Topic: If you were editing a sound file

[lovelessrapture]

And you chose to say amplify it considerable save the file, then go back back to it later and quieten it back down, would it be the same as it was, like a vector graphic? Or would the sound had been like "damaged", although that's not a very good word for it, as if it were a raster graphic?

[Roving Sign]

Depends on the editor...

Audacity - for example doesnt really touch the original file - you always have that.

But I think I have heard some editors refered to as "destructive"....?

[lovelessrapture]

Yea I use audacity and it has alot of undo buttons on it. But if you saved the file and closed it down would it have stuffed up the quality?

[Dede2002]

Yea I use audacity and it has alot of undo buttons on it. But if you saved the file and closed it down would it have stuffed up the quality?

Hi,

I'm not sure if I understood your question, but, as a rule, if you close a file down, that's it, you cannot undo anything anymore.
That's why Audacity, Sound Studio etc always keep your original file untouched.
Take care 

[it-goes-to-eleven]

The answer is... It varies.

You would need to test this with any software and maybe even the specific settings.  In general, with well-written software, you should be able to raise the gain and then reduce it by the same amount and be right back where you started (identical).

[morst]

I am surprised at this. I use audacity a LOT and always thought that editing was destructive to the session, but not the original file. . . I mean that in the sense that once you close the session and reopen it, you can't go back to the master file without starting over. Until you close the file, you can go through the undo history and get right back to where you were, but this all is wiped when the session is closed and reopened. I do know that audacity has the ability to work with the original file, or work with a copy, and I ALWAYS choose to work on a copy. It then creates a copy made of a LARGE number of .au files (Audio Unit?) in the specified directory.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

I would never, ever rely upon an editing tool to make the copy of a master.   I wouldn't even open an original master with the tool.

My workflow is different than many in that the machine I archive on is different than the machine I edit on. So there are alway multiple copies.

In any case, as stated, good tools are reversable with gain changes unless those gain changes result in clipping (once clipped, it is gone).  Gain changes are fairly simple addition or subtraction.   If you add 2.000 db to every sample, you can go back and subtract that same amount to get exactly the original value.

[unclelouie]

I'm inclined to think that you would introduce some digital artifacts in there, but it may or may not be audible. Most likely not. I would also think that recording (and processing) at a higher bit-rate would likely lower the chances of producing those artifacts.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

I'm inclined to think that you would introduce some digital artifacts in there, but it may or may not be audible.

Why would there be a digital artifact?

[unclelouie]

i would think there may be a digital artifact created when amplifying a signal recorded at a low bit rate.

[ghellquist]

As already pointed out, it depends on the software tool you use.

In the way I use Samplitude, the original files are never modified in any way whatsoever. All changes are described in a separate file (called a .vip in Sam). I always bounce to a completely new file. In this usage you can always go back to the original file.

Gunnar

[rowjimmytour]

As already pointed out, it depends on the software tool you use.

In the way I use Samplitude, the original files are never modified in any way whatsoever. All changes are described in a separate file (called a .vip in Sam). I always bounce to a completely new file. In this usage you can always go back to the original file.

Gunnar

One easy way to avoid volume boost and low parts is critical listening Deck>Stereo at home before you start mastering. Also like mentioned above always save as so the master is untouched and the undo brings right back where you started on Audacity and SF.
Peace