About the waveform display

The waveform display shows audio as a series of amplitude peaks and valleys. The x‑axis (horizontal ruler) measures time, and the y‑axis (vertical ruler) measures amplitude on a decibel scale that ranges from –∞ (negative infinity) for silence to 0 dBFS for loud peaks. Quiet audio has both lower peaks and lower valleys than loud audio.

With its clear indication of amplitude changes, the waveform display is perfect for identifying percussive changes in vocals, drums, and more. To find a particular spoken word, for example, simply look for the peak at the first syllable and the valley after the last syllable.

Stereo file in waveform display