SoundLab Audio Editor: Beginner Guide

Create a project, add audio, arrange clips, edit selections, mix tracks, apply effects, record, save, and export a finished audio file—all from your iPhone.

This guide is for first-time SoundLab users and anyone new to mobile multitrack audio editing. SoundLab uses the word clip for a movable audio region placed on a track. Other DAWs may call the same object a region.

What you will learn

• Create an empty project and add your first audio track.

• Understand the Project → Track → Clip hierarchy.

• Navigate, select, split, move, and edit audio.

• Mix tracks, apply effects, and record.

• Save the editable project and export a finished Mixdown.

1. Create your first project

From the SoundLab Home screen, tap the green New Project tile. SoundLab opens an empty Audio Editor.

At first, the editor has no tracks or audio clips. Disabled buttons appear dim and become available when the project contains suitable audio or a suitable selection.

2. Add audio and start playback

Add the first track

1. Tap + in the top toolbar.

2. Choose an audio source.

3. For this tutorial, tap Select from Local Library.

4. Tap [Sample] Rock Rhythm.

   

Choose the right source

• Select from Local Library: use audio already stored inside SoundLab.

• Select from Files App: import an audio file through the iOS Files picker.

• Instant Recording: record audio directly as a new track.

• Text To Speech: generate a spoken track from text.

Play the project

When the waveform appears, tap the large Play triangle at the lower left. Tap it again to stop.

The vertical red line is the playhead. It shows the current playback position and moves across the timeline while the project plays.

First milestone: you now have a project containing one track and one playable audio clip.

3. Audio Editor at a glance

The editor has six main working areas. Learn this full-screen layout once; later screenshots focus only on the controls needed for each task.

1. Project toolbar: close, add a track, remove a track, open project settings, or export.

2. Clip commands: Insert/Replace, Split New, Split, Join, and Duplicate.

3. Track header: Gain, Pan, Mute, Solo, and the Track menu.

4. Timeline and clips: time runs left to right; waveform blocks are clips and horizontal lanes are tracks.

5. Selection actions: Copy, Cut, Paste, Effect, Remove, Silence, and Trim.

6. Transport and mix tools: playback, Undo/Redo, recording, loop, and Master Effects.

4. Understand projects, tracks, and clips

SoundLab follows the same basic hierarchy used by most timeline-based audio editors:

Project → Track → Clip

• Project: the complete editable session—all tracks, clips, timing, effects, and mix settings.

• Track: a horizontal mixer lane. Gain, Pan, Mute, and Solo affect every clip placed on that track.

• Clip: a movable audio region. A track can contain one clip or several clips separated by gaps.

Key distinction: moving a clip changes when its audio plays. It does not move or create a track.

5. Navigate and select audio

Move through the project

• Swipe horizontally across the timeline to view a different time position.

• Pinch on the track area to zoom in or out.

• Use the two magnifying-glass buttons for stepped zoom control.

• Zoom in before making a precise selection or placing a cut point.

Use the correct selection state

SoundLab has three fundamental selection states.

A. No selection

Tap an empty black area to clear the selection. The bottom status bar reads No Selection. Use this state to reset the editing context or avoid changing selected audio accidentally.

B. Point selection

Tap once on the waveform. A vertical selection cursor appears, and the bottom status bar shows the same Start and End time. Use a point selection for an operation at one exact moment, especially Split or Insert.

C. Range selection

Drag horizontally across a waveform. A yellow outline marks the selected time range, and Start and End show different values. Use a range for Copy, Cut, Effect, Remove, Silence, Trim, Replace, Duplicate, or Split New.

Selection gestures

• Tap once on a waveform: place a point selection.

• Drag horizontally: create a time-range selection.

• Double-tap a clip: select the complete clip.

• Tap an empty black area: clear the selection.

6. Arrange clips

Clip arranging changes the structure and timing of the project without changing track-level mix settings.

Move a clip

1. Press and hold inside the clip briefly.

2. Without lifting your finger, drag left or right.

3. Release when the clip begins at the desired time.

Moving a clip can create, reduce, or remove a silent gap between clips on the same track.

Select a complete clip

Double-tap inside a clip. The yellow selection should match that clip’s beginning and end. This is the fastest way to apply an action or effect to one complete clip.

Split a clip

1. Tap once at the desired cut point.

2. Confirm that Start and End show the same time.

3. Tap Split in the upper command row.

The original clip becomes two clips on the same track.

Visual note: immediately after Split, the selection line remains at the cut point and can cover the new boundary. Move one side slightly if you need to make the two clips visually obvious.

Other arrangement commands

• Insert: insert imported audio at a point selection.

• Replace: replace a selected range with imported audio.

• Split New: move the selected range onto a new track.

• Join: join compatible clip regions within the selected range.

• Duplicate: create a copy of the selected audio.

Use Undo immediately if an arrangement operation produces an unexpected result. Use Redo to restore an undone change.

7. Edit a time range

Drag across the waveform and verify the yellow outline before choosing an edit command.

• Copy: copy the selected audio without removing it.

• Cut: copy and remove the selected audio.

• Paste: insert clipboard audio at the current cursor or selection.

• Effect: open audio processing for the selected range or clip.

• Remove: delete the selected audio.

• Silence: replace the selected audio with silence while preserving its duration.

• Trim: keep the selected audio and remove audio outside the selection.

A safe editing workflow

1. Zoom until the waveform boundaries are easy to see.

2. Create the range.

3. Check the yellow outline and the Start/End values.

4. Run one edit command.

5. Listen to the transition.

6. Undo and refine the selection if necessary.

8. Mix tracks and the project

Choose the correct control level before adjusting the sound.

Track-level controls

• Gain: change the overall level of one track.

• Pan: position one track between the left and right stereo channels.

• Mute: silence the track.

• Solo: listen to that track while suppressing other tracks.

• Wrench: open the Track menu.

The Track menu includes Rename Track, Remove Track, Manual Input Gain, Manual Input Pan, Move Track Up, and Move Track Down.

Project-level controls

Tap the lower-right sliders button to open Master Effects:

• Tune: adjust the project’s Pitch and Tempo.

• Reverb: add reverb to the combined output.

• Equalizer: shape the overall frequency balance.

The circular-arrow controls reset individual parameters to their defaults. Tap the sliders button again to close Master Effects.

Mixing rule: use track controls to balance one source against another. Use Master Effects only when the entire mix should change.

9. Apply an effect

Effects process the current time range or complete-clip selection.

Basic effect workflow

1. Drag to select a range, or double-tap a complete clip.

2. Tap Effect.

3. Choose an effect.

4. Adjust its settings.

5. Tap Preview.

6. Tap Apply when the result is correct, or Cancel to leave the audio unchanged.

Example: Amplify

Amplify changes the level of the selected audio. Move Gain above 0 dB to make it louder, or below 0 dB to make it quieter. Preview at a comfortable listening level before applying a large increase.

The Effect list also includes AI Vocal Separator, AI Stem Separator, De-essing, AI Noise Suppression, Equalizer, Reverb Pro, Compressor, Pitch, Tempo, Normalize, fades, Reverse, Echo, Tape Delay, and Silence Remover.

Clip effect vs. track Gain: Amplify changes the selected audio itself. Track Gain changes playback level for every clip on that track.

10. Record into the project

Tap the microphone button in the bottom transport area to open the compact recording panel.

Before recording

1. Connect or select the intended microphone or input.

2. Watch the input meter while speaking or playing.

3. Avoid a level that remains in the red area.

4. Use headphones if you enable monitoring, especially with a live microphone.

Record

1. Tap Start Record.

2. Perform while watching the elapsed time and input level.

3. Stop when the take is complete.

4. Play the result and use Undo if you need to try again.

Tap the microphone button again to close the recording panel.

11. Save and export

Saving and exporting are separate parts of the workflow.

Export the finished mix

Tap the green Share button in the upper-right corner to open the Exporter.

Choose a format

• AAC: compact, broadly compatible playback and sharing.

• ALAC: lossless audio in the Apple Lossless format.

• MP3: highly compatible compressed audio.

• FLAC: lossless audio for compatible players and services.

• WAV: uncompressed editing, archiving, or professional handoff.

For compressed formats, choose the required quality. Then check Sample Rate, Channels, metadata, cover art, and File Name. Tap Mixdown to render the audible project into one finished audio file.

Save the editable project

Tap X at the upper left of the editor. Enter a title and choose:

• Save: keep the editable SoundLab project.

• Discard: close without keeping the current project changes.

• Cancel: return to the editor.

  

Best practice: save the editable project first, then export a Mixdown. The saved project keeps tracks and clips available for future changes; the Mixdown is the finished listening or delivery file.

12. Quick reference

Beginner workflow checklist

1. Create a New Project.

2. Add or record the first track.

3. Press Play and confirm that audio is audible.

4. Learn the Project → Track → Clip hierarchy.

5. Zoom and create the correct selection state.

6. Arrange clips or edit a selected range.

7. Balance tracks with Gain, Pan, Mute, and Solo.

8. Preview effects before applying them.

9. Save the editable project.

10. Export the finished Mixdown.

Gesture cheat sheet

• Tap once on a waveform: place a point selection.

• Drag on a waveform: create a time-range selection.

• Double-tap a clip: select the complete clip.

• Press, hold, and drag a clip: move the clip in time.

• Pinch: zoom the timeline.

• Swipe horizontally: navigate through time.

• Tap empty black space: clear the selection.

Troubleshooting

Split is enabled, but I cannot see the cut

The vertical selection line may be covering the new clip boundary. Move one side slightly or clear the selection.

Effect is disabled

Create a time range or double-tap a complete clip first.

Paste is disabled

Copy or cut audio first, then place a suitable point or range selection.

I changed the wrong audio

Undo the operation. Before trying again, verify the yellow outline and the Start/End values.

The project sounds different after export

Check track Gain, Pan, Mute, and Solo states, then check Master Effects. Mixdown renders the audible project mix.

Screenshots were captured from SoundLab running on a real iPhone. Interaction behavior was cross-checked against the Audio Editor implementation.