Editing Tools in Sound Forge 9: Digital Audio-Editing and Production Software

Sound Forge from Sony is a professional-level, digital audio-editing and production software. You can record and edit both stereo and multi-channel audio files, design sounds for multimedia, and even restore old recordings. This will explain the basic editing tools in Sound Forge and how to use them.

In your open sound file, click the Edit Tool button to choose Edit, Magnify, Pencil, or Envelope.

The Edit tool selects data and moves the cursor. Click to position the cursor, and hold the mouse button while dragging over an area of the file to select data. You can also select an individual channel or multiple channels in a file.

The Magnify tool allows you to zoom in to a region of the file without losing or altering the selection. With the Magnify tool active, the cursor will become a magnifying glass. Hold the left mouse button and drag the mouse over an area. A dotted rectangle will appear to show what is selected. Before releasing the left button, click the right mouse button to choose one of three magnification levels. Zoom Time Only will magnify the selected audio horizontally and leave the vertical unchanged. Zoom Level Only magnifies the vertical without changing the horizontal. The third option zooms both horizontal and vertical at the same time.

The Pencil tool is used for editing the waveform by drawing on it. This is useful for smoothing out a sound in an audio file. Using the arrow keys while holding down the left mouse button allows for fine tuning of the drawing. The Pencil tool only becomes an option at magnification levels below the maximum zoom ratio set for it. This can be changed by clicking on Options, going to Preferences, and then clicking on the Editing tab.

The Envelope tool will add, remove, select, or adjust envelope points. The Edit tool can add, remove, or adjust envelope points, but cannot select envelope points. New envelopes contain a single point by default. Double-click the envelope to add a point, and then drag it into position. Right-click it and choose Delete from the menu to remove a point. Holding the Ctrl key while dragging a point or segment will adjust the value in fine increments without changing the horizontal positions, and holding Ctrl and Alt together will adjust the value in normal increments. Even someone new to sound editing and recording can use Sound Forge 9 to create stunning audio files. Learning the basic editing tools opens up many possibilities for any project you need.