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Introduction To Soundtrap

Soundtrap is a multitrack audio editing program that allows multiple audio clips to play simultaneously on different tracks, similar to layers in Photoshop. It introduces key audio editing terms like levels, channels, panning, and filters. Tutorial videos demonstrate how to add and record tracks, trim and adjust audio clips, and use features like splitting, looping, and the powerful automation tool to control volume and panning over time. While Soundtrap also enables music composition, the focus here is on using it for basic audio editing and mixing functions.

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Darrell Cowan
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246 views

Introduction To Soundtrap

Soundtrap is a multitrack audio editing program that allows multiple audio clips to play simultaneously on different tracks, similar to layers in Photoshop. It introduces key audio editing terms like levels, channels, panning, and filters. Tutorial videos demonstrate how to add and record tracks, trim and adjust audio clips, and use features like splitting, looping, and the powerful automation tool to control volume and panning over time. While Soundtrap also enables music composition, the focus here is on using it for basic audio editing and mixing functions.

Uploaded by

Darrell Cowan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Introduction to Soundtrap

Soundtrap is a multitrack audio editing program. Multitrack means that you have multiple track
levels (think of Photoshop layers) that can have audio clips on each track in order to play the
clips together at the same time. For example, you can have a track with recorded dialogue of
someone talking, a track with background music, and a track with a sound effect of birds
chirping, all playing at the same time together as one.

AUDIO EDITING TERMS: Before viewing the Soundtrap videos posted below to help learn
the program, it is important to know the following audio terms when working in a multitrack
audio editing program:

Levels: The relative “loudness” of a track. You can set all clips on a track to be equally louder or
quieter by adjusting the Volume Dial for the track, or you can manipulate the levels of each
individual audio clip on a track. An example is when you have audio of someone talking on one
track while music plays on another track. Generally, you would lower the level of the music
track so that the spoken dialogue can be clearly heard.

Channels: When you listen to music with earbuds or headphones, there are times when a single
instrument or vocal only plays in one ear. Each earbud plays a single channel, either the Left or
Right (stereo), and audio editors determine what plays in which. (Note: If an audio clip is mono,
all channels, left and right, play the same.)

Panning: Audio is exclusively in the Left or Right channel, or begins in one and transitions
(moves) to the other.

Filters: These affect the audio clip in different ways. For example, Autotuning can be done to
change the frequency pitch of an audio clip, a Reverb can add or remove echo.

WORKING IN SOUNDTRAP: Soundtrap is a music making app with a loop library of


instrumental sounds to create compositions, and it also allows you to play and record piano and
drums live using the program, but you will be using it strictly as an importing and editing
program without the music composing features. When you watch the videos below, specifically
focus on the editing aspects of audio clips.
Soundtrap Tutorials | Tracks: The following video introduces you to the workspace. Pay
special attention to 1:20 for zooming in and out, 2:19 for how to record to, change the Volume
(level) of an individual track, how to solo a track to only hear it, and how to mute a track.
(Adding Automations will be covered later.)

https://vimeo.com/196848714

Soundtrap Tutorials | Audio: This video below shows how to add a new track, navigating
Sound Setup, and recording your voice. Remember to have the “R” circle clicked (making it red)
to record voice to that track. Note #1: If you do not have headphones when recording, Solo the
track recording to so that you mute other tracks. Note #2: Do not touch the Pan dial when
recording, capture to both channels equally to choose later when and where to pan if desired.

https://vimeo.com/196269023

Soundtrap Tutorials | Regions: How to loop, lengthen and shorten a clip by adjusting its in and
out points, split, duplicate, and fade audio clips in and out on a track. Of utmost importance is
how to split a clip by placing the playhead over where you want to split, selecting the clip by
clicking on it, and pressing Ctrl-E (PC) or Cmd-E (Mac). This is crucial for cutting out dead air
and pauses in voiceovers to “tighten” dialogue for pacing purposes and to remove unwanted
glitches, for example, stuttering, coughs, or stops and starts when reading the script.

https://vimeo.com/196852600

Soundtrap Tutorials | Automation: This feature is extremely powerful yet is unfortunately


very, very poorly explained in the video below. Clicking the “+ Automation” button expands a
track’s features.
Volume: Allows you add points onto a line under your track waveform to manually have certain
moments go up or down to get louder or quieter. For example, you could have music playing at
regular volume, to then add points to designate it going quieter when dialogue starts on another
track. Note: Another way to achieve this is by splitting a music track at the point when dialogue
begins, to then have the entire split portion set to play quieter without adding points. Using
Automation: Volume allows you to plot points along the line to transition volume for that clip up
and down.
Pan: Allows you to drag the entire line up or down to only play in either the Left or Right
channel. Or, as with Volume above, you can plot points to have the audio start in one channel
and transition (fade) into the other channel.
Sweep: This appears to add a filter to the track applied to. Not sure how effective it will be for
our purposes.
(Note: To remove points from an Automation line, click on each point and press Delete on your
keyboard.)

https://vimeo.com/236387446

Importing An Audio Clip: You will have to do this to import each royalty-free music and
sound effect file that you will download elsewhere. Click the “+ Add New Track” button and in
the next window that appears, click “Import file” on the bottom left. Navigate to your
downloaded audio file on your device to double-click or select and click Open.

Patience: With any new program, there is a trial-and-error learning period and we learn by
doing. Start by playing with the program. Import clips. Set both track and individual audio clip
volume levels. Record your voice. Trim clips. Shorten them. Move them around. Have fun.

Snap to Grid Note: Very important!! When editing in Soundtrap, make sure to click the Magnet
icon at the top right of the screen to turn “Snap to grid” OFF, allowing you to freely position
audio clips without snapping to the Tempo beat set. Once again, this Magnet icon should NOT
have a purple circle around it, as it should be clicked off.
Optional Viewing: I wasn’t going to post the following and I then decided to for those interested
in getting a glimpse into composing in Soundtrap. It covers some of what is mentioned in the
videos above, but focuses more on music production aspects as that is the primary intent of the
program.

https://vimeo.com/196264186

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