Super Clips and Sub Montage in Wavelab Pro

today we cover

Super Clips and Sub Montage in Wavelab Pro

Audio Montages within Audio Montages

You can insert external audio montages in an audio montage or gather several clips of an audio montage to an internal sub-montage. This makes it easy to build large audio montages while hiding edit complexities inside other audio montages.

This also increases the performance of your system as it provides options to freeze edits and audio effects in cached audio files.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/audio_montages_within_audio_montages_c.html>

Super Clips

A super clip is the representation of an audio montage within an audio montage. It refers to an audio file that is rendered from either an internal sub-montage or an external sub-montage.

A super clip behaves like any other clip. To edit the tracks and clips in a super clip, you can reopen it and then render the changes to update the super clip.

A super clip can either be a mono or a stereo audio montage.

An example: You have an album that is composed of 15 songs. Each song requires complex edits. In this case you can create 15 super clips, of which each one represents a song. The main audio montage will be composed of these super clips, while each song can have its own audio montage.

Moreover, because super clips can represent external audio montages with different sample rates, you could provide your songs in high-resolution audio (96k sample rate), and build an audio montage album in 44.1k for a CD and another album at 96k for a DVD-Audio, for example.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/super_clips_c.html>

External Sub-Montages

A super clip can refer to an external sub-montage which is an audio montage in another file. An external sub-montage is independent from the audio montage in which you insert it.

External sub-montages can be shared between projects and used in audio montages with a different sample rate. They can be nested to any depth.

External sub-montage files can contain other external audio montages to any depth.

Super clips that refer to external sub-montages are indicated by an external sub-montage icon.

A super clip that refers to an external sub-montage is also called X-Clip.

Note

An external sub-montage is a normal audio montage. The term “external” is to point out its inclusion in another audio montage.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/external_sub_montages_c.html>

Internal Sub-Montages

A super clip can refer to an internal sub-montage, which is an audio montage that is saved in the same file as the audio montage of the super clip. Such a super clip can be regarded as a folder that contains another audio montage.

Internal sub-montages are handled within a single audio montage file. For example, when you have finished editing specific clips of your audio montage, you can render them as a super clip.

An internal sub-montage cannot contain another internal sub-montage. However, it can contain super clips that represent external audio montages.

Super clips that are internal sub-montages are indicated by an internal sub-montage icon.

A super clip that refers to an internal sub-montage is also called I-Clip.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/internal_sub_montages_c.html>

Creating a Super Clip

You can render clips of an audio montage to a super clip. This super clip can be part of an internal sub-montage or an external audio montage.

Procedure

1. Open the audio montage in which you want to create a super clip.
2. In the montage window or in the Clips window, select the clips that you want to render to a super clip.
3. Select one of the following options:
• Right-click in the upper half of one of the selected clips, and select Create Super Clip from Selected Clips.
• In the Clips window, select Functions > Create Super Clip from Selected Clips.
4. In the Create Super Clip dialog, decide whether to create an I-Clip (internal sub-montage) or an X-Clip (external sub-montage).
5. Optional: Enter a name for the super clip.
6. Click OK.

Result

The clips are rendered as a super clip inside the audio montage.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/super_clip_creating_t.html>

Create Super Clip Dialog When Creating Super Clips from Selected Clips

In this dialog, you specify how to create super clips for internal and external sub-montages.

• To open the Create Super Clip dialog, right-click the upper half of one or several selected clips, and select Create Super Clip from Selected Clips.

Name

Allows you to specify a name for the super clip. For X-Clips, the name is also used for the audio montage.

Create I-Clip (Internal Sub-Montage)

Creates a new audio montage inside the open audio montage and inserts a super clip to reference it.

Place on First Available Track/Place on Last Available Track

If you create a sub-montage from clips that are on different tracks, the pop-up menu allows you to specify on which track the super clip is inserted.

Export as External Audio Montage and Create X-Clip (External Sub-Montage)

Creates an independent audio montage and a super clip that refers to this audio montage.

Destination

Allows you to select the destination folder of the external sub-montage.

Include Track Effects

If this option is activated, the track effects are included in the sub-montage. If you want to keep the super clip on the track, deactivate this option.

Note

Output effects are not included to prevent double processing.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/super_clips_create_super_clip_dialog_when_creating_super_clips_from_selected_clips_r.html>

Create Super Clip Dialog When Inserting External Audio Montages

In this dialog, you can select whether to create X-Clips or I-Clips when inserting an external audio montage in another audio montage.

Create X-Clip (External Sub-Montage)

The super clip refers to the audio montage file.

Make a Deep Copy and Create I-Clip (Internal Sub-Montage)

The audio montage is copied into the other audio montage. The super clip refers to this independent copy.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/super_clips_create_super_clip_dialog_when_inserting_audio_montages_r.html>

Inserting External Sub-Montages into Audio Montages

You can insert an external sub-montage as a super clip into another audio montage.

Procedure

1. Open the audio montage in which you want to insert another audio montage.
2. Do one of the following:
• Right-click an empty area of the montage window, select Insert Audio Montages > Browse, select the audio montages that you want to insert, and click Open.
• Drag the audio montage that you want to insert from the File Explorer/macOS Finder or from inside WaveLab Pro and drop it in the montage window.
3. In the Create Super Clip dialog, select whether to create an X-Clip or an I-Clip, and click OK.
4. From the pop-up menu, select how to add and mix the external sub-montage.

Result

The external sub-montage is rendered, and the resulting super clip is inserted at the edit cursor position.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/audio_montages_into_audio_montages_inserting_t.html>

Editing Super Clips

You can reopen the sources of super clips, edit the clips that they contain, and apply the changes to update the super clips of the external or internal audio montages.

The changes in the internal or external audio montage are applied to the parent audio montage when the sub-montages are rendered.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/super_clips_editing_c.html>

Editing External Sub-Montages of Super Clips

Procedure

1. In the montage window, right-click the bottom area of a super clip of an external sub-montage and select Edit Source, or double-click at the top area of the super clip.
   The external sub-montage opens in another tab.
2. Edit the external sub-montage, and save the changes.
3. Decide on how you want to update the audio montage.
• To apply the changes to all audio montages that refer to the updated audio montage, select File > Export, and select Render > Render Super Clip.
• To apply the changes to a single audio montage, go back to the audio montage that contains the external sub-montage that you have updated. Select the updated audio montage, open the Files window, and select Menu > Update Rendering of Selected Audio Montage.
4. Save the audio montage.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/super_clips_external_sub_montage_editing_t.html>

Editing Internal Sub-Montages of Super Clips

Procedure

1. In the montage window, right-click the bottom area of a super clip of an internal sub-montage and select Edit Source, or double-click the top area of the super clip.
   The internal sub-montage opens in another tab.
2. Edit the clips of the internal sub-montage, and save the changes.

Result

The changes are automatically rendered to update the super clip.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/super_clips_internal_sub_montage_editing_t.html>

Freezing External Sub-Montages

Freezing external sub-montages renders the external sub-montage to an audio file while converting the super clips into regular clips.

Important

Once a sub-montage has been frozen, it is no longer possible to edit it as an audio montage.

Procedure

1. In the montage window, select the external sub-montage that you want to freeze.
2. In the Files window, select Menu > Freeze External Sub-Montage.
3. Specify a name and a location, and click Save.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/sub_montages_external_freezing_t.html>

Managing Source Files of Clips

The Files window helps you to manage files that are used in the current audio montage.

It displays all files that are used by clips in the current audio montage along with their location, size, and last modification date. In addition, the following file operations are available:

• Replace files in the audio montage
• Rename files (all internal clip references are updated)
• Open files that are used in the audio montage in the Audio Editor
• Export file names as text

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/clips_and_source_files_managing_c.html>

Files Window

This window helps you to manage files that are used in the current audio montage, including internal and external montages.

• To open the Files window, open an audio montage, and select Tool Windows > Files.

Files List

The files list shows the names, dates, sizes, and paths of the files that are used in the current audio montage. The Clips column shows how often a clip uses the corresponding audio file. The location and type of the files determine how paths are displayed:

• If the path is relative to the file audio montage location, the path is displayed in green.
• If the path is on the same partition as the audio montage, for example in a subfolder, the path is displayed in blue.
• If the path is on another partition, the path is displayed in red.
• Internal sub-montages have no path.

Menu

Update Rendering of Selected Audio Montage

Renders the active audio montage to a new audio file. This is necessary to forward the changes that you have made in the selected sub-montage to the open audio montage.

Update Outdated Renderings

Renders all audio montages that have been modified since their rendered audio file was created.

Replace With

Allows you to replace the selected file with another one.

Freeze External Sub-Montage

Renders the external sub-montage to an audio file while converting the super clips into regular clips.

Rename File

Lets you change the file name. The internal references of the audio montage are updated accordingly.

Export File Names as Text

Creates a text file that lists all files that are used in the active audio montage.

Select Clips of Selected File

Selects all clips that refer to the selected file.

Edit Source

Opens the selected files in the Audio Editor. If the selected files are sub-montages, the related audio montage opens in the Audio Montage window.

Reveal in File Explorer

Opens the File Explorer/macOS Finder to locate the selected file.

Customize Command Bar

Opens the Customize Commands dialog, which contains options to hide or show specific command bar buttons.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/files_tool_window_r.html>

Replacing Source Files of Clips

You can replace a source file of a clip with another file and have all clips that refer to the old source file refer to the new source file.

Procedure

1. Open an audio montage.
2. Select Tool Windows > Files.
3. In the Files window, select the file that you want to exchange.
4. Select Menu > Replace With.
5. Select the replacing file.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/clip_source_file_replacing_t.html>

Changing Names and File Locations of Audio Files

You can change the name and location of an audio file in your audio montage project. All clips that reference this file are automatically updated.

Procedure

1. Open an audio montage.
2. Select Tool Windows > Files.
3. In the Files window, select the file that you want to rename.
4. Select Menu > Rename File.
5. In the Rename File dialog, enter a new name.
6. To enter a new file location, activate Change Folder, and enter a new file location.
7. Optional: If you want the related clips to change their name according to the new file name, activate Rename Related Clips as File Name.
8. Click OK.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/audio_files_in_audio_montage_name_and_file_location_changing_t.html>

Exporting File Names as Text

You can export the file names list as text to various formats. The list contains the names and paths of the audio files in the active audio montage.

Prerequisite

Set up your audio montage.

Procedure

1. Open an audio montage.
2. Select Tool Windows > Files.
3. In the Files window, select Menu > Export File Names as Text.
4. Choose the information that you want to export and the output format.
5. Click OK.

Result

The file names list opens in the selected output format. When selecting Print, the Print Preview window opens. The text file is saved in the specified folder for temporary files.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/audio_montage_file_names_as_text_exporting_t.html>

Editing Source Files of Clips

Editing the audio montage may require that you process or edit the actual audio files that are referenced by the clips.

Use one of the following methods to edit the source file of a clip:

• Right-click the bottom area of the clip that you want to edit, and select Edit Source, or double-click the top area of the clip. The source file of the clip opens in the Audio Editor. Edit the clip, save it, and return to the audio montage.
• Double-click the clip and drag the clip to the tab list or in the Audio Editor.

Note the following:

• Any editing that you perform this way affects the source audio file and thereby all clips that use the audio file, including clips in other audio montages.
• You can undo/redo all changes in audio files, even after saving the file. These changes are reflected immediately in all open audio montages.
• If you use File > Save As to save the source audio file with a different name, all open audio montages that refer to the file now refer to the new file.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/clips_source_files_editing_c.html>

About Cloning and Substituting Source Files of Clips

Cloning an audio source file avoids the risk that other clips are affected when the source file of a clip is edited.

Use the Clone and Substitute function to create a copy of the audio source file, and make the clip reference to the new file. As a result, you can edit the source file without affecting other clips or the original audio file.

The cloned audio file has the original file name with the suffix _#X, where X is a number. The cloned audio file is saved in the implicit folder that is specified in the Folder for Audio Files field in the Audio Montages Preferences on the Active Audio Montage tab.

The implicit folder is used when WaveLab Pro needs to create new files that can be referenced by an audio montage. Files that are saved in the implicit folder are not temporary, that is, they are not deleted when you close WaveLab Pro. This is necessary because the audio montage contains references to the files.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/clips_source_files_cloning_and_substituting_c.html>

Cloning and Substituting Source Files of Clips

Procedure

• In the montage window, right-click the bottom area of a clip, and select Clone and Substitute.

Result

A clone of the source file replaces the selected clip. All clips that are referring to the original file are referenced to the new file.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/clips_source_files_cloning_and_substituting_t.html>

Replacing Audio Files of Clips

You can replace the audio file of a clip to compare different takes.

Note

You cannot replace a stereo file with a mono file and vice versa.

Procedure

1. In the montage window, right-click the bottom area of a clip, and select Replace Audio File.
2. Select the file to which you want to reference, and click Open.

Result

The selected audio file replaces the clip. All clip settings are retained. Clip references to the replaced file are still available.

Pasted from <https://steinberg.help/wavelab_pro/v11/en/wavelab/topics/audio_montage/clips_audio_file_replacing_t.html>