System information
Ruler, Time
The time ruler is the area on a data window above the tracks display window that shows the horizontal axis
units.
S
Sample
The word sample is used in many different (and often confusing) ways when talking about digital sound.
Here are some of the different meanings:
A discrete point in time that a sound signal is divided into when digitizing. For example, an audio CD-ROM
contains 44,100 samples per second. Each sample is really only a number that contains the amplitude
value of a waveform measured over time.
A sound that has been recorded in a digital format; used by musicians who make short recordings of
musical instruments to be used for composition and performance of music or sound effects. These
recordings are called samples. In this help system, we try to use sound file instead of sample whenever
referring to a digital recording.
The act of recording sound digitally, i.e. to sample an instrument means to digitize and store it.
Sample Rate
The sample rate (also referred to as the sampling rate or sampling frequency) is the number of samples per
second used to store a sound. High sample rates, such as 44,100 Hz provide higher fidelity than lower
sample rates, such as 11,025 Hz. However, more storage space is required when using higher sample rates.
Sample Size
See"Bit Depth" on page 633.
Sample Value
The sample value (also referred to as sample amplitude) is the number stored by a single sample. In 16-bit
audio, these values range from -32768 to 32767. In 8-bit audio, they range from -128 to 127. The
maximum allowed sample value is often referred to as 100% or 0 dB.
Shortcut Menu
A context-sensitive menu that appears when you right-click on certain areas of the screen. The functions
available in the shortcut menu depend on the object being clicked on as well as the state of the program. As
with any menu, you can select an item from the shortcut menu to perform an operation. Shortcut menus
are used frequently for quick access to many commands. An example of a shortcut menu can be found by
right-clicking on any waveform display in a data window. For information on the available shortcuts, see
"Keyboard Shortcuts" on page 615.
646CHAPTER 34