<p>
Every Region has a fade-in and fade-out. By default, the region fade
is very short, and serves to de-click the transitions at the start and
- end of the region. By adjusting the regions fade length, a more
+ end of the region. By adjusting the regions fade length, a more
gradual transition can be accomplished.
</p>
<h2>Region Fades</h2>
<p>
- <dfn>Region fades</dfn> are possible at the beginning and end of
+ <dfn>Region fades</dfn> are possible at the beginning and end of
all audio regions. In object mode, a grip appears at the top left and
top right of an audio region when the cursor hovers over it. Placing
the cursor over the top of the grip displays the region fade cursor
- tip. Click and drag the grip left or right in the timeline to
- adjust the length of the fade.
+ tip. Clicking and dragging the grip left or right in the timeline adjusts the
+ length of the fade.
</p>
<h2>Crossfades</h2>
<p>
- <dfn>Crossfades</dfn> refer to the behavior when you want to make
- a smooth transition (mix) from one audio region to another on the same
- track. Historically, this was done by splicing 2 pieces of analog
+ <dfn>Crossfades</dfn> refer to the behavior of two audio regions transitioning
+ smoothly (mixing) from one to another on the same
+ track. Historically, this was done by splicing two pieces of analog
tape together, and this concept was carried forward into digital
editing. Each track is a sequence of sound files (regions). If
two regions are butted against each other, there needs to be a method
to splice them smoothly together. The crossfade allows one region
- to fade smoothly out, while the next region fades smoothly in, like 2
- pieces of tape that have been cut at and angle, and overlapped.
+ to fade smoothly out, while the next region fades smoothly in, like two
+ pieces of tape that have been cut at an angle, and overlapped.
</p>
<p>
But Ardour uses a more refined "layered" editing model, and
therefore it is possible for multiple regions to be stacked on a single
location with arbitrary overlaps between different layers. For
- this reason, crossfades must be implemented differently. We can't
- assume that a crossfade is an entitry that exists between 2 regions;
+ this reason, crossfades must be implemented differently. It can't be
+ assumed that a crossfade is an entity that exists between two regions;
instead each region must have its own associated crossfades at each
end, and the topmost region must always crossfade down to the
underlying region(s), if any.
the region(s) beneath it.
</p>
<p>
- It is important to understand that region fades <em>are</em> crossfades. When one region has
- another region or multiple regions beneath its fade area, then you will
- hear the topmost region fade-out be mirrored as a fade-in on the
- underlying region(s). The grip for the topmost region will allow
+ It is important to understand that region fades <em>are</em> crossfades.
+ When one region has another region or multiple regions beneath its fade area,
+ then what will be heard is the topmost region fade-out mirrored as a fade-in
+ on the underlying region(s). The grip for the topmost region will allow
changing the length and type of the crossfade into the underlying
- region(s). In this way you can create a complicated series of
- crossfades, and then layer another region atop the others, and fade
- into a complicated series.
+ region(s). In this way complicated series of crossfades can be created, and
+ then another region layered atop the others, and faded into a complicated
+ series.
</p>
<p>
If a region doesn't have any region(s) under it, then the region is
- crossfaded to silence; for convenience we call this a "fade"
+ crossfaded to silence; for convenience this is called a "fade"
rather than a crossfade.
</p>
<h2>Fade Shapes</h2>
+<figure class=right>
+ <img src="/images/crossfade_menu.png">
+ <figcaption class=center>The fade shape context menu.</figcaption>
+</figure>
+
<p>
To activate/deactivate or change the shape of a region's fadein or
- fade-out, hover the cursor over the regionfade grip till the cursor tip
- indicates region fade editing and context-click to bring up a context
- menu. In the context menu there is a list of options for the
- regionfade. <kbd class="menu">Activate/Deactivate</kbd> enables and
- disables the regionfade.
+ fade-out, the cursor has to be hovered over the region fade grip until the
+ cursor tip indicates region fade editing, then <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd>
+ clicked to bring up a context menu. In the context menu is a list of options
+ for the region fade. <kbd class="menu">Activate/Deactivate</kbd> enables and
+ disables the region fade.
</p>
<p>
Because each fade is also a crossfade, it has an inverse fade shape
The different types of fades are:
</p>
<table class="dl">
- <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Linear</kbd></th><td>A simple linear coefficient decrease, and its
-mathematical inverse. A Linear fade starts attentuating quickly
-and then cuts off even more abruptly at lower levels. When used
-as a crossfade, the signals are each -6dB attenuated at the midpoint.
-This is the correct crossfade to use with highly-correlated signals for
-a smooth transition.</td></tr>
- <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Constant Power</kbd></th><td>The constant power curve starts fading
-slowly and then cuts off abruptly. When used as a crossfade
-between 2 audio regions, the signals are symetrically attenuated, and
-they each reach -3dB at the midpoint. This is the correct crossfade to
-use when you want to splice audio in the general ( uncorrelated ) case.</td></tr>
- <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Symmetric</kbd></th><td>The Symmetric fade starts slowly, then
-attenuates significantly before transitioning to a slower fade-out near
-the end of the fade. When used as a crossfade, the Symmetric
-curve is not mathematically correct like the Equal Power or Linear
-curves, but it provides a slower fade-out at low volumes. This is
-sometimes useful when editing 2 entire music works together so that the
-transition is more gradual.</td></tr>
- <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Fast</kbd></th><td>The Fast curve is a linear decibel fade; It sounds
-like a perfectly smooth fader or knob moved to silence. This shape is
-excellent as a general-purpose fade-in. When used as a
-crossfade, the inverse fade curve maintains constant power but is
-therefore non-symmetric; so its use is limited to those cases where the
-user finds it appropriate.</td></tr>
- <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Slow</kbd></th><td>The Slow curve is a modified linear decibel fade.
-The initial curve starts more gradually so that it has a less
-abrupt transition near unity. After that, it sounds like a
-perfectly smooth fader or knob moved to silence. This shape is excellent as
-a general-purpose fade-out. When used as a crossfade, the
-inverse fade curve maintains constant power but is therefore
-non-symmetric; so its use is limited to those cases where the user
-finds it appropriate.</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Linear</kbd></th><td>A simple linear coefficient
+ decrease, and its mathematical inverse. A Linear fade starts attenuating
+ quickly, and then cuts off even more abruptly at lower levels. When used as a
+ crossfade, the signals are each -6dB attenuated at the midpoint. This is the
+ correct crossfade to use with highly-correlated signals for a smooth
+ transition.</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Constant Power</kbd></th><td>The constant power
+ curve starts fading slowly and then cuts off abruptly. When used as a
+ crossfade between 2 audio regions, the signals are symmetrically attenuated,
+ and they each reach -3dB at the midpoint. This is the correct crossfade to
+ use when splicing audio in the general (uncorrelated) case.</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Symmetric</kbd></th><td>The Symmetric fade starts
+ slowly, then attenuates significantly before transitioning to a slower
+ fade-out near the end of the fade. When used as a crossfade, the Symmetric
+ curve is not mathematically correct like the Constant Power or Linear curves,
+ but it provides a slower fade-out at low volumes. This is sometimes useful
+ when editing 2 entire music works together so that the transition is more
+ gradual.</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Slow</kbd></th><td>The Slow curve is a modified
+ linear decibel fade. The initial curve starts more gradually so that it has
+ a less abrupt transition near unity. After that, it sounds like a perfectly
+ smooth fader or knob moved to silence. This shape is excellent as a
+ general-purpose fade-out. When used as a crossfade, the inverse fade curve
+ maintains constant power but is therefore non-symmetric; so its use is
+ limited to those cases where the user finds it appropriate.</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd class="menu">Fast</kbd></th><td>The Fast curve is a linear
+ decibel fade; It sounds like a perfectly smooth fader or knob moved to
+ silence. This shape is excellent as a general-purpose fade-in. When used as
+ a crossfade, the inverse fade curve maintains constant power but is
+ therefore non-symmetric; so its use is limited to those cases where the
+ user finds it appropriate.</td></tr>
</table>
<p>
- Although these fade shapes serve specific purposes, you might find that
- any of the shapes is usable in your situation. The final decision
- is mostly an artistic choice.
+ Although these fade shapes serve specific purposes, any of the shapes is
+ usable in any situation, so the final decision is mostly an artistic choice.
</p>
<p>
These fade curves are developed to provide a range of common uses, and
are developed with the least possible amount of changes in the "slope"
- of the line. This provides artifact-free crossfades. Some
+ of the line. This provides artefact-free crossfades. Some
DAWs provide complicated fade editors with parametric "spline" controls
of the fade curves. While it might be interesting to develop a
fade curve with a faster cutoff, the mathematical difference between
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