is smaller, the pasted audio overwrites the beginning of the next paragraph! I probably want ripple insert, but all I can find is a feature request for it.

I have Izotope RX7 and I thought perhaps it would be easier to do basic editing in there. Actually, this software has keyboard shortcuts for in and out points using square brackets [ ]. But you can only use these while the playhead is moving! So if I find my perfect in-point and stop, I can't select it. Unless there's another way?

I'm obviously doing this all wrong. It can't be possible that high quality professional editing software doesn't have the capacity to do basic editing. What should I be doing instead? I've asked on an Adobe forum, but the only suggestion I got was a complicated work around for in and out points.

I have a Loupedeck CT, which I was hoping would help, but not having a great deal of luck with that. I would need to programme shortcuts, but don't know what they are (as they don't exist?). I'm also still trying to get the controlwheel to scroll through/scrub through audio, which it doesn't seem to want to do.

I thought today, why don't I just get Reaper? Although my budget is already overspent and it might not be any better. Because, as I say, I must be doing it all wrong.

[Hugh Robjohns]

It sounds like you're trying to edit in Audition's waveform window. It's much easier to edit in the multitrack window, even if you only have one audio track. You'll find all the tools you need there for ripple editing, inserting and all the rest.

There are more elaborate editors around. I prefer SADiE, but Pyramix, ProTools, Reaper, Logic, Cubase and pretty much all the full featured DAWs have similar capability. Reaper is by far the least expensive.... but Audition is pretty capable too (in the multitrack view) and is widely used across BBC Radio as a simple editing platform.

You'll find plenty of how-to videos and tutorials online.

[Kwackman]

Welcome to the forum.
If you're on a Mac, then GarageBand is free, and from googling "GarageBand Ripple", it would seem it will do what you want.

[James Perrett]

I'd echo what Hugh says - the multitrack window in Audition is the way to go. I wouldn't actually use the Edit View for editing - only for touching things up and doing processing (like noise reduction) that can't be done in the multitrack view.

[Shortlass]

Thanks Hugh, for your top reply! I did try editing this single, mono track (!) in multitrack, but didn't get any further. I can split tracks, trim them and push edits together in multitrack, but it's rather a lot of clicking and dragging. Perhaps I'm still doing it wrong.

Can you or anyone suggest a good tutorial for this? I've been on YouTube, but they just show clicking and dragging out a selection (my poor arm!).

Audition is pretty capable too (in the multitrack view) and is widely used across BBC Radio as a simple editing platform.

Well, I had to laugh at that. I work for the BBC and am told Audition is not available to me. It's Dira's Highlander, I'm afraid, which only does the very basics. What's my new job? BBC Sounds Producer.

(I have much better equipment for my own stuff at home)

[Hugh Robjohns]

Ah yes... Highlander. I left BBC training as Dira! was being rolled out and before it became the ubiquitous tool that it is....

Dragging and clicking is an inherent part of the editing process, I'm afraid. However, you might find using a hardware controller helps a lot. I have used the Contour Multimedia Controller with SADiE very effectively. You can program the buttons to activate any edit function with a keyboard shortcut, and use the jog/shuttle wheel to perform drags etc.

https://contour-design.co.uk/collection ... controller

(Other hardware controllers are available).

I'm afraid I can't list any specific videos or tutorials as its not something I've needed. Hopefully others can offer some suggestions.

[Shortlass]

I was rather hoping I would get some training on Audition with my new role, but no... I'm still pootling around figuring it out on my own.

I have a Loupedeck CT which is what I hoped would help, but very getting to grips with it and very little in the way of online tutorials. You can programme the buttons and dials on it, but I need to know what to programme them with first!

Thanks for your help.

[Sam Spoons]

I'm a Reaper user since I returned ITB 10 or more years ago. I had used Wavelab for stereo (or mono) editing on Windows machines (and Cubase for multitrack recording) in the past but it wasn't available for the Mac. I soon discovered that, for my needs, Reaper is an excellent stereo/mono editor and stopped looking for a standalone programme. But, yes, it does require a fair bit of dragging and dropping and mouse/trackpad use and there will be a learning curve as with any sophisticated application.

[illegal colors]

https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxo2nemm30zQ ... I_kINAmS_p

Right-click and select Set Start Marker
Right-click and select Set Finish Marker
Ctrl+X to cut or Delete to delete.
Would this work for you?

[Arpangel]

I was rather hoping I would get some training on Audition with my new role, but no... I'm still pootling around figuring it out on my own.
Thanks for your help.

I was an intern at the Beeb for awhile and I had to use Audition, it was "OK" but I never really got on with it, too complex, and convoluted.
At home I was using Samplitude at the time, that has amazing editing, especially for cross-fading, I use Reaper now, but it’s nowhere near as comprehensive regarding wave editing as Samplitude.
As Hugh says, dragging is part of the scene, I can’t think how you’d move two portions of an edited wave without doing that.

[Kwackman]

I can’t think how you’d move two portions of an edited wave without doing that.

Some editors, when you delete a selection, will pull the post edit audio forward to close the gap. It's not an unusual thing, and a big plus in radio speech editing.
Think of it as the DAW version of tape editing?

[MarkOne]

There are pretty good keyboard shortcuts to do most of what you need in Audition, when in multitrack mode.

But although there is ripple delete, unless it’s carefully hidden, I can’t see any way to paste into rather than over Which is plain silly on the part of Adobe, considering it’s a key part of the workflow in Adobe Premier. What, they think video editors need to insert a clip into the timeline but sound editors don’t?

[Hugh Robjohns]

Users have been pleading with Adobe to add ripple insert in the multitrack view for years. Still not there.

It is available in the waveform view (as an option of the oddly named mix paste function).

[Aled Hughes]

I do a lot of editing (of all kinds - audiobooks, pop/rock, choral/classical etc.) in Reaper, and I would highly recommend it. I've also used Pyramix on occasion, and though it's very good, I found I could take what I liked from it and set up Reaper to do the same. It has ripple cut/insert that can work on all tracks simultaneously, or just on the one you're editing. I've also got 3/4 point source/destination editing set up on mine, which is great when you need it.

This I think highlights the strength and weakness of Reaper - the functionality of most other DAWs are in there if you're willing to dive in an find scripts/set it up as you need, but on the other hand, straight of the box, a lot of it is hidden. If you take the time to set it up for your needs and stick with it, it's awesome. But it does take time.

[sonics]

I find this sort of work incredibly easy now. I use Studio One and DaVinci Resolve. Studio One has has ripple edit for quite a few years now and all the functions are easy to find and use. It has excellent comping tools, too. The edit and cut pages in Resolve are great for throwing together edits, too.

I used to use Audition, Wavelab etc. I wouldn't want to go back!

[Arpangel]

I can’t think how you’d move two portions of an edited wave without doing that.

Some editors, when you delete a selection, will pull the post edit audio forward to close the gap. It's not an unusual thing, and a big plus in radio speech editing.
Think of it as the DAW version of tape editing?

Huh, what I need is it to do the cross fade too, perfectly.

[sonics]

Think of it as the DAW version of tape editing?

Huh, what I need is it to do the cross fade too, perfectly.

You mean a small overlap and crossfade? I would think most DAWs could do that with a command or two. In Studio One there are nudge and crossfade, and I have them combined to do that with a single keyboard shortcut. This is the obvious route whenever a task is going to be performed many times over to minimise the work involved. ISTR my first such task was MIDI editing in Cubase on Atari ST...

[Hugh Robjohns]

...what I need is it to do the cross fade too, perfectly.

I mostly edit using SADiE — have done since the early 90s — and that automatically performs a crossfire when you butt two audio clips together. The crossfade duration replicates a 45 degree razor blade cut on 15ips tape... but can be set to default to anything you like, or you can manually tweak the fade-in/fade-out as desired.

Most decent DAWs provide exactly the same facilities and automatic crossfade functions.

[Arpangel]

...what I need is it to do the cross fade too, perfectly.

I mostly edit using SADiE — have done since the early 90s — and that automatically performs a crossfire when you butt two audio clips together. The crossfade duration replicates a 45 degree razor blade cut on 15ips tape... but can be set to default to anything you like, or you can manually tweak the fade-in/fade-out as desired.

Most decent DAWs provide exactly the same facilities and automatic crossfade functions.

Sadie, yes, I have a friend who had a Sadie hardware system, he loved it, but it’s expensive.

[Hugh Robjohns]

Good systems always are... and for obvious reasons.