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S
sarapodcaster
New Participant
June 19, 2020
Question

Reverting audio file back to original

  • June 19, 2020
  • 1 reply
  • 8668 views

Hi, I have an interview audio file that I have edited and added some noise reduction etc, and hit save. However, the audio had turned out muddy and I want to change what I originally did. However it seems like because I hit save, all my history on the file is gone. I still have the original file outside of audition, but I don't want to have to cut the whole file again. How do I revert the file back to its original state on all the cut files?

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1 reply

SteveG_AudioMasters_
SteveG_AudioMasters_
Community Expert
June 19, 2020

Basically, you can't - that's why you always work with a copy. When you do a save in Waveform view, the temp files are destroyed. Generally the safest way out of these problems (even with huge files) is to save each altered version as you work your way through it. That way you'll always have the in-between versions to go back to when you don't like something, because this way they aren't temp files, but 'real'ones.

 

There are different viewpoints on when you take certain steps; some people do all the NR first and then do the edit on the NR'd file, and if you are going to do the edit in Multitrack, that's quite a good idea. If you change your mind about the processing, you can always replace the original file with the revised version, and if you give it the same name as the original file, then all the edits will remain as they were - you've just got (hopefully) better audio.

 

The alternative is to do all the treatment to the file after it's edited and mixed down. You don't have to treat so much material, and that can save a bit of time sometimes. But it's still easy to go back to the edit and create another mixdown if you need to.

 

In general, editing in Multitrack is way safer than Waveform view - you can always undo things.

    S
    sarapodcasterAuthor
    New Participant
    June 20, 2020

    Thanks for your response it is appreciated, but I do have several questions.

     

    I am confused about working with a copy. I have the original file already, it is just in a separate location, the one that I was using (the copy) is the one that is now saved and that I cannot revert back to the original. In multitrack, where I am working from, I have that audio cut and ready to go there, but I want to revert back to that original file. It seems to me like I have to save another copy and cut the audio again. I know in premier pro, you can use the original media and "locate" it, but this seems impossible in audition.

     

    It does help that when you do make changes or add filters, it seems to repeatedly change and sometimes doesn't even work at all. If I want to add noise reduction techniques or normalize, it differs with how big the audio file is. If I am in wave form and select all, it is different if I am in wave form and select a small part of the audio. Sometimes, the middle of the audio is different to the rest because the treatment is not working well.

     

    It seems a little too volatile and risky. I may treat the file after I have finished the edit, but sometimes things might change in between.

     

    For some noise reduction, you can't do it in multitrack and so I don't really have any choice but to use waveform. 

     

    SteveG_AudioMasters_
    SteveG_AudioMasters_
    Community Expert
    June 20, 2020

    You said:

     

    " In multitrack, where I am working from, I have that audio cut and ready to go there, but I want to revert back to that original file. It seems to me like I have to save another copy and cut the audio again. I know in premier pro, you can use the original media and "locate" it, but this seems impossible in audition."

     

    Ah. It's not impossible at all. All you need to do is start from your original file, make a copy of it and then do two things: change the name of the file that's messed up to something different (doesn't matter what) and then change the name of that copy you just made to be the same as the original name of the messed-up file, and replace it in the original location. When you re-open the session, it will be with the copy of your original file, without anything (yet) done to it, and all your edits should be as they were.

     

    There's nothing to stop you doing different bits of treatment to different parts of the file in Wavwform view; the only thing you can't do is make cuts, or alter the duration, as that will screw up the timing of your edits.

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