Tape Ops, Transport & Master Bus Controls

Overview

The bottom portion of the Stable Audio workspace contains your core editing, playback, and audio processing consoles. These tools allow you to perform non-destructive edits on your timeline, control global playback speed and pitch dynamics, and polish your session's master output.

Section 1: Tape Ops Toolbar

Located directly beneath the track timeline, the TAPE OPS toolbar provides traditional tape-style editing utilities.

1. Help (?)

• Function: Toggles contextual help overlays and shortcut tooltips directly over the multitrack editor.

2. Bounce Menu (BOUNCE ▾)

Renders and consolidates track audio within your session:

• TO LANE: Renders the audio output directly into a new track lane inside your session without exporting external files.
• MIXDOWN: Merges and exports all unmuted active tracks into a single consolidated stereo audio file.
• STEMS: Exports each active track lane individually as isolated audio stems for external DAW use.
• NORM (Normalize): Toggles audio normalization on/off to maximize output levels without clipping.

3. Loop Menu (LOOP ▾)

Establishes continuous playback regions across your arrangement timeline:

• IN / OUT Markers: Defines exact start (IN) and end (OUT) points of the playback loop.
• SET RANGE: Converts your highlighted timeline selection into a locked loop region.
• CLEAR: Clears the active loop range and restores standard playback.
• RANGE / NO RANGE Indicator: Displays NO RANGE when inactive, or shows the active time range when a loop boundary is set.

4. Splice & Clipboard Menu (SPLICE ▾)

Slices audio clips and performs clipboard edits:

• Scope Selectors (TRACK / ALL): Target edits to only the active track lane or across all unmuted tracks in the session.
• Clipboard Actions: Standard CUT, COPY, and PASTE utilities for timeline audio regions.
• AT PLAYHEAD ▾: Slices the target clip directly along the active playhead position.
• Advanced Reel Tools (ADV ▾):
  • LIFT: Clears audio from the selected range, leaving a blank gap without shifting downstream clips.
  • CUT REEL: Removes the selected timeline section completely and ripples downstream audio back to close the gap.

5. Reverse (REVERSE)

• Function: Reverses playback direction for the selected audio clip or stem (ideal for swell effects, risers, and reversed rhythm chops).

6. Undo (UNDO)

• Function: Reverts your last editing or generative operation on the timeline.
• Shortcut: ⌘ + Z (macOS) / Ctrl + Z (Windows/Linux).

Section 2: Transport & Global Tempo Controls

• Playback Controls: Standard playhead transport icons (|◄ Jump to Start, ► Play,      ■ Stop, ►| Jump to End, ⇄ Global Loop Toggle).
• Time Counter: Displays current playhead position alongside total project duration.
• BPM Field: Sets the global playback speed in beats per minute.
• WOW Dial: Introduces analog-style pitch flutter and tape speed instability to add lo-fi texture.
• SPEED Multiplier: Adjusts overall arrangement playback speed scale dynamically (e.g., pitched tape speed shifts).

Section 3: Master Bus & Signal Output

The BUS MASTER strip controls final output gain, global signal processing, and visual level monitoring:

• GAIN Knob: Adjusts overall master output volume in decibels (dB).
• FX Chain Rack: Displays active master bus processors (e.g., ST-1 Tape for tape warm saturation and Head Bump for low-end bass resonance). Click FX [X] to manage or swap global master effects.
• OUT L / R Meter: Visual stereo output peak meter used to verify mix headroom and guard against digital clipping.