The Effects menu lets you add all sorts of special effects to your recording. For example, you can add an echo, distort the sound, bend the pitch, or add some chorus. This menu is only available when a data window is open.

In general, here's how to apply an effect:

1) If you want the effect to apply to the entire sound file, don't select anything in the data window. If you want the effect to happen only for a subset of sound, select where you want it to occur.

2) Pull down the Effects menu and choose the effect you desire. A dialog box with options for the selected effect will appear.

3) Set the options as desired, then click OK.

4) Play the sound to hear the effect.

Following are descriptions of just a few of the available effects. I suggest you take the time to work on some of the other effects so you know what you have available to you.

PRACTICE:

1. Pull down the Effects menu and select Chorus.
   
2. The Chorus menu looks like this:
   
   
   
   
3. There are many options to choose from. Try a few out and click on the Preview button to see what changes you have made.
   
4. Pull down the Edit menu and select Undo to reverse the change.

PRACTICE:

1. Pull down the Effects menu and select Delay/Echo.
   
   
   
   
2. There are many options you could choose to get the desired results. Try a few to see what you could do.
   Note: If you want an echo effect that contains more than a single copy of the original sound, check the Multiple Delays/Echoes box. The Delay Time will then determine how long it takes for these echoes to fade out.
   
   
3. Pull down the Edit menu and select Undo to reverse the change.

PRACTICE:

1. Pull down the Effects menu and select Reverb. This is what it looks like:
   
   
   
   
2. Choose Bright Hall and click OK.
   
3. Play the sound to hear the effect.
   
4. Pull down the Edit menu and select Undo to reverse the change.
   
5. Repeat the exercise but choose the Metal Tank option to compare the effects. Notice how the tone quality of this reverberation is very metallic.
   
6. Pull down the Edit menu and select Undo.

Modulation: This function adjusts the gain of a signal at a specified frequency. You can use modulation to create tremolo guitar effects or increase the spatial intensity of a recording.

1. Open the Sonic Foundry Amplitude Modulation dialog.
   
   
   
2. Choose a preset from the Name drop-down list, or adjust the controls as desired:
   
   a.) Drag the Dry out fader to set the level of the unprocessed signal that will be mixed into the output.
   
   b.) Drag the Wet out fader to set the level of the modulated signal that will be mixed into the output.
   
   c.) Drag the Amplitude fader to set the minimum gain of the modulated signal.
   
   d.) Adjust the graph as desired.
   
   e.) Drag the Mod freq. slider to specify the frequency of the gain waveform that will be applied to the input signal. To achieve a slow tremolo, use a low frequency.
   
   
3. As frequencies exceed 20 Hz, modulation is audible not as a change in amplitude, but as additional frequency side bands.
   

Copyright © 2001, Bloomsburg University Virtual Training Help Center.
All rights reserved. This material may not be used without permission.
Contact Dr. Mary Nicholson at mjnich@bloomu.edu