The waveform seekbar

I really like the waveform seekbar where you can see the track visually, and skip to a point in the track. It would be great if this could be made a little more of a feature - perhaps slightly larger and with more resolution - its very basic at the moment. In Foobar, there is a plugin called ‘waveform seekbar’ that does just this - it takes a bit of time to scan all of your files, but it gives a visual representation of the track that is of similar detail to something you might see in audio editing software.

Never seen foobar but taking this lovely feature to another level would be great.

What I would say is a lot of my music - pop, electronic, rock - has waveforms that seem very ‘wall of sound’ I.e. They look pretty much like solid clipped waveforms throughout with maybe a few little nicks in them. Yet the tracks aren’t particularly solid volume, so perhaps there are some other algorithms that might visualise a low res waveform better?

Being anal, I’d love if the play indicator would move smoothly rather than step.

And if it could show waveforms for tidal - at least on tracks that are in my library or have been played through previously.

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[quote=“anon55914447, post:5, topic:7041”]
I have found the waveform display more useful than I thought I would. I use it as a very rough and ready guide to show the amount of dynamic range compression present in new releases (answer: a lot, often) which then influences my decision whether or not to buy it on vinyl.

It’s ironic that because of the inherent limitations of cutting the vinyl medium, LPs usually go through a different post-production process to digital releases. They usually have less DRC applied, leading to them sounding much better!
[/quote]I admit to some ignorance in this field and apologise in advance for any misconceptions, but I would be very surprised if the “amount of dynamic range compression present” could be ascertained from observing the Roon waveform in it’s current iteration. It would seem far too low in resolution and detail to ascertain anything other than where the soft & loud passages of a track are, and perhaps the general level of recording amplitude.

On this note, one of my requests in another thread has been for improvements to the waveform seekbar to be made - including the option to make it perhaps a little bigger and certainly more detailed with more frequent sampling being shown. Foobar has a waveform seekbar plugin which is customisable in terms of options and colours, which I used to find very useful; plenty examples online but here’s one:

Foobar waveform seekbar

I notice when you quoted me you didn’t include my caveat that it’s “very rough and ready” :smiley:

But honestly, it’s not that difficult. I’ve got so many tracks in my library that are virtually just rectangular bars. That’s a definite sign of DRC, however approximate.

Look at the state of this, for example:

Rubbish! Sounds just as you would expect too.

Fair enough, I’m sure that you’re able to spot it. Really I was just hijacking the thread to further my agenda of a request for an improved waveform seekbar :smiley:

With your graphic above, couldn’t that also represent a track with a fairly constant amplitude? Though I suppose if that’s not the case on listening then you have a point!

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Have a listen to it on Tidal if you get a chance. You’d expect some dynamic peaks and troughs.

I like your idea of an expanded waveform though. Perhaps something that zooms in when you click on it in the UI.

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I will have a listen, if the Power of Greyskull permits!

I have a lot of waveforms that look like that @anon55914447. :wink:

One thing I really wish is that the waveforms were normalised, so that on really compressed tracks or electronic music etc, you can still see whats what. A lot of the stuff I listen to has clear volume peaks and troughs, but they appear as a solid ‘wall of sound’ in the waveform in many cases, which personally I dont think help’s much.