GoldWave Windows

GoldWave initially displays three types of windows: the Main window, the Control window, and Sound windows. The Main window contains a menu bar, tool bars, and information/status bars. This window keeps all the Sound windows together. It is similar to the main window of a word processor, where you can have several document windows open at once. GoldWave can open several sounds at once to copy and paste between them. The Options | Tool Bar command configures and arrange tool bar buttons. Right-clicking on some items in the upper status bar changes the format of the data shown.

The Control window contains real-time visuals and sound device controls. The visuals display the sound during playback or recorded. The controls determine the volume, left/right balance, and speed at which sounds are played. A set of standard cassette deck buttons for playing and recording sounds are contained in this window. Use the properties button to configure the controls, visuals, and devices.

Opening a sound file creates a Sound window. You can open as many sounds as you like, provided there is enough memory and storage space, but only one file can be edited or played at a time. Sound windows display a graph of the sound. Mono sounds are shown with a single green graph. Stereo sounds are shown using a green graph for the left channel and a red graph for the right channel. The highlighted part of the graph between two vertical cyan lines is the selection. The cyan lines are the start and finish markers. A white vertical line showing the current playback position is the playback cursor.

Between the graph and time line is the Cue Points slot, which displays any cue points stored in the file. Right click on the slot to see a cue points menu for adding, removing, or editing cue points.

Below the graph's time line is the Overview Bar. It always shows the entire file and provides useful information about what part of the sound is currently selected and what part of the sound is displayed in the upper graph.

To zoom in on a section of a sound, use the View Menu Commands or select a region by clicking-and-dragging with the right mouse button or use the mouse wheel. The Options | Colour and the Options | Window commands configure the appearance of these windows.