manual

6.1 Metering 155
6.1.6 Spectrometer
The Spectrometer uses FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) techniques to display a continuous
frequency graph, providing a very precise and detailed real-time frequency analysis.
The current frequency spectrum is shown as a linear graph.
Spectrum "peaks" are shown as a short horizontal lines, indicating recent peak/maxi-
mum values.
Snapshots
By using the "Add snapshot" and "Erase last snapshot" buttons, you can take and erase
snapshots of the current spectrum. These will be superimposed over the current peak spec-
trum graph, in a color you can customize, until you click the icon again to take a new snapshot.
One use for this is to check the effects of adding EQ, for example. Up to five snapshots can
be superimposed on the display; the sixth snapshot replaces the earliest one in the display,
and so on. (Don't confuse the order of snapshots with the numbered buttons - these are
Spectrometer presets, see below.)
Zooming
You can adjust the frequency scale and range in the Settings dialog as described below,
but it's also possible to temporarily zoom in on a frequency area of interest. This is done by
clicking and dragging a rectangle in the Spectroscope display. When you release the mouse
button, the display is zoomed in so that the enclosed frequency range fills the window. To
return to full-scale display, select "Zoom-out fully" from the Functions menu, or double-click
anywhere on the display.
Making settings
You can adjust the behavior and display of the meters as desired, and assign up to five sets
of Spectrometer settings to the Preset buttons, for instant access. Open the Settings dialog
by selecting "Settings" from the Functions menu or clicking the "tool" icon. Note that you
can apply your settings without closing the dialog, by clicking the Apply button.
If you want to store your settings for later use (or assign them to a Preset button), select "Save
as..." from the pop-up menu in the lower part of the dialog, and specify a name for the preset
in the file dialog that appears. Now, you can choose to make the settings instantly available
for selection in the FFT Meter window, by using the "Assign to preset button" submenu on
the pop-up menu.
When you are finished, click OK to close the dialog.
Selecting Spectrometer presets
If you have assigned your settings to the Preset buttons in the Settings dialog, you can quickly
switch between different level scales and display modes, by clicking one of the Preset icons
[1]-[5], or selecting the desired preset from the Options pop-up menu.
WaveLab 7