[LAU] I need to catalogue wave file regions.

[John Murphy]

On Thu, 10 Jan 2013 18:20:25 -1000, Joel Roth wrote:

> Hi John,
> 
> Welcome, and I hope you can find some software to solve
> your issues.

Thanks.

> John Murphy wrote:
> > As far as I know there isn't anything available for Linux which has
> > the sole purpose of marking and cataloguing (.wav) sound file regions.
>  
> > I don't know of anything on another platform which does it either.
> > 
> > I need to:
> > 
> > 1) Look at and zoom in on mostly quite big wav files circa 1.3GB,
> >    to find sections/regions which are particularly musical,
> >    or informative, and mark and name them for later access.
> >    Only a few fields of information would be necessary.
> 
> > 2) Compile a 'play list' of regions to be played, while displaying
> >    configurable fields of the details entered.
> 
> IIUC, you want a simple database with a few fields or tags for each
> region, and the database would cover multiple large WAV files.
> 
> And then to be able to search on certain fields, and combine the results
> into a playlist.

Exactly. It would be useful if fields could be entered or changed
during play list play as well.

> > That's it really, although I have some particular demands for controls
> > which would aid my work-flow. I've got used to using a really old Windows
> > program, which isn't really suitable for the job, but I manage. No JACK
> > ability there though of course.
> 
> Well, you might as well mention these requirements, too.
> Otherwise how will your angel coder know to whip them up for you!

Mmm. An "angel coder" is what I need. I would prefer mouse control
for perusing the wav file. Right click toggles play/stop and left
click positions the play head. Scroll wheel to zoom in/out.

The whole file should be shown in one (child?) window and not be
expandable. A left click anywhere within it should immediately
move the play head to that place and continue playing, while also
showing the part in the 'work' window which would be zoomable and
is where regions would be set. Two buttons would be available to
set the region start and end point and a third to open a widget
to enter data in the information fields.

It would be nice if any previously set region was indicated by
slightly different colouration, or by marks above the wav displays.

> > I think it needs writing, if it is not already written. Anyone know
> > something like that?
> 
> Depends, how user friendly are you expecting this software
> to be?

Well I can manage without much user friendliness, but developers,
I've found, usually want to achieve a high degree of that quality.

> > Functionally; it would be a bit like a DVD authoring application and
> > I wondered if I should contact the authors of Bonobo or similar. Main
> > difference being source material could be anywhere on the file system.
> > Compilations could be prepared for writing to CD perhaps, but mainly -
> > it would be used to create compilations to play on the computer. Perhaps
> > Version 2 could even generate pleasant musical programs with just a few
> > hints from user. ;)
> 
> > I don't have time to learn programming, but I do try to support those
> > who can write, and I'd do so if someone was willing to write it for me/us.
> 
> Learning to program doesn't take long, but actually writing
> the stuff you want written and then getting it to work as
> expected may take a while. :-)

I worked with an extremely competent programmer some years ago, who
took years to learn C and C++, but I was amazed how quickly she was
able to make changes/improvements I suggested. I convinced her to
work on the open source project (SDRMAX3/4), but it didn't end well
and we seem to have fallen out. :(

This is what she (Cathy) did: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nae_M_q-i10

> > Any advice would be most appreciated, thanks.
> 
> How many WAV files and how many regions are you
> talking about? Some UIs will have limitations
> on how much can be easily displayed or browsed.

Hundreds of WAVs mostly of 120min duration, but only one to be
looked at at a time. Possibly thousands of regions - eventually.

> Finally, I think it will make a difference whether you
> have a budget, or you are looking for an entirely
> "free software" solution.

Free, preferably, but I would certainly make a good size donation
if my angel coder made it possible to do so. I certainly can't
afford to pay the going hourly rate. Cheapskate I.

Thanks again.

-- 
John.