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Adobe Audition 2020 for Mac: A Comprehensive Operation Guide

Adobe Audition 2020 is a powerful professional digital audio workstation (DAW) designed for audio post-production, editing, mixing, and restoration. Its intuitive interface and professional toolset make it an ideal choice for podcast production, video voiceover, music editing, and sound design. This article provides an in-depth analysis of its core interface and offers a complete workflow from project creation to export.

I. Core Interface and Workspace Overview

After launching Audition 2020, you will see its highly customizable workspace, which is mainly divided into the following core panels:

• Editor Panel: Located in the center, this is the main area for waveform or spectral display and detailed editing. You can switch between the “Waveform” view and the “Spectral Frequency” view.
• Multitrack Editor: Used for multitrack mixing projects. Here you can arrange multiple audio clips, add effects, and perform automation control.
• Files Panel: Usually located in the lower left, used to manage all audio files imported or created in the current session.
• Effects Rack Panel: Located in the upper left, allowing you to load, manage, and adjust multiple audio effects for the selected audio clip or track.
• Markers Panel: Used to add and manage time point markers for quick navigation and positioning.
• Properties Panel / Media Browser: Switches according to the selected workspace layout, displaying the properties of the currently selected audio clip or track, or used to browse local audio files.
• Levels Panel: Displays real-time level meters for the main output and buses to ensure the signal does not overload (clip).

You can select preset layouts such as “Edit,” “Mix,” and “Mastering” from the menu bar via Window > Workspace, or customize the layout by dragging panel borders.

II. Complete Workflow: From Creation to Export

1. Create or Open a Project

Create a new multitrack session (for mixing):

1. Click File > New > Multitrack Session... in the menu bar or use the shortcut Cmd+N.
2. In the dialog box that appears, set the session name, folder location, sample rate (usually 44100 Hz or 48000 Hz), bit depth (usually 32-bit), and then click “OK.”

Open an existing audio file (for editing):

1. Click File > Open... in the menu bar or use the shortcut Cmd+O.
2. Select the target audio file (such as WAV or MP3) in the file browser, and the file will open in the Editor panel.

2. Import and Organize Assets

In a multitrack session:

1. Drag audio files directly from the desktop into the track area of the “Multitrack Editor,” or drag them into the “Files Panel.”
2. In the “Files Panel,” right-click a file and select “Insert into Multitrack Session,” or drag it directly onto the desired track.

3. Basic Editing Operations

In the Editor Panel (single-track editing):

1. Select audio: Use the mouse to drag and select a section of the waveform, or use the shortcut Cmd+A to select all.
2. Cut, copy, paste: Use the standard shortcuts Cmd+X, Cmd+C, Cmd+V.
3. Delete silence or unwanted parts: Select the area and press the Delete key.
4. Adjust volume: Select the region, adjust the “Gain” value in the “Amplitude and Compression” section of the “Properties Panel,” or use the Effects Rack to add a “Normalize” or “Hard Limiter” effect.

In the Multitrack Editor (multitrack editing):

1. Move clips: Drag audio clip blocks left or right with the mouse.
2. Split clips: Move the playhead (timeline) to the target position and use the shortcut Cmd+K to split the clip.
3. Crossfade: Overlap the beginning and end of two audio clips, and Audition will automatically create a crossfade, or right-click the overlapping area to adjust it manually.
4. Track volume and pan: Use the fader on the left side of the track to adjust volume and the knob to adjust pan (left-right balance).

4. Apply Effects and Restoration

Add effects to a single audio segment: Open the file in the Editor panel, click a slot in the “Effects Rack” panel, select an effect from the drop-down menu (such as “Filter and EQ > Graphic Equalizer”), and then adjust the parameters.

Add effects to an entire track: In the Multitrack Editor, click the “Effects” button (fx icon) at the track header to add track effects.

Common Repair Techniques:

• Noise Reduction: In the single-track editor, select a segment of pure noise as a sample, then click Effects > Noise Reduction/Restoration > Noise Reduction (process)..., click “Capture Noise Print,” then select “Entire File” and apply.
• Remove Clicks/Pops: Effects > Noise Reduction/Restoration > Automatic Click Remover....
• Remove Sibilance: Add “Filter and EQ > Dynamics Processing” to the effects rack and select the “DeEsser” preset.

5. Mixing and Automation

In the Multitrack Editor, click the “Automation” button on a track (displayed as “Read”) and select modes such as Write (W) or Touch (T). Then play the session while adjusting the track’s volume fader or effect parameters in real time; these adjustments will be recorded as automation curves.

6. Export the Final Audio

1. In the multitrack session, make sure to use the Time Selection tool (shortcut T) to select the range you want to export; if nothing is selected, the entire session length will be exported by default.
2. Click the menu bar File > Export > Multitrack Mixdown > Entire Session....
3. In the export settings, choose the format (e.g., WAV for lossless, MP3 for online distribution), location, and file name.
4. In “Format Settings,” adjust specific parameters (such as the MP3 bitrate), then click “OK” to complete the export.

III. Advanced Tips for Common Features

• Spectral Frequency Display Editing: Switch the Editor panel to the “Spectral Frequency Display” view (View > Spectral Frequency Display). You can use the Lasso tool or Brush tool to directly select and delete specific noises (such as wind or phone rings) on the spectrogram, achieving visual, precise noise reduction.
• Match Loudness: For podcasts or video series, ensure all audio clips have consistent loudness. Select the audio, click Window > Match Loudness to open the panel, drag the files in, select a target loudness standard (such as ITU-R BS.1770-3), and click “Run Match.”
• Multitrack Session Templates: After setting up commonly used track structures, effects, and buses, you can save them as a template (File > Save As Template...) for direct use when creating new sessions in the future.
• Quick Mute or Solo: In the Multitrack Editor, hold the Option key and click a track’s “M” (Mute) or “S” (Solo) button to quickly mute or solo all other tracks.

IV. Common Issues and Solutions

• Issue: No sound during playback.
  • Check: Menu bar Audition > Preferences > Audio Hardware, ensure “Device Type” is set to “Core Audio” and “Default Output” is set to the correct speakers or audio interface.
  • Check whether the master output track fader in the Multitrack Editor has been pulled down, and whether the track is muted.
• Issue: Exported file volume is too low or clipping occurs (red level meter).
  • Before exporting, observe the master level meter to ensure peaks are between -3dB and -1dB, avoiding red (clipping). You can use the “Hard Limiter” effect in the effects rack to control peaks.
  • Use the “Match Loudness” feature to normalize the overall loudness.
• Issue: Lag or latency during operation.
  • In Preferences > Audio Hardware, try increasing the “I/O Buffer Size” (e.g., to 1024 samples); this increases latency but reduces lag.
  • Disable unnecessary tracks or effect plugins to free up system resources.
• Issue: Unable to undo (Ctrl+Z not working).
  • Audition’s undo history is panel-specific. Make sure you are performing the undo in the panel where the operation occurred (Editor or Multitrack Editor). You can also view and jump through the Edit > Undo History panel.

V. Adobe Audition 2020 for Mac Keyboard Shortcuts Summary Table