Alchemy spectral edit window in MainStage

Source components are shown only in advanced view. Click the Advanced button to switch to advanced view, then click the A/B/C/D button to view detailed parameters for the selected source.

The source edit window is opened by clicking the Edit button on any source subpage. Click the close window icon (X) at the top right to close the window.

Use the Spectral button at the top of the Main edit window to open the Spectral edit window.

Spectral edit window: Use to graphically edit spectral resynthesis data. You can also create new sounds by using simple paint tools directly in the display.

Spectral data is displayed as follows in the Spectral edit window, or “canvas”.

Time, expressed in seconds, is represented along the x-axis from left to right. It is also shown at the pointer position.
Frequency, in hertz, is represented along the y-axis from bottom to top. It is also shown at the pointer position.
Amplitude is represented by brightness, using shades of blue. Dark blues represent lower amplitude values, and light blues represent higher amplitude values. Silence is black, and the loudest amplitude is white.
A green play position indicator scrolls across the image for the most recently triggered voice.
Warp markers are also shown, if the Warp button is enabled in the Main edit window.

Note: Accurate resynthesis requires a much finer frequency resolution than the spectral display can accommodate. Frequency information depicted in the display is a coarse representation of the underlying data. Graphical data creation and editing are performed at the resolution of the display. This means that you cannot paint conventional melodies and chords consisting of precise notes, for example.

Spectral editor parameters

Draw/Mask buttons: Set a mode that affects the behavior of the paint tools.
- Draw: The paint tools can be used to modify the image itself either by drawing new or deleting existing content or by increasing or decreasing the luminosity of specific parts of the spectrum.
- Mask: The entire image is masked, as if covered with a layer of black wax. The paint tools can be used to selectively reveal parts of the underlying image, as if scraping away the wax to reveal the layer underneath.
  Note: The most recent edit made in the Spectral editor can be undone by pressing Command-Z. Multiple edits can be reversed by pressing Option-Command-Z, then choosing the step you want to revert to from the Undo History window.
Lasso, Brush, and Erase buttons: Choose a select (Lasso) or brush mode. Erase uses the selected brush type to remove portions of the spectrogram.
- Lasso button: Turn on to activate a select mode. Drag across the spectral canvas to select an area.
  - In mask mode, your selection only is played. The unselected portion of the canvas is silent.
  - In draw mode, your selection can be used as a brush shape.
- Brush button: Turn on to activate brush mode. You can draw directly on the image when in draw

MainStage User Guide

Alchemy spectral edit window in MainStage

Spectral editor parameters